You must have encountered many social media posts labelled #TBT. The initials stand for: throwback Thursday. As the denomination shows, such posts are shared on Thursday. They are usually old photos/video of the user, reminders of important events from the past, awkward teenage/yearbook images, etc.
Started by individual users, this trend has first reached influencers and then businesses. Now, from anonymous users to top celebrities, from small businesses to global corporations, everyone is sharing #TBT posts.
Should You Jump the TBT Hashtag Bandwagon?
#TBT posts can help any brand if you are careful about what you choose to share. They add a human dimension to your business and building connections with your followers. For many companies, #TBT posts have become a staple in their social media calendar and their followers are eager to see what they will share next.
These being said, we do encourage you to embrace the TBT hashtag trend. It is a welcome addition to your content mix. Plus, it saves you the time and effort to create new content for one day of the week.
A Few Basic Rules of #TBT Posts
Before we move on to sharing a few #TBT post ideas, here are some general rules. Stick to Thursday as the posting day. Other companies tried to make #TBT a staple for other days of the week and it backfired painfully.
Pick something significant to share. As far as possible, try to find a connection between the content you share and some current event. If nothing else, try to be a little funny in your posts. Your followers do not expect you to come up with something spectacular all the time. But they won’t forgive you if you share a series of boring #TBT posts.
Now that we got these aspects out of the way, here are a few ideas of TBT hashtag posts:
1. Your First Office/Headquarter
Where did your business start out? It doesn’t matter how humble its origins are. Apple, Amazon and Disney started out in a garage. Find that old photo you have of the place where you started working for your business and share it.
It may look awkward to you, but your followers will appreciate your honesty in sharing it. They will be able to relate to your business more, as it makes it more approachable and closer to their own lives, homes and daily activities.
2. Bring Back a Successful Event
Over the years, your business may have hosted/participated in some niche events. Find one that has a particular meaning for you. For example, pick the business fair where you signed up your 1,000th client or the convention where you were invited to share your insights on the future of the industry.
This type of #TBT post is very useful for new followers who do not know your company history. They will see that you have certain achievements and that you hold a good position in your industry in the local area at least.
3. Share Your Employees’ Childhood Photos
This is a very popular type of #TBT post from the human interest point of view. Ask your employees to contribute their childhood and teenage photos to the social media calendar. To make the post more fun and engaging, ask your followers to guess who each person in the photo is (after you have introduced them to your staff, of course).
4. Select Significant Milestones
Your first product launch. Your first website. Your first mobile app. These are important milestones for every company. Sharing them accomplishes two things. One, it creates a visual storyline for your company. Secondly, it allows your followers to note the evolution of your brand image and products.
Thus, they can see for themselves that you are continuously working to improve your products and service and to maintain your brand image fresh and relevant.
5. Ask Your Followers to Share Their #TBT Moments
TBT hashtag posts go both ways. Every once in a while, ask your followers to post significant moments from their own past. In this way, you create a dialogue with them and establish a human connection. This is one of the key building blocks of trust that keeps customers loyal to companies.