The Importance of Hashtags

If you are just joining the social media bandwagon, you may be wondering about hashtags and why they show up. However, they are important in online communication and can be fun to use. Hashtags began on Twitter in 2007 and now exist on other social media sites, such as Facebook and Instagram. It is easy to join a conversation simply by adding a hashtag to the end of a tweet. In addition, hashtags allow users to look for specific content. The word or phrase directly following the hashtag symbol (#) becomes a searchable link. Mashable posted a beginner's guide to using hashtags.

What are some basic guidelines regarding hashtags? Spaces are not allowed. Instead, you group the words together. If you want some separation between words, you can use capital letters. Numbers are supported, provided words are also in the hashtag. Punctuation marks are not supported, so they cannot be included in a hashtag.

You can also create hashtags. By adding the hash before a group of words, you have made your own hashtag. The hashtags you create can be entertaining or help promote a group or event.

Today, businesses are using hashtags to promote events. It helps to use relevant hashtags that people are likely to search. However, you can also create your own hashtag to promote an upcoming event or campaign. Another tip for businesses is to follow relevant trends. It is possible to use those hashtags for your business, if it applies to your business.

I thought this article provided good information for people who do not know about hashtags. Not only did it provide a brief history, but it discussed specific reasons hashtags are used today. It was informative and interesting to read about the importance of hashtags. Do you enjoy using hashtags?