60 Seconds to Using Twitter Hashtags
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Twitter hashtags are kind of a mystery if you’re new to Twitter or have never used them.
Even if you’re a power user on Twitter, it’s still good to brush up on hashtags and how to best utilize them. They are actually one of the most simple and interesting features on Twitter.
If you’re not familiar, a Twitter hashtag is a phrase or name contained in a Tweet message with the # symbol listed (i.e., #jobs). Basically, it’s a way of identifying a subject so that others with the same interest will read and find your Tweet. All hashtags with the same phrase are categorized so that if you write a Tweet with #jobs in it, your Tweet will automatically be listed with all the others mentioning the same hashtag. As long as your profile is public, your Tweet will be in a searchable list. This is a great way for finding people with similar interests and phrases surrounding a key word.
It’s kind of like putting key words into Google, only you’re doing it through the platform of Twitter hashtags. Because you don’t want to see every Tweet with the words “job,” adding the #jobs hashtag is simply an easier way to search.
There is no formal or official way to use hashtags, but the practice seems to have evolved over time. On Twitter you’ll notice that are trending topics based on hashtags. The trending topics change daily, depending on things going on in the world, and they are especially popular during natural disasters. According to Mashable, hashtags became popular in 2007 during the San Diego wildfires with the #sandiegofires making the rounds on Twitter.
These days, Twitter hashtags have expanded to cover businesses, networking and sporting events, conferences, and pretty much anything in the popular media.
While the trending topics come and go, some hashtags have stood the test of time. For example, #followfriday is a recommendation of Twitter users that are worth following. This phrase, which started as one weekly hashtag on a Friday, turned into an international and daily phenomenon. Do a search for “followfriday” and you’ll see what I mean.
