Technology
Facebook Introduces #hashtags
Facebook has jumped on the hashtag craze, popularized by other social networking services such as Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram. Facebook wants to make it easier for users to find content already on Facebook, and functional hashtags are the first step.
According to Facebook, many users already post hashtags, so why not make them work.
Hashtags will be both clickable and searchable. Clicking on hashtags will provide a feed of what other people and Pages are saying about the events and topics mentioned. For example, searching for #Facebook will open up a host of topics with the #Facebook tag along with pages and other search results. Hashtags will also let strangers participate in public conversations.
Hashtag has proven to be a handy system for social networking users to join online conversations as events unfold in real-time, such as political debates, television shows and sports. And it provides an easy way for advertisers to reach a particular audience.
Facebook said:
“To bring these conversations more to the forefront, we will be rolling out a series of features that surface some of the interesting discussions people are having about public events, people and topics.
“Hashtags are just the first step to help people more easily discover what others are saying about a specific topic and participate in public conversations.”
Facebook also announced that it would add more features such as trending hashtags “in the coming weeks and months”.
