The Hashtag
I don't even know how I want to explain what's going on in my brain about hashtags. Do I want to talk about etiquette (if that exists for hashtags), my thoughts on what it's true purpose is and what it has become, or something completely different.
If you have made it to this sentence, then you have accepted that my brain doesn't always organize itself in a friendly manner. Let's get to it, shall we?
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, Google+ (Seriously, am I the only one that is still using G+ with the hopes that it might catch on at some point?), they all utilize that hashtag. The initial purpose of a hashtag in my mind is to contribute to a trending topic. For the most part, I believe that users utilize this correctly. It allows others to see your post as well. Gives you that exposure on the Internet. Who knows, you might become famous on the Internet for adding "#thegreatest" to your post. We should drill down some social networks to see how the hashtag is used.
Facebook included the hashtag some time in 2013, I think. I remember prior to that I would hashtag stuff just because I knew it didn't work on Facebook for fun. Now that it works, I can't do it. There's a problem when using hashtags on Facebook that goes the same for all social networks. If your post isn't public, how does it gain exposure? I don't think people realize that or use the hashtag for the intent to get their post out, but it's rather an expression to their post. You hashtag something that is exclusive only to your friends, then your friends are only to going to see that post if they decide to check out that hashtag. Make the post public (the little globe thingy) and you'll get all the exposure you could possibly want. Or, if you just want to hashtag "socool" to just your friends, then that's ok as well.
Twitter is where the hashtag originated. I think the hashtag is still one of features that make it unique, despite the function propagating to other social networks. You still see a collection of trending hashtags next to your profile every day on Twitter. Though it's the same etiquette as using it on Facebook. If your profile is private, no one is going to see the post you used a hashtag in except for the people you let follow you. Want to "#FeelTheBern"? Well you better have your profile public so people can "bern" with you. Twitter doesn't allow you to choose which tweets become public or private. It's all or nothing. Just don't use this as a hashtag - #IloveeverythingbutwhyamIsosad
... Seriously, how are you going to get a sentence trending on Twitter?
Guys, if you want me to see pictures of the food your are eating, make sure your profile is public on Instagram and hashtag it, baby! You see people use the hashtag the most on Instagram. It's almost as if people try and compete to see who can put the most hashtags in their picture before sending it out. It's truly interesting.
Ok, I think I'm done here. Good talk, brain. I don't think I could have organized this any more poorly. I've been juggling with this topic for months and this is as concrete as I could get.
If you have made it to this sentence, then you have accepted that my brain doesn't always organize itself in a friendly manner. Let's get to it, shall we?
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Vine, Google+ (Seriously, am I the only one that is still using G+ with the hopes that it might catch on at some point?), they all utilize that hashtag. The initial purpose of a hashtag in my mind is to contribute to a trending topic. For the most part, I believe that users utilize this correctly. It allows others to see your post as well. Gives you that exposure on the Internet. Who knows, you might become famous on the Internet for adding "#thegreatest" to your post. We should drill down some social networks to see how the hashtag is used.
Facebook included the hashtag some time in 2013, I think. I remember prior to that I would hashtag stuff just because I knew it didn't work on Facebook for fun. Now that it works, I can't do it. There's a problem when using hashtags on Facebook that goes the same for all social networks. If your post isn't public, how does it gain exposure? I don't think people realize that or use the hashtag for the intent to get their post out, but it's rather an expression to their post. You hashtag something that is exclusive only to your friends, then your friends are only to going to see that post if they decide to check out that hashtag. Make the post public (the little globe thingy) and you'll get all the exposure you could possibly want. Or, if you just want to hashtag "socool" to just your friends, then that's ok as well.
Twitter is where the hashtag originated. I think the hashtag is still one of features that make it unique, despite the function propagating to other social networks. You still see a collection of trending hashtags next to your profile every day on Twitter. Though it's the same etiquette as using it on Facebook. If your profile is private, no one is going to see the post you used a hashtag in except for the people you let follow you. Want to "#FeelTheBern"? Well you better have your profile public so people can "bern" with you. Twitter doesn't allow you to choose which tweets become public or private. It's all or nothing. Just don't use this as a hashtag - #IloveeverythingbutwhyamIsosad
... Seriously, how are you going to get a sentence trending on Twitter?
Guys, if you want me to see pictures of the food your are eating, make sure your profile is public on Instagram and hashtag it, baby! You see people use the hashtag the most on Instagram. It's almost as if people try and compete to see who can put the most hashtags in their picture before sending it out. It's truly interesting.
Ok, I think I'm done here. Good talk, brain. I don't think I could have organized this any more poorly. I've been juggling with this topic for months and this is as concrete as I could get.