F acebook: the hashtags are here!
The magic moment is finally here: Facebook has enabled hashtags. We’ve known about this addition for some time now, but what exactly does this mean for Facebook users?
Hashtags on Facebook work just like they do most places, like a category tag automatically linked by adding (you guessed it) a hashtag to the beginning. Bemoaning the long wait for coffee at Starbucks? Slap a #firstworldproblems hashtag on the post and join the masses. Want to grab some stellar conversation starters for a night out? Add on the #geekpickuplines hashtag. See who else is sharing your experiences by searching that hashtag or clicking on the link itself.
For businesses like us, it’s also a new opportunity to interact with fans. Campaigns centered around hashtags can now reach both Facebook and Twitter, while smaller ventures can launch directly into relevant discussions with users by tagging and browsing posts with the appropriate hashtag. For instance, this weekend’s Dwell on Design conference in downtown Los Angeles encourages the use of #dwellondesign as attendees post photos and updates on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and now Facebook!
While it remains to be seen just how well Facebook adjusts to this change as a whole, one thing is for sure: stuffing posts with hashtags is a major no-no, and will quickly make the brand message seem like spam. Our advice? Keep hashtags specific and relevant, and they can be an incredibly powerful (and fun!) new marketing tool to use on Facebook.
Also read our article on how to utilize social media as a content curation tool (Facebook hashtags will be a great resource for this!).
Gary works from his apartment in Portland as Zbra Studios’ Senior SEO Strategist (mostly in pajamas, with a cat or two nibbling at his leg). Those in web3 may known him as weary (or vvveary, give or take a “v”), where he works in the moonlight hours on the core team of the MetaArchitects HUB.
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