Facebook Embraces Hashtags

Just today Facebook announced that hashtags will now be clickable on Facebook. In a blog post announcing the new feature, Facebook noted that “Similar to other services like Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, or Pinterest, hashtags on Facebook allow you to add context to a post or indicate that it is part of a larger discussion.” Many users incorporate hashtags on Facebook anyway, so it was only a matter of time before Facebook made them clickable and searchable.  Just like all posts on Facebook, you can control who sees your hashtag posts.

According to Facebook, now you can:

• Search for a specific hashtag from your search bar. For example,  #NBAFinals.
• Click on hashtags that originate on other services, such as Instagram.
• Compose posts directly from the hashtag feed and search results.

This is a step in the right direction for Facebook, with the addition of hashtags, Facebook can now become part of broader conversations, and help users make their conversations discoverable. And Facebook isn’t stopping there, with plans to roll out more features in the coming weeks and months, including trending hashtags and deeper insights. To read the full Facebook blog post, click here.

Jaclyn Bickerton, Social Media, Raven5 Ltd, Oakville & Toronto Ontario, June 2013

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