In just a few years the hashtag has gone from a humble and obscure symbol, also known as the pound sign, to a powerful online tool. The # initially gained prominence on Twitter, but has spread to use across a plethora of other online social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram.
Driven partly by the fact that a tweet is twice as likely to be engaged with if it contains a hashtag, marketers have been quick to pick up on this functionality. Twitter is now even offering the opportunity to leverage TV hashtag trends with the Twitter Amplify advertising product.
This is especially relevant in Asia where, as an example, Indonesia is Facebook’s second largest market globally, and Jakarta is the Twitter capital of the world.
Now the hashtag is such a ubiquitous tool, we thought that it was worth reviewing how it can be used in campaigns to help drive engagement. The five Infographics below look at hashtags in detail in a handy takeaway format.
The History of the Hashtag (2013) [Infographic]
The evolution of the hashtag from 2007 to today; Twitter to Facebook.
Choosing a # (2013) [Infographic]
How to choose and use the hashtag, from the Twitter team.
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter Hashtags (2013) [Infographic]
These infographics covering hashtag use across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter separately, alongside the differences between these platforms.
Finally, here’s an interview with the creator of the hashtag on his first ever hashtagged tweet, and why he didn’t patent it. Enjoy.