MELIS* ELIZABETH
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • MEDIA
  • Contact

Where Did Hashtags Come from and What are They?

3/26/2017

4 Comments

 

The History and Uses of the Hashtag
Celebrating its Unofficial 10th Anniversary in 2017! 

#HappyBirthdayHashtag

You may not have realized it but this year the 'hashtag' unofficially turns ten! Though it may not seem like it, that's right... it's been a full decade since we've been commonly seeing the little hashy-helper all around social media.

Now to be clear, the 'hash symbol' has actually been around much longer than that , just not as we now know it today. (Yes indeed the # has past lives in the world of data and network computing.) Today we take a little look back at the history of the hashtag to give you a great foundation for the future.  

Get the Smarter Start Hashtagging Guide

Hashtag's Past Lives

In the early days of computing, the hash symbol was simply used to 'denote special information' and the use of the 'hashtag' (or pound symbol as many traditionally know it) for labeling 'groups' and 'topics' goes way back to the 1970s.  However, the use of hashtag in helping to make topics easier to find on social media didn't come into play until the late 2000's. (2007 to be exact.) #Happybirthayhashtag

The Initial Suggestion for & Appearance of the Hashtag on Social Media

Developer Chris Messina is credited with first suggesting the use of the 'hashtag' on Twitter [wikipedia].  Inspired by the use of the hash symbols in the earlier days of more 'insider' networked computing, he suggested that 'hashtagging' on Twitter could also 'make it easy for "lay" users to search for content and find specific relevant updates.'  

Though Twitter didn't officially adopt or promote the practice upon suggestion, in 2007 hashtag use took off after they were widely used by Twitter users in tweets relating to the 2007 San Diego forest fires.  This helped Twitter users to easily 'pull up' the latest update posts and all posts about the event.  [Wikipedia.]  

(TLDR: Hashtag makes its way onto social media. Hashtag gets famous!) 

What is a hashtag as we know it today?

A 'hashtag' is simply a # coupled with a word.  For example #SanDiego.

Though we now as of this writing in 2017 unofficially celebrate the tenth anniversary of the first widespread public use of the hashtag, today hashtags are still used very much the same way today as they were in 2007.  The only difference? Hashtag use has, of course grown exponentially.  Today it isn't only the general public using the hashtag to share and spread news and find keywords and topics. Business owners, content marketers and bloggers commonly use the practice as a standard part of 'getting found' on social media as well.

Today, as a business owner you can use hashtags on many social media and microblogging platforms including Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.  Arguably, the culture of hashtag use is perhaps most widespread on the first two - Twitter and Instagram.  To do so, simply post as usual and add the # symbol before any word in your post.  For example: #trending or #nightsky.

Happy Big 1-0 Hashtag! #Happybirthday
4 Comments
rush essay.com link
4/13/2017 04:02:46 am

It is nice to know that there are posts that will give us some idea about the history of hashtags. I also love putting hashtags on my accounts on the internet and that includes the Instagram, tweet and tumbler and this is a nice thing to remember in those times when we are finding something. I love those ideas and this is a history that we must treasure.

Reply
Melissa link
4/24/2017 09:45:43 pm

-Thank you for the kind words Rush Essay

Reply
Brian Social link
4/25/2017 07:00:21 pm

We have come along way. An indepth knowledge of hashtags is now essential to success, especially on Instagram, and to a lesser extent, on Twitter.

Reply
Melissa link
5/13/2017 11:03:33 am

Absolutely right on Brian Social. I couldn't agree more and appreciate your feedback here!

- Melissa

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Why Read this Blog?

    Do you give, share, teach or help others?  Perhaps you are a plant-based educator, a writer, speaker, counselor, a recovery & addiction expert or other passionate individual. I've created this blog for you. 

    You know what you feel compelled to share and spread the word about... now you just need to know how to do it.

    #Willingtogive
    #Willingtoshare
    #Willingtoteach

    ​Melissa Elizabeth

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All

    Archives

    April 2020
    March 2020
    July 2017
    March 2017
    October 2016
    July 2016
    February 2016

 © COPYRIGHT Bobolinks Social, a division of Cenker Consulting LLC 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • About
  • Services
  • MEDIA
  • Contact