To hashtag? Or not to hashtag? That is the question. I remember a few years back when it seemed to start off as a joke. I had no idea where it came from, but it had to have been related to something on the internet. People saying things like "hashtag awkward" or "hashtag yolo" (you only live once). I'd see hashtags in facebook posts and would start to question my friendship with that person. Whenever I heard someone say it aloud I would cringe. Then as years started to pass it kind of just settled in and now, surprisingly enough, hashtags are everywhere! Well, let's take a step back first. What is a hashtag? According to the dictionary, (you know it's official when it's in the dictionary) "a hashtag is a word or preceded by the symbol # that classifies or categorizes the accompanying text (such as a tweet)" (Merriam-Webster).
Here is a great infographic on hashtags
It can be used to show emotions: "The ice cream machine is out of order at McDonald's" #heartbroken
It can be used for promotional use: "I went to McDonald's for free ice cream but they said the machine is down" #mcdonalds #freeicecreamfridays #whyme #theresoneacrossthestreet #notlovinit
Those really are some #firstworldproblems ...
Ha, ha, ha. Yeah, I know, pretty #corny if you ask me.
But let's get serious here! The hashtag is a great tool for finding out more information on a certain topic. If you need coverage, opinions, or some sort of context, a hashtag is a great start. If a catastrophic event were to occur the first thing news outlets do is look to social media. They use a hashtag to keep others informed, to shed light on the situation, to show grievance. There are a variety of ways they can be used. Impactful? Sort of. You can keep up and stay informed, yes, but does posting a hashtag showing grievance for tsunami victims make an impact? Probably not.
Sometimes I even find myself clicking on hashtags to stay current on certain things like the Presidential Election, the Panama Papers, or any sort of McDonald's promotions.
Here is a great infographic on hashtags
It can be used to show emotions: "The ice cream machine is out of order at McDonald's" #heartbroken
Those really are some #firstworldproblems ...
Ha, ha, ha. Yeah, I know, pretty #corny if you ask me.
But let's get serious here! The hashtag is a great tool for finding out more information on a certain topic. If you need coverage, opinions, or some sort of context, a hashtag is a great start. If a catastrophic event were to occur the first thing news outlets do is look to social media. They use a hashtag to keep others informed, to shed light on the situation, to show grievance. There are a variety of ways they can be used. Impactful? Sort of. You can keep up and stay informed, yes, but does posting a hashtag showing grievance for tsunami victims make an impact? Probably not.
Sometimes I even find myself clicking on hashtags to stay current on certain things like the Presidential Election, the Panama Papers, or any sort of McDonald's promotions.
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