Hashtags are represented by the pound sign. It is a kind of lopsided grid with terminations that point in all directions. But when did the hashtag emerge? What do we use them for? Why have these symbols become so popular?
If we think about hashtags, it is very likely that we will quickly associate them with social networks, in particular Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube, Gawker and others. Even Facebook has incorporated hashtags into its code. What it means is that these cyber appendices that internet users use for keywords are here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. It doesn’t seem like a fad. Therefore, knowing some curiosities about them can be quite entertaining and interesting.
History of the hashtag
Metadata tags have been around for quite some time and were first used in 1988 on a platform known as Internet Relay Chat, or IRC. At that time, they were used as we do today, to group messages, images, content and videos into categories. The purpose, of course, was that users could search for these tags and get all the relevant content associated with them.
If we move forward a bit in time and move to 2007, the internet and social networks were in full swing. Well, it was the American Chris Messina, who at 21:35 (Spanish time) on August 23, 2007 when he was 26 years old, launched the message with the first hashtag: “What do you think if we use # (numeral) for groups So #barcamp [message]? “. A message that would change the history of the network.
In July 2009, Twitter hashtags were officially adopted by Twitter and any term with a # in front of it became a hyperlink. And the movement was later accentuated when Twitter introduced “Trending Topics”, putting the most popular hashtags directly on its home page.
Using hashtags
There are several reasons to use hashtags, both for personal and business applications. In our personal profiles, it is helpful to keep family and friends up to date with what is happening in our lives and what we care about.
Corporations have been responsible for creating some of the most popular hashtags, in order to promote a specific product or service. Small businesses have followed suit, incorporating trending hashtags into their social media presence. It is a way not only to join a conversation topic, but also to create a new dialogue. Some companies use hashtags to keep up with their competitors’ marketing, learning what does and does not generate interest.
Let’s know some more curiosities.
