Facebook Hashtags Are Live

We all knew hashtags were coming and they have finally arrived. As of June 12, 2013, Facebook hashtags are live.

photo courtesy newsroom.fb.com

Why Facebook Hashtags?

With the integration of Twitter and Facebook profiles, many Facebook users already post hashtags to their profiles, so it only makes sense to have them do something. On Facebook, hashtags are now clickable and searchable. This change will make it easier for users to search and find content on the site. Hashtags from other services, such as Instagram and Twitter, are clickable too. When users clicks a hashtag, they will be able to view a feed of what other pages and people are saying about that specific topic. With hashtags on Twitter, if a profile is public, everyone can view the post. On Facebook, users will be able to control the audience for their posts.

Marketing Opportunities for Business

Hashtags provide a great opportunity for businesses to market to a larger audience. Many companies buy hashtags on Twitter and they can be pretty expensive during big events. Facebook is not currently allowing the purchase of hashtags, but it’s a possibility for the future. And while they are not available for buying, there are still ways that marketers can use hashtags to push their message. For instance, an article in Advertising Age suggests that seeing a user post with a hashtag could be considered a more tangible expression of affinity for a brand than a “like,”.

More Features to Come

According to Facebook, the introduction of hashtags is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks and months, Facebook plans to reveal multiple features that will address “some of the interesting discussions people are having about public events, people, and topics”.

What do you think about Facebook adding hashtags?

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