Most people associate hashtags withsocial media.
These cyber appendages that internet users tack on to keywords are here to stayat least into the foreseeable future.
Hashtag History
Metadata tags have been around for quite some time.
Matt Cardy / Getty Images
The purpose is so users can search for hashtags and find content associated with them.
He wanted to inform people worldwide about the ongoing wildfires in the area at the time.
Blogger Stowe Boyd first called them “hashtags” in a blog post in August 2007.
Using Hashtags
The are several reasons to use hashtags for personal and business applications.
And not only about you, but others doing the same.
Corporations have created some of the most popular hashtags to promote a specific product or service.
Small companies have followed suit, incorporating trending hashtags into their social media presence.
It’s a way to join in on a conversational topic and to create a new dialogue.
These meta tags can also be used to talk-up a campaign or spread buzz about an upcoming event.
The Downside of Using Hashtags
There are a few drawbacks to using hashtags.
You don’t own them, and there are no rules or guidelines.
It can be troublesome, especially in business, if it’s hijacked and used nefariously.
Around 1,500 stories went out from users claiming food poisoning, bad employees, and other complaints.
Many people use hashtags for fun.
Some use trending hashtags to share an opinion.
Others help organize news stories around major events.
And sometimes they’re made up on the fly to make a Tweet sound funny.
