Advertising on social networks can be based on the use of a hashtag.
Hasthag is a term that is not part of the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ). The concept, which is usually translated as a label , is used in the field of computing to refer to a string of characters that begins with the symbol # , known as a numeral or hash .
The hashtag is used on social networks to indicate the topic of a conversation or message. It also allows the automatic creation of a hyperlink that provides access to all content that includes the hashtag in question.
Facebook, instagram, Twitter,Pinterest, TikTok y LinkedIn son algunas de las plataformas donde se usan estas etiquetas. De acuerdo a cada red social, el hashtag adquiere diferentes características.
Uses of a hashtag
On the one hand, the user can use the hashtag to summarize an idea or to draw readers' attention . A person can post several photos on their Twitter account accompanied by the following text in the tweet: «This afternoon I played football again after three months. #Happiness" . In this case, the hashtag ( #Happiness ) summarizes what the subject felt when practicing sports after a few months of inactivity.
The hashtag is also included in a text as a way to join a chat or discussion . It is common for TV to propose a hashtag so that viewers can participate with their opinions on social networks. Suppose the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs face each other in the NBA . The channel that broadcasts the match invites viewers to write on Twitter with the hashtag #CelticsVsSpurs . All tweets from Internet users that include said hashtag will appear in the same message thread. The most used hashtags, in turn, become trending topics or TTs (that is, trending or the topic of the moment).
Hashtag campaigns help make an issue visible.
topic of conversation
We are faced with a concept that represents in itself the reality that human beings go through at the beginning of the 21st century in terms of their way of communicating. While until the 90s it was very difficult to achieve a public platform from which to be heard, since this "privilege" was reserved for actors, singers, hosts of television or radio programs and journalists, today we all have of a space on the Internet , or rather several, to make our opinions public.
The hashtag, in this sense, could be compared to a statement by a teacher that invites opinions on a topic, only in the context of social networks a clear and coherent conversation is rarely generated. In part, the reason for the lack of control inherent to this means of communication is the number of people who participate simultaneously; However, given that in many cases there are moderators in charge of maintaining order, it is clear that the number of interlocutors is not always the root problem.
When inviting millions of strangers to comment on a topic , we always run the risk of receiving messages that harm our sensitivity. For example, if we propose a conversation about gay rights, it is almost inevitable to encounter derogatory responses. Many times, violence goes beyond unpleasant messages to reach the limit of threats , both of aggression and death, or also of public exposure of certain private data.
It should be considered that it is possible to make reports and warn the platform in question when violent or offensive content appears. In some cases, comment moderation is the best tool to edit or eliminate those that threaten coexistence.
Of course, the hashtag is neither positive nor negative in itself; It is another tool that can be used in many ways, depending on the individuals involved in the process. It is truly useful to find all the messages related to the same topic, and it fulfills this task without fail on a daily basis on social media.
A community manager must know how to use hashtags efficiently.
The hashtag as a promotion and dissemination resource
The hashtag is also a promotional and dissemination resource. It is used in the field of digital marketing , but also by all users who aspire to add likes, followers, retweets and comments using the visibility of the topics.
It should be considered that a user (whether a person or an entity) can join a hashtag already installed in the online community or create their own. When the hashtag is already popular or even positioned as TT, making a post with it helps to get impressions, profile views, notifications, etc. The chances of someone wanting to share the post are also increased.
On the other hand, an influencer or a famous brand can impose a hashtag. In that case, their notoriety favors the development of viral content since they have a guaranteed wide audience. Choosing the hashtag you want to make known is part of content planning and your social media strategy.