History of Hashtags: How a Symbol Changed the Way We Search & Share

Hashtags have changed the way we search and share information. They're a symbol that has taken the world by storm, changing everything from our social media feeds to our advertising strategies. And they've done so without many people even knowing what they are or where they came from! But let me tell you: hashtags are one of the most important things on the internet today -- so it's time we all learned about them!

What is a Hashtag?

A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the # symbol. Hashtags are used on social media to categorize posts, connect people with similar interests and identify topics. They’re also used to increase the reach of your post.

Hashtags have been around since 2007, when they were introduced by Twitter users as a way to organize their messages. Since then, they’ve become an integral part of social media culture and how we search for information online — but where did they come from?

The History of the Hashtag

In 2007, Chris Messina suggested the use of a "#" symbol to group similar messages together. The first official use of the hashtag was by Twitter in 2009. In 2011, #CeaseFire went viral after it was used on Twitter by Kony 2012 (a viral video campaign).

How Hashtags Are Used

You've probably seen hashtags in the wild. They're used to categorize posts and help people find content that's relevant to their interests. When you see a hashtag like #dogs or #brexit, you know that anyone searching for those topics has likely posted something related to them on their social media accounts. However, hashtags have also become a powerful tool for organizing groups of people and tracking trends throughout history.

You might be wondering how hashtags work—and what they mean! Luckily, we're here with all the answers you need!

Why Use a Hashtag?

There are many reasons to use hashtags. Here's a list of all of them:

• To organize and find content
• To share a topic
• To use a trending topic
• To be part of a community
• To make your content more discoverable (i.e., searchable) on the internet, especially if it's not already in front of everyone else's eyes! You can do this by using relevant hashtags or by adding them to posts you create when they're not already there and sharing them. This is important because once something goes viral, it will get shared over and over again—and chances are that people might see your post if only because one person has mentioned it somewhere down the line in their own posts about whatever topic they're talking about at that time. It also ensures that anyone who searches on Google will be able to find whatever information they're looking for easily!

They can be fun, silly, practical, or a combination of all three -- they're used as a funny way to identify or address friends online (like the completely unnecessary hashtag #myfavoriteperson). Or they're used to spread the word about social justice issues (#MeToo) or big events in your life (like weddings or engagements). In other words -- they're important!

Hashtags are used to organize and categorize posts. They're also used to identify a topic or theme. They can help you follow a person or brand, or they can create a conversation around your own content.

In other words -- hashtags are important!

While hashtags may seem like a silly thing to write about, they're actually an important part of how we interact with each other online. They make it easier for us to find content that's relevant to us and easier for us to share our own thoughts with others. Whether you use them or not, the hashtag is here to stay!