History of the Hashtag

What started off as a modest symbol for “number” on the keys of the telephone has risen in only six years to be one the strongest marketing tools of the 21st century, connecting hundreds of millions of people together. But what is it about this hashtag symbol that makes it so powerful for public relations, marketing and advertising firms?

Social media marketing has skyrocketed to become a necessary element in any business’ brand. Reaching your company’s target audience through a strong online presence has never been easier, yet strategy is still crucial. Hashtags make messages more searchable; similar to a mini search engine optimizer within just 140 characters. By using the symbol, keywords associated with your industry become more than just words, but turn into hyperlinks that millions of potential consumers can easily find. Thus, creating the opportunity for countless digital impressions.

The hashtag also crosses virtually every medium. It can be utilized on social media platforms such as its origin, Twitter, as well as Facebook, Instagram, Google+, and Flickr. The hashtag is also always making its way into non-interactive mediums like billboard messages and commercials. By using this symbol as a tool for brand awareness, business-to-business or business-to-consumer interaction is effectively elevated.

This infographic from Offerpop, sourced from PR Daily, 
documents the short but influential history of the hashtag.

Interested in learning more about hashtags as well as the benefits of social media marketing? Please feel free to post your questions and comments below, or contact the ECPR team at info@eberlycollardpr.com.