#Hashtags

I read “Twitter Turns Seven” (and also coincidentally stumbled upon LinkedIn Turns Ten- who realized LinkedIn was older than Twitter?), and I have a hard time realizing that it’s been so long since Twitter began.  I can’t help but compare Twitter to Facebook and have looked at the evolution of the two biggest social media sites.  One thing I find interesting is that Facebook always seems to upset its users with massive overhauls and grand new updates to the site, while it appears that Twitter makes smaller, less major changes over time to ease users into a new interface. 

I think a major advantage that Twitter has over Facebook is the hashtag.  Hashtags are popping up everywhere, even on Facebook where they have no technical use and verbal conversation (though I think the second is by a younger generation who also thinks textspeech is typical for verbal conversation- OMG). Because Twitter enables users to see anyone else who is tweeting about the same topic, there is greater connectivity across groups of users who don’t already know each other.  I can see any person (whether I follow them or not) who tweets about #BostonMarathon, #Grammys2013, #Another4Years or whatever piece of information I might be interested in.  It’s a great way for marketers to promote campaigns and cluster those who are involved, and it’s a great way for users (TwitterErs? Tweeters? Twits?) to find what they’re looking for. 

Rumor has it Facebook may soon roll out hashtags on its own site.  We’re left to see if Facebook leaves it for the useful tool it is or tries to transform it in some way- and if they do, how users will feel about that transformation.