#AboutTime: Facebook Embraces Hashtags — But Should You?

It finally happened. As of June 12, 2013, Facebook officially supports hashtags.

Once the domain of Twitter, hashtags are now clickable and searchable on Facebook, enabling users to see public conversations around specific words and phrases. The goal? Make it easier to follow trending topics and real-time conversations — and give Facebook a shot at competing with Twitter in the second-screen, live-event space.

But here’s the million-dollar question for brands and marketers:
Just because you can use hashtags on Facebook now… should you?

📲 The Functionality: What Hashtags Do on Facebook

– Clickable: Clicking a hashtag shows all posts (public and from your friends) that use the same tag.
– Searchable: You can now search hashtags directly in the search bar.
– Cross-platform continuity: Users can follow a hashtag from Instagram or Twitter and find similar posts on Facebook.

In theory, this brings cohesion to multi-channel campaigns. In practice, it’s still new — and usage is awkward at best.

💡 Why Facebook Did This

1. Second-screen behavior: Facebook wants a piece of the real-time buzz around live TV, events, and breaking news — areas Twitter dominates.
2. Advertising data: Hashtags offer more context for what people are talking about, especially around brands or moments. Think Super Bowl, Grammys, or product launches.
3. Search and discovery: Facebook’s long-term strategy is to become a more searchable and indexable platform. Hashtags make that easier.

🧪 The Reality for Marketers

Let’s be honest — hashtag culture isn’t native to Facebook.

While people use hashtags naturally on Twitter and Instagram, Facebook posts tend to be longer, more personal, and less tag-heavy. That makes adoption unpredictable. Early tests show:

– Minimal lift in organic reach (for now)
– Mixed user reactions — from curiosity to confusion
– Better performance when paired with paid promotion

In other words, just dropping #ThrowbackThursday into your post won’t boost engagement overnight.

⚠️ Best Practices (and Pitfalls to Avoid)

If you’re planning to test Facebook hashtags in your campaigns, keep this in mind:

✅ Use sparingly — One or two hashtags max. Over-tagging looks spammy on Facebook.
✅ Be relevant — Tie hashtags to real events, themes, or product moments.
✅ Track performance — Use UTM codes or platform analytics to evaluate impact.
✅ Align cross-channel — If you’re already running a hashtag on Twitter or Instagram, use it here too — for continuity.

🚫 Don’t use trending hashtags just to ride the wave. Facebook’s algorithm still prioritizes relevance and engagement. If the tag doesn’t match your message, it may actually hurt you.

🔄 Strategic Implications

Hashtags on Facebook may not be revolutionary today — but they are a signal of things to come:

– More real-time discovery tools
– Stronger push toward live conversation relevance
– A gradual shift to contextual ad targeting

In a year dominated by Content Shock, hashtags offer a new way to organize and surface meaningful content — as long as it’s worth discovering.

🎯 Final Thought

Hashtags on Facebook aren’t just a gimmick — they’re a glimpse into how platforms are merging language, culture, and commerce.

It’s not about using hashtags for the sake of it.
It’s about joining the conversation — with purpose.

Sources:
– Facebook Newsroom Announcement (June 12, 2013)
– Mashable, TechCrunch, AdWeek coverage
– EdgeRank Checker early data (June 2013)
– Twitter, Instagram case studies