Hashtag

What Does Hashtag Mean?

A hashtag is a type of tag used to describe topics on social networking websites, most notably Twitter. Hashtags, like all tags, are a type of metadata (data about data).

Advertisements

Twitter has popularized the use of the term hashtag, though there are some other social networks that use it. On Twitter, Hashtags give other users and indication what a particular tweet is about. Hashtags are indicated as such because they are prefixed with the pound symbol (#).

Techopedia Explains Hashtag

A tag is basically a keyword. It’s a non-hierarchical method to describe something. For example, take an article that is about security and cloud computing. It would be tough to classify such an article in just one category. Using tags, you can describe that the content is about both topics and differentiate it from, say, an article on cloud computing and performance.

Here are some examples of hashtags:

  • #tech
  • #CloudComputing
  • #FightClub

It’s also common to hear the term at conferences. Often the moderator will announce a hashtag so that all those tweeting can see the thoughts of the other audience members.

Advertisements

Related Terms

Latest Data Management Terms

Related Reading

Margaret Rouse

Margaret Rouse is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical, business audience. Over the past twenty years her explanations have appeared on TechTarget websites and she's been cited as an authority in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine and Discovery Magazine.Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages. If you have a suggestion for a new definition or how to improve a technical explanation, please email Margaret or contact her…