Photo Courtesy of The Guardian
Hashtags have been widely used on many social platforms as they allow users to join conversations on a particular topic. In May, Google+ was the latest social media player to introduce hashtags. Recently, Google has announced that their search engine will feature these hashtags, meaning users will be able to search for hashtags shared on multiple social platforms.
A hashtag is a phrase or word starting with a ‘#’ and it is placed in any part of a social media post. It groups various posts and messages by topic. Hashtags can help others see your content more easily and build on previous conversations. When a specific hashtag is searched, similar Google+ posts will appear next to the main results and also allow the user to search for the hashtag on other websites. The more relevant and popular the content, the higher up it will be on the Google search page. Currently, this is available only in the United States and Canada.
Once you click on the relevant Google+ posts, you will be sent to a complete list of similar posts that have been publicly shared or shared with you. In addition, the +1s and comments for posts can also be seen on the search page.
Courtesy of MakeUseOfLimited.com
Moreover, results include personalized content, such as posts from friends and those in your circles listed first. You can also scroll through this section to see the newest content using this tag.
These results allow for specific information that is continuously updated. Google is bringing together posts from various sources to ensure that the user is getting all the information they want.
These features are especially important for content owners; their posts can be displayed on the main results page. The sponsored links are replaced with these results, making it more enticing for users to use hashtags. PPC campaign users will still be able to see the ads above the Google+ posts.
This feature is a great opportunity for content owners who already have a presence on Google+ and have been interacting with their audience. By analyzing your audience and their habits, you can create conversations with hashtags that they would like to participate in. Consistently engaging and using hashtags will greatly increase your chances of standing out from other posts.