Hashtags

These are fundamental to the fediverse and are probably very familiar to everyone who has used any social service.

A hashtag is simply a single word, with a # symbol at the start. No Spaces. It must start with a letter. There is no process of creating a hashtag. No one owns it. You may use any word you wish.

Multiple words can be combined, but do not use a space. It is best practice to Camel Case hashtags for easier reading for all. Visually impaired readers who make use of a screen-reader will also benefit greatly from Camel Case as the specialised software will understand it better.

Example tags:

  • #dogs
  • #fediverse
  • #vegan
  • #CatPhotos
  • #FridayFun

Notice how the last two are two words, but no space is used, and the first letters of each word are in upper case. This is Camel Case.

You can place these tags anywhere within the text of your post. Some people place them at the end. Others as part of the natural flow. Or both.

Yesterday I was out #walking when I came across this unusual #plant. Can anyone identify it?
#PlantHelp #PlantID

Hashtags help you find other posts with the same tags – it's like you are grouping posts together.

Click on a tag and your server will show you other public posts and replies it knows of with the same tag.

Hashtag searching has the same limits as Searching the fediverse. You will never see every post with the same tag, but a subset based on what your server has seen.

Tip Use hashtags in your profile Bio to help others find you.

You will become familiar with common hashtags in your interests as you follow and read other likeminded people. You can then start including these hashtags in your own posts. Or start using your own, and others may follow.

Some tags become the standard on a common theme for a specific event. #Olympics2024 or #BloomScrolling (random photos of flowers!)

  • Last modified: 21 July 2023 13:24
  • by @hello@from.thefedi.wiki