Hashtag You're It: Why Hashtags Rule the World of Social Media

Recently, I had dinner with a good friend from college. Both being young(ish) millennials, we both use various social media platforms; from  Facebook and Instagram to Twitter and Snapchat. So, I had to laugh when our conversation turned to "hashtags". Well really "pounds" as my friend calls them.  She said "I just don't get it, it's a pound sign. So when someone tags a photo with 'this concert is #epic' what I see is 'this concert is "pound sign" epic'. It makes no sense!" 

Most of us have accepted that the hashtags and the pound signs are now interchangeable but I realized that my friend does have a point. This made me think, where did the "tag" come from and why is it so important #epic? 

In chapter 2 of Groundswell:Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff, tags are described as a flexible classification system. How things are tagged "depends on the opinions of the folks out there"(Li and Bernoff). Tagging offers the user flexibility to classify content any way they see fit. 

Now that you know what tagging is, can't you see why tagging is vital to harness the power of the groundswell?! Social media platforms such as Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest, Instragram and YouTube all use forms of tagging. Probably the most well known and used form of tagging is the hashtag. Hashtags, first used on Twitter in 2007, quickly took off and have found a place in almost every form of social media content out there. Using the "#" marks a the word as a keyword or topic. This allows users searching for information the ability to get relevant content just by searching on that marked keyword or trending topic. Take a look at this infographic about the history of the hashtag.

So why should you tag? Tagging defines who you are on social media. Tagging allows you to show other users what you are passionate about, what you find interesting and what's important to you. Li and Bernoff say that "tagging becomes a form of shared self-expression and a chronicle of what you've paid attention to". Tagging also creates a community of people who share a common goal or interests.  For example, #SFBatkid went viral in November 2013 when the Make-A-Wish Foundation decided to help grant 5 year old cancer patient Miles Scott's wish to become Batkid for a day. Armed with #SFBatkid, Make-A-Wish hoped to get a few hundred volunteers in the San Francisco area to make Miles' wish come true. What they got was over 10,000 volunteers, a trending topic on Twitter and Instgram and one of the most heart warming stories of 2013.

You did good, San Francisco. Job well done. (cc @mayoredlee @SFPD) #SFBatkid pic.twitter.com/ADs2ueEzvK
— Make-A-Wish Bay Area (@SFWish) November 18, 2013

Thanks, @TIME, for naming #SFBatkid your most heartwarming story of 2013! http://t.co/cMZ5Uicc54
— Make-A-Wish America (@MakeAWish) December 17, 2013

So now that we know how awesome and powerful tagging can be, I couldn't leave you without sharing this cautionary tale about tagging gone wrong. You may have seen the mistake DiGiorno Pizza made last week when they absentmindedly used a trending hashtag in a tweet that nothing to do with pizza.

Something you should remember is that you have no control when it comes to tagging content. If you are managing social media for a business according to Li and Bernoff "you have no control over how people classify you or your products". The most important thing you can do is listen. Listen to how your customers tag your products and learn from what they have to say.

And finally,  let's not forgot that tagging belongs on social media platforms and not in face to face conversations. Watch as Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake demonstrate how ridiculous we sound when we talk in hashtags. #enjoy

"Frozen" Defies Global Warming, Takes Over the World

Last week, Walt Disney World announced that the ride Maeslstom, featured in the Norway Pavilion in their Epcot park, will close to make way for a "Frozen" inspired attraction. Maelstom, a fan favorite, is being closed after a 26 year run to be replaced by a ride inspired by Disney's latest hit, "Frozen", a movie that was released in theaters a little over 10 months ago.

This got me to wondering, has "Frozen" taken over the world?! I don't hate it,  I mean, ok I'll admit it I've downloaded the song "Do You Want to Build A Snowman" and I've had sing-offs with my cousins. But really what is happening here? It seems like EVERYONE is obsessed with this 108-minute animated musical.

First off, let's look at the facts. As of May of this year "Frozen" had earned more then $1.2 billon dollars and has become the fifth highest grossing film of all time. Now, throw in two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA and "Frozen" is primed for world domination.

The popularity of "Frozen" also seems to come, at least in part, from the fact that Disney broke it's mold (sort of).  In "Frozen" they decided to put the focus of the movie on sisterhood and female empowerment rather then the typical Disney romance (damsel in distress + being rescued by prince charming = happily ever after). I mean ok, yes there is still a thread of traditional romance in the movie but what's important here is that it's not the main focus. And the movie actually passes the Bechdel test, a tool that measures if two female characters talk to each other about something other then a man.



And then there are the "Frozen" covers and oh are there many "Frozen" covers.  If you've been living under a rock for the past 10 months with limited access to social media - chances are you still heard at least one rendition of either "Let it Go" or "Do You Want to Build a Snowman".  The true key to the "Frozen" fame are these short video's posted online. YouTube offers the "Frozen" fan hundreds of clips with million+ views, and everyone has been getting in on the action. From children's choirs, to Marines and (my favorite) the daughter and daddy duos. But what strengthens Frozen's claim to world domination are the parodies. Maybe you can't relate to "Do You Want to Build a Snowman", but anyone can relate to this college students need for caffeine in "Do You Want to Go to Starbucks"...



Or for those medical school student's completing rounds there is the "Let It Go" parody of "I Don't Know"...



As far as Disney movies go, this is one of the first animated films that has spawned a virtual tidal wave of cover songs and tribute videos across the web.  It could be argued that the success of the film could be attributed, in a major way, to this groundswell of YouTube videos and Twitter hashtags.  Many people who would not otherwise be exposed to "Frozen" via traditional advertising could not avoid  seeing #LetItGo appear in the Twitter trending topics or see the catchy song being sung by a group of med students on their Facebook feed.

Kristen Wiig and I are the last two people on Earth who don’t know the lyrics to “Let It Go.” But that didn’t stop us http://t.co/Phixx3runu
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) September 15, 2014

"Frozen" took over the world in 2014 and in 2016 it will take over Epcot. Maelstrom, you'll be missed! But for now I'm going to #LetItGo