GLOBAL – UNITED STATES, MARCH 18, 2013 – An intensifying battle between the two largest social networking sites is in the horizon, with Facebook and Twitter doing everything they can to keep advertisers and mobile users and gain more. Recently, Facebook has been reported to test the use of Twitter’s iconic feature: the hashtag.
In a report from The Wall Street Journal, Facebook is said to be testing out the popular marker as a way to categorize posts on its 1.06 billion-user empire. According to the report, it is still unclear how far along Facebook’s work on the hashtag is but when they do the feature is likely to be introduced imminently.
The hashtag was first used in 2007 to classify groups on Twitter. Its first high-profile application recorded is the October 2007 California wildfires which hit San Diego county. Beginning 2009, all hashtags were hyperlinked to a search results page which compiled every post using the same keyword. But the hashtag has closely been associated with Twitter, despite its wide usage in other social networks such Instagram, which uses the symbol to categorize photos.
It is still unclear whether Facebook will follow the Twitter and Instagram route and categorize posts according to hashtag.
Although both social networking sites seem to cater to different social networking needs, Facebook has been moving closer and closer to Twitter’s turf, indicating the latter’s influence and hold on the mobile audience.
Photo from womenadvisorforum.ning.com
