The hashtag (or # symbol) has become vital for online communication over the last few years. Church and ministry leaders can use it to better engage their target audience and bring a Christian perspective to popular topics on social media.
Though the hashtag is now used on a number of social media platforms for similar purposes, the symbol first became popular on Twitter in 2007. While it's frequently used today to add emphasis (#Truth) or sarcasm (#Really?) to the end of a tweet or status update, it also allows people to join online discussions about particular events.
The hashtag has become one of the most powerful forces on social media. In 2011, the hashtag helped topple the Egyptian government and catalyze the Arab Spring. Just last year, "#Ferguson" made a suburb of St. Louis the center of the online world.
But for the church, they can be used for more than jokes or sending a tweet about the Super Bowl. Hashtags can help churches communicate more effectively and encourage engagement. They show up as a link, and clicking on the hashtag allows anyone to read all the tweets about that topic or join the conversation with their own thoughts.
For those new to social media or even for longtime Twitter users, here are some basic dos and don'ts churches and pastors should be aware of when it comes to hashtags.... Keep reading
Photo credit: Pixabay, public domain
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