Facebook finally gave in, and its about time. The social network is bringing in hashtag support, making it easier for members to follow topics of conversation within the ever increasing lists of user comments. Now, users will able to click on hashtags to see other conversations going on about the featured word. Users can search hashtags using the search bar, and hashtags will link to other services that use it, like Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr.
Don't go hashtagging the life out of your status updates right now, though. Facebook has only implemented the feature on about 20 percent of its users. Expect a global launch in the next couple weeks—similar to what they did with the Timeline introduction.
Of course, the "Ad" word was a big motivation behind Facebook's decision to include the feature: "Between 88 and 100 million Americans log in to Facebook every night during prime time TV hours, which represents a significant opportunity for broadcasters, advertisers and our other partners," says Justin Osofsky, a director of platform partnerships and operations at Facebook, in a blog post.
