During #SportsConf a couple weeks ago there was a phrase that got a lot of traction:
“The hashtag is the new URL.”
I want to love it. I want to jump on the bandwagon and say, “yes, yes, yes”. It has a nice ring. It’s catchy. I get the basis of it. Even so, I am going to have to politely go against the grain and disagree.
Let me start off by saying I believe in the power of hashtags. In fact, I love hashtags so much I made a hashtag light (pictured above). Nonetheless, hashtags are not the new URL. Here’s why:
1. Hashtags are not owned.
This is perhaps the most obvious and most fundamental difference between a hashtag and a URL. Unlike URLs, no one owns a hashtag. No one can buy them- not brands, not people, not even the President. That’s the beauty of them.
2. Content cannot be controlled.
Content aggregated from hashtags on the native Twitter platform (not a Tagboard, Postano, etc.), cannot be controlled by the organization, team, brand, person etc. promoting them. Sometimes, the content a hashtag points to does not represent the company… at all. Just ask McDonalds.
When someone buys a URL on the other hand, they control the destination it points to. I understand that some URLs points to content not necessarily controlled by the owner (like a Reddit site), but fundamentally, the owner of the URL can point to the content they want.
3. Hashtags, like social media, aren’t about YOU.
In order for a hashtag campaign to be considered successful, it really needs the power of others. People aren’t going to pay attention to a hashtag if it’s just the brand talking; they need their friends, family and peers to join the chatter. Hashtags take off when people feel like they are a part of something. If they aren’t joining the conversation, they are missing out.
On the other hand, the majority of URLs don’t need the power of others to be successful. Plain and simple.
4. Hashtags change in real-time.
Since social media isn’t about you and the conversation changes all the time, hashtags are much more fluid than a URL. Sometimes a brand, team, league, etc. picks a hashtag only to find out the fans prefer something else. I think the best brands are ones that are wiling to be flexible. Just because you are promoting a hashtag does not mean it will catch on. Be willing to go where your fans / customers are and make the change in real time.
I get that the phrase is a metaphor and not so literal. Even my arguments against the statement can get poked out. Even still, I would be more inclined to consider your Twitter handle the new URL and hashtags the new message board.
At the end of the day, hashtags are not the answer to your social media woes. Brands that are successful in social media are successful because they understand their audience, the platforms, their voice and good content. Good brands use hashtags as merely a tool in the toolbox and not the foundation for a campaign or their social media presence.
I love a hearty discussion, so let’s hear your take. Are hashtags the new URL?
