I have to admit, I thought it was a fad that would die out.

I (stupidly) thought, it’s okay, it’s A-okay, it’s ‘Okay Corral’ okay. This won’t catch on.

I, even, in a fringe-skewed-to-the side moment, researched it thinking I’d missed something. What had I missed? Why had I missed it? Surely I stay up late enough scrolling and getting tech neck to NOT miss these things.

Still I had no solace. People were still using hashtags in sentences.

And, to be clear, I don’t mean at the end, like the tags they are meant to be used for.

But #actually in #sentences #why are #they doing #this 

#why

Don’t they #understand that while #yes it puts an emphasis on a certain #word, It makes no #sense #whatsoever.

It also reads badly.

Maybe times have changed, I mean you just have to read this hashtag advice post from 2014 to realise how much things have changed. (Well maybe not so much, if you read

this Hashtag advice post from 2017.)  So, maybe they read a post somewhere, perhaps someone is telling them. Maybe they are replicating someone similar to the way people use CAPITALS when they want to come over POSITIVE AND PRO-YOU! HOWEVER, THEY ARE JUST COMING over as shouty, with bad grammar. 

Please let us keep some grammar rules, Internet.

Finding Hashtag fame

Some rules for hashtag usage are dated and misinform users, could that be it?

From the off, the Hashtag took on its own meaning. It enjoyed a ‘Stock, Aitken and Waterman’ level of fame. Then it settled in to become a firm fixture. People owned their hashtags, people joked via hashtags, it got its own T-shirts! The hashtag had found its place.

People even got used to it being used sparingly on Facebook. Imagine!

Then, just when we thought it’d settled in alongside us for cosy late-night tweets, Instagrammers took ownership and maxed out the 30 hashtag limit with gusto. Hashtag power grew influencers overnight. It was like, “Erm, sorry, Twitter who? Don’t know her, but look at this cool photo of my coffee” #coffee #coffeelovers #onmytable #anotherhashtag #andanother 

Hashtag Lovers Unite!

Now, if you haven’t guessed, I love a hashtag? I do. So much so, I even called my new Puppy hashtag. ( not true). But I do love that you can search, group and identify with them. I love the humour associated with them. But this latest fad, this using them IN sentences, it has to stop. 

I know I am in danger of becoming the Hashtag police but I can find no reason for it and no source for it, and I really like understanding things! 

So, please, I appeal to you. STOP using hashtags in your sentences. Add them at the end. It only takes a moment. You will thank me. Everyone will thank you! And who knows, maybe using them correctly will enable you to get the audience you were aiming for?

(Clue, it’s not me)

Ps. This post by Social Bakers is alright if you want an updated post on Hashtags – but ignore the bit about using lots of hashtags, especially on Instagram. It’s okay to do that there.