WASHINGTON - '#Hashtag’ was trending on X, formerly Twitter, on Tuesday after platform owner Elon Musk asked people to stop using them.
"Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn’t need them anymore and they look ugly," he wrote over a post from a user, which shows an apparently edited response from the platform's AI, Grok, to the question "should I use hashtags or not on X?"
Grok's ‘response’ in the post takes a notably sardonic tone and encourages users to end the use of hashtags, saying they're a "ticket to nowhere" in the "grand scheme of digital obscurity." The original post has been viewed by more than 16 million users and has over 2,000 likes.
Did Grok really say this?
The photo quote tweeted by Musk appears to be altered. When FOX 5 asked Grok the same question, here's the response we got:
"The use of hashtags on X (formerly Twitter) is a topic of debate with varying perspectives based on recent changes and user experiences. Here's an analysis based on available information:
Effectiveness and Visibility:
- Historically, hashtags were crucial for increasing the visibility of posts on X, helping them be discovered by a broader audience interested in specific topics or events. However, recent sentiments and platform changes suggest that their effectiveness might be diminishing. Some users and posts on X indicate that hashtags might even reduce post visibility or could be seen as spam by the algorithm, potentially leading to reduced reach.
User Experience:
- Many users express frustration with excessive hashtag use, finding it aesthetically unpleasing and potentially indicative of spam or bot activity. The recommendation from some is to either avoid hashtags completely or use them sparingly (1-2 per post) to maintain a clean and engaging post appearance.
Strategic Use:
- If you decide to use hashtags, they should be relevant and not just added for the sake of popularity. Using them to join specific conversations or trends can still be beneficial, but the consensus leans towards quality content over hashtag quantity. Some suggest using them for very specific, categorical purposes rather than broad, promotional tags which might not engage the audience effectively.
Platform Specifics:
- X's algorithm now seems to prioritize content based on various factors other than hashtags, like user engagement and content quality. This shift implies that while hashtags can still categorize content, they're not as pivotal for reach as they once were. Instead, focusing on creating engaging, high-quality content might be more effective for gaining visibility.
Conclusion:
- Given these insights, whether to use hashtags on X should be based on your content strategy. If you choose to use them, be very selective and strategic. Use no more than a couple of hashtags that are directly relevant to your content. However, there's also merit in not using hashtags at all, focusing instead on compelling content that engages your audience naturally.
Ultimately, your decision should align with your goals on X, whether that's increasing visibility, engaging with specific communities, or simply sharing content. Monitor your post performance with and without hashtags to see what works best for your audience."
RELATED: Elon Musk debuts 'Grok' AI bot to rival ChatGPT
What do hashtags do?
Hashtags are used on several different social media platforms as a way to help categorize content using keywords, making it easier for users to discover posts related to specific topics. They make a post easily discoverable for people interested in a certain subject.
For years, social media experts have encouraged the use of hashtags to help users increase their reach and engagement. Popular hashtagged words can often become trending topics on X.
While you can use as many hashtags as you'd like in a post, the X Help Center recommends using no more than two per post as a best practice.