The Era of Finding Information on SNS: The Shift from "Googling" to "Tagging"

Illustration: Haruka Watanabe (Dentsu Inc.)

Twitter relies on retweets for its diffusion function, but Instagram lacks this feature (though third-party apps can repost Instagram photos to Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter). Consequently, hashtags become the pathway for others to share content.

Indeed, while Twitter users might add just one or two hashtags to a post, it's common on Instagram to include ten or more. The more hashtags you add, the higher the chance your post will be discovered.

In advertising, too, while TV commercials often ended with a search screen and narration saying "Search for [product name]," in recent years, more ads conclude by encouraging hashtag searches like "#[product name]". Recognizing that many people now discover information through tagging, integrated communication strategies themselves are rapidly evolving.

So why is the shift from "Googling" to "tagging" gaining traction now? Here are the key reasons:

① Reliability as an Information Source
A survey conducted by the author's team also found that the most trusted information source on social media is "friends and acquaintances." This result, surpassing major sources like companies, brands, and influencers, indicates a growing user preference to rely on content shared by people in their immediate circle amid today's information overload.

② Real-Time Nature
SNS has a low barrier to entry for sharing information, leading to much higher update frequencies compared to websites. New information constantly pours out like water. Real-time updates, immediacy, speed... these align perfectly with the needs of modern consumers seeking freshness.

③ Screen Size Optimization
The proliferation of smartphones suggests a shift in the optimal unit of information consumption—from websites (pages) to social media posts. For today's users, the burden of scrolling endlessly to complete information has become a hassle. Relatedly, the growing tendency among Instagram users to consume content by tapping Stories rather than scrolling feeds is a fascinating phenomenon from a UX (user experience) perspective.

④ Appeal to Sensibility
"Tagging" on Instagram enables an emotional search approach. Value resides precisely in the process of seeking and arriving. Or rather, there's an aspect where value is perceived precisely because of that process.

Hashtags are the taglines of the SNS era: From promotion to social movements

"Tagging" is not only used for individuals sharing and gathering information but is also beginning to take on social significance and functionality.

Jonathan Zittrain, a Harvard Law School professor specializing in internet law, emphasizes the importance of "Generativity" in web services. Translated as "generative power" in Japanese, it refers to the "power of the space" that enables users to continuously generate communication and expression on each platform. Whether a design harnesses this power directly impacts competitiveness.

SNS platforms are particularly strong examples of such spaces. What everyone posts—that UGC (User-Generated Content)—is precisely what people come to see. Key to this are hashtags and the practice of tagging them by users.

There are several types of this "tagging" practice. One is "searching for information," as explained so far. Derived from this is the usage of "connecting by genre." On Instagram, hashtags like "#WantToConnectWithPeopleWhoLike○○" are popular; for example, " #WantToConnectWithPeopleWhoLovePhotography " has about 30 million posts. This "want to connect" type is characteristic of Japanese hashtags, making it easier for communities of interest to form. There are also many "club-style" hashtags like "#○○部" (○○ Club).

Second, in recent years, numerous "movements originating from hashtags" have emerged. The " #IceBucketChallenge," which also became popular in Japan, is a prime example, with participation spanning from celebrities to ordinary people. In the US, " #blacklivesmatter " organized protests against racial discrimination. Musicians released songs responding to this hashtag, engaging their fans and making it a core tagline for social movements. There's little dispute that " #metoo " was the most tagged hashtag of 2017.

Indeed, hashtags are essentially the message taglines of the SNS era. They also represent a new means of user participation in the age of decentralized media. Users can share and amplify messages by encapsulating their experiences and thoughts within a hashtag. All the examples mentioned so far involve the act of "tagging" to aggregate collective voices on social issues, a phenomenon also called "hashtag activity."

Today, "tagging" extends beyond merely assigning meaning or categorizing things; it functions as a symbol of connection and solidarity, resonating with individuals' own thoughts and ideas. Observing and effectively utilizing hashtags frequently used by users, thereby connecting users with shared values and interests to build (instant) communities, is becoming increasingly important.

Opportunities to leverage "tagging" are expanding beyond individual daily information sharing and gathering, encompassing corporate marketing and even social actions addressing societal issues. As a form of engagement that prominently features user participation, "tagging" is poised to unleash even greater potential in the future.