Hashtags on the YouTube Shorts platform serve as metadata tags. These tags categorize content and improve discoverability within the YouTube search engine and recommendation algorithms. When creating a short video, users append a hashtag symbol (#) directly before a word or phrase. For example, appending #travel to a short video about a vacation will categorize the video within the ‘travel’ category on the platform.
Utilizing relevant hashtags enhances the visibility of short videos, increasing the potential audience reach. Proper tagging can lead to increased views, engagement, and subscriber growth. The practice of using hashtags originated on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, where they quickly became a standard method for organizing content around specific topics or trends. Their adoption by YouTube Shorts reflects the broader trend of social media convergence.