Facebook finally joined the #hashtag crowd

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Although not the inventor of the tool, Twitter has dominated conversations centered around the hashtag (#) for quite some time. As we saw last week, however, Facebook wants in on the action, introducing hashtags to its users, so that they can follow individual topics throughout the network.

Why ape some of your stiffest competition, ultimately validating their little language of pound symbols?

Here’s why: It’s all about the second-screen audience.

Data from Nielsen’s latest research shows that nearly half of smartphone owners and tablet owners (46 percent and 43 percent, respectively) said they use their devices as second screens while watching TV every day. And nearly half of that activity on tablets is directly related to the shows they’re watching (one-third for smartphone users).

Think on this: It’s been Twitter’s major pitch to advertisers to tack little hashtag addendums and catchphrases onto the end of their commercials. From there, a viewer can do a quick search for the hashtag to track conversation about the ad and connect with other folks. Same with TV marketers: Identify a hashtag with your show and viewers can talk about the action in real time.

That demographic is ripe with potential for seeding ads. Twitter, for instance, lets advertisers stick promoted tweets for their products in with those specific hashtag searches. So, if you’re a viewer watching an NFL game on the couch and search the hashtag #MondayNightFootball, for instance, that’s prime real estate for companies such as Frito-Lay or Budweiser to slot a promoted tweet right in there.