The fact that hashtags weren't supported on Facebook didn't seem to stop most people from tagging every post. Or, from sharing a post that came from Twitter or Instagram on Facebook. Why? Because everyone gets hashtags anyway. Today, Facebook is making the use of hashtags official.

As of today, you can tag Facebook posts. Users will then be able to search for items using tags, and see what tags other people have used (just like Twitter or Instagram). But, this being Facebook, there is a catch or two.

Using Hashtags On Facebook

Tagged Facebook posts will only be visible according to your privacy settings. For example: if you create a Facebook post that only your friends can see (and tag that post), a random person searching for the same tag won't be able to see your post. If you want everything you tag to be searchable, you have to make sure that your posts are public.

Why has it taken Facebook so long to roll out tags? There are a number of good reasons why the social network hasn't made use of tags yet. One of those reasons is that the whole hashtag phenomenon was something of a Twitter trait. Social networks don't like to (openly) imitate each other. Now that Facebook owns Instagram, however, the company can forge ahead with tags, since Instagram tagging has been around for a long time.

Checking Out Facebook Tags

If your excitement over the use of Facebook hashtags is rising by the minute, I'm betting that you rushed over to Facebook in order to tag a post or two. Why the heck aren't your tags working? If the tags that you've created are showing up as plain text, don't worry. Facebook has confirmed that hashtags will only be available to certain users right now.

Tagging options will roll out to the rest of the Facebook world within the next few weeks. When that happens, you can prepare for tagging mayhem. Not so into tags or don't know how they work? Don't worry, it's not hard to understand. Here's a quick tutorial for those that want to tag, but aren't sure how to start it all.

How to Use Hashtags

When you create a post via Facebook or Twitter, you can add a '#' symbol in front of any word that you want to attach to a post. For example: you can write about something that you strongly believe in, and use the tag '#word.' This will indicate that you believe in what you wrote. Tags can be used sarcastically, to emphasize beliefs, or to help other people find tags like yours.

If you go to a favorite restaurant, for example, you might want to use a tag to name that restaurant. Then, other people searching for information about that same restaurant will come across your post when searching - kind of like a virtual catalog. Tags are simple to use, and once you get the hang of it you'll find out why they are so popular. Can't wait for Facebook tags to come to your profile? Me either! Tag away below!