VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Mike Harrison

In social media, the hashtag (#example) is included in the body of a message to identify the message as being of a specific topic. But the hash mark, or pound sign (#) immediately followed by a word and added to a webpage URL identifies a specific location on that page. If something on the page has been marked with the proper corresponding (anchor) tag, the browser will display the page and scroll to that location. But if nothing on the page has been identified as that location, the browser displays the page and nothing more.

So in the audition script I received is a website URL, actually followed by a period for the end of the sentence, but which is then followed by a space and what looks like a social media hashtag. ("visit website.com. #hashtag") Adding it to the URL using the correct syntax (no period, no space) does nothing; there's apparently nothing on that page that corresponds.

Anyone else ever seen this in a script?

My initial question was going to be "How is this URL and what follows it supposed to be spoken?" However, because it does nothing, I'm going to assume instead that this is just like the epidemic that occurred when some copywriter heard the term "backslash" somewhere and incorrectly included it in the URL in a script, after which many other copywriters piled on-board. (My experience has been that the actual backslash character \ will either do nothing or generate a browser/server error.) So because this hashtag doesn't seem to do anything either, I'm going to just ignore the silly thing. When I write copy, I check the URLs supplied by a client to make sure they work.
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

heyguido · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 6:56 am Post subject:

Mike, the hashtag allows you to access subject-specific content on a social media site, allowing you to drill down on a particular group of related posts. The hashtag subject is most commonly entered in the search box, rather than the address bar.

The line you use as an example should be read "visit website dot com, hashtag hashtag."
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Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

Mike Harrison · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:10 am Post subject:

Thanks, Don. My lack of social media knowledge is showing. But I did Google this and was surprised that I didn't find anything on it before posting here.

So... when a listener hears it the way you typed it, do they add the hashtag to the URL, or do they use the hashtag after they've arrived on the webpage?
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

DougVox · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:39 am Post subject:

Mike...chances are that the advertiser is hoping is hoping that listeners/viewers will be prompted to use the hashtag in order to search their preferred social media site.

So whether they're on Twitter, FB, Instagram, Snapchat, or wherever, they'll be able to find information about the advertiser (or their campaign), just by searching the hashtag.

The hashtag and the URL don't really have anything to do with each other.
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Doug Turkel (tur-KELL)
Voiceover UNnouncer®
UNnouncer.com

Mike Harrison · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:44 am Post subject:

Thank you, Doug. That's a big help.

Much appreciated.
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

heyguido · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:55 am Post subject:

What Doug said so well. Inoccent

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Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

Mike Harrison · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:06 am Post subject:

I guess I need to watch more commercials. I knew how hashtags were used – and have used them – but I just couldn't figure out how it was related to the URL.

Many thanks!
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

DougVox · Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:19 am Post subject:

Glad that helped!

Basically, what they're saying is, "Visit our website. Or, when you're on social media sites, use this hashtag to find more info about us."
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Doug Turkel (tur-KELL)
Voiceover UNnouncer®
UNnouncer.com

Lee Gordon

ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Mon Jan 18, 2016 4:55 pm Post subject:

Actually the hashtag DOES relate to a URL. It is an anchor tag to take someone to a specific place on a webpage.

I am struggling with my new website template that doesn't appear to be able to insert anchor tags.
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