If you have used Twitter, you may have heard about hash tags.  Chances are you have definitely seen them.  A particular word may be preceded by the numerical symbol.  This indicates that word is a hash tag.  Hash tags are a type of tracking system for tweets that allow searches to be conducted.  They are similar to tagging systems used in other social networking sites and major web sites, such as Flickr or YouTube.

These hash tags on Twitter group together interests for searches. In order to find out what hash tags are actually being used by other Twitter users, you can follow @hashtags. This Twitter account will follow you back within 15 minutes so that you can find out what hash tags are being developed, used and created. Hashtags.org offers the most comprehensive list of hash tags being used. They keep up to date lists on hash tags, new and old and also allow you to browse timelines of hash tags in real time.

Twitter allows for the search of hash tags via their search feature, although it is still in the early stages. Hash tags not only allow you to track your own topics, but it allows you to connect with others discussing the same subject. If you are looking for new followers, searching for hash tags will help you find other users interested in anything from sports to TV shows to sunglasses.

In order to create your own hash tags, you simply pick a subject and place the numerical sign in front of it. For example, if you watch the show CSI, when you tweet you would say something like: "I am watching the 200^th episode of #csi tonight." This hash tag is then picked up by different hash tag web sites and Twitter itself for others to find via searching or by viewing it in a timeline. Hash tags can be useful to keep track of topics for your own benefit and to connect with others who share similar interests.