Note: If the group’s Hashtag Permissions setting is “Messages can be tagged with new hashtags,” then group members who are not moderators can also create hashtags.

To create a hashtag:

1. Desktop browser: In the left menu on the group’s website, select Hashtags.
   Mobile device: In the group, tap the More icon at the bottom of a page, then, on the More menu, tap Hashtags.
2. On the Hashtags page, click or tap the New  Hashtag button at the top. 
3. On the Create Hashtags page, complete the fields and selections:
   • Hashtag

     Enter a name for the hashtag. Make sure that you do not delete the # character at the beginning. Do not include any spaces in the hashtag name.

     Note:

     • Hashtags can contain numerals along with other characters, but they cannot consist of only numerals.
     • The system treats uppercase and lowercase letters as the same and will not let anyone create the same hashtag with different capitalization. For example, if you create a #Question hashtag, the system will not allow you to then create a separate #question hashtag. After the #Question hashtag is created, if a message is sent with a hashtag of #question in the subject line, the system will change that hashtag to #Question before posting the message.
   • Alias

     When you select an existing hashtag from the Alias list, topics currently with that hashtag will be retagged with the hashtag you are creating.

     Aliases are useful when, for example, the group has more than one hashtag that is similar (such as a singular version and a plural version), or an existing hashtag is misspelled, and you want to consolidate topics under one version of the hashtag. New messages that are posted with the alias will have the hashtag you are creating.

     Note: When you select an alias, the page is refreshed and the other hashtag settings disappear because the alias will point to the hashtag you are creating and, therefore, will have that hashtag’s settings. The alias cannot have its own settings.

   • Description

     If desired, enter a brief description of the hashtag. This description will appear in these places:
     

     • On the Hashtags page
       
     • In the list displayed by the Hashtags button
       
     • In the Add Tags list on the New Topic page
   • Footer

     If desired, enter text that will be included in the footer of email messages with this hashtag. For example, you could include additional guidance for members responding to emails that have this hashtag.

     In individual email messages, the hashtag footer will appear at the top of the message footer, above the “Groups.io links” line.

     In digests, the hashtag footer will appear after the body of the tagged message.

   • Topic Duration

     If you want to delete or lock topics with this hashtag after a specific period of time, select the applicable period from the list.

   • Lock Topic

     Select this checkbox to lock topics, rather than delete them, after the time period you selected under Topic Duration.

   • Tag Color

     If desired, click or tap the color box and select a different color to associate with the hashtag. The hashtag will be displayed in this color in the message archive. 

     You can use colors to categorize hashtags, to help distinguish them visually on the group’s website.

   • No Email

     Select this checkbox if you do not want messages with this hashtag to be emailed to group members. The messages will be posted only in the archive on the group’s website.

   • Special

     Select this checkbox if you want messages with this hashtag to be sent to group members as special notices.

   • Moderated

     Select this checkbox if you want messages with this hashtag to be moderated. 

   • Replies Unmoderated

     Select this checkbox if you do not want to moderate replies to messages that have this hashtag.

   • Locked

     Select this checkbox to lock topics that are created with this hashtag. New topics with this hashtag will be locked immediately after the initial message—the one that creates the topic—is posted.

   • Reply To

     If you want to apply a Reply To setting to this hashtag that is different from the group’s Reply To setting, select that setting from the list. This hashtag setting will override the group setting. 

     Note:

     • If you select Reply to topic followers only, the system automatically sets up follow topic records for those who start new topics with this hashtag as well as everyone who replies to those topics. Those people will see an Unfollow #hashtagname link in the footer of email messages in those topics.
     • If you select Reply Only To Sender, all responses will go privately to the sender and not to the group. This setting overrides the group setting Remove Other Reply Options in a group that is set to Reply to Sender.
       Note: If a group member replying by email uses the “reply to all” option in their email application, their reply will be addressed to the group in addition to the individual sender; however, when the reply is sent, it will be blocked from the group. The person replying will receive a delivery failure notification that their message to the group address was blocked, and the notification message will include this statement: “Replies to this topic must be sent to the sender, not the group.” The individual sender will still receive the reply.
   • Use by Mods Only

     Select this checkbox if you want this hashtag to be used only by moderators. This feature is useful for sending administrative notices, for example. Hashtags with this setting will appear in the Add Tags list only when a moderator is creating the topic.

   • Replies by Mods Only

     This checkbox appears after you select Use by Mods Only. Select the Replies by Mods Only checkbox if you want only moderators to be able to reply to topics that have this hashtag.

4. At the bottom of the page, click or tap the Create Hashtag button.