Facebook imitates Twitter, after hashtags, to now add trending topics

Twitter seems to have emerged as a major source of  'inspiration' for Facebook. After launching the much abused 'hashtag' function on the number one social networking site, Facebook now is looking at a section for trending topics.

According to commentators, the hashtag that did not seem to belong on the social network, might get a degree of importance as also usage with the trending topics.

A recent report by The Wall Street Journal pointed out that Facebook now planned to roll out the Trending Topics and the section would be right on the user's homepage, at the top right corner.

However, whether this meant that the irritating 'Ticker' got pushed down or disappeared was not known for now. But, according to commentators, the real-time Ticker  section might be retained though it would likely shift to the bottom.

The feature which was in the initial stages was available only to a small per cent of US users. At the same time, they point out that the feature might remain an exclusive and may not be rolled out to others!

A Facebook spokeswoman told the paper that the company was running a small test of a unit on New Feed. She added at the moment it was only available to a small percentage of US users and it was still in the early stages of development.

She said the social network would disclose more details if it decided to release the feature more broadly.

The test, which got under way on Thursday, highlights the standoff between Facebook and Twitter to emerge as the dominant destination for live, real-time conversations online.

The issue was critical, for the company that became the top hub for chatter around news events and TV shows would have a key advantage in wooing advertisers, with brands considering spending more money on mobile and desktop ads and less on television ads.

Twitter, which has been associated with hashtags and trending topics for years, had long been seen as the destination for tracking emerging conversations.

Facebook, however, is making a major effort to challenge Twitter's domination of the space this year, having rolled out hashtags in June and then earlier this month testing a ''trending'' section for its mobile website.

The company had also promoted data that described news events and television shows, such as episodes of HBO's Game of Thrones.

Like Twitter, Facebook's trending section would reflect popular hashtags and topics that were generating a lot of conversation.