Have you ever wondered whether to use a hashtag # or a topic in Engage (also known as Microsoft Viva Engage)? While both help organize content, and both are searchable, they serve slightly different purposes. This post breaks down the differences and give you practical examples to help you decide #WhenToUseWhat.
The difference between Topics and Hashtags #:
Topics
Topics in Engage are structured tags that help group conversations across the platform. They can be used to filter content and are especially useful for embedding in SharePoint.
Hashtags #
Hashtags are more informal and user-driven. They’re great for trends, campaigns, or adding personality to posts in Engage.
Engage posts
Can include both Topics and Hashtags for a broader reach and organization
Illustration of the relationship between Topics, Hashtags and SharePoint integration in Microsoft Engage
Examples of Topics and Hashtags #for the same context
I had a conversation with Microsoft Copilot about it, and got some great examples f topics and hashtags #for the same context. These examples can perhaps make it a little bit easier to know when to use what:
🌟 Employee Engagement & Culture
- Topic: Employee Spotlights
Hashtag:#EmployeeSpotlight
Celebrate team members and their achievements. - Topic: Diversity & Inclusion
Hashtag:#InclusionMatters
Promote stories and initiatives around workplace diversity. - Topic: Wellness & Mental Health
Hashtag:#WellnessAtWork
Share tips, resources, and support for employee well-being.
🚀 Innovation & Learning
- Topic: Innovation Ideas
Hashtag:#BrightIdeas
Encourage employees to share creative solutions or improvements. - Topic: Learning & Development
Hashtag:#AlwaysLearning
Highlight training opportunities, courses, and personal growth stories. - Topic: Tech Tips & Tools
Hashtag:#TechTalk
Share productivity hacks, app tips, or new tools.
🤝 Collaboration & Community
- Topic: Cross-Team Collaboration
Hashtag:#BetterTogether
Showcase successful partnerships across departments. - Topic: Community Impact
Hashtag:#GivingBack
Highlight volunteer work or CSR initiatives. - Topic: Ask Me Anything (AMA)
Hashtag:#AskLeadership
Create open forums with leaders or experts.
📣 Company News & Recognition
- Topic: Company Announcements
Hashtag:#InsideUpdates
Keep employees informed about key news and changes. - Topic: Recognition & Kudos
Hashtag:#ShoutOut
Celebrate wins, big or small, across the organization. - Topic: New Joiners
Hashtag:#WelcomeAboard
Introduce new team members and help them feel included.
💡There is another way to use Engage topics that I think is quite magical!
Collate all conversations related to a specific topic onto a SharePoint page:
Tag an Engage post with a topic, either an existing one or create a new one.
On the topic page, add the webpart Engage conversations and filter on “Topic” and write the topic into the “Search for a source” -field. Click “Save and Close” or “Publish”, and you can see all posts related to the topic on the page. You can only choose one Topic item in the “Search for a source”-field.
Conversations or Questions
| You can choose between filtering all Conversations or all Questions. |  |
Layout and number of conversations to show
| There are two different layout options. The first is Feed, which shows each conversation under each other. The second is Highlights, which shows each conversation in a box next to each other. |  |
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