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How do you add a hashtag on instagram


How to Use Hashtags on Instagram for Amazing Growth in 2022

Wondering how to use hashtags on Instagram?

Trying to make sense of conflicting information?

Here’s all you need to know about:

  • What are Instagram hashtags?
  • How many hashtags to use on Instagram.
  • Using Instagram hashtags in comments, caption, and after posting.
  • The most popular Instagram hashtags.
  • The best Instagram hashtags for likes.
  • Banned Instagram hashtags.
  • And exactly how to post Instagram hashtags.

Plus so much more, for #InstaSuccess!

What are Instagram hashtags?

You know that pound (#) sign on your keyboard? Just add it before a word and voila, you have a hashtag!

Like #HashtagTips 😉

A hashtag is a word or a group of words preceded by a pound (#) sign, which is used to categorize and find conversations around a particular topic or trend.

On Instagram as well as Twitter (where hashtags started), Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networks, hashtags become a link to a collection of other content marked with the same hashtag. So it’s an easy way for people to find the kind of content they’re interested in.

Hashtags serve an additional purpose on Instagram – users can actually “follow” hashtags to see some of that content show up in their feed.

Hashtags also help Instagram understand what your content is about, so they can recommend it to users who’d be interested in it.

These 3 features are why you should use relevant hashtags – you want your content in front of people who will care about it, give it a like, and maybe even follow your account.

How do I add hashtags on Instagram?

When you write an Instagram caption, type a hash mark # followed by your keyword or words.

As you type, Instagram will fill in some popular suggested hashtags, showing the number of posts already using them.

If you see one you’d like to add, simply tap and it’ll be added to your post.

You can also add working hashtags to comments, but only on your own posts. More about this later.

Note that typing a space or punctuation mark will end the hashtag right there. For instance if I type #don’tdothis, the hashtag is going to be #don! Or if I type #instagram marketing, it’ll be #instagram. And you don’t want that!

How many Instagram hashtags can I use?

Instagram lets you add up to 30 hashtags – but that doesn’t mean you should.

Or should you?

Truth is, there’s no verified answer. You can find a study that backs every idea from using 1-3, through to all 30.

But here are a few of the top studies to help you decide what to try.

Posts by brands have few hashtags

One study from Sprout Social found that the posts by brands that performed best had just 1-3 hashtags in them.

Most brands use 2-5, and the success of the post trails off when using 10 or more.

But the picture was a little different when the metric measured was engagement rather than reach. Here, using 7-15 hashtags seemed to work best.

Posts with 9 scored the highest engagement per post. Their study did stop at 15 hashtags.

How many followers you have can help decide

Another study by Social Insider looked at the number of posts and how many followers.

They found that:

  • Accounts with under 5K followers did best with 6 hashtags in the caption
  • Accounts with 5-10K following did best with 5 hashtags in the 1st comment
  • Accounts with 10-50K following did best with 2 hashtags in the post
  • Accounts with 50-100K following did best with 8 hashtags in the post
  • Accounts with 100K+ following did best with 6 hashtags in the 1st comment

Test it and see

Confused? No surprise there, it’s clear that even Instagram doesn’t know where the sweet spot is.

Many bloggers who specialize in Instagram just go for the full 30 hashtags because that gives you the most exposure possible.

Want the latest? READ How Many Hashtags on Instagram 2022.

I cover the latest conflicting announcements from IG and how to test the best number for your own account.

Is there a maximum of hashtags on Instagram?

The maximum allowed Instagram hashtags is 30. I recommend you use them all – unless you’re happy with your follower number and engagement.

Want to grow? Use 30 hashtags!

What’s the hack to use 60 hashtags on Instagram?

There used to be a trick where you could first post 30 hashtags in a comment, then go back and edit the photo caption to add 30 more hashtags.

Instagram didn’t notice the hashtags in the caption edit, so you could effectively post a total of 60.

They caught on in 2018, though. So the maximum is 30 Instagram hashtags in 2022. And it’s plenty!

Should I post Instagram hashtags in comments or caption?

Instagram hashtags may be placed in the photo or video caption at the time you post.

Or, hashtags may be added in a comment (or several comments) after posting.

There’s no difference to their functionality, so it’s your choice.

I prefer adding hashtags in comments, as these are quickly buried once you get a few user comments.

Starting in 2018, the caption is cut off after 2 short lines of text, so caption hashtags don’t show at first glance either.

However, IGers clicking either the “More” tag or the comment icon will see the full caption – including all the hashtags you placed there.

If you write an engaging caption with a call-to-action or question (please do!), people may get distracted by a raft of hashtags and forget to complete your desired action.

This is why I recommend Instagram hashtags in comments rather than captions.

LEARN MORE: Instagram Hashtags in Comments or Caption?

How to hide hashtags on Instagram

Want your hashtags in the caption? You can hide them, so they can’t look spammy!

Make them invisible by preceding them with five dashes or periods, each one on a line by itself.

NO space after the period or it won’t work. If you post this in your first comment, IGers will just see […] after your name in the photo stream.

Note: The hashtags are only invisible in the photo stream! If someone clicks to read comments, they will see the hashtags.

It’s easiest to create your hashtag text file in your phone’s Notes app (see image below), and paste it into Instagram. Even though there are now ways to add line breaks on Instagram, it’s a bit clunky to use.

NOTE: If you’re having problems with this trick, it’s almost always because you have a space at the end of your line. It’s a bizarre and annoying quirk, but Instagram will take out the return if there’s a space at the end of the preceding line.

If you’re confused on whether to hide hashtags in a comment or caption, and which actually works better, do a split test! You can do this manually, or for easier comparing, use Tailwind.

Tailwind makes setting up either way easy. Schedule your posts, then automatically publish them to your business account.

Try a week each way, then check Tailwind’s fabulous analytics to see which worked better for you.

Try out Tailwind’s Free Forever plan! No credit card required.

• • • Try TailWind for Instagram FREE now • • •

Disclosure: I’m a Tailwind affiliate, which means I may earn a referral fee if you sign up.

Can I add hashtags to someone else’s Instagram post?

No. You can’t add working hashtags by commenting on any other account than the one you’re signed into.

Anyone can comment on someone else’s post with hashtags, but the other IGer’s post won’t appear in that hashtag feed.

If you see people leaving hashtag comments on others’ posts, they may be suggesting that the original poster add that hashtag.

A little helpful advice, perhaps.

Or, they may not know. But generally I see these hashtag comments between groups of IG friends who are helping each other get featured on Instagram hub accounts.

What are the most popular hashtags on Instagram for 2022?

With Instagram stressing the importance of relevant hashtags as they pivot towards semantic keyword search, I don’t recommend using the most popular hashtags. They’re just not helpful.

But you want to know what’s trending! So here goes.

The most popular hashtags of all time (according to Later’s data) are:

  1. #love
  2. #instagood
  3. #photooftheday
  4. #fashion
  5. #beautiful
  6. #like4like
  7. #picoftheday
  8. #art
  9. #happy
  10. #photography
  11. #instagram
  12. #followme
  13. #style
  14. #follow
  15. #instadaily
  16. #travel
  17. #life
  18. #cute
  19. #fitness
  20. #nature

But the top 50 hashtags for 2022 are a bit different. This list is based on usage within the Later app and updated November 2021.

  1. #love
  2. #design
  3. #instagood
  4. #interiordesign
  5. #fashion
  6. #inspiration
  7. #style
  8. #art
  9. #smallbusiness
  10. #shoplocal
  11. #motivation
  12. #foodie
  13. #homedecor
  14. #travel
  15. #halloween
  16. #photography
  17. #beauty
  18. #handmade
  19. #food
  20. #realestate
  21. #health
  22. #wellness
  23. #selfcare
  24. #fitness
  25. #lifestyle
  26. #home
  27. #photooftheday
  28. #shopsmall
  29. #nature
  30. #instafood
  31. #supportlocal
  32. #ootd
  33. #architecture
  34. #skincare
  35. #selflove
  36. #vegan
  37. #luxury
  38. #healthy
  39. #beautiful
  40. #foodporn
  41. #business
  42. #entrepreneur
  43. #linkinbio
  44. #fall
  45. #interior
  46. #foodstagram
  47. #healthylifestyle
  48. #adventure
  49. #homedesign
  50. #delicious

Here are the 10 best Instagram hashtags for likes, according to All Hashtag, an Instagram analytics tool:

  1. #like4like
  2. #liking
  3. #likeall
  4. #likeforlike
  5. #likes4likes
  6. #love
  7. #instagood
  8. #tagblender
  9. #likesforlikes
  10. #ilikeback

Really want more? Here are the 100 top hashtags from 2021:

#followforfollow#instagood#likeforlike#instamood#work#photooftheday#fashion#f4f#music#instapic

#inspiration#black#gym#sunset#bestoftheday#like4like#cute#landscape#night#pretty

#hot#photo#awesome#fitfam#sun#swag#follow4follow#workout#happiness#Repost

#like#beauty#summer#Beautiful#nyc#blogger#photography#lifestyle#instalike#Halloween

#fall#fit#motivation#travel#blue#followme#TagsForLikes#nofilter#vscocam#TBT

#healthy#smile#instagram#girls#artist#fitness#lol#model#design#art

#instadaily#hair#beach#funny#cool#follow#l4l#vsco#london#party

#picoftheday#style#goals#foodporn#love#newyork#luxury#ootd#Home#pink

#me#Selfie#life#friends#makeup#nature#health#autumn#sky#fun

#Family#igers#blackandwhite#photographer#food#amazing#girl#happy#fashionblogger

However – just because these work for the “average” account doesn’t mean they’ll work for yours.

I suggest you get a little more creative with your hashtags. Read on…

Should I use popular Instagram hashtags?

If you’re using 30 hashtags, okay, go ahead and make 1 or 2 of those popular ones.

This will get you some quick likes. However, most of those will be fake, bot likes.

Yes, automated “bot” activity is still a problem on Instagram in 2022.

Use popular tags, and you’ll likely also be the target of annoying follow-unfollow activity.

This is where those rule-breaking IGers use automation to follow accounts they think might follow them back.

If you don’t follow back, and sometimes even if you do, they’ll unfollow you anyway.

Don’t take it personally, as it’s all automated. No one is making any judgement of your account.

Please don’t ever do automated follow-unfollow on Instagram. You risk your account being shadowbanned or even closed.

But back to those top tags, they may work for likes in the first second after you post. Your post will be quickly buried in the hashtag feed.

In addition, they’re often used by spammers and quickly get banned!

Using banned hashtags may put you in league with spammers and arouse Instagram’s suspicions about your account.

Banned Instagram hashtags 2022

So now you want to know: which hashtags are banned by Instagram?

Unfortunately this is an ever-moving target. According to Markitors.com:

… the hashtag #happythanksgiving was completely overrun with spam, so they banned it. From here on out, if you use the hashtag #happythanksgiving, not only will your content most likely not show up for that hashtag, you might also be flagged for spam. The repetitive use of banned hashtags, leading to multiple flags to your account, could even result in shadow banning or account removal.

Of course, in order to avoid these forbidden hashtags, you have to know which tags are banned. How is anyone supposed to know that #happythanksgiving is considered “spam”?

There are 3 ways to avoid using banned hashtags:

  1. Don’t use any of the most popular Instagram hashtags.
  2. Research any hashtag before using it.
  3. Use Tailwind Hashtag Finder. NO banned hashtags are ever included.

To research currently banned tags, search for a specific hashtag in the search bar.

Click on the hashtag and scroll through the pictures.

If you reach an end where a message says the posts are “currently hidden,” it’s a banned hashtag.

Want to save the hassle of researching banned tags, and find the best assortment of hashtags for your audience?

Click to learn more about Tailwind Hashtag Finder for Instagram.

Or jump in and try it out!

• • • Try TailWind Instagram Hashtag Finder for FREE • • •

Disclosure: I’m a Tailwind affiliate, which means I may make a referral fee if you sign up.

What are the

best Instagram hashtags?

I don’t recommend popular tags, for the reasons stated above.

Here’s what I do recommend:

Use hashtags that are relevant to your niche.

Using specific and relevant hashtags helps you connect with people who are looking for exactly what you’re posting.

You can find relevant tags by searching your keywords in Instagram, or using a site like Hashtagify.me.

Watch what others in your niche are using.

See what your peers and influencers are posting on their photos.

Check out the related tags Instagram suggests when you tap a tag that’s relevant to your content. Try them if they seem useful!

Be sure your hashtags are active.

Check the hashtag feed to see that the tags you’re using are currently being used by others.

Hint: If you scroll down 20 rows and are still finding content posted in the last few seconds, that tag is too active!

Stop using the most popular hashtags like pretty, beautiful, love and similar ones.

Your post will be buried in that feed within milliseconds. In researching this, I also discovered a lot of posts in those tags that I don’t even want to be seen with (some I even felt obligated to report).

If you insist, sprinkle in a few of them, when relevant to your post.

Not necessarily the ones with 100M’s of posts, but one or two over 1M might give you some quick likes.

Note: Your content really needs to be awesome to stand out in a lighting-fast moving tag feed!

Create a branded hashtag for your company or a campaign.

Check that these tags aren’t already being used, particularly in a way you wouldn’t approve of!

Prompt fans and followers to use your tag, and you’ll soon learn just who your superfans are. Support, encourage, and regram them!

Easily find the best Instagram hashtags!

Try out Tailwind! No credit card required.

• • • Try TailWind Instagram Hashtag Finder for FREE • • •

Disclosure: I’m a Tailwind affiliate, which means I may earn a referral fee if you purchase a plan.

Can I add hashtags to Instagram after posting?

Once upon a time, using hashtags was easy:

  • You posted a bunch with your photo.
  • You came back later, deleted those tags, and added a bunch more.
  • Magically, your post was bumped to the top of those hashtag feeds, regardless of how long it had been since the original post.
  • Your engagement spiked once again.

But Instagram changed all that for us in March 2015.

No matter when you add a hashtag to your photo or video, it will appear in that hashtag feed with other photos and videos posted at its original posting time.

Or as Instagram says:

Keep in mind that if you add a hashtag to a photo after it was posted, the photo will still appear on the hashtag page according to the time it was originally posted, not the time the hashtag was added.

The short answer is yes, you can add hashtags to your own posts after posting.

Popular hashtags must be added immediately, or your post will never surface in those feeds.

If you like, you can delete those later and add niche hashtags in their place.

Personally, I think your time is better spent on creating new Instagram posts.

Why are my Instagram hashtags not working?

You may be the victim of a shadowban.

A shadowban hides your Instagram posts from users who don’t follow you, which can be detrimental to growing your account and getting more followers.

If you get shadowbanned on Instagram, only you and your current followers will see your post when they search for the hashtags you used. If someone who doesn’t follow your account searches for one of those hashtags, they won’t see your post!

This defeats the purpose of using strategic hashtags to grow your Instagram community.

I’ve even had readers say they can’t find their own posts in the hashtag feeds! This could also be due to shadowban. Or, as IG calls it, “issues with hashtag search.”

Instagram doesn’t admit there is such a thing, by the way, so don’t expect to get help from them.

You can use the “Report a Problem” feature in your account settings under “Support. ” I no longer get a reply when I do this, but it can’t hurt.

I would suggest saying “my post isn’t showing in the hashtag feeds” and not use the word “shadowban.”

How can I avoid being shadowbanned?

Instagram shadowbanning is sometimes a result of spammy behavior.

However, some normal behavior is also getting users shadowbanned:

  • Repeated use of the same hashtag group within 24 hours.
  • Using “broken” or banned hashtags.

Sometimes a normal, everyday hashtag can be banned.

Popular tags are often used on content that violates IG community guidelines. Then Instagram might block the hashtag outright, meaning you can’t even search for it on IG, or they’ll limit the posts shown in that hashtag feed.

With the shadowban, it appears that even if you use a single banned hashtag in your post, Instagram will prevent your post from appearing on any of the hashtags you used!

So, you could search each hashtag feed individually for evidence that a tag is broken or banned. Don’t use those!

OR, just make your life easier by using Tailwind’s Hashtag Finder!

It will give you fresh, related choices so you’re not repeating the same hashtag group, and it will only suggest tags that are Instagram-approved!

To try Tailwind Hashtag Finder, click here.

• • • Try TailWind Instagram Hashtag Finder for FREE • • •

Disclosure: I’m a Tailwind affiliate, which means I may earn a commission, at no cost to you, if you purchase a plan.

How to post Instagram hashtags for best results:

If you insist on using uber-popular hashtags, you MUST post them in your post caption.

If you wait even a second to post them in a comment, they’re pretty much worthless, as your post will be buried in that hashtag feed the instant you add it.

If you post hashtags in several comments, post the more popular ones first. 

Post hashtag comments in the order of how fast the hashtag feeds move!

Niche hashtags CAN still be added at a later date!

DON’T bother adding hashtags where the original date of your post would have it buried deeply in the feed – BUT there are some cool super-niche hashtags that have only several hundred to a few thousand posts in them. Many of these even have avid fans!

For easiest hashtagging, keep groups of 30 hashtags in your phone’s Notes app.

Create and save a set of 30 tags for each type of post you make (or less than 30 if you insist 😉 ).

Copy your hashtag group before you make your IG post!

Then you have them ready on your clipboard to add in a comment immediately. No fumbling, no wasting valuable seconds. Or, set up a text shortcut!

Conclusion: Do

This for Instagram hashtag success!

Make your Instagramming easy!

Sign up for Tailwind and see how simple posting can be.

• • • Try TailWind Instagram Hashtag Finder for FREE • • •

Disclosure: I’m a Tailwind affiliate, which means I may make a referral fee if you sign up.

Use 11 to 30 hashtags to grow your account.

Hide your hashtags in a comment with . and return, 5 times.

Use more hashtags relevant to your niche.

  • What are your keywords?
  • What are peers/competitors/influencers using?
  • What does Instagram suggest as related?

Use fewer (or none) of the most popular hashtags.

Choose hashtags that are actively used (but not too active!).

Create a custom tag for your brand or campaign.

  • Be sure to check first to see if it’s already being used.
  • Promote your tag’s use by followers.
  • Engage / shout out your fans who use it!

Keep hashtag groups in your phone’s Notes app.

  • One group for each type of content you post.
  • Copy them to your clipboard before you post content.
  • Follow up immediately with hashtags in a comment.

Bonus tip: Your hashtags will magically work much better if you’re posting awesome visuals! People are scanning those hashtag feeds, and you need to stand out.

Well done! Learning how to use hashtags on Instagram will help your account grow.

Want more?

Learn how to grow your Instagram followers 10 more ways!

Ultimate Guide [+101 hashtags for 2022]

What are Instagram hashtags?

Top Instagram hashtags

Types of popular Instagram hashtags

Instagram Hashtag FAQs

7 tips for how to use hashtags on Instagram

Instagram hashtags can make or break your Instagram marketing strategy. Use them correctly and you’ll get your posts seen by more people likely to be interested in your products or brand.

But use the wrong and you can actually do damage, from annoying potential followers to getting penalized by Instagram’s algorithm.

To use hashtags for Instagram effectively, you need to understand exactly how they work, and put some thought into a strategy.

You’re in the right place to do just that. Watch our video below, or read on!

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

What are Instagram hashtags?

A hashtag is a combination of letters, numbers, and/or emoji preceded by the # symbol (e. g. #NoFilter). They are used to categorize content and make it more discoverable.

Hashtags are clickable. Anyone who clicks on an Instagram hashtag or conducts an Instagram hashtag search will see a page showing all the posts tagged with that hashtag.

Why use Instagram hashtags?

Hashtags are an important way to expand your Instagram audience and get more reach. When you use a hashtag, your post will appear on the page for that hashtag. If you use a hashtag on your Story, it could be included in the relevant hashtag Story, which also appears on the hashtag page.

People can also choose to follow hashtags, which means they could see your hashtagged post in their feed even if they don’t follow you (yet).

Instagram hashtags can be a great way of building community online so people are motivated to engage with your brand. For example, as the way people work out suddenly changed in 2020, Nike Los Angeles used the #playinside hashtag to feature local people getting active in their homes.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Nike LA (@nikela)

All that being said, times they are a changin’. We recently ran an experiment looking specifically at the effectiveness of Instagram SEO vs Hashtags in 2022. And the results, well let’s just say they were eye-opening.

Check out the article or watch the video below to see what we found:

Top Instagram hashtags

These are the top 50 hashtags on Instagram:

  1. #love (1. 835B)
  2. #instagood (1.150B)
  3. #fashion (812.7M)
  4. #photooftheday (797.3M)
  5. #beautiful (661.0M)
  6. #art (649.9M)
  7. #photography (583.1M)
  8. #happy (578.8M)
  9. #picoftheday (570.8M)
  10. #cute (569.1M)
  11. #follow (560.9M)
  12. #tbt (536.4M)
  13. #followme (528.5M)
  14. #nature (525.7M)
  15. #like4like (515.6M)
  16. #travel (497.3M)
  17. #instagram (482.6M)
  18. #style (472.3M)
  19. #repost (471.4M)
  20. #summer454.2M
  21. #instadaily (444.0M)
  22. #selfie (422.6M)
  23. #me (420.3M)
  24. #friends (396.7M)
  25. #fitness (395.8M)
  26. #girl (393.8M)
  27. #food (391.9M)
  28. #fun (385.6M)
  29. #beauty (382.8M)
  30. #instalike (374.6M)
  31. #smile (364.5M)
  32. #family (357.7M)
  33. #photo (334.6M)
  34. #life (334.5M)
  35. #likeforlike (328.2M)
  36. #music (316.1M)
  37. #ootd (308.2M)
  38. #follow4follow (290.6M)
  39. #makeup (285. 3M)
  40. #amazing (277.5M)
  41. #igers (276.5M)
  42. #nofilter (268.9M)
  43. #dog (264.0M)
  44. #model (254.7M)
  45. #sunset (249.8M)
  46. #beach (246.8M)
  47. #instamood (238.1M)
  48. #foodporn (229.4M)
  49. #motivation (229.1M)
  50. #followforfollow (227.9M)

Popular B2B Hashtags

  1. #business (101M)
  2. #entrepreneur (93M)
  3. #success (82M)
  4. #onlineshop (70M)
  5. #smallbusiness (104M)
  6. #marketing (69M)
  7. #branding (38M)
  8. #marketingdigital (39M)
  9. #innovation (14M)
  10. #ecommerce (12M)
  11. #retail (8.2M)
  12. #onlinemarketing (8M)
  13. #contentmarketing (6.5M)
  14. #marketingtips (6.2M)
  15. #marketingstrategy (6M)
  16. #marketingstrategy (6M)
  17. #startups (5. 3M) 
  18. #management (5.1M)
  19. #businesstips (5.1M)
  20. #software (5M)
  21. #B2B (2.6M)
  22. #instagramforbusiness (1.4M)
  23. #b2bmarketing (528k)
  24. #eventmarketing (408k)
  25. #b2bsales (125k)

Popular B2C Hashtags

  1. #training (133M)
  2. #smallbusiness (104M)
  3. #business (101M)
  4. #sale (95M)
  5. #onlineshopping (85M)
  6. #marketing (69M) 
  7. #marketingdigital (39M)
  8. #promo (35M) 
  9. #socialmedia (32M) 
  10. #digitalmarketing  (25M)
  11. #startup (24M)
  12. #socialmediamarketing (19.7M) 
  13. #sales (19M) 
  14. #advertising (15M) 
  15. #ecommerce (12. 3M) 
  16. #networking (12.1M)
  17. #onlinebusiness (11.4M) 
  18. #onlinemarketing (8M) 
  19. #smallbiz (7M) 
  20. #company (7.9M) 
  21. #startuplife (5.6M) 
  22. #contentmarketing (6.5M) 
  23. #socialmediatips (3.2M)
  24. #marketplace (2.5M)
  25. #b2c (350k)
  26. #b2cmarketing (185k)

Keep in mind that the most popular Instagram hashtags are not necessarily the most effective.

A large number of posts may mean lots of people follow that hashtag, but it also means there’s a ton of content on it and your posts might get lost. Instagram suggests using a combination of popular and niche hashtags to reach different audiences, from broad to specific.

Types of popular Instagram hashtags

Instagram breaks hashtags down into nine distinct types:

Product or service hashtags

These are basic keywords to describe your product or service, like #handbag or #divebar

Niche hashtags

These get a little more specific, showing where you fit in the context of your industry, like #travelblogger or #foodblogger

Industry Instagram community hashtags

Communities exist on Instagram, and these hashtags help you find and join them. Think #gardenersofinstagram or #craftersofinstgram

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Special event or seasonal hashtags

These can refer to real holidays or seasons, like #summerdays, or they can be used for all those National [Thing] Day holidays, like #nationalicecreamday or #nationalnailpolishday

Location hashtags

Even if you geo-tag your Instagram post, it can still be a good idea to include a hashtag that refers to your location, like #vancouvercraftbeer or #londoneats

Daily hashtags

Every day has plenty of its own hashtags, from #MondayBlues right through to #SundayFunday. We created a whole list of daily hashtags for you to choose from if you’re looking for an easy source of hashtags to add to your posts.

Relevant phrase hashtags

These hashtags combine elements of product hashtags, niche hashtags, and community hashtags. Basically, they’re phrases people use on Instagram to connect to existing communities in a slightly insider way, like #amwriting or #shewhowanders

Acronym hashtags

Perhaps the best-known acronym hashtag is #TBT for Throwback Thursday. Other popular acronym hashtags include #OOTD for outfit of the day, #FBF for flashback Friday, and #YOLO for you only live once.

Emoji hashtags

These hashtags can include emojis on their own, like #????, or words or phrases with emojis attached, like #sunglasses????.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Cartems Donuts (@cartemsdonuts)

Branded hashtags are another great option for businesses on Instagram. We’ll get into more details on those later in this post.

Instagram Hashtag FAQs

How many hashtags to use on Instagram

How to hide hashtags on Instagram

How to find trending hashtags on Instagram

How to search multiple hashtags on Instagram

How to find the best Instagram hashtags for YOUR brand

How many hashtags to use on Instagram

You can include up to 30 hashtags on a regular post, and up to 10 hashtags on a Story. If you try to include more, your comment or caption won’t post.

That said, just because you can use that many hashtags for Instagram doesn’t mean you should. There’s no right number of hashtags for every business, or even for every post by the same business.

The consensus is that about 11 hashtags is a good number to start with. But the most common number of hashtags to use on Instagram is between 3 and 5.

You’ll need to do some testing to determine what works best for your particular business.

How to hide hashtags on Instagram

When you’ve spent time crafting a great Instagram caption, you may not want to end your post with a prominent collection of hashtags. Fortunately, there are a couple of easy ways to make your hashtags less visible.

How to hide Instagram hashtags in a comment:
  1. Write your caption as usual but don’t include any hashtags.
  2. Once your post is published, simply click the speech bubble icon under your post to leave a comment.
  3. Write out or paste the hashtags you want to include in the comment box and tap Post.
  4. On mobile, your hashtags won’t be visible unless a user taps View all comments. However, on desktop, your comment will remain in the top position, so this trick works better if you’re targeting a mobile audience.


Source: VW on Instagram

How to hide Instagram hashtags in the caption

You can also use hashtags within the caption itself without them being super-visible.

  1. At the bottom of your caption, tap Return or Enter. If you don’t see a Return or Enter button, tap 123 to bring it up.
  2. Enter a punctuation mark (try a period, bullet, or dash), then hit Return again.
  3. Repeat steps 2 to 4 at least three times.
  4. Instagram hides captions after three lines, so your hashtags won’t be viewable unless your followers tap … more. Even then, your hashtags will be visually separated from your caption so they don’t distract from your copy.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rocky Mountain Soap Company (@rockymountainsoapco)

How to hide hashtags on Instagram Stories

You can hide hashtags on Instagram Stories, too. One option is simply to minimize the appearance of your hashtags by pinching and shrinking them to make them quite small. You can also tap the hashtag sticker to change it from a white background to a semi-transparent one.

If you want to hide your hashtags entirely, you can paste an emoji, sticker, or GIF overtop to obscure them.


Source: Christina Newberry

How to find trending hashtags on Instagram

Unlike Twitter, Instagram doesn’t publicize a list of trending hashtags. However, if you search for a hashtag on Instagram, you’ll see how many posts use that hashtag. You’ll also see a list of other popular Instagram hashtags using similar words, with post counts included too.


Source: Instagram

To search for a hashtag on desktop, enter the hashtag including the # symbol into the search box. On mobile, enter your search term in the search box, then tap Tags.

If you’re paying attention to your Instagram feed, you’ll learn to quickly spot trending hashtags as they emerge. Don’t be too quick to jump on a trend, though. Only post using a trending hashtag if it really makes sense for your business, and for the specific content in your post.

How to search multiple hashtags on Instagram

The easiest way to search multiple hashtags on Instagram is to set up search streams in a social listening tool like Hootsuite to track the hashtags you’re interested in so you can see all the relevant content on one screen without having to conduct each one as an individual Instagram hashtag search.


Source: Hootsuite

Instagram business profiles can conduct up to 30 unique hashtag searches in any given seven-day period.

We wrote a full post about the benefits of social listening if you want to dig deeper into how this works.

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

Get the free guide right now!

How to find the best Instagram hashtags for YOUR brand

Here’s the truth. You could upload your photo to one of the many Instagram hashtag generators out there and get a bunch of free suggestions for hashtags. But, these suggestions aren’t going to be as strategic and effective as doing the research yourself.

Here’s some tips to try for coming up with Instagram hashtags that will actually drive reach and engagement.

Check out the competition

You don’t necessarily want to model your competition’s strategy too closely, but taking a look at the hashtags they use can give you some good clues about what’s working for others in your industry.

Maybe you’ll discover new hashtags to add to your repertoire. Or you could decide you don’t want to compete for the same eyeballs, in which case you can search for alternative hashtags to use.

See what hashtags your audience is already using

After all, if your audience is already using a certain hashtag, then other people just like them are probably using it too. Finding these existing Instagram communities is a great way to expand your audience and reach the people who are most likely to be interested in your business.

Keep an eye on your top followers and see what hashtags they’re using. Instagram’s search tool can give you some additional information about which hashtags the people you follow care about. When you conduct an Instagram hashtag search, the search tool will show you if anyone you follow also follows that hashtag. (Note that this only works on mobile, not on desktop.)


Source: Instagram

Use Instagram’s Related Hashtags feature

On any hashtag page, right above the “Top” and “Recent” tabs, you’ll find a list of related hashtags that you can scroll through by swiping left.


Source: Instagram

This is a great way to find relevant hashtags that might be a bit more niche than the big keyword-based hashtags you originally searched for. That means a more targeted audience with less content to compete with. These can be some of the best hashtags for Instagram brands wanting to connect with passionate communities.

Create a branded hashtag

The best hashtag for your brand may be one you create yourself. A branded hashtag is simply a tag that you create to promote your own brand or campaign.

You can then let your audience know about your hashtag by including it in your Instagram bio and highlighting it in your captions and Instagram Stories. You could also consider running a contest with a branded hashtag to popularize the hashtag while also collecting user-generated content.

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A post shared by lululemon (@lululemon)


Source: Lululemon on Instagram

Make sure to follow your branded hashtag, both within the Instagram app and using a stream in your social media dashboard, so you can monitor how it’s being used. Look for opportunities to reshare great content or connect with influential members of your audience.

To follow a hashtag within Instagram, simply tap it, then tap the blue Follow button on the hashtag page.


Source: Instagram

Use Hootsuite’s hashtag generator

Coming up with the right hashtags for every. single. post. is a lot of work.

Enter: Hootsuite’s hashtag generator.

Whenever you’re creating a post in Composer, Hootsuite’s AI technology will recommend a custom set of hashtags based on your draft — the tool analyzes both your caption and the images you’ve uploaded to suggest the most relevant tags.

To use Hootsuite’s hashtag generator, follow these steps:

  1. Head to Composer and start drafting your post. Add your caption and (optionally) upload an image.
  2. Click the hashtag symbol below the text editor.

  1. The AI will generate a set of hashtags based on your input. Check the boxes next to the hashtags you want to use and click the Add hashtags button.

That’s it!

The hashtags you selected will be added to your post. You can go ahead and publish it or schedule it for later.

7 tips for how to use hashtags on Instagram

1. Use Insights to see which tags work best

If you’ve made the switch to an Instagram business profile, you have access to post insights that tell you how many impressions you received from hashtags.

1. Select the post you want data on and tap View Insights below the post on the left.

2. Swipe up to see all the insights for that post, including the number of impressions from hashtags.

This data helps you figure out which hashtags are most effective for improving reach.

2. Include hashtags on Instagram Stories

Hashtag pages have an Instagram Story icon in the top left corner. Click on it and you’ll see a collection of Stories posts tagged with the hashtag from people with public profiles.


Source: Instagram

There are two ways to add hashtags to your Stories. The first method is to use the hashtag sticker.


Source: Instagram

Or you can simply use the text tool and the # symbol to type out the hashtag the same way you would on a photo or video post.

3. Avoid banned hashtags and spammy hashtags

When inappropriate content becomes associated with a hashtag, Instagram might ban that hashtag.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t use it at all. Instead, it means that if you click on the tag, you will only see top posts. You won’t see recent posts, and there won’t be any Stories associated with the hashtag.

Here’s what it looks like when you run into a banned hashtag:


Source: Instagram

The only way to know if a hashtag is banned is to check it before you use it. This is a good practice to put in place every time you add a new hashtag to your repertoire. Using banned hashtags can cause a drop in engagement, as your use of legitimate hashtags might also become less effective because you could be dropped in the algorithm.

Even if they’re not banned, you should avoid hashtags that shamelessly solicit likes and followers. Examples include #followme, #like4like, #follow4follow, #tagsforlikes, and so on.

Using these will attract bots, spammers, and other Instagram users who have no intention of engaging with you in any meaningful way. They also show your followers that your brand is okay with engaging in spammy behaviour. And that’s not a good look.

4. Understand how hashtag pages work

Hashtag pages are a great way to expose your content to a new audience, especially if you can get featured in the Top section.

Hashtag pages show off all the content associated with a specific hashtag. If someone searches for a post and yours is the most recent with that hashtag, it will be the first thing they see in the Recent section.

Of course, it’s much easier to stay at the top of the Recent section for a less-popular or really niche hashtag.

Keep in mind that the Recent section is sorted based on when each post was originally shared. If you add hashtags later, either through a comment or by editing the caption, this won’t bump your post up for recency.

5. Don’t use irrelevant or repetitive hashtags

It might be tempting to simply copy and paste the same long list of hashtags on every post, but don’t do it. Instagram’s community guidelines clearly state that “posting repetitive comments or content” is not okay. If you use the same hashtags for every post, your content will be penalized by the algorithm.

When you create a post, only use hashtags that make sense. If you tag a post with #wanderlust, for example, your content must be something globetrotters will want to comment on, like, and share.

It’s not about getting seen by a lot of people, it’s about getting seen by the right people. That’s how hashtags lead to higher engagement and more followers. Pick and choose the right keywords for each post individually.

6. Make sure that hashtag means what you think it means

Hashtags are often a string of words stuck together. That can create some problems when it’s not clear where one word ends and the next begins.

One of the worst examples of this was the #susanalbumparty fiasco from way back in 2012. It was a launch celebration hashtag for Susan Boyle’s new album. But read it slowly and you might pick up some words in the middle that clearly make the hashtag a bit… problematic.

Amazon played with this kind of hashtag mistake to promote Top Gear. This was done on purpose, but it would be an easy mistake to combine a possessive “s” and the word “hit” by accident.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mathew chronic (@clarkson_and_memes)

Brands sometimes also are too keen to hop onto a trending hashtag without fully understanding the context. When the context is challenging, this can create a PR disaster for the brand.

And sometimes a brand just doesn’t check to see if a hashtag is already in use before creating a whole campaign. Burger King was guilty of this back in 2013, when they used the hashtag #WTFF to mean “What The French Fry.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by #WTFF (@wtff2013)

Since you already know what WTF stands for, you can probably guess why this was a problem.

7. Save hashtags for future use

If you often use the same hashtags, you can save them in a note to reduce time typing them in over and over.

Wait, didn’t we just tell you not to use the same hashtags on every post? It’s true—you should not overuse the same set of hashtags. That said, it is still really useful to have a list of hashtags relevant to the various kinds of content you post. You could even create separate lists of hashtags relevant to the different types of posts you create.

Just create a list of hashtags in your notes app, ready to add to your posts.

You can then pick and choose a few hashtags to use each time, rather than having to remember the hashtags or search for new ones for each post. This also gives you the time to check out what kind of content is already being posted for these hashtags, so you don’t make one of the mistakes mentioned above.

Just remember that every one of the Instagram hashtags you use on a post must fit with the content and should not be too repetitive. Don’t copy and paste your whole saved list onto every post.

Manage your entire Instagram presence and save time with Hootsuite. Schedule posts and Stories, find the best hashtags, easily engage the audience, measure performance, and more. Try it free today.

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How to use hashtags on Instagram?

Help Center

Instagram features

About photos and videos

Hashtags can be added to captions or comments on posts. If you have a public profile and add a hashtag to a post, it will appear on that hashtag's page.

To add a hashtag to a photo or video:

Instagram app for Android

Take or upload a photo or video.

Select a filter, click the icon (if it's a photo), or select Next (if it's a video).

Click Add a signature..., enter the # symbol followed by text or an emoticon (example: #flowers).

Tap (if it's a photo) or select Share (if it's a video).

Instagram App for iPhone

Take or upload a photo or video.

Select a filter and click Next.

Click Add a signature..., enter the # symbol followed by text or an emoticon (example: #flowers).

Click Share.

Instagram Lite for Android

instagram.com in a browser on a mobile device

instagram.com in a browser on a desktop

To add a hashtag to an already uploaded post, edit the caption or write a comment with the hashtag.

If you click on a hashtag added to a post, you can see a page of photos and videos with the same hashtag that other people have uploaded.

Things to keep in mind:

Posts from private profiles do not appear on hashtag pages.

Numbers can be used in hashtags. However, spaces and special characters such as $ or % are not allowed.

You can only tag your own posts, not other people's photos or videos.

Up to 30 hashtags can be added to one post. Otherwise, your comment will not be published.

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How to put hashtags on Instagram - a detailed guide We share tips on promoting and designing hashtags.

What is a hashtag on Instagram*?

A hashtag is a thematic tag that is placed with a "#" sign in front of a word. Instagram* highlights such words in blue and makes them clickable: a person can click on the hashtag and go to the publications where it was used.

This is how Instagram* searches for content. For example, if you are interested in 2D art, you can search for artists by tags #2D_art, #2Dartist, #2Dgraphics.

You can subscribe to a hashtag - then posts with it will appear in the feed with recommendations

Hashtags can be indicated in the profile header - they can also be found, but this function is only available in the phone application.

What kinds and types of hashtags are there on Instagram*?

The hashtag itself is not divided into any types - it either exists or it does not exist. But SMM-specialists and marketers divide hashtags into categories so that it is convenient to work with them. Even if you are not professionally engaged in your Instagram, it will be useful to know.

Types of hashtags by the number of posts made:

  • high frequency - from 1 million and more;
  • mid-frequency - from 500 thousand to 1 million;
  • low-frequency - from 100 to 500 thousand;
  • low-frequency - from 10 to 100 thousand;
  • niche - up to 1 to 10 thousand.

Example : hashtag #russia - high frequency. More than 50 million publications have already been made with it. #prokatmoskva is a low-frequency hashtag, it has only 14 thousand posts.

You can find hashtags in the Instagram search*, and also see the accounts that use them most often or indicated in the profile header

Why do you need to understand the frequency of hashtags? It's simple - by combining high, medium and low frequency hashtags in publications, you can get additional coverage for publications. And with coverage there will be likes and subscriptions. In theory. In practice, you should not count on too strong an increase in the audience - on average, a good combination of hashtags gives me a maximum of 30–40% of additional impressions to posts. I discussed this topic in detail in the article “How to work with low-frequency hashtags on Instagram *”, and in the article “What hashtags to put for likes on Instagram * in 2021” you will learn more about the work of the Instagram algorithm *, which decides what to show you in first on the tape.

Hashtags are also divided according to the purpose of use. You can select a dozen options - you will find all the options in the article “How it works: Hashtags on Instagram * 2021”, and now I will show only possible goals.

  • Navigators are headings on the account. For example: #decorativecosmetics_brand name.
  • Brand tags - special hashtags of companies, organizations, corporations and brands. For example: #nike.
  • Challenge tags - used for contests. For example: #summerstyle_adidas.
  • Spam - if you see a lot of non-thematic posts when you click on the hashtag, then this is spam. Most often this happens with high-frequency hashtags. For example: #morgenstern.
  • Trendy - arise due to hype, a wave of memes or some kind of trend discussion. From a recent: #fish.
  • Geographical - associated with a specific place, often used by companies and travelers. For example: #hotelMoscow.

Why use hashtags on Instagram*?

For category . Bloggers on Instagram* can divide posts into topics using hashtags and leave a rubricator in the profile header. This will help subscribers navigate the profile or read posts on a specific topic.

Tip : Try to create unique hashtags when creating categories. For example, the hashtag #obomne will return more than tens of thousands of posts where your post gets lost. It is better to add a profile name or nickname to the name. For example #destroy_ivan_ivanov.

The artist uses hashtags to tag posts with finished paintings and commissioned works ( chkartshop )

To promote As I said before, a combination of hashtags helps increase the reach of posts. This should be used to further promote content. Shops put local hashtags so that people can find their goods - #wintercaps_Tver, #carwash_Chelyabinsk. Experts prescribe topics - #investments, #lifestyle, #success stories. Travelers mark #winter_Altai, #Caucasus_2021, #Aloe_Field.

Advice : There are no magic hashtags that guarantee traffic. People sometimes search for content through tags, and your job is to make the search easier.

Professional hashtags ( levchikphoto )

How to put hashtags on Instagram*?

It's easy to create hashtags on Instagram* - put a "#" sign in front of a word in a story, in the text of a post or in a comment. You can add up to 30 hashtags to one post, but if you don't want to turn your post into a tag dump, you can add 3-10 hashtags.

Choosing hashtags in the post description and comments

Where to put hashtags on Instagram*? You can post a photo on Instagram* with a hashtag, leave tags in comments, stories and reels. Let's take a look at each option step by step.

How to add hashtags on Instagram* under the photo :

  1. Create a new post on Instagram*.
  2. Take a photo or select one from your device's library.
  3. Edit the photo.
  4. Add text accompaniment to the description.
  5. Add a hash mark "#" before keywords in the text or put them at the end of the post.
  6. Post a photo with the hashtag on Instagram*.
Adding a hashtag to a post

How to add hashtags on Instagram* after posting:

  1. Find the post in your feed or on your profile.
  2. Click on the three dots in the corner.
  3. Select "Edit".
  4. Add hashtags and save.
Adding a hashtag to a post after publication

You can also add hashtags in the first comment after publication - the post will rank exactly as if the hashtags were inside it. I talked about how to hide hashtags in the article “How to make hidden hashtags on Instagram * in posts and stories - guide”. There is an interesting life hack in the article with deleting the first comment with a hashtag, which we checked, and it really works.

How to add hashtags to SMMplanner

You can create hashtags on Instagram* not only through the social network application, but also through our auto-posting service SMMplanner. The post editor has information about the number of hashtags available according to the Instagram rules*, and there is also the opportunity to post a post immediately with a comment, where it is convenient to send all the hashtags so that they do not interfere with reading.

The only thing is that you have to manually search for hashtags, because the number of posts by tag is not loaded. But you can open Instagram* in your browser and look there, or use your phone if you have one.

How to add hashtags to Instagram stories*:

  1. Go to the section for adding stories using the "+" button or swipe right from the main screen.
  2. Select a photo or video from the Gallery or take a photo with your camera.
  3. If you need a lot of hashtags, add text and write everything down.
  4. If you need one hashtag, open the stickers and select the appropriate option.
  5. Publish the Story.
How to add hashtags to stories

How to add hashtags to Instagram reels*:

  1. Enter the reels creation mode (“+” button) and shoot the video.
  2. You can add hashtags directly to the video using the "add text" button.
  3. But it's better to use hashtags in the description of the rails before publishing it.
  4. Click "Share" to release the video to the feed.
How to add hashtags to your Reels

To learn how to shoot your first Reels, read the article “Instagram Reels: Everything you need to know about Instagram Short Reels Videos*”

How to write hashtags on Instagram*?

To put the hashtags on Instagram* correctly, remember the following:

  • If you want to write several words, you can separate them with a lower case “_”, for example: #moscow_out. If you put a space, then only the first word is counted.
  • You can write hashtags in any language, but it is better to use the local language so that your posts are not broadcast to the whole world - there is too much competition there.
  • Do not use more than 30 hashtags in one post and try to change them in publications.
  • Instagram* doesn't see the difference between uppercase and lowercase letters, so the hashtags #Altai_Mountains and #Altai_mountains will be considered the same. But the use of special characters makes the hashtags different - #goryaltaya and #gory_altai will be considered different.

How to use hashtags on Instagram* for promotion?

Using only hashtags in promotion is not the most reliable option. Hashtags are just a navigator designed to search for content on Instagram*. But you can try to attract an additional audience if you use hashtags correctly.

There are three basic rules that will help you work effectively with hashtags.

Rule 1: Use relevant hashtags . If you wrote a post about marketing education, then you should not put only the super-popular tags #russia or #morgenstern on it. It is better to add those that coincide with the topic of the post, even if they are less popular - #marketingtraining, #how to become a marketer. These tags have low competition, which means they are more likely to get into the top. Moreover, such tags have a higher chance of attracting a relevant audience.

Rule 2: Change hashtags . Don't use the same set of hashtags from post to post. This will not only look like content spam, but will also deprive you of the opportunity to “seed” posts on your topic on Instagram*. Therefore, each time select individual tags for publication. After a dozen posts with different hashtags, you can reach more people and drive traffic. You can peek at the options and take something into service in the article "Top 50 hashtags on Instagram * in 2021 and how to use them. "

Rule 3: Analyze hashtags . Migrate your Instagram account* to a business profile to access your stats and check which post got more hashtag reach and why. Remember that hashtags are used by people who are looking for something.

How to quickly view post statistics

If you need more professional tools for analysis and more detailed data, we recommend the article “The 5 Best Instagram Analytics Services*: Pros, Cons, Opportunities and Prices”. From it you will learn about the possibilities of analyzing the audience and content on the social network. This will help you improve your strategy and increase promotion efficiency.

How to search for hashtags?

Hashtags can be found by searching Instagram* in the mobile app and on the website.

You can write a word in the search, and Instagram* will show similar hashtags on the topic

There are also special services that select tags on the topic. Here are some popular services to help:

  • TopTag is a free hashtag generator in Russian.
  • TagsFinger is also a free generator where you can specify search parameters.
  • Gettags is a free and simple service for searching hashtags through a keyword.

How to find hashtags from a photo

"Gennady" is a telegram bot that selects hashtags on Instagram* and other social networks based on an uploaded photo. It works simply - we throw a photo and a smart algorithm selects the most suitable hashtags for it.

An example of automatically selected hashtags through the bot "Gennadia"

How to find hashtags by photo:

Step 1. We go to "Bot Gennady" and press the command /keywords or the button "Hashtag by photo".

How to choose a hashtag from a photo

Step 2. Attach a photo or image (a button with a paperclip) and send it to the bot.

Step 3. In a second, we get a list of relevant hashtags. You can copy all or part of them - for this, click on the "Edit hashtags" button.

Learn more