The Ultimate Guide to Instagram Hashtags

Updated October 2022

Are hashtags still useful on Instagram or are they a thing of the past? How come Instagram says they’re barely relevant even as several marketing influencers claim they help to expand brand reach?

Hashtags are useful and relevant on Instagram in 2022, but in most cases you have to rank well in its algorithm before hashtags are helpful. Use hashtags to categorize your content and support your marketing efforts, but lean on high-quality, engaging content to expand your reach.

Find out how to use hashtags on Instagram in 2022 and learn what advice you should heed or ignore when it comes to how to use hashtags on the platform. 

If you want to understand how Instagram hashtags can help your brand, #YouWillLoveThisGuide!

Let’s get started!

Are Hashtags Still Useful On Instagram in 2022?

Yes! Hashtags still hold an important place on Instagram, and they can help you expand your reach and build a larger audience if you understand how to use them.

Hashtags help Instagram’s algorithm and search engine categorize your posts so that people looking for those “keywords” can find you.

The catch is that before your content shows up in feeds and keyword searches, it goes through Instagram’s algorithm. 

In most cases, your content needs to get ranked before the hashtag benefits kick in. Then, as with keywords, hashtags help your content find its way to the right people.

In Search & Explore feeds, posts are prioritized by three key points:

1. Which Instagram accounts the user follows
2. Which photos and videos the user likes
3. Who the user is connected to on Instagram

In the Home and Reels feeds, hashtags may help you reach your target audience if you rank well in the Instagram algorithm. In these feeds, content is highly personalized to the user and the algorithm uses thousands of “signals” to determine whether to consider ranking your content in the first place, such as:

1. Recency: When the content was published (recency)
2. Device: What type of device the user is browsing from
3. Type: What type of content and formats the user tends to like
4. …plus thousands more indicators that hint at whether the user might enjoy the content.

Then, the algorithm decides how to rank your content based on a wide array of factors such as your history and the user’s history of engagement indicators.

Hashtags may help your content show up in the Explore feed and in hashtag searches.

The Explore feed algorithm is different from the Home and Reels feeds, and hashtags may be more than in the Home and Reels feeds.

However, you’ve still got to please the algorithm to get ranked well in the Explore feed.

Overall, Hashtags can help get your content in front of the right people, but you’re still reliant on the algorithm to rank it well in the first place.

Imagine it’s Google.

Whether you make it to the first page of Google relies on many factors, including indicators such as the quality of your content, site structure, and bounce rates.

The keywords you use on your website help categorize your content for Google so that it shows up in the right searches. 

Likewise, whether or not you make it into Instagram feeds relies on many factors, and hashtags act like keywords that get your content in front of the right people.

Why Is There So Much Confusion About Whether Or Not Instagram Hashtags Increase Your Reach?

In March 2022, Instagram head Adam Mossie created marketing drama by responding to an “Ask Me Anything” question by downplaying the effectiveness of hashtags.

“Do Hashtags Help Views?” the user asked.

“Not really.” Mosseri replied. “They do help us to understand what a post is about, which means it might be more likely to show up in a place like a hashtag page, for instance, but in general, no, I wouldn’t try to think of hashtags as a way to get more distribution.”

Several brands and marketers took exception to his comments, such as Jenn from @Jenns_Trends, who shared an analytics report proving that hashtags helped drive traffic to her page.

Social media expert Allie Mason explains that correlation does not equal causation.

“Hashtags are a tool Instagram uses to CATEGORIZE your content, but the only way hashtags will result in more reach or views is if the people engaging with the content signal that it’s high-value,” Mason explains.

The reason there’s so much confusion over hashtags is that they perform differently for different people. 

Hashtags are still relevant, and they still help your content get discovered on Instagram. But, as we’ve been explaining for years, the quality of your content and its ability to engage people, is priority #1 when you’re looking to reach more people on Instagram.

Should You Keep Using Instagram Hashtags?

Yes, you should continue adding hashtags to your Instagram posts, even if they’re not driving new traffic to your page right now. 

Even if hashtags aren’t generating new visitors to your page right now, you should still include them in every post to help the algorithm categorize your content when you do begin ranking.

Hashtags shouldn’t be your main search strategy, though. If you want your content to show up in searches, develop an SEO keyword strategy for Instagram and use keywords in conjunction with hashtags.

How Many Instagram Hashtags Should You Include in Each Post?

Instagram allows you to include up to 30 hashtags per post (including Reels) and 10 per Story, but Instagram Creators recommends using only 3 -5 in your posts.

Source: Instagram

The advice from Instagram Creators is a good reminder that more hashtags don’t always mean more traffic. Spamming your readers with 30 different versions of a keyword can be annoying and probably won’t help improve your visibility, anyway.

The key to success with hashtags is to use them strategically. 

One well-researched hashtag is more valuable than 30 carelessly-chosen phrases.

For example, if you specialize in winter coats, choosing a general term such as #WinterCoats puts you in a results feed with more than 136,00 other posts about winter coats.

Source: Instagram

However, if you get specific with your hashtag, for example, #WarmWinterCoats, this puts you in a category with less competition, raising the chances that your content gets discovered when people search for a product or service like yours.

Source: Instagram

Including niche hashtags in your posts helps you narrow the competition and drive the right type of user to your page.

For example, if you’re selling warm winter coats, you probably want to include both #wintercoats and #warmwintercoats in your posts.

To make the most of your hashtag efforts, consider running experiments to see what number of hashtags work best for your page by tracking the results with Instagram Insights.

Always include hashtags to help categorize your posts for the Instagram Algorithm, but keep in mind that well-researched, niche hashtags do a better job of helping you meet your KPIs than a boatload of generalized ones.

Where to Put Instagram Post Hashtags — Caption Or Comments?

The only way to make your instagram hashtags function as keywords is to place them in your captions.

Hashtags placed in comments won’t get recognized as keywords by Instagram, however, they can help you appear in searches.

In the example below, @danapoint_harbor includes the hashtag #seaturtledanapoint in the comments section, but not in the caption. If you navigate to Instagram search and enter the term “sea turtle Dana Point,” you see the post show up — thanks to the hashtag in the comments.

Source: Instagram

Typically, brands put the most relevant keywords in their post, then add more search terms in the comments.

Understanding how caption versus comments placement differs can help you choose what works best for you. 

Keep in mind that keywords (including hashtags placed in the caption) help categorize topics for the algorithm, and may ultimately effect where your content shows up in feeds. Hashtags placed in captions only help your content show up when people are searching for that specific term.

Since Instagram Head Adam Mosseri downplayed the importance of hashtags, and since Instagram creators recommend using only 3-5 hashtags, we can’t help but wonder if more changes are on the horizon.

For now, placing hashtags in both captions and comments works for many brands.

How To Find The Best Instagram Hashtags For Your Brand

To find the best Instagram hashtags for your brand, consider what types of hashtags you want to use, which hashtags are popular, and which might reach the type of person that’s a good fit for your brand.

6 Types of Instagram Hashtags Every Brand Should Use

There are six basic kinds of hashtags that help brands drive traffic, engagement, and conversions.

#1 – Branded Hashtags

A branded hashtag is a short phrase that represents your product or brand and can be used across all your social media accounts, including Instagram.

For example, KitKat often uses the slogan #HaveABreak or, most recently, #VeganBreak to promote its vegan version of a KitKat.

Source: Instagram

Nike often uses its famous slogan #JustDoIt.

Source: Instagram

GoPro creates hashtags named after its products, such as #GoProHero11.

Branded hashtags help people find your brand and products on Instagram, and are a good compliment to your hashtag strategy.

#2 – Campaign Hashtags

Campaign hashtags are created to compliment your brand’s campaigns. They typically last for the length of a campaign and are expired once the campaign ends. 

Some campaigns, however, do so well that their hashtags live on indefinitely.

For example, Coca Cola’s #ShareACoke is an excellent example of a popular campaign that never retired after its 2014 launch. Instead, the brand reinvented it (and its hashtag) as an annual summer event.

Source: Instagram

The #ShareACoke campaign became so popular that it also grew into merchandising that includes customized and gifted coke bottles.

#3 – Niche Hashtags

Niche hashtags connect your brand to an audience that’s highly likely to engage with, and purchase from, your brand.

For example, imagine you’re a graphic designer specializing in b2b marketing. If you use the hashtag #marketing in your posts, you get dropped into search results with nearly 70 million other posts.

You can narrow the competition by using a more specific hashtag, such as #b2bmarketing, and compete with a smaller number of posts, closer to half a million.

Source: Instagram

Half a million posts are still a lot of competition, though, and #b2b marketing may not attract the target audience that’s most likely to use your services.\

Narrowing your niche hashtag further, for example to #B2BGraphicDesign, cuts the competition to just 130 posts, plus puts your content in front of people looking specifically for services like yours. 

A coffee roaster in Chicago might use #ChicagoCoffeeRoaster instead of #ChicagoCoffeeShop, which would put them in search results with 3,700 other posts instead of 67,000.

Choosing niche hashtags increases the chance that your content will get seen in hashtag search result pages.

#4 – Location Hashtags

Location hashtags in posts and Stories are an excellent way to drive local customers to your store or event. They appear in searches when locals are looking for events, food, and attractions in your area. 

Location hashtags can bring a lot of visibility to your brand, and should always be used if yours is a brick-and-mortar local business.

#5 – Event Hashtags

Event hashtags help promote specific events, and can act as mini super-heroes when it comes to increasing your following and boosting engagement.

In addition to using an event hashtag to promote an event, the hashtag is also used in offline promotions, as a way to drive traffic from in-person events to your social media channels.

#6 – Industry Hashtags

Industry hashtags are generally used for brands and professionals who want to build a reputation within their industry or as a leader in their industry. 

#Journalists, #Chef, and #Rugs are three examples of popular industry hashtags.

The more relevant and targeted your hashtags are, the better chance you’ve got at reaching an audience that will engage with your content.

How To Use A Hashtag Generator

Hashtag generators can recommend hashtags that may be a good fit for your post or keyword. They can be super-helpful when it comes to catching effective hashtags you may have missed.

How Does A Hashtag Generator Work?

A good hashtag generator allows you to type in a keyword, then instantly produces suggestions for other relevant hashtags.

For example, Sharelov subscribers are able to use our super-amazing Hashtag Idea Tool to get suggestions for any keyword or phrase.

The interface also lets you know how many hashtags you’ve included in your post.

Hashtag generators can do a great job helping your team come up with ideas. Keep in mind that you’ll want to choose the most relevant hashtags for maximum effectiveness.

Most Popular Instagram Hashtags In 2022

Find out what are the most popular Instagram hashtags and the top hashtags for the beauty, fashion, retail, and marketing industries, below.

The most popular Instagram hashtags in 2022, according to best-hashtags, are:

1. #love
2. fashion
3. #photooftheday
4. #art
5. #photography
6. #beautiful
7. #instagram
8. #nature
9. #picoftheday
10. #happy
11. #follow
12. #travel
13. #style
14. #tbt
15. #instadaily
16. #like4like
17. #repost
18. #summer
19. #beauty
20. #selfie

Top 10 Instagram Hashtags for Beauty Brands

The  best hashtags for beauty brands are:

1. #beauty 
2. #love 
3. #beautiful 
4. #fashion 
5. #makeup 
6. #instagood 
7. #photography 
8. #style
9. #model 
10. #photooftheday

Top 10 Instagram Hashtags for Fashion Brands  

1. #fashion 
2. #style 
3. #love 
4. #instagood 
5. #like 
6. #photography 
7. #beautiful 
8. #photooftheday 
9. #follow 
10. #instagram

Top 10 Instagram Hashtags for Retail Brands 

1. #retail 
2. #wholesale 
3. #fashion 
4. #shopping 
5. #business 
6. #design 
7. #retaildesign 
8. #onlineshopping 
9. #marketing 
10. #visualmerchandising

Top 10 Instagram Hashtags for Marketing Brands

1. #marketing 
2. #business 
3. #marketingdigital 
4. #digitalmarketing 
5. #branding 
6. #socialmedia 
7. #entrepreneur
8.  #socialmediamarketing 
9. #design
10. #instagram

Keep in mind that popular hashtags land you in popular search feeds, so be sure to include some niche hashtags also, to reach a more targeted audience!

Should You Use Hashtags for #likes?

Hashtags for #likes is something professional marketers and brands should avoid.

Yes, there are hashtags such as #likesforlikes and #followforfollowback that are meant to get people more likes – at nearly any cost. However, these types of hashtags are considered by most as shady marketing while also teetering around Instagram policies.

Trading likes for likes on Instagram goes against everything the algorithm looks for, and is likely to lower your rankings.

There are much more effective ways to gain likes if you’re looking to grow your following on Instagram, such as making the most of live broadcasts, Stories, and Reels. Additionally, Instagram advertising, UGC campaigns, and influencer partnerships can help you build a large audience quickly.

We recommend avoiding hashtags for #likes on any platform, and instead focusing on creating high-quality, engaging content that helps you build a target audience likely to interact with your page, purchase from, and recommend you to their friends.

Instagram Hashtag Cheat Sheet —  15 Instagram Hashtag Tips To Make Yours More Effective

Check out the following tips to help keep your Instagram hashtag strategy on track.

1. Use Instagram hashtags in well-written captions to categorize your content for the algorithm and in comments to reach people who are still using the hashtag search function.
2. Don’t use spaces, symbols, or punctuation. Using any type of space, symbol, or punctuation within the hashtag phrase will prevent it from working properly.
   
3. Always cap the first letter of every word. #AlwaysCapTheFirstLetter. Caps make your phrases easier to read and help to clarify their meaning.
   
4. Make sure all your hashtags are well-researched and relevant.
5. Avoid generic hashtags that put you in a generalized feed – they won’t help you. 
6. Count your hashtags carefully! If you accidentally post more than 30, your content won’t show up at all.
7. Keep an eye on your competition for new and trending industry hashtags.
8. Avoid #HashtagsThatAreTooLong because it’s unlikely people will search for or remember them.
9. Monitor your branded hashtag. This will help you discover what other people are saying about you.
10. Keep your hashtags organized! Use a spreadsheet to store and track hashtag results.
11. Track, test, analyze, rinse and repeat! Take advantage of Instagram Insights to learn which hashtags are driving new followers and increasing engagement. Continually test, experiment, and improve on your hashtag usage.
12. Create a hashtag strategy. Document a plan to incorporate the different types of hashtags across different content such as images, videos, and stories. Include special events and holiday promotions in your hashtag strategy.
13. Go niche-crazy on your hashtags. You don’t have to skip listing a couple popular ones, but be sure to take advantage of niche areas where people are searching but competition is low.
14. If you’re serious about expanding  your reach, don’t rely on hashtags to do the job. Instead, consider Instagram advertising, UGC campaigns, and influencer partnerships.

Remember to bring your team in on the process of creating and publishing hashtags. They may be able to help you develop new hashtag ideas that can reach even more people.

Sharelov marketing collaboration platform can help you find and track the best hashtags for your brand with tools such as:

• Hashtag Ideas tool
• Hashtag Monitoring tool
• Influencer Monitoring
• Competitor monitoring (including ad monitoring)
• Customized, shareable Instagram Insights

You’ll also enjoy several other tools to help boost campaign ROI, such as auto-publishing, Best Times To Post tool, and more.

Why not make your team happier and give Sharelov a try today? You can sign up for a free trial here.

Instagram Hashtags Are Still Useful And Effective For Brands

Hashtags still have a place on Instagram and can help brands drive the right kind of traffic to their pages. Understanding how they work and how to choose the best hashtags for each post will help you use hashtags in many unique and beneficial ways.

What do you think? How have hashtags helped your brand on Instagram? We’d love to hear your tips in the comments section below!