Instagram hashtags are still one of the most effective ways to get more eyes (and engagement!) on your Instagram posts in 2022.
But how do you use hashtags for Instagram? How do you find the best hashtags for your Instagram account? Which hashtags are trending right now? And should they go in your caption or in the comments?
We’re answering these questions, and more, in our ultimate guide to Instagram hashtags.
How Do Instagram Hashtags Work?
Instagram hashtags are fundamentally a way to label and categorize your content. They then help Instagram serve your posts to relevant users.
In their most simple function, the hashtags you use fuel the search results on the Instagram Explore page:
But it doesn’t end there. Hashtags are also used as a reference for the Instagram algorithm, so it can categorize your content and suggest it to users it thinks will have a high interest.
So… Do Hashtags Still Work on Instagram in 2022?
Hashtags have always been the heart of much debate, especially following Instagram’s recent recommendation to only use between 3-5 hashtags (more on that later).
As Instagram slowly pivots towards semantic keyword search, it opens up a new world of possibilities in content discoverability – indicating that the words in your captions or the topics in your videos will become searchable too.
However, despite these major advancements, hashtags do still work on Instagram. Paired with a strong content strategy, they can help yield impressive results.
Ready to get the full download on Instagram hashtags? Check out our YouTube video guide now:
How Many Instagram Hashtags Should You Use On Your Posts?
As we’ve mentioned, Instagram recently advised that creators should use between 3-5 hashtags on their posts, despite allowing up to 30 per post.
This goes against everything we've previously heard about how hashtags work on Instagram, but based on their new focus on keywords and SEO, it does (kind of) make sense.
Instagram is introducing more “suggested” content feeds – like the Instagram Reels tab, for example. But in order to provide suggested content that truly is a “good match,” Instagram needs to be able to accurately categorize it. The theory? Fewer hashtags = more reliable self categorization.
To test this theory, Later looked at 18M+ Instagram feed posts – comparing the number of hashtags used per post with average reach rates.
As you can see, using more hashtags = better results. Reach rate increases by 11% (from 24% to 35%) as the number of hashtags grows from one to 30.
To put that in perspective, for an account with 20K followers, that’s an additional 2.2K accounts reached per post.
We even looked at whether this trend had changed compared to 2020, but the results were fairly consistent.
So, how many hashtags should you use on Instagram? For now, using more hashtags is still the best strategy for increasing your reach and engagement on Instagram feed posts. However, as Instagram introduces more “suggested” content feeds, focusing on fewer, hyper-relevant hashtags could be a tactic worth testing.
#TalkDataToMe: Read Later’s full data report now to discover the optimal number of hashtags for reach and engagement.
What Are the Different Types of Instagram Hashtags?
Before selecting hashtags for your posts, it’s a good idea to consider the different types of hashtags you can include.
This will help make sure you’re covering all the bases with your hashtag strategy.
There are five main types of hashtags to consider:
Location-based hashtags, like #BryantPark or #LowerEastSide
Branded hashtags for campaigns or events, like #Later or #LaterCon
Industry hashtags that describe your niche, like #SocialMediaManagers or #WeddingPlanners
Community-focused hashtags to bring your community together, like #VanLifeLiving or #IAmASweatyBetty
Descriptive hashtags which describe the content of your actual post, like #WoodwickCandles or #SheaButterProducts
There’s no secret formula for how many of each of these hashtags you should include, but keeping the different categories in mind can provide valuable inspiration and help guide your strategy.
What Are the Benefits of Using Hashtags on Instagram
Using relevant, targeted hashtags on your posts and stories is one of the best ways to get discovered by new audiences on Instagram.
Using the “right” hashtags can put you in front of your target audience, even if they haven’t connected with you before.
This can translate into more engagement, more followers, and more customers for your brand or business!
But that’s not all. Hashtags also have plenty of uses beyond improving your discoverability. You can use them for community-building, sourcing user-generated content (UGC), running campaigns, researching your audience, and more.
That’s why it’s so important to have a clear and well-crafted hashtag strategy — without one, you could be missing out on opportunities to optimize your account and drive engagement.
For example, check out Later’s Instagram post announcing our latest Linkin.bio customization:
We use hyper-relevant hashtags like #linkinbio, #smallbiztools, and #linkinbiotool in the caption so that users can easily discover our content if they’re on the lookout for a link in bio tool, like Later's Linkin.bio.
Tl;dr: Hashtags help people find your content — increasing the likelihood of likes, comments, shares, and saves!
How to Find Trending Instagram Hashtags for Your Content Strategy
Later’s data report shows that adding 20-30 hashtags to your Instagram posts is the best way to increase your reach and engagement rates.
But how do you find this many relevant hashtags for every post? Here are 3 different tactics you can use:
Tactic #1: Use a Hashtag Suggestion Tool like Later
Later’s Instagram hashtag tool, Hashtag Suggestions, is an easy way to find hashtags based on the content of your post and similar hashtags in your industry.
To use it, type a hashtag into the tool’s search bar, hit “Suggest,” and it’ll immediately generate new hashtags, sorted by relevance:
Sign up for a Later account to find the perfect hashtags for your Instagram strategy – in just a few seconds!
Tactic #2: Conduct Research on the Instagram Explore Page
The Instagram Explore page is a great source of inspiration for your Instagram hashtag strategy.
For the best results, search for keywords that are relevant to your brand or content and check out the “Top” results.
These posts are clearly performing well with the Instagram algorithm, so take note of the different hashtags being used and whether they could work for your content.
Tactic #3: Check Instagram Hashtag Volume Using Instagram’s Tag Search Tool
When it comes to finding the best hashtags, post volume is a really important metric.
If a hashtag has already been used on millions of posts, the chances are your post will be drowned out amongst the masses.
On the other hand, if a hashtag only has a few hundred posts, it's likely that no one is searching for it on the Instagram Explore page. For a safe middle-ground, aim for hashtags with between 10K-200K posts.
To check a hashtag's post volume, head to Instagram's tag search tool on the Explore Page.
This is a great way to vet your hashtags, and can also provide valuable inspiration. For example, you might discover a more niche hashtag that starts with the same keyword, but has a much healthier volume of posts.
How to Save Time With Your Instagram Hashtag Strategy
Finding 20-30 fresh hashtags for every post you share is extremely time-consuming – but there are ways to make the process more efficient.
One way is to curate lists of 20-30 hashtags that align with your main content themes, which you can quickly adjust and add to each post.
With Later’s free Instagram Scheduler, you can create “Saved Captions” that contain your curated lists of hashtags.
You can quickly add them to a post caption (and edit them) in two taps!
How to Build an Effective Instagram Hashtag Strategy With Analytics
The best way to build your hashtag strategy?
Building from a solid foundation. Once you've found the hashtags you want to use, it's important to start testing them and digging into your analytics.
Analyzing the performance of your hashtags is the best way to monitor the success of your experiments, and will allow you to fine tune your strategy over time.
With Later's Hashtag Analytics tools, you can track key insights about your hashtags – including a breakdown of which are driving the most likes, comments, saves, and reach on your Instagram posts.
It automatically compares the hashtags you use with post performance over time – giving you an overview of what’s working, and what’s not, for your account.
Hashtags are a powerful way to reach new audiences and grow your account, but it takes time and effort to see big results.
Whether you use 10 or 30, a consistent hashtag strategy is still one of the most effective routes for growth on Instagram.
#LetsGrow!
Ready to take your hashtag strategy to the next level? Check out Later’s Instagram hashtag tool, Hashtag Suggestions, to help streamline your workflow now!
