What is hashtag used for in social media? It’s essential knowledge every marketer should have today. As digital marketing drives brand growth, hashtags have become the backbone of social media visibility. They act as digital signposts, helping users and brands connect with specific audiences, categorize content, and join trending conversations. By guiding both audiences and algorithms to relevant posts, hashtags remain vital for reach, engagement, and searchability across all social platforms. They are used widely across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and TikTok, helping marketers maintain visibility and relevance in fast-moving social feeds.
Table of Contents
- What Is a Hashtag and How Does It Work?
- Why Are Hashtags Important for Social Media Marketing?
- How to Use Hashtags Effectively on Different Platforms
A.1 How to Use Hashtags on Instagram
B.2 How to Use Hashtags on LinkedIn, X & TikTok - Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Hashtags
- How to Choose the Right Hashtags for You
- Do Hashtags Still Work in 2026?
- How to Create a Branded Hashtag Strategy
- FAQ
What Is a Hashtag and How Does It Work?
As you know, a hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the # symbol. Its purpose is to turn text into a clickable link that groups it with other posts under the same topic. While many understand what is the meaning of hashtags, their true power lies in categorizing content and making it discoverable to anyone searching for specific subjects; not just followers. Hashtags play a key role in connecting people and ideas across every major social network, shaping how information travels and communities interact online. The origin of social media hashtags dates back to Chris Messina’s 2007 suggestion on Twitter (currently X), which transformed how audiences navigate and discover content online. Today, hashtags help both users and algorithms organize posts and connect them to broader, often trending, conversations across digital communities.
Why Are Hashtags Important for Social Media Marketing?
Brands understand why digital marketing is important for small business, and why are hashtags helpful today for reaching the targeted audience is hashtags. Social media marketers use hashtags for many purposes. Here is what are hashtags used for in campaign strategy:
- Adding hashtags makes posts easily discoverable by grouping them into searchable themes or topics.
- A well-chosen hashtag can amplify reach, increase visibility, and enhance engagement by encouraging user-generated content where audiences participate and help spread branded messages.
- Hashtags for marketing assist in tapping into trending discussions, reaching audiences beyond existing followers, and building communities focused on specific topics.
- They also support brand awareness, event promotions, and targeted content dissemination.
How to Use Hashtags Effectively on Different Platforms
Each social platform treats hashtags differently. Understanding their purpose and limits is key to making them work for your brand. A digital agency can guide you in customizing hashtag strategies for each platform, ensuring your content matches audience behavior, platform tone, and algorithm preferences
How to Use Hashtags on Instagram
Digital marketers know what is hashtag in Instagram, as the platform thrives on them. This is why learning how to use them is critical for reaching new audiences. The hashtag limit Instagram allows is up to 30 per post, but quality over quantity works better for engagement. It’s best to use 3-10 relevant hashtags per post, mixing broad terms like #marketing with niche or local hashtags to attract focused communities. For example, #SocialMediaMarketing, #EngagementHashtags, or #HashtagForInstagramPostLike can help expand reach.
If you aren’t aware how to put hashtags on Instagram, you can place them in the caption or in the first comment. Experiment to see what improves reach and keeps captions clean. Explore Instagram analytics tools to track which social media marketing hashtags to increase followers and engagement. Make sure hashtags for Instagram post like #InstaBusiness are specific and truly related to your audience.
How to Use Hashtags on LinkedIn, X & TikTok
To strengthen your social media approach, it is necessary to understand the Recent Trends in Digital Marketing and how evolving online behaviours influence hashtag performance and engagement.
A. LinkedIn & X
On LinkedIn, hashtags act as professional topic filters. Use only use 3-5 targeted hashtags that are highly related to your sector or content focus, such as #B2BMarketing or #LinkedInTips. On X, formerly Twitter, trending hashtags help your content become part of hot conversations, while one or two relevant hashtags per tweet will suffice. Avoid overuse, as two to three hashtags per tweet are enough to maintain readability.
B. TikTok & Facebook
TikTok’s algorithm uses hashtags to organize videos by niche, so that they are discoverable in the search bar and the For You page. Here, combine trending hashtags with industry-specific tags targeting both broad trends and niche interests. Brands, especially startups today, seek assistance from the right social media marketing company so that they can scale effectively by optimizing algorithms.
When it comes to hashtags on Facebook, they help group conversations across pages and profiles, though their reach is generally lower compared to Instagram or X. Using one or two relevant hashtags per post can still enhance discoverability and make campaign-related posts easier to track.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Hashtags
Many marketers misuse hashtags without understanding their impact. To make the most of social media hashtags, keep your strategy fresh and aligned with content goals. Here are common errors to avoid:
- Using irrelevant hashtags: Tagging unrelated topics reduces credibility and engagement.
- Overstuffing hashtags: Using the limit doesn’t guarantee success. Focus on relevance instead of quantity.
- Ignoring analytics: Failing to track hashtag performance can waste valuable insights.
- Repeating the same hashtags: Using identical tags repeatedly can flag your posts as spam on some platforms.
H2: How to Choose the Right Hashtags for You
In choosing the right and popular hashtags, research is key. The right hashtags depend on your content type, audience, and platform. So, start by analyzing top posts in your niche, using platform search bars to find specific topics, and reviewing analytics tools for hashtags for reach and engagement. Tools like Hashtagify or RiteTag can help identify trending hashtags.
Select a mix of:
- Broad hashtags for reach (e.g., #Marketing, #SocialMedia)
- Specific hashtags for targeting (e.g., #DigitalMarketingInKerala, #ContentStrategy)
- Branded hashtags for campaigns (e.g., #CoralbeesDigital)
This layered approach ensures your social media content appears in both popular and niche searches.
Do Hashtags Still Work in 2026?
Do hashtags work on Instagram or other platforms in 2026? Absolutely. Even with evolving algorithms, they continue to drive engagement and visibility. While the role of engagement hashtags is changing, social platforms still use them to categorize content and recommend posts to users with similar interests. They act as organizational tools, helping search engines and feeds surface relevant content effectively.
In 2026, the focus is on smart hashtag use. Though they no longer guarantee viral reach, hashtags remain valuable for targeting, content categorization, and discoverability. Think of a hashtag as an SEO keyword for social media. A thoughtful hashtag strategy helps your content stay visible longer, and brands that use fewer but highly relevant hashtags often see stronger results. Consistent use of campaign-specific hashtags also helps maintain steady engagement. As digital strategies evolve, staying updated on Digital Marketing Challenges to Watch in 2026 can help marketers refine their hashtag campaigns and adapt to changing platform algorithms.
How to Create a Branded Hashtag Strategy
The concept of what is hashtag in social media revolves around creating a branded strategy, shaping identity, and encouraging user engagement. So, how to write hashtags? Or how to put hashtags on Instagram and other social media platforms? Start by creating a unique, easy-to-remember hashtag that users can include in their posts to spread awareness and encourage community build.
Monitoring how people use your branded hashtag and adjust your campaign accordingly is equally important. Tracking performance with analytics makes it easier to measure growth and engagement. This approach supports user generated content and positions your brand at the heart of audience conversations. With the help of the best digital marketing agency, you can launch, track, and scale impactful branded hashtag campaigns for consistent results.
FAQ
- What is hashtag used for in social media?
Hashtags are used to categorize content, make posts discoverable, encourage user participation, and group conversations on specific topics for broader visibility. - How many hashtags should I use on Instagram?
Use 3-10 relevant hashtags per Instagram post for best results, staying under Instagram’s limit of 30 to avoid spam signals. - Do hashtags still increase followers?
Yes, targeted and thoughtfully chosen hashtags help posts reach new audiences and encourage followers, though not as dramatically as in past years. - What are examples of good hashtags for marketing?
Examples include #DigitalMarketing, #SocialMediaTips, #MarketingStrategy, and branded campaign-specific hashtags like #YourBrandName. - Should I create my own hashtag for my business?
Absolutely. A branded hashtag encourages your audience to share content, participate in campaigns, and helps build community around your brand.
