If you have spent any time trying to grow your brand on social media, you have probably received completely conflicting advice about hashtags. One digital marketing expert tells you to use 30 hashtags on every post, while another claims that using more than three will destroy your organic reach.
It is one of the most hotly debated topics in the social media marketing world.
With platforms constantly changing their algorithms, it is easy to see why creators are confused. So, what is the truth? Do hashtags still help you get discovered, or are they a relic of the internet’s past? More importantly, what is the magic number of hashtags you should actually use?
Let’s break down how hashtags work across different platforms and look at the data-backed reality of hashtag strategy.
What is a hashtag and how do they work?
A hashtag is simply any word or phrase preceded by the hash symbol (#). They act like digital filing cabinets, categorizing content so that social media search engines can understand what a post is about.
When a user clicks on a hashtag or types it into a search bar, the platform displays a feed of all the public content tagged with that specific keyword.
Historically, hashtags were the absolute primary way platforms like Instagram sorted information. However, today’s algorithms rely heavily on Social Media Optimization (SMO) and natural language processing. This means platforms can scan your video captions, on-screen text, and voiceovers to understand your content, even if you do not use a single hashtag.
How many hashtags should you use per platform?
Because each social media channel uses a distinct algorithm, a single hashtag strategy will not work across the board. Here is a clear breakdown of the ideal hashtag count for each major network, based on platform recommendations and industry benchmarks.
Instagram: 3 to 5 (or up to 10 for small accounts)
For years, the standard advice was to maximize Instagram’s 30-hashtag limit. However, Instagram’s official creators account has explicitly stated that users should focus on 3 to 5 highly relevant hashtags.
Using too many hashtags can confuse the algorithm, making it harder for the system to identify your exact niche. If you have a very small or brand-new account, you can experiment with 8 to 10 highly specific keywords, but avoid spamming your caption with irrelevant tags.
TikTok: 3 to 6
TikTok operates as a powerful search engine, particularly for younger demographics. To optimize your TikTok SEO, use 3 to 6 hashtags.
A great structure for TikTok is a mix of broad and hyper-focused tags. For example, combine a highly popular trending tag with two or three niche keywords that specifically describe the video’s topic. Remember to save plenty of space in your caption for keywords, as text descriptions are vital for the TikTok search algorithm.
LinkedIn: 3
LinkedIn relies on professional, curated content. Flooding your professional updates with dozens of tags looks incredibly spammy and unprofessional. Stick to exactly 3 relevant hashtags—one broad industry term and two specific topic keywords.
YouTube Shorts: 2 to 3
YouTube allows up to 60 hashtags on a video, but if you use more than 15, the platform will completely ignore all of them. For YouTube Shorts and traditional videos, 2 to 3 targeted hashtags in either the title or description are more than enough to assist the video indexing system.
Quality over quantity: The three types of hashtags you need
Instead of worrying about hitting a specific number, focus on the strategy behind the tags you choose. A balanced mix of these three categories will give you the best chance of organic reach:
| Hashtag type | What it means | Example (for a bakery) |
| Broad / Industry | High-volume terms used by millions of people. | #Sourdough |
| Niche / Specific | Targeted terms used by a smaller, dedicated audience. | #SourdoughBakingTips |
| Branded / Campaign | Unique words created specifically for your business. | #YourBakeryName |
Top tip: Avoid using incredibly generic hashtags like
#Love,#Viral,#FYP, or#Trending. These tags are so overused that your content will be buried within a fraction of a second, offering zero SEO value to your post.
Three hashtag mistakes to avoid at all costs
If you want the algorithm to favour your content, make sure you are not making these common mistakes:
- Hiding hashtags in the comment section: While this used to be a popular way to keep captions clean, most algorithms now struggle to index hashtags left in the comments. Always keep them at the very bottom of your main caption.
- Using the exact same hashtags on every post: Copying and pasting the same block of text over and over looks like automated spam behavior to social media algorithms. Always tailor your tags to match the specific video or photo you are uploading.
- Using irrelevant tags to piggyback on trends: Tagging a video about fitness with
#Bakingjust because baking is trending will hurt your engagement. When users instantly scroll away because the content doesn’t match their expectations, the algorithm will penalize your reach.
