Are hashtags still worth it on social media platforms?

Historically, hashtags have been known to increase engagement and reach on posts, helping users to discover content they care about, and allowing brands to target audiences within their niche. However, in recent news, they have been deemed virtually useless by the likes of Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, Elon Musk and even LinkedIn expert Richard van der Blom.  

This poses the question “Are hashtags boosting your post, or are they actually harming your performance?” And in all honesty, the short answer is… it depends. 

Many users and business owners are under the assumption that stuffing thirty hashtags at the bottom of their post is going to get them or their business noticed. That, by using popular (and most likely irrelevant) overused hashtags, their impressions are going to skyrocket. When actually, this approach can cause the exact opposite to your social performance.  

Hashtags are no longer there to help expand your posts reach, but they still have a purpose to serve, building community and enhancing connections.  

Want to know where you are going wrong, and how to get your hashtag strategy back on track? Read on! 

The problem with overused hashtags

You may be wondering, what is an overused hashtag? An overused hashtag is typically broad and has been used millions (or even billions) of times, making it a popular choice for users wanting to increase visibility. For example, #Love has over 2.1 billion posts, or hashtags like #followforfollow, #happy, #insta, and #fyp, which have been tagged in countless posts. They may seem like a great way to get noticed, but in reality, they are severing your reach! 

One of the biggest drawbacks of overused hashtags is visibility dilution. When you post using a popular hashtag, your content gets tossed into an overwhelming sea of posts. Not only is there millions of posts under that hashtag, but they are being added by the second, stopping your content from standing out.  

Not only that, but the broader the hashtag, the less interested the audience is going to result in less meaningful interactions. Social media thrives on engagements, so if your post is being serves to uninterested audiences, your engagement rate is going to decrease. A low engagement rate signals to the platform that your content isn’t relevant or valuable to your followers, and it may be pushed further down the feed.  

The algorithm wants to show users content that aligns with their interests, so if your post doesn’t garner immediate engagement from a targeted audience, the algorithm may prioritise other posts that do. This cycle can make it harder for your content to break through the noise. 

The dangers of incorrectly using hashtags

There are many reasons why using hashtags incorrectly can be dangerous to your account growth. One of the main reasons being spammy perception. When overusing hashtags, or using ones that are irrelevant, it can position your post as inauthentic leading to users ignoring your content or unfollowing your account. It can also lead to your content feeling less genuine, which can lead to a disconnect with existing followers. This can have long term repercussions with your community, as well as decreasing your credibility.  

Reputation aside, incorrectly using hashtags can also lead to technical dangers. For example, platforms such as Instagram and Facebook have actually begun to penalise accounts that are using spammy hashtags. In fact, meta as a platform is rumoured to have a long list of banned hashtags that’s ever changing. Some hashtags that have been banned at some point include #Always #Alone and even #Adulting. If you want to double check that your go-to hashtags aren’t banned, there’s lots of checkers including metahashtags.com which can help out! 

Overstuffing hashtags can also cause some red flags for your account. Hashtags act as keywords for platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, letting the algorithm know what the theme of your content is, or who should be targeted. Using too many, varied hashtags can often cause confusion as to who should be targeted and what the content is about. This is  similar to targeting too many keywords on a single page, when thinking about SEO, with both resulting in your content being served to the wrong people, or worse, being penalised by the platform/not served up as a result at all.  

How to use hashtags effectively

Hashtags may no longer help with reach, but they are still believed to be important to your social strategy. They still serve a purpose, to help with building community and enhancing connections within your niche. But how are you meant to use them effectively?  

First things first, you want to make sure that you are using hashtags that are RELEVANT to the content which you are posting. This means that your content is more likely to reach people who will want to engage with your content, and therefore, follow your account. You should also make sure to use niche hashtags, as the more targeted the hashtag, the more likely it is to reach the relevant audience.  

Next, you don’t have to use all of the allowed 30 hashtags. Instead, use around five well chosen hashtags, preferably less for platforms such as TikTok and X, with two to three working best for these platforms. If you are struggling to find the best hashtags for your niche, you can use hashtag research tools such as trendsmap or hashtagify. Alternatively, you can search on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok to find hashtags that are performing particularly well.  

Finally, if working for a brand, why not create your own branded hashtag to stand out from the crowd? Some examples of this doing well on social media include Coca Cola’s #ShareACoke campaign, which encouraged an influx of UGC, or Nikes #JustDoIt hashtag. 

Testing and adjusting your hashtag strategy 

To ensure your hashtags are working effectively, it’s essential to track their performance. Take note of which posts gained the most traction and engagement. Is there a noticeable correlation between the hashtags used and the post’s performance? Use analytics tools to dive deeper into how specific hashtags are driving traffic, comments, and shares. This data is invaluable for tweaking your strategy moving forward. 

Experimenting with new hashtags is also key to keeping your content fresh and reaching new and targeted audiences. As trends grow and evolve, so do hashtags, and staying ahead of the curve can help you stand out in crowded feeds. Try varying your hashtag sets regularly to see which ones resonate best with your followers.  

Finding the right balance between overused and underused hashtags is crucial. Overused hashtags can make your posts get lost in the sea of content, while using too niche hashtags may not attract enough visibility. A mix of both, along with hashtags that match your specific niche, can help boost discoverability and engagement. 

It is important to not rely solely on hashtags to drive your success. Content quality should ALWAYS be your top priority. No matter how effective your hashtag strategy, it’s your content that will ultimately connect with your audience. Hashtags are just a tool to help amplify your voice. 

So… Are hashtags worth it?

Hashtags can still be a valuable tool in your social media strategy but using them incorrectly can hurt your reach and engagement. When used without thought or inappropriately, they can dilute your message and push your content to irrelevant audiences, ultimately harming your performance. 

The key is to be strategic with your hashtag use. Focus on relevance, niche, and authenticity to ensure your hashtags align with your content and speak to the right audience. Remember, quality is far more important than quantity. Don’t overstuff your posts with irrelevant or overused hashtags. Instead, choose the ones that truly resonate with your brand and message.  

When used thoughtfully, hashtags can help you build community, enhance engagement, and get your content in front of the people who matter most.