Instagram Hashtags: Your Questions Answered (+ Top Hashtags)

​​Instagram hashtags are still one of the most effective ways to get more eyes (and engagement!) on your Instagram posts.

But how many hashtags should you use? What are the different types of hashtags? Which ones are trending right now? Should they go in your caption or in the comments?

We’re answering all these questions, and more, in our ultimate guide to Instagram hashtags — including the best hashtag tool to optimize your posts.

FYI: Later Social's Hashtag Tools are trusted by millions of social media managers, brands, and creators to find relevant hashtags, analyze their performance, and more.

What is a Hashtag?

According to Later's Social Media Glossary, a hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the "#" symbol.

They are used to categorize and index content on social media, making it easier for people to find and follow conversations and posts related to that topic.

To add a hashtag to an Instagram post, you simply add a "#" symbol in front of a word or phrase (without spaces) in your post caption or the comments.

How Do Instagram Hashtags Work?

In a nutshell, Instagram hashtags are 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 Instagram's algorithm, so it can categorize your content and suggest it to users it thinks will have a high interest.

Are Hashtags Still Relevant?

Yes, hashtags are still relevant and make a difference to your Instagram strategy.

Hashtags have always been the heart of much debate, especially following Instagram’s recommendation to only use between 3-5 hashtags (more on that later). 

However, using relevant, targeted hashtags (and keywords) on posts and Reels is still one of the best ways to get discovered by new audiences on Instagram. 

That’s why it’s important to have a clear and well-crafted hashtag strategy — without one, you could be missing out on opportunities to optimize your content, drive more engagement, and get followers.

What Are the Benefits of Using Hashtags on Instagram?

There are many benefits to using hashtags on Instagram - here are our top 3.

#1: Improve Visibility

Hashtags make your content more searchable, as they signal to users and the app what your content and account are all about.

Using the right hashtags - and the right number of them - makes you more visible on the 'Gram.

Our tip? Use a mix of high-volume, trending hashtags and smaller, more niche hashtags.

#2: Boost Engagement & Make Connections

Taking the time to hashtag your content ensures that you're not only more visible but also appearing to the right audiences.

As you can see below, Later uses hashtags like #SocialMediaManager to boost engagement with those working in social - exactly the folks we want to connect with!

You can also use branded hashtags to make it easy for your biggest fans to find specific content. Around here, we use #lifeatlater.

#3: Collect User-Generated Content

A consistent hashtag strategy also elevates your own social content.

Once you know which hashtags drive visibility, get you on the Instagram Explore page, and boost engagement, you can use them to find relevant content to re-post.

UGC has a ton of benefits, too; you can read all about them here.

Here's another little hack: you can use Later Social's Collect tools to find relevant posts using hashtags, add them to your Media Library, and repost them with proper attribution.

What's not to love?

The 50 Best Hashtags for Instagram

Sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to hashtag ideas. We've been there!

To help you out, here's an up-to-date list of the top 50 hashtags on Instagram based on usage within the Later Social app:

1. #interiordesign

2. #design

3. #love

4. #fashion

5. #homedecor

6. #inspiration

7. #realestate

8. #shoplocal

9. #style

10. #foodie

11. #art

12. #travel

13. #smallbusiness

14. #photography

15. #home

16. #wellness

17. #selfcare

18. #linkinbio

19. #architecture

20. #instagood

21. #food

22. #luxury

23. #beauty

24. #health

25. #skincare

26. #interior

27. #lifestyle

28. #shopsmall

29. #ootd

30. #handmade

31. #motivation

32. #interiors

33. #nature

34. #homedesign

35. #mentalhealth

36. #selflove

37. #fitness

38. #supportlocal

39. #wedding

40. #weddinginspiration

41. #mindset

42. #instafood

43. #community

44. #business

45. #weddinginspo

46. #photooftheday

47. #beautiful

48. #decor

49. #explore

50. #dreamhome

*Data based on usage within the Later Social app January 1, 2024 - May 1, 2024.

PRO TIP: Use Later Social’s Hashtag Suggestion feature and discover the best hashtags for your account in seconds! Start a free trial, today.

How Many Hashtags Should I Use on Instagram?

You can use up to 30 hashtags on Instagram.

However, Instagram has advised creators to use between 3-5 hashtags on their posts, despite allowing up to 30.

As the platform continues to expand their discoverability and SEO tools, they need to be able to accurately categorize content for the Explore Page and Instagram Reels tab (while also streamlining spammy or irrelevant hashtag use).

The theory? Fewer hashtags = more reliable self-categorization.      

To test this, the data team at Later analyzed 18M+ Instagram feed posts to see how the number of hashtags impacts reach.

The result? We found that using more hashtags typically yields the best results — with 20 hashtags receiving the highest average reach rate.

So, how many hashtags should you use on Instagram? According to our research, 20 hashtags is what you should aim for.

However, it's important to focus on quality, hyper-relevant hashtags — even using 5 or 10 hashtags is better than zero.

#TalkDataToMe: Read Later’s full data report 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 Instagram 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, events, or employer branding, like #LifeAtLater

• Industry hashtags: That describes 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 category you should include, but keeping them in mind can provide hashtag inspiration and guide your captions.

How to Find Trending Instagram Hashtags for Your Content Strategy

Later’s hashtag 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 relevant hashtags for every post? Here are three tactics you can use:

Tactic #1: Use a Hashtag Suggestion Tool like Later Social

With Later’s Instagram Hashtag Suggestions tool, you can find hashtags based on the content of your post and similar hashtags in your industry.

To use it, tap "Hashtag Suggestions," and you'll get two options to populate hashtags:

• Auto: Get automatic hashtag suggestions based on your caption

• Search: Enter a hashtag and it'll suggest relevant ones

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 clearly perform well with Instagram's 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 an important metric.

If a hashtag has already been used on millions of posts, chances are your post will be drowned out by 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.

Should You Use Hashtags on Instagram in the Caption or Comment Section?

Instagram has confirmed that hashtags are effective in both your post caption and the comments section — so it’s your choice on where to include them. 

It is worth considering timeliness though. If you’re manually posting hashtags in the comments section, you’ll want to do this as soon as your post is published. 

TIP: If you use Later Social’s Instagram Scheduler, you can schedule a First Comment to go live at the same time as your post.

This is a great way to keep your caption clean, while still benefiting from all the added exposure perks of a good hashtag strategy.

Later Social’s First Comment tool lets you schedule a comment to go live at exactly the same time as your post — available on all paid plans. 

How Hashtags Can Be Used to Increase Likes On Instagram

Using relevant hashtags will help your posts show up in more search results on the app, increasing the likelihood of likes and comments.

Take Sweaty Betty, a workout brand whose target market includes women with a passion for fitness. 

The account uses the search-led hashtag, #GlobalRunningDay to generate likes, and a branded hashtag, #iamasweatybetty to champion a sense of community and togetherness: 

This post alone has over 2.8K likes (and a pretty chatty comments section!), showing the value of using niche hashtags.

How to Save Time With Your Instagram Hashtag Strategy 

Finding 20-30 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 hashtags that align with your main content pillars, which you can quickly adjust and add to each post.

With Later Social’s Instagram Scheduler, you can create multiple “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?

Having a solid foundation first.

Once you've found the hashtags you want to use, it's important to test them and dig into your analytics.

Reviewing the performance of your hashtags is a great way to monitor the success of your experiments, and will let you fine-tune your strategy over time.  

With Later Social'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:

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.

Ready to take your hashtag strategy to the next level? Check out Later Social’s Instagram hashtag tool to help streamline your workflow!