Do Hashtags Still Matter on Instagram in 2025?

A few years ago, hashtags were the magic key to getting your posts seen on Instagram. The more you used, the more people you could reach. Many businesses and creators would add the maximum of 30 hashtags to every post in the hope of appearing in as many searches as possible.

Fast forward to 2025 and the picture has changed. Even Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, has said more than once that hashtags now have very limited use. There are still some situations where they can be helpful but these are becoming fewer.

Why hashtags are less important now

Instagram now decides which posts to show people by looking at many signals. In simple terms, the system behind Instagram tries to work out what you are interested in by watching what you like, share and spend time looking at. This is sometimes called an algorithm, which is just a set of rules a computer follows to make decisions.

Because Instagram is now much better at recognising the actual content of a photo or video, it no longer needs to rely on hashtags as much. For example, it can often tell if a picture is of a dog without needing you to tag it #dog.

When hashtags can still help

Although hashtags are not the main way to reach new people any more, they can still be useful in a few cases:

a) Niche topics

If your post is about something very specific, such as a rare type of antique, a relevant hashtag can still help connect you with the small group of people searching for it

b) Events or campaigns

Hashtags can be a way to group posts together for a special event, product launch or awareness campaign

c) Community building

A branded hashtag can help your audience share their own related posts, which makes it easier for you to find and engage with them.

How to use them well in 2025

The old advice to use as many hashtags as possible is now out of date. Today, it is better to:

1. Choose three to five hashtags that are highly relevant to your post.
2. Avoid very general hashtags like #fun or #love, as your post will be lost among millions of others.
3. Focus on creating content that is interesting and worth sharing, as this is what Instagram rewards most.

Good and bad examples

Here are a few quick examples to make this clearer:

Good use

• A ceramics maker posting a hand-thrown mug might use: #HandmadeMug #StonewareCeramics #PotteryStudio
• A vintage clothing shop posting a 1970s leather jacket might use: #VintageMenswear #1970sStyle #RetroJacket
• A small bakery launching a special cake for a charity event might use: #BakeForHope #LondonBakery #CharityBakeSale

Bad use

• Adding a long list of unrelated hashtags to a post, such as #Love #Fun #Cat #Travel #Selfie when the post is about pottery.
• Using the same set of hashtags for every post regardless of the content.
• Relying only on hashtags and neglecting to write a meaningful caption or post engaging photos.

The bottom line

Hashtags have gone from being a major growth tool to more of a minor support. If you use them with care, they can still give your posts a small boost in the right situations. But the real key to success on Instagram in 2025 is making posts that people genuinely enjoy, comment on and share.

In other words, hashtags are now the spice, not the main ingredient.

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