Key Takeaways
- Mix high-volume, niche, and branded hashtags for optimal discoverability
- Place hashtags in captions or first comments—tools like Sked Social streamline this process
- Regularly analyze hashtag performance and update your strategy based on data
- Sked Social’s Scheduling, AI Tools, and Analytics features make hashtag management effortless
Why Instagram Hashtags Still Matter in 2025
Instagram hashtags remain a powerhouse for discoverability and engagement. In 2025, the platform’s algorithm continues to evolve, but hashtags are still a direct line to new audiences, niche communities, and trending conversations. The right hashtag strategy can mean the difference between a post that fizzles and one that goes viral.
Instagram’s Creators account recommends using 3-5 hashtags for best reach, but other data suggests 10-20 is a better number. But it’s not just about quantity—relevance, diversity, and placement are key. Instagram’s algorithm now prioritizes content quality and engagement, so hashtags should support great content, not replace it.
For brands, agencies, and creators, mastering hashtags is about more than just adding #love or #instagood. It’s about building community, driving engagement, and supporting your broader social media marketing goals. And with tools like Sked Social, you can automate, analyze, and optimize your hashtag strategy at scale.
How to Research Instagram Hashtags: Step-by-Step Guide
Finding the right hashtags is both art and science. Here’s how to build a winning hashtag list in 2025:
- Start with Your Content Pillars
- Identify your main themes (e.g., product launches, behind-the-scenes, customer stories).
- Use Sked’s Labels to organize and tag content for easy tracking.
- Mix Hashtag Types
- High-volume: Broad tags like #marketing (millions of posts).
- Niche: Specific to your industry or audience, e.g., #VeganBakers.
- Branded: Unique to your brand, e.g., #SkedSocialTips.
- Location-based: For local businesses or events, e.g., #NYCEvents.
- Community-focused: Connect with like-minded users, e.g., #MomsWhoHustle.
- Research with Tools
- Use Instagram’s Explore page and search bar to find trending and related hashtags.
- Sked Social’s AI Tools can suggest relevant hashtags based on your post content and past performance.
- Check Hashtag Volume
- Aim for hashtags with 10K–200K posts for a balance of visibility and competition.
- Avoid banned or spammy hashtags—these can hurt your reach.
- Analyze Competitors and Influencers
- Test and Refine
- Rotate hashtags and monitor performance with Sked’s Analytics.
- Save top-performing sets as templates for future use.
Pro Tip: Create a spreadsheet or use Sked’s built-in hashtag library to organize your research and save time.
Instagram Hashtag Best Practices for 2025
The rules of hashtagging have changed. Here’s what works now:
- Quality Over Quantity: 5–10 relevant hashtags outperform 30 random ones
- Placement Matters: Hashtags in captions or first comments both work. Sked’s First Comment Scheduling keeps captions clean and maximizes reach.
- Accessibility: Use camel case (e.g., #SocialMediaTips) for multi-word hashtags to improve readability for all users.
- Regular Updates: Hashtag trends shift fast. Review and refresh your lists monthly.
- Branded Hashtags: Foster community and track user-generated content with unique branded tags.
- Engage, Don’t Spam: Avoid irrelevant or banned hashtags. Focus on building genuine engagement.
Example: A fitness brand might use #FitnessMotivation (high-volume), #HIITWorkouts (niche), #NYCFitness (location), and #YourBrandName (branded) in a single post.
Instagram Hashtag Trends for 2025
What’s new and next in hashtag strategy?
- User-Generated Content Campaigns: Brands are encouraging followers to use branded hashtags for a chance to be featured, driving both engagement and social proof.
- Community-Driven Hashtags: Niche and community tags are outperforming generic ones for engagement.
- Algorithm Shifts: Instagram’s 2024–2025 updates mean engagement and content quality now outweigh sheer hashtag volume.
- Accessibility and Inclusivity: More brands are using camel case and avoiding ableist or exclusionary language in hashtags.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Marketers are using analytics to double down on what works and drop what doesn’t.
Stat: 15% of consumers now search on social media before Google, making hashtag discoverability more important than ever (Digital Marketing Institute, 2025).
Measuring Hashtag Performance on Instagram
Tracking what works is non-negotiable in 2025. Here’s how to measure hashtag success:
- Instagram Insights: Check reach and engagement for each post.
- Sked Social Analytics: Get a unified dashboard for hashtag performance across all accounts and campaigns.
- A/B Testing: Rotate hashtag sets and compare results.
Label Performance: Use Sked’s Labels to see which content pillars and hashtags drive the most engagement.
Collaborate effortlessly, save time and spend less
Why settle for a lackluster social media management tool when you could be using Sked Social? With unlimited collaborator access, streamlined approvals and advanced auto-post technology that lets you schedule to all major platforms, Sked Social offers everything you need.
Get Started for FREEExpert Tips & Industry Best Practices for Instagram Hashtags
- Keep Hashtags Relevant: Only use hashtags that directly relate to your content.
- Leverage AI: Use Sked’s AI Tools for instant, on-brand hashtag suggestions.
- Schedule First Comments: Keep captions clean and professional by moving hashtags to the first comment.
- Monitor Trends: Stay ahead by tracking trending hashtags in your industry.
- Encourage UGC: Run campaigns that invite followers to use your branded hashtag for a chance to be featured.
For more on building a winning Instagram presence, see our guide to Instagram marketing best practices.
Top Challenges & Solutions
Challenge: Hashtag fatigue and declining reach
Solution: Focus on quality, relevance, and engagement. Use analytics to drop underperforming tags.
Challenge: Keeping up with trends
Solution: Use Sked’s AI Tools and analytics to spot and act on new trends fast.
Challenge: Managing hashtags at scaleSolution: Sked’s Scheduling and Labels features make it easy to organize, schedule, and analyze hashtags for multiple accounts.
Instagram Hashtag FAQs
Should I put hashtags in the caption or the first comment?
Both work, but placing them in the first comment keeps captions clean. Sked Social automates this for you.
What are branded hashtags?
Branded hashtags are unique to your brand and help build community and track user-generated content (e.g., #SkedSocialTips).
How do I find the best hashtags for my business?
Use a mix of research (Explore page, competitor analysis), analytics, and AI-powered suggestions from tools like Sked Social.
Transform Your Social Media Management with Sked Social
Managing Instagram hashtags in 2025 means juggling research, strategy, and analytics—often across multiple accounts. The biggest pain points? Wasting time on manual research, struggling to keep up with trends, and not knowing which hashtags actually drive results.
Sked Social solves these challenges with:
- AI-powered hashtag suggestions for every post
- First comment scheduling to keep captions clean and professional
- Unified analytics to track hashtag performance across all accounts
- Content labels and templates for easy organization and reporting
Ready to transform your social media workflow? Start your free trial today—no credit card required.
