Hashtags: Still Relevant?
From Discovery Tool to Strategic Signal
- Markus Pichorner
Hashtags used to be the wild west of social media. Toss in #sunset, #life, #love, and suddenly you were “seen.”
But in 2025, their role has evolved. They’re no longer about chasing reach. They’re about building relevance.
A brief history of the hashtag
In the early days of Instagram and Twitter, hashtags were discovery magnets. Using popular tags meant your post could show up in global searches, trending feeds, and even go viral.
That led to overuse. People filled captions with 30+ vague or trending tags hoping for reach, but ended up looking spammy. Platforms took note.
What hashtags are now
Today, hashtags act more like filters than loudspeakers.
They help algorithms understand the context of your post, what it’s about, and who it should be shown to. They work best when used sparingly and strategically.
Instagram itself now recommends using 3 to 5 relevant hashtags, instead of the max 30. Meta and TikTok reinforce the same logic: quality over quantity. Reels especially benefit from clear hashtags that help categorize content for the algorithm and guide it toward the right audience.
When and why to use them
Hashtags still improve:
Discoverability: Especially within niche communities
Categorization: Algorithms use them to better recommend your content
Brand presence: Consistent use of branded hashtags builds recognizability
Campaign tracking: Launches or seasonal pushes benefit from unique tags
Collaboration: Shared hashtags bring cross-posted content together
But they only work if the content itself delivers. A great Reel with clear messaging and thoughtful hashtags will always outperform a messy one with 20 random tags.
TL;DR
Hashtags used to be about mass discovery. Now they’re a quiet but powerful tool for relevance and reach. Use them to guide the algorithm, join conversations, and show up where it counts. Less is more. Precision is everything.