If you’ve been adding hashtags to every post, hoping to boost your organic reach, it’s time to rethink your strategy. Hashtags once dominated social media marketing strategies, but their influence is no longer what it used to be. At InSynch, a full-service social media agency, we work closely with businesses to ensure they’re not just keeping up with social media trends, but that they’re staying ahead of them!
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A History of Hashtags
Hashtags first appeared on Twitter in 2007 as a way to group conversations and make content more discoverable for users. What started as a user-led movement quickly became a built-in feature across platforms like Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, to name a few. Marketers and other platforms jumped on board, using hashtags to increase visibility, tap into trending topics and categorise content easily for readers – a vital part of early social media marketing success.
For years, hashtags were a staple of strategy for anyone working in social media management. On Instagram, especially, they became one of the main ways to appear in search, attract followers and grow engagement organically. But as with all things in digital marketing, the landscape is ever changing, and the once popular hashtags provide little in terms of engagement nowadays.
Are Hashtags Still Useful?
Meta has been quietly steering away from hashtag-focused discovery. Instead, it’s putting far more emphasis on keywords in post captions, account names and bio descriptions. This means that content is now being shown to users based on relevance and the keywords used to define their profile, not just a bank of hashtags.
So, while adding a few relevant hashtags to an Instagram or Facebook post won’t hurt, relying on them as your primary discovery tool is no longer effective. Overusing or misusing hashtags can even make your content look outdated, inauthentic and have a negative effect on your social media marketing efforts.
As a constantly growing and developing social media agency, we encourage businesses to look beyond hashtags and lean into strategies that align with how platforms currently operate.
Where Hashtags Still Matter
There are still some platforms and scenarios where hashtags can play a useful role in social media management:
Hashtags are still widely used to categorise content and help posts appear in relevant searches, especially for niche topics. Just avoid hashtag stuffing, as two to five relevant ones are plenty per post.
TikTok
Hashtags are important for reach and discoverability, particularly if you’re tapping into certain trends. However, TikTok now pairs hashtags with the keywords and sounds used in your video to find your relevant audience.
YouTube
Hashtags can be used in video descriptions and titles, but YouTube also now relies heavily on keywords in transcripts, titles and descriptions to drive organic discovery.
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What Should You Focus on Instead?
In today’s algorithm-driven world, your time and energy are better spent on areas that truly make an impact. If you’re investing in social media management, these are the key areas to prioritise:
Keyword-rich captions
Write like your audience is searching for your post. Use clear, descriptive language that includes your key topics naturally within the content. Don’t overuse keywords in the caption, as you can risk your video being penalised by keyword stuffing.
Optimise your profile
Make sure your bios, page name and any descriptions are rich with relevant keywords; that’s how users and algorithms understand what your brand is about. Use an emoji list format to easily list keywords in your bio so users can quickly understand your business’s niche.
Video content
Most platforms are now heavily prioritising video content on their platforms. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and even LinkedIn are actively pushing video content to new users to increase engagement organically.
Engagement signals
Comments, shares and saves tell the algorithm your content is valuable, far more than a hashtag ever could. Prioritise making content that resonates with your audience and attracts this type of engagement. In effective social media management, content that sparks interaction always does the best.
Trend responsiveness
Monitor what’s happening in your industry and show up with timely, relevant posts. Using trending sounds, video templates or short-form video content to align with the current trends.
Is it Time to Update Your Social Media Strategy?
If your current approach still relies heavily on hashtags for reach, it’s time to reassess your strategy. Social media platforms evolve fast and what worked well for you two years ago might be holding your growth back today.
At InSynch, we’re a results-driven social media agency, working with businesses across all sectors to build effective, up-to-date social media marketing strategies that reflect the current landscape. Whether you need a full audit, one-off advice on what’s working right now, or expert-led social media management, we’re here to help! Get in touch with us today to drive your social media marketing strategy and make every post count.
