Popular Instagram hashtags help your social media posts to reach a larger target audience. They allow you to attract new followers, increase engagement rates, and create a more positive and recognisable brand for your business.
So what are popular Instagram hashtags, you ask? When should you use these hashtags compared to more specific, niche hashtags?
When it comes to hashtags, their great power comes great responsibility if you want to get the most out of them (channelling #spiderman #marvel #peterparker), which is not a simple one-line answer.
Popular Instagram hashtags, when used correctly, can skyrocket your business engagement levels. But if misused, they may not have the desired impact, and your social media content strategy results may be disappointing.
While selecting the right popular Instagram hashtags to use can be challenging, some research, common sense, and strategic thinking can steer you in the right direction.
Let’s start by looking at why hashtags are critical to your Instagram strategy. We will answer some of the most common questions when it comes to the hashtags to use on Instagram, such as;
- What is an Instagram hashtag?
- Why are hashtags important on Instagram?
- How Are Businesses Using Hashtags in 2022
- Types of Instagram Hashtags You Can Use
- Popular Instagram Hashtags for Each Day of the Week
- Emerging Hashtags
- Popular Instagram Hashtags You Should Stop Using
- Hashtag Best Practice on Instagram
- Popular Instagram Hashtags in 2022
- Trending Hashtags
- Popular B2B Instagram Hashtags (Business to Business)
- Popular B2C Instagram Hashtags (Business to Consumer)
- How to Use Popular Instagram Hashtags for your Business
- How to Search for Popular Instagram Hashtags
Instagram Hashtags: What are they?
A hashtag is a word or short one to three-word phrase with a pound sign/number sign (#) in front of it. Hashtags categorise a post and make it searchable on social media platforms.
Why are hashtags important on Instagram?
Instagram uses hashtags as part of its filtering process. With almost 100 million photos posted on Instagram daily, hashtags make it easier for Instagram to sort content and deliver it to the right audience efficiently.
In essence, Instagram hashtags help your post get discovered by people interested in the word, topic or theme you have hashtagged. It works both ways, benefiting both the content owner and the Instagram user. Pick a word or topic you are interested in, put a hashtag in front of it, and see what comes up to give it a go!
How Are Businesses Using Hashtags in 2022
A recent HubSpot article surveyed over 1,000 digital marketers to understand how they used Instagram hashtags with their content strategy in 2022. Below are some of the key findings:
- 82% of digital marketers use hashtags as part of their Instagram content strategies.
- 85% of digital marketers go as far as documenting their Instagram hashtag strategy.
- 81% of digital marketers said using hashtags has been somewhat or very effective when it comes to executing their Instagram content strategy.
- 62% of digital marketers use four to nine hashtags in their Instagram posts.
- 53% of digital marketers say most brands they represent use branded hashtags.
- 37% of digital marketers said using popular hashtags continues to be an effective strategy on Instagram
- 66% of digital marketers use Instagram’s hashtag suggestion feature to help them to determine which hashtags to use for a post.
- 58% of digital marketers use competitor analysis or review similar posts to develop ideas for their hashtag sets.
- 46% of digital marketers say they found the most effective way to use hashtags on Instagram was to use some hashtags in the main Instagram post and some in the comments.
What are the Types of Instagram Hashtags You Can Use
Hashtags are incredibly valuable to any person or business looking to maximise the impact of their social media content. Instagram hashtags can build a community on a social media platform and make your social media account more visible to your target audience.
Before finalising a set of hashtags for your next social media post on Instagram, take a look at the most common Instagram hashtags you can use and their categorisations.
Popular Instagram Hashtags for Businesses
Whether you are a small business owner, part of a corporate digital marketing team, or a social media management agency doesn’t matter. You can use some of the Instagram hashtag ideas below to get started.
- Product or service hashtags. Businesses use product hashtags for posts related to their product and services. They will tend to be generic such as #socialmediamanager or #dayspa
- Industry niche hashtags. These hashtags narrow down your area of expertise or location. Examples include #londonhairsalon or #hotstonemassag
- Branded hashtags. Branded hashtags could be a slogan, business name or even a trademarked product.
- Campaign hashtags. You can use a campaign hashtag to keep track of activity relating to the campaign on Instagram or even a promoted post.
- User-generated content hashtags. Your customers explicitly create UGC hashtags. You can’t influence what gets posted, and it is a way for people to see unfiltered and unsponsored photos or feedback about your product or service.
- Event or conference hashtags. Use these hashtags to add to create some momentum and chatter about a specific event or industry conference you may be attending or presenting at.
- Location hashtags. Location hashtags target Instagram users in your area. Some examples may be #sydneycoffee or #londonlawyers
- Phrase hashtags. Examples include #quoteoftheday or #ootd and can be used to target audiences who may get some motivation or inspiration from your Instagram post.
Popular Instagram Hashtags for Individuals
If you use Instagram for personal use, there are many other hashtags ideas that you can explore as well.
- Personal hashtags. You use these hashtags in a post that are about yourself, such as #me, #selfie, #lovemylife, #mydiary, #myworkout and #selflove
- Daily hashtags. There are a lot of hashtags that are specific to each day of the week. Rather than list them here, look at our extensive article covering all the popular Instagram hashtags for each day of the week.
- Acronym hashtags. As the name suggests, rather than having a long hashtag that is hard to read, use acronyms like #ootd (outfit of the day), #potd (photo of the day), and #qotd (quote of the day).
- Important Day hashtags. Did you know we have a free resource that gives you a post caption and hashtag set for around 100 important days in the calendar year? Check it out here! Use these hashtags for specific days in the calendar, such as #ChristmasDay2022.
What are Some of the Most Popular Instagram Hashtags
- #love (2.1B posts)
- #instagood (1.5B posts)
- #fashion (1B posts)
- #photooftheday (988M posts)
- #art (888.6M posts)
- #photography (864.7M posts)
- #instagram 828M posts)
- #beautiful (792.1M posts)
- #picoftheday (692.8M posts)
- #nature (696.4M posts)
- #happy (670.9M posts)
- #cute (659.7M posts)
- #travel (613M posts)
- #style (606.3M posts)
- #followme (592.5M posts)
- #tbt (588.3M posts)
- #instadaily (581.2M posts)
- #repost (557.3M posts)
- #like4like (538.2M posts)
- #summer (523.2M posts)
- #beauty (492.6M posts)
- #fitness (485.8M posts)
- #food (475.3M posts)
- #selfie (464.3M posts)
- #me (463.9M posts)
- #instalike (462.1M posts)
- #girl (444.7M posts)
- #friends (432.7M posts)
- #fun (430.9M posts)
- #photo (438.4M posts)
- #smile (427.4M posts)
- #family (411.9M posts)
- #life (409.1M posts)
- #music (398.6M posts)
- #ootd (396.2M posts)
- #makeup (368.7M posts)
- #likeforlike (360.1M posts)
- #likeforlikes (349.9M posts)
- #model (336.2M posts)
- #dog (333.1M posts)
- #design (310.4M posts)
- #follow4follow (300M posts)
- #amazing (300.5M posts)
- #lifestyle (305.3M posts)
- #motivation (305.5M posts)
- #sunset (299.5M posts)
- #igers (294.9M posts)
- #explore (318.1M posts)
- #handmade (299.8M posts)
- #nofilter (286.8M posts)
- #beach (282.1M posts)
- #foodporn (279.9M posts)
- #instamood (269.1M posts)
- #sun (266.2M posts)
- #artist (271.1M posts)
- #dogsofinstagram (297.9M posts)
- #일상 (260.7M posts)
- #cat (259.1M posts)
- #drawing (256.2M posts)
- #sky (251.1M posts)
- #followforfollow (246.3M posts)
- #f4f (245.7M posts)
- #l4l (242.6M posts)
- #hair (236.2M posts)
- #flowers (233.3M posts)
- #followforfollowback (239.2M posts)
- #funny (230.9M posts)
- #gym (227.1M posts)
- #moda (228M posts)
- #photographer (225M posts)
- #likeforfollow (222.6M posts)
- #tagsforlikes (217.9M posts)
- #wedding (223.3M posts)
- #bestoftheday (215.4M posts)
- #baby (217.7M posts)
- #memes (219.7M posts)
- #inspiration (218.4M posts)
- #instafood (215.6M posts)
- #vsco (206M posts)
- #foodie (209.3M posts)
- #vscocam (203M posts)
- #instapic (203M posts)
- #girls (201.5M posts)
- #workout (197.9M posts)
- #pretty (189.7M posts)
- #yummy (187.2M posts)
- #home (187.9M posts)
- #fit (185.1M posts)
- #party (182.7M posts)
- #lol (180.5M posts)
- #healthy (181.6M posts)
- #naturephotography (186.4M posts)
- #nails (185.5M posts)
- #illustration (183.6M posts)
- #landscape (179.4M posts)
- #blackandwhite (177.1M posts)
- #catsofinstagram (177.7M posts)
- #cool (173.9M posts)
- #puppy (176.1M posts)
- #night (144.4M posts)
- #catsofinstagram (177.7M posts)
- #nails (185.5M posts)
- #tattoo (165.3M posts)
- #happiness (162.6M posts)
- #instafashion (169.2M posts)
- #work (144.1M posts)
- #architecture (161.8M posts)
- #japan (153.7M posts)
- #weekend (148.7M posts)
Emerging Hashtags
If you can get ahead of the pack and identify emerging hashtags before they go mainstream, you can seriously leverage increased exposure on the uptick. Having a clear understanding of current social media trends is also important.
Below are some of the emerging Instagram hashtags in 2022, per a recent Hubspot report. Are there any others you can think of that could be about to become viral on Instagram?
- #brandpartnerships
- #tiktokcreator
- #reelstrends
- #2022trends
- #2022predictions
- #igreelstips
- #viraltrends
- #genzmarketing
- #2022goals
- #2022socialgoals
- #thatgirl
- #trendingsound
- #engagementtips
- #instagramnews
- #2022calendar
Popular Instagram Hashtags You Should Stop Using
It’s also essential to cease using over-saturated hashtags as they are unlikely to be effective in increasing your Instagram posts’ reach and engagement levels. Below are some examples that Hubspot identified.
- #adulting
- #beautyblogger
- #dm
- #humpday
- #iphonegraphy
- #mustfollow
- #killingit
- #desk
- #mirrorphoto
- #instasport
- #direct
- #always
- #snapchat
- #workflow
- #kickoff
- #brain
- #tag4like
- #thought
Hashtag Best Practice on Instagram
Let us take a look at some of the commonly asked questions about using hashtags on Instagram.
What is the Maximum Number of Hashtags I can use on an Instagram Post?
The maximum number of hashtags you can use on an Instagram post is 30. While this is the maximum, Instagram recommends users include no more than three to five hashtags per post.
Do I add hashtags to every Instagram post?
Yes! This is a free way to get your post more exposure. Aim to use hashtags that are as specific to your niche as possible, as it will make it more likely that a relevant audience will see your post.
Should I use the same hashtags for every Instagram post?
No. Instagram’s algorithm may penalise you for always using the same hashtags. Try rotating your hashtags or coming up with subtle variations even if the posts are very similar.
Can I put hashtags in the comments instead of the main post?
Yes you can! It is a great way not to clutter your post, and the best part is Instagram does not distinguish between comment hashtags and those in your main post.
Can I hide hashtags in the caption?
If you don’t want to move your hashtags to the comments section, you can hide the hashtags in the caption b writing a caption that’s more than three lines long or adding 5 line breaks with a punctuation mark. You may see this in some posts where there are five dots underneath each other to separate the post content and the hashtags.
Popular Instagram Hashtags in 2022
Here are the most popular Instagram hashtags for 2022 so far.
- #love
- #instagood
- #fashion
- #photooftheday
- #art
- #beautiful
- #photography
- #follow
- #happy
- #cute
- #nature
- #tbt
- #followme
- #travel
- #style
- #repost
- #instadaily
- #summer
- #selfie
- #fitness
- #beauty
- #food
- #fun
- #likeforlike
Popular Trending Instagram Hashtags
- #life
- #music
- #amazing
- #nofilter
- #sunset
- #motivation
- #instamood
- #foodporn
- #handmade
- #dogsofinstagram
- #bestoftheday
- #instafood
- #explore
- #memes
- #followforfollowback
- #tweegram
- #instagramthumb
- #quarantine
- #BlackLivesMatter
- #newmusic
- #whatiwore
- #workinprogress
- #space
- #technology
- #engaged
- #travelbug
- #life
Popular B2B Instagram Hashtags (Business to Business)
- #business
- #entrepreneur
- #success
- #onlineshop
- #smallbusiness
- #marketing
- #branding
- #digital
- #marketingdigital
- #innovation
- #ecommerce
- #onlinemarketing
- #retail
- #contentmarketing
- #marketingstrategy
- #software
- #inboundsales
- #b2bmarketing
- #b2bevents
- #b2bmarketplace
- #b2bleadgeneration
- #b2bsales
- #b2bbusiness
- #b2bleads
- #b2bemailmarketing
- #marketingtips
- #marketingstrategy
- #startups
- #management
- #businesstips
- #instagramforbusiness
- #instagramstrategies
Popular B2C Instagram Hashtags (Business to Consumer)
- #b2c
- #b2cmarketing
- #b2csales
- #onlineshopping
- #smallbusiness
- #online
- #training
- #business
- #marketing
- #marketingdigital
- #socialmedia
- #startup
- #digitalmarketing
- #sales
- #socialmediamarketing
- #advertising
- #networking
- #ecommerce
- #onlinebusiness
- #onlinemarketing
- #smallbiz
- #startuplife
- #company
- #contentmarketing
- #socialmediatips
- #instahacks
- #ugc
- #acolorstory
Tips on How to Use Hashtags on Instagram for your Business
- Keep your Instagram hashtags organised.
- Figure out the magic number that works for your Instagram account or the Instagram account you are managing
- Narrow your hashtags down to a specific niche, category or location
- Research what other people are hashtagging, such as your competition
- Test out related hashtags to see which ones generate more engagement
- Follow your own hashtag to get regular inspiration
- Create a brand campaign hashtag if you are trying to build your business brand or the brand of a client
Use Hashtags on Instagram to Grow Your Business
There is a lot to consider when trying to identify the best hashtags to use on Instagram for your post. If you wanted learn more about Twitter hashtags to use each day of the week we have written an article on this as well.
Why not leave it to the team at Chatter Digital to do all the hard work for you? Sign up for one of our content plans for bespoke post designs, captions and hashtag sets.
