Are you struggling to get noticed on Instagram? Do you find it challenging to attract new followers and increase your engagement? If so, you’re not alone. Instagram is a crowded platform, and standing out can be tough. However, with the right strategy, it’s possible to unlock the full potential of Instagram and reach a wider audience.
One of the most effective ways to increase your visibility on Instagram is by using hashtags. Hashtags are an essential part of Instagram, and they play a crucial role in helping users discover new content.
In this article, we’ll share with you 7 tips to discover some of the best Instagram hashtags so you can come up with your own Instagram hashtag strategy.
Why Hashtags Matter on Instagram
Adam Mosseri, the Head of Instagram since October 2018 declared back in 2025 that hashtags didn’t matter anymore. However, at Growth Hackers, we did our own tests and research and confirm that they still work like a charm.
Hashtags are essential for the relevancy of Instagram as they help in organizing and categorizing content. When users search for a particular hashtag, they are presented with all the posts that have been tagged with that specific hashtag. This makes it easier for users to find content related to their interests.
For businesses, hashtags are an effective way to increase their reach and visibility. By using relevant hashtags, businesses can increase their chances of being discovered by potential customers.
Using the right hashtags has become an integral part of this social media culture. By using them, you can increase the visibility of your Instagram posts and reach a wider audience. Hashtags are essentially keywords that users can search for to find posts related to a particular topic.
They can be generic, such as #food, or specific, like #veganfoodie. When you use hashtags in your posts, Instagram algorithms categorize them by content and display them in search results, making it easier for users to find and engage with your content.
However, it’s important to note that not all hashtags are created equal. Some hashtags may have a high search volume, but they may also have high competition among users. This means that your content may get lost in the sea of other posts using the same hashtag.
On the other hand, using niche-specific hashtags can help you target a more engaged audience, resulting in higher engagement rates and more loyal followers. At Growth Hackers, we helped a consumer brand refine its Instagram hashtag strategy using a mix of niche and discovery tags, increasing post reach and engagement by 44% within 10 weeks through improved content discoverability.
Viral Hashtags Boost Your Reach
Viral hashtags can help your posts reach a wider audience and increase your visibility on the platform. When a hashtag goes viral, it means that it’s being shared and used by a large number of users, resulting in a high search volume and increased engagement rates.
By using viral hashtags, you can tap into the power of social proof and leverage the popularity of a particular trend or topic to boost your content. At Growth Hackers, we treated viral hashtags like riding a moving wave of attention, and by strategically aligning content with trending topics for one of the fashion brands we partnered with, we increased audience exposure significantly.
In addition to increasing reach and visibility, viral hashtags popular among niches can also be used to create brand awareness and promote a specific campaign or event. For instance, businesses can create a unique hashtag for their brand or a campaign and encourage their followers to use it when posting about their products or services. This not only helps in creating brand awareness but also allows businesses to track their campaign’s success.
One way to identify viral hashtags is to keep an eye on the Explore page. Instagram’s Explore page displays popular posts and hashtags based on your interests and activity on the platform. By regularly checking the Explore page, you can identify trending hashtags and incorporate them into your posts.
Another way to discover viral hashtags is to participate in Instagram challenges. Challenges are popular on Instagram and involve users creating posts around a specific theme or topic. By participating in challenges and using the associated hashtags, you can tap into the momentum of a viral trend and increase your reach.
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Understanding the 5 Different Types of Hashtags
Now that we understand why hashtags are important, let’s take a look at the different types of hashtags. There are three main types of hashtags on Instagram: branded hashtags, community hashtags, and trending hashtags; some more types as detailed below.
1. Branded Hashtags
Branded hashtags are the hashtags created by brands to promote their products or services. These hashtags help to create awareness, promote brand loyalty, and encourage user-generated content. For instance, Nike uses the hashtag #justdoit and encourages its followers to use this in their posts to create a sense of community among its followers.
2. Community Hashtags
Community hashtags are the hashtags used by groups of people who share a common interest. These hashtags are not associated with any brand or business. They are used to showcase a shared interest and create a sense of community among the users. For example, #foodie, #travelgram, and #bookstagram are a few of the many community hashtags on Instagram.
3. Product/Service Hashtags
Product/Service hashtags are specific keywords or phrases used to describe a product or service. These hashtags help the users to discover the products/services they are searching for. Brands use these hashtags to make their products more discoverable and, in turn, increase their sales. For example, if you search for #lipstick on Instagram, you’ll find several brands using this hashtag to promote their lipstick products.
4. Campaign Hashtags
Campaign hashtags are temporary hashtags that are created for a specific marketing campaign. These hashtags are used to track the campaign’s success and to encourage the users to participate in the campaign. Brands often use these hashtags while conducting giveaways or contests to encourage users to participate and share their posts using these hashtags. For instance, Coca-Cola used the hashtag #ShareACoke during its marketing campaign to encourage people to purchase their soda cans.
5. Trending Hashtags
Trending hashtags are the most popular hashtags used on the platform at a given time. These hashtags can change frequently, depending on the current trends. Brands tap into these hashtags to make their content more relevant and increase their visibility.
Using these hashtags helps brands to reach a broader audience, and it can often lead to their posts going viral. At Growth Hackers, we worked with a beauty brand struggling to stay relevant on Instagram, and after building a system to leverage trending hashtags consistently, they improved engagement and achieved faster follower growth.
7 Tips on How to Find Viral Hashtags For Instagram
Here are seven tips to help come up with a strategy to up your Instagram game:
1. Creating your Own Branded Hashtag
Branded hashtags are hashtags that are unique to your brand or business. By creating a branded hashtag, you can increase brand awareness and encourage user-generated content. Branded hashtags can be used for specific campaigns or events, or they can be used as general hashtags for your brand.
To create a branded hashtag, start by brainstorming ideas that are unique to your brand or business. Your branded hashtag should be memorable, easy to spell, and relevant to your brand. You can also incorporate your brand name or tagline into your hashtag.
Once you’ve created your branded hashtag, promote it on your social media channels and encourage your followers to use it. You can also use your branded hashtag in your content to increase its visibility and encourage others to use it.
2. Using Trending and Popular Hashtags
While it’s important to use relevant hashtags appropriate to your niche, using the most trending and popular Instagram hashtags can also help increase your visibility. Trending Instagram hashtags are a great way to join conversations and events happening in real time. For example, if it’s Halloween, using hashtags like #Halloween or #trickortreat can attract new followers who are interested in Halloween content.
Popular hashtags, on the other hand, are hashtags that have a high volume of posts. Using popular hashtags can help your content get discovered by users who are searching for those hashtags. However, it’s important to use popular hashtags sparingly, as your content can easily get lost in the sea of posts.
3. Engaging With Hashtag Communities
Hashtags are not only a way to get your content discovered, but they’re also a way to engage with communities on Instagram. By actively participating in these communities, you can keep up with the latest trending topics and popular hashtags. This not only helps you discover new hashtags to use in your Instagram posts but also allows you to build relationships with other users in your niche.
More importantly, by using the right hashtags, you increase your chances of reaching new audiences and expanding your Instagram presence. So, if you’re looking to take your social media game to the next level, consider engaging with hashtag communities to find viral hashtags for Instagram.
4. The Power of Influencer Marketing and Collaborations
Influencer marketing has become a popular way for brands to reach a wider audience and increase their visibility on Instagram. By collaborating with influencers in your industry, you can tap into their audience and increase your reach. At Growth Hackers, a lifestyle brand we assisted relied solely on organic posting with limited reach, but after integrating influencer partnerships into their strategy, they improved brand exposure and increased engagement.
To find influencers to collaborate with, start by researching your industry or niche. Look for influencers who have a large following and a high engagement rate. You can also use third-party tools to identify influencers who are relevant to your brand.
Once you’ve identified potential influencers, reach out to them with a collaboration proposal. This can include sponsored posts, product reviews, or giveaways. By collaborating with influencers, you can tap into their audience and increase your reach on the platform.
5. Using a Large Number of Hashtags
When it comes to the number of hashtags you should use, there’s no magic number. Some people recommend a high hashtag usage, even up to 30. The key is to find a number that works for you and your content. Just remember, more isn’t always better. You don’t want to spam your caption with irrelevant hashtags just for the sake of using more.
By using many relevant and related hashtags, you can increase your visibility, attract the right audience, and ultimately get your posts noticed. An adequate amount of research and brainstorming of some branded hashtags can be done to take your Instagram game to the next level.
6. Tracking and Analyzing your Hashtag Performance
Once you have used hashtags in your posts, it is time to track their performance. Instagram provides insights into the reach and engagement of your posts, including the performance of your hashtags. To access insights, navigate to the post you want to analyze and click on the “View Insights” button.
You can view the number of impressions, reach, and engagement for each hashtag used in the post. At Growth Hackers, we helped an e-commerce store implement a structured hashtag analytics process on Instagram, improving post reach and engagement by continuously optimizing based on performance data.
Analyzing the data to understand which hashtags are performing well and driving engagement is crucial. Look for patterns in the data, such as which hashtags are driving the most impressions or engagement rates. Also, keep an eye out for any new trends or popular hashtags that are emerging in your niche.
Based on your analysis, you can adjust your hashtag strategy accordingly. For example, if you notice that a particular hashtag is driving high engagement rates, you can use it more frequently in your posts. Conversely, if you notice that a hashtag is not performing well, you can replace it with a more relevant or popular one.
7. Researching Hashtags for your Niche
Niche hashtags are hashtags that are specific to your industry or niche. By using these hashtags, you can target a more engaged audience that is interested in your content. For example, if you’re a vegan food blogger, using hashtags like #veganfoodie or #plantbasedrecipes can help you reach a more targeted audience of users who are interested in veganism and plant-based eating.
To identify niche-specific hashtags, start by researching your industry or niche. Look for hashtags that are commonly used by influencers and brands in your industry. You can also use third-party tools to identify the most popular Instagram hashtags among your target audience. By using niche-specific hashtags in your posts, you can increase your visibility to a more engaged audience and increase your engagement rates.
At Growth Hackers, we worked with a skincare brand that was using overly generic hashtags, and after shifting to niche-specific hashtag research (e.g. #SkincareTips, #SkinRejuvenation…), they improved audience relevance and increased engagement.
Start using viral hashtags for Instagram today and watch your engagement skyrocket!
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3 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using Hashtags
While hashtags can be a powerful tool on Instagram, there are also common mistakes to avoid. One mistake is using hashtags that are not relevant to your content. This can lead to you attracting the wrong audience and ultimately hurt your engagement. Another mistake is using too many hashtags in one post. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but too many can make your post look spammy.
1. Overusing Irrelevant Hashtags
One of the most common mistakes people make when using hashtags on Instagram is overusing irrelevant ones. While it may be tempting to use as many hashtags as possible to increase your reach, using a bunch of random, unrelated hashtags will do more harm than good. Not only will your post look spammy and unprofessional, but it will also attract the wrong audience.
2. Using Banned or Flagged Hashtags
Another common mistake people make when using hashtags on Instagram is using banned or flagged hashtags. Instagram has a strict policy on what types of content can be shared on its platform, and using certain hashtags can get your post flagged or even removed.
3. Not Researching Hashtags Before Using Them
One of the biggest mistakes people make when using hashtags on Instagram is not researching them before using them. While it may be more convenient to use the same hashtags over and over again, this can limit your reach and engagement. By not researching new hashtags, you’re missing out on potential opportunities to reach a wider audience and connect with new followers.
3 Tools to Help With Hashtag Research and Tracking
To make the process of researching and tracking hashtags easier, there are several tools available. Here are a few to consider:
- Hashtagify: This tool allows you to search for hashtags related to a specific keyword and see their popularity and engagement rate.
- Hootsuite: In addition to its scheduling and analytics features, Hootsuite also has a hashtag tracking feature that allows you to monitor the performance of specific hashtags.
- Sprout Social: This tool offers hashtag analytics and tracking, as well as a keyword listening feature that allows you to monitor mentions of your brand or industry on social media.
Final Thoughts on Finding Viral Hashtags for Instagram
Hashtags are a powerful tool to help increase your visibility and engagement on Instagram. By understanding the different types of hashtags, researching hashtags for your niche, and creating your own branded hashtag, you can attract new followers and build a loyal community on Instagram.
Using trending and popular hashtags, engaging with hashtag communities, and tracking your hashtag performance can help you refine your hashtag strategy and take your Instagram post game to the next level. So, start using hashtags today and unlock the full power of Instagram!
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Our commitment to quality will ensure that your online business receives unparalleled support and guidance every step of the way. So, get started with Growth Hackers today.
