The evolving role of hashtags

Are hashtags dead? Here’s what you need to know.

Social media is an ever-changing landscape. The minute you learn something, adopt it and get good at it, the platforms change — the game of being seen, visible and potentially reaching a wider audience is reimagined. One of the biggest shifts in recent social media is the evolving role of hashtags. Hashtags have been integral to connecting with audiences, but changes on platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn suggest a new direction.

As of December 13, 2024, Instagram is discontinuing its hashtag-following feature, and LinkedIn is removing hashtags from profile introductions to simplify the user experience, although they remain functional in posts. So, what’s happening with hashtags, and how will social media users (and brands) need to adapt?

The Original Purpose of Hashtags

Hashtags were first introduced to social media platforms as a way to organize and categorize content. They function like a keyword or label, making it easier for users to find posts related to specific topics. 

For example, if you wanted to follow posts about fitness, you would search for #fitness, which would show you all posts tagged with that term. Hashtags helped create communities, trends and easier discoverability, both for users and brands looking to engage a wider audience.

Why Are Hashtags Falling Out of Favor?

Hashtags were once seen as a crucial tool for reaching new audiences, but they have become less effective for several reasons:

1. Overuse & Spammy Practices: Hashtags became so overused that many posts felt like spam. This led to a decrease in user engagement as people grew tired of seeing the same hashtags repeated constantly.
2. Algorithm Evolution: Social media algorithms have become smarter. Instagram’s Explore page, for example, now relies more on AI to suggest posts based on engagement and user interest, rather than on the hashtags used in a post. This has lessened the need for hashtags to reach broader audiences.
3. Cluttered Feeds: As more and more users adopted hashtags, feeds became overcrowded with content that wasn’t necessarily relevant, diminishing their impact.
4. Platform Shifts: As platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn tweak their features, the way hashtags function is evolving, with platforms de-prioritizing them in favor of other engagement mechanisms, like suggestions based on behavior or content engagement.

What Will Replace Hashtags?

While hashtags are fading on some platforms, others are still embracing them. So what’s replacing hashtags in the social media ecosystem?

1. Improved Algorithms: Social media platforms are investing in more advanced algorithms that analyze and understand the content of posts beyond just hashtags. Instagram and TikTok, for example, focus heavily on AI-driven content discovery based on user behavior, interests and interactions, instead of relying solely on hashtags.
2. Increased Emphasis on Captions & Descriptions: Platforms are encouraging users to write clearer, more descriptive captions, allowing their content to be discovered based on context and relevance rather than just keywords.
3. Social Listening & Trending Topics: Instead of relying on hashtags to track trends, platforms like X and Facebook now use sophisticated systems to suggest trending topics based on real-time engagement and the collective conversation.

Platforms That Still Use Hashtags

While some platforms have shifted away from the heavy use of hashtags, others continue to rely on them for content discovery and engagement:

• X (formerly Twitter): Hashtags remain crucial for curating trends and finding real-time conversations on X. They are still widely used to track discussions and topics of interest in a fast-paced environment.
• TikTok: TikTok continues to rely heavily on hashtags for content discovery and trend tracking. Hashtags help users find videos related to their interests. TikTok hashtag guidelines recommend around 3-5 relevant hashtags per video. Focus on a mix of trending and niche hashtags specific to your content. 
• Pinterest: Hashtags are still utilized on Pinterest to categorize content and improve discoverability, particularly within niche topics. They help users navigate and explore specific areas of interest, although Pinterest’s focus on algorithmic content curation also plays a role in content visibility. 
• YouTube: Hashtags help categorize your videos, improve discoverability and assist YouTube in understanding your video’s content — without the need for playlists. It’s recommended to use up to 15 hashtags per video, ensuring they comply with YouTube’s Community Guidelines. 

Key Points for Using Hashtags Effectively

Even as hashtags decline in relevance on some platforms, there are still ways to use them effectively when the situation calls for it:

1. Relevancy is Key: Choose hashtags that are directly related to your content and audience. Generic, overly popular hashtags won’t get you as far as specific, niche hashtags that target the right community.
2. Consistency is Crucial: Use hashtags consistently across your posts, but don’t overdo it. Quality over quantity is essential. Unless you’re posting on YouTube, avoid using more than 8 hashtags in a single post, as it can appear spammy and take away from your content’s impact.
3. Research the Right Hashtags: Use tools or platforms like Instagram’s hashtag search, RiteTag, or Hashtagify to find popular and effective hashtags relevant to your niche. Monitor their effectiveness over time to adjust your strategy.
4. Test, Learn and Adapt: Pay attention to your engagement analytics and see which hashtags are driving traffic. Keep experimenting to see which ones work best for your brand or content.

Hashtags may not be the powerful tool they once were, but they still hold value, especially on platforms like X and TikTok. As Instagram and LinkedIn evolve, the best way to stay relevant is to adapt to the new ways content is discovered and engage with your audience through meaningful captions, targeted descriptions and leveraging emerging trends. Focus on quality content, engage with your audience and stay consistent with your strategy.

Social media is always evolving, and by staying ahead of the curve, you can create content that truly connects with your audience. Ready to elevate your brand’s social presence? Let’s make it happen!  Contact us today.