How to find the best hashtags for social media

In many ways, social posts are like sandwiches. They’re easy to make and can be tailored just the way you like them.

Some can be rather simple and plain-Jane, while others are multi-layered and absolutely jam-packed with fillings.

While the ‘perfect sandwich’ varies from person to person, we can all agree that it requires some key elements: the delicious topping (the image), the gorgeous bread (the caption or description) and the side plate of chips or crisps that come with it (the comments).

But this leaves us with a rather dry and uninspiring sandwich. That’s where hashtags come in, which represent the ‘secret sauce’ that can enhance your posts and attract an even bigger audience.

Finding the right sauce, however, can be challenging.

Without enough of it, there’s barely any flavour to your post. Add too much and you’ll dilute its message, leaving people with a bad taste.

So, how do you find the right balance?

Well, roll up your sleeves and don your apron as we’ll be exploring the best places to find hashtags for Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, and how you can use them to get people coming back to your channel time and time again.

After all, the best sandwiches leave you wanting more.

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How to find the best hashtags for social media — Photo by Walls.io on Unsplash

What are TikTok hashtags?

TikTok hashtags are, essentially, keywords or phrases that start with the number sign (#).

They can be as simple as ‘#food’ or more specific like ‘#BlackFridaySale’.

You can even include numbers, although spaces and special characters like $ or % aren’t usually allowed.

It doesn’t cost anything to make your own hashtag either, so feel free to create your own branded hashtags like ‘#BristolButcher’ or ‘#MadMancunian’.

Avoid relying purely on convoluted or niche hashtags though or else your social media posts may lay undiscovered..

Try not to include any irrelevant hashtags either, just for the sake of maximum coverage, as anyone searching for that content might not appreciate having their time wasted.

How do hashtags work on Instagram?

Instagram, much like every social media site, uses hashtags to categorise posts into different topics and subjects.

Without them, it’d be a lot harder for people to find anything as most posts would be lumped together into one amorphous mess.

There are two ways for you to find and sort posts based on their respective hashtag.

The first method just involves opening any of your Instagram reels or stories, where on each one you’ll see a list of hashtags within the description or on its first comment.

Select one of these tags and you’ll be shown every post that uses this term, allowing you to easily find related content.

Alternatively, you can enter a term into its search function, which will give you a list of relevant hashtags, the the amount of posts they’re featured in as well as any similar tags.

Clicking any of these options will, again, take you to a list of posts that feature this hashtag.

Sadly, there’s no way to filter or narrow this down, so you’ll have to scroll through this long list to find any suitable posts.

Don’t let this discourage you though, as adding relevant hashtags to your content can make a huge difference.

What are the benefits of using hashtags on Instagram?

When you use hashtags in your Instagram posts, you’ll improve its chances of being discovered by your target audience, which will subsequently help you build an online following.

In fact, statistics have shown that hashtags can increase engagement by around 50% for businesses and up to 100% for individuals, giving them an excellent form of digital marketing that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Sure, you might not have the same power or leverage as household names like Coca-Cola or Nike, but that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from branded hashtags.

For example, let’s say you run a business selling toilet paper. You could brand your posts with something like ‘#ToiletThoughts’ or ‘#PrivyPhilosophies’ and invite people to share the best ideas or insights they’ve had whilst sat on the loo, however unconventional or unpopular they may be.

You could even offer prizes, discounts or freebies to the responses with the most likes. Some of the most popular Instagram hashtags revolve around user-generated content like this, so use your creativity to come up with some compelling ideas that people are likely to repost.

That’s not the only advantage they offer either. Much like with SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, researching the best Instagram hashtags can give you more content ideas and help you better understand what your core audience enjoys.

What’s more, by tying any important hashtags into your offline marketing campaigns, you’ll present a cohesive, unified front to customers that makes you look the part.

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How many hashtags should I use in each post?

You might think that you should cram in as many hashtags as possible, with at least 20 to 30 minimum.

That way, the algorithm gods are bound to throw you a bone, right?

Well, no… not really, as it looks spammy and might put people off.

In fact, most marketing experts agree that – for Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter – you should only use 1 or 2 hashtags in each post, while Instagram and TikTok posts should feature 3-5 hashtags.

With such a tight limit, it can be tough deciding which ones to go for.

While you could just use the most popular tags, your post might end up being lost in a sea of content.

For best results, we recommend using a handful of niche hashtags that have around 100,000 results, since they have less competition, along with one or two popular keywords that have 1+ million results. That way, you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds.

Of course,, there’s nothing wrong with changing the number of hashtags you use every so often.

You could use 10-15 niche hashtags for one post, followed by six popular and six new hashtags for another post, and then compare the two to see which one garners better results.

Whichever marketing strategy you go for, you might be wondering: with so many hashtags to choose from, which ones are the best?

Well, one good place to start is with a hashtag generator tool.

What is a hashtag generator tool?

This is an AI-powered service that will provide you with a list of appropriate hashtags.

Simply enter a keyword, topic or even your entire post and, within a few moments, it’ll provide you with several suggestions.

If you’re stumped for ideas or want to try something different, this is an incredibly effective way of collating important keywords.

While some generator tools are free, others require a paid subscription.

If you need a quick solution, Hootsuite and Ahrefs both offer a free online generator but if you’re after something more comprehensive, then consider trying Hashtagify or Tailwind – both of which come with free plans.

Failing that, you could always check which hashtags are trending across each social media platform and tailor your posts accordingly. You don’t have to look too far either.

The best place to start is on their ‘Trend Discovery’ page, as this will show you the latest trending hashtags, songs, creators and videos in each country.

You should also check the ‘For You’ page, where you’ll find content that’s similar to yours. Even if they don’t reflect your usual videos, it’s worth gleaning the hashtags they use to see how you can incorporate them into your posts.

One form of content that’s particularly popular on TikTok is #challenges.

If you can find any that relate to your services, it’s worth attempting them to help show off your fun side and your proficiency at your job.

Of course, your videos will need to be fast-paced and entertaining if you want to make a lasting impact, or else people will just move on. Think about what kind of person would want to watch your content and define them with those hashtags.

How to find the best hashtags to use in YouTube Shorts?

While you could use the previously mentioned hashtag generator, YouTube’s Trending page is another excellent place to find suitable hashtags.

Here you’ll see all the latest videos going viral – find one that’s related to your type of content, see what hashtags they use and then try to use them for your videos.

Be sure to check the hashtags your competitors are using and whether you can emulate them.

After all, success is best when it’s shared!

As with Instagram, you can also use their built-in search function. Simply enter #, followed by a suitable keyword and YouTube will generate hashtags that people typically look for.

While the best ones will vary, depending on your industry, here are some popular options that are generally suitable for any channel:

#shorts
#youtubeShorts
#viral
#quicktips
#discover
#viralshorts
#reels
#trending
#shortsfunny
#foryou

Whether you employ hashtags in your video title or description, however, is up to you.

Personally, we prefer using them in the description as it makes your video look cleaner, plus any hashtags in the title will override those in the description.

Above all though, be sure to use a striking thumbnail for your shorts as this will help pique people’s interest and compel them to watch your video.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of social media, pinning down the top hashtags can be difficult, especially when more than 120 million of them are posted on X every day.

Fortunately, there are several places you can visit to get a good start.

One of the most obvious choices is X’s ‘Trending’’ page, which lists the most popular hashtags that are relevant to your account.

Another excellent option is their Explore page, where you’ll see popular images and videos as well as viral tweets that you can glean information from.

Alternatively, you can use third-party analytics tools like Trend 24, which offers a broad summary of the best hashtags across each country, each week.

Capitalising on trending hashtags is undoubtedly the surest way of growing your online following as it allows you to express your sense of humour or shrewd pragmatism on topical matters, while simultaneously promoting your services.

However, since this list changes every day – depending on the week’s events – it’s worth checking these pages often to see how you can tailor your posts accordingly and boost the level of engagement your channel receives.

Speaking of which…

What are the top 10 hashtags for increasing engagement on Instagram?

Although there isn’t a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach for every account, here are a few useful hashtags to help more people discover you:

#instagood
#photography
#explore
#picoftheday
#smallbusiness
#behindthescenes
#like4like
#petsofinstagram
#foodporn
#shopsmall

To help you reach your target audience, be sure to sprinkle in hashtags that relate to your services.

For example, if you run an Italian bistro, you could use terms like ‘#coffeelovers’, ‘#mealsoftheweek’ or ‘#MoltoBene’.

You should also include the city or town you’re based in, with something like ‘#LondonRestaurants’, so that local customers can easily track you down.

However, nothing boosts engagement than replying to commenters as you’ll get the perfect idea seeing what kind of content does and doesn’t work.

Not only can this help shape your social media strategy, but it also provides you with certain keywords that you could use as future hashtags. Win-win!

What are the top 10 best hashtags for Instagram growth?

Everyone wants to rank higher on social media, but not everyone is given the opportunity.

Fortunately, the right hashtag can make all the difference. While this does depend on your industry and the content of your posts, here are some of the best Instagram hashtags that you should bear in mind:

#instadaily
#faq
#travel
#selfie
#ootd (meaning outfit of the day)
#tbt (meaning Throwback Thursday)
#followme
#style
#life
#foodie

If you can use these popular terms along with specific hashtags that relate to your services, you’re bound to gain some traction that will, in turn, increase your chances of being discovered.

You could even combine the two! For example, if you run a garden landscape business, you could use ‘#gardening’, ‘#faq’ and ‘#GardeningFAQ’ for a post that answers the most common questions your customers or followers have.

As we’ve already mentioned though, try to use a mix of high and medium-value hashtags in your posts to help them stand out.

It’s also worth changing your hashtag strategy from time to time to see if that makes a difference – whether that’s having three very different hashtags in your title or using five to eight similar tags in your description.

If there’s one thing influencers love showing off, it’s their day-to-day attire. With that in mind, here are some of the best fashion-related hashtags:

#fashion
#love
#shopping
#style
#outfit
#lookoftheday
#instalike
#photooftheday

Since these terms are quite general, it’s worth adding niche hashtags that give your posts some much-needed flair. For instance, if you provide luxury, tailor-made suits, you could use tags like ‘#Suited&Booted’ or ‘#SuitsYouSir’. You could even include your location, with something like ‘#LondonSuits’, to attract local customers.

Summing up

Now that you know where to find the best hashtags, it’s up to you to decide how to use them. Ultimately, you’ll find the perfect template as you develop your channel and post more and more content.

Try not to get disheartened if you don’t succeed immediately though as social media is very much a long-term game.

Keep experimenting and adapting to see what does or doesn’t work, all whilst combining your hashtags with engaging content, captivating images and an appropriate tone of voice.

With enough patience and perseverance, you’ll amass a dedicated online following that can help you cut through the noise.