About 4 months ago, we were talking about how TikTok limited hashtags to 5 per post and how many platforms are slowly but steadily reducing their use or even advising against them.
And now, for no one’s surprise, Instagram has joined the party: the platform is imposing a new limit on the number of hashtags per post, reducing it from 30 to just 3-5.
Leaving aside the fact that Meta LOVES to replicate (let’s just say replicate, but you and I know what I mean) what other platforms do, this is not an isolated thing, but we are still far from the end of hashtags.
Instagram Hashtag Limits Over Time
Until recently (and potentially for a couple of days more, as the change in limits is not magically immediate but rolled out slowly), you could add up to 30 hashtags to any Instagram post, with the litle quirk that, if you added more the amount allowed, instead of getting a warning letting you know, your whole caption will be deleted upon posting (how I hated when that happened!).
And hey! Having a 30 hashtag limit did not mean you HAD to add 30 hashtags, of course, but some people did take it really seriously and added as many as they could to “improve their reach.”
And then the day came. Hashtags stopped being as relevant.
Starting in 2022, there have been several instances in which Adam Mosseri, Instagram CEO, has stated that hashtags are no longer an effective tool for boosting reach:
- During Spring 2022, Mosseri first asserted that hashtags don’t really matter, and users should aim to use no more than 3-5 per post.
- In an Instagram Q&A in May of 2024, Mosseri stated that hashtags “are no longer a primary way to increase your reach on Instagram. They don’t significantly increase your reach on Instagram, contrary to popular belief.”
- And, of course, this year Mosseri reiterated that hashtags no longer drive reach, and that the algorithm now focuses more on keywords.
The algorithms have evolved, and now they focus on analyzing content through keywords, bios, and genuine engagement. While hashtags are not entirely dead, as they are still a way to help categorize content and slightly assist the algorithm in connecting with the right audience, they are not the primary growth driver they once were.
What the Reduced Instagram Hashtag Limits Really Mean
For everyday users and small businesses, this change won’t be as dramatic as it sounds. Being completely honest with yourself, when was the last time you ACTUALLY used the 30 hashtags? Probably never… right? Most creators weren’t using 30 hashtags anyway, and those who were will likely see no drop in performance from cutting down to something more reasonable.
What will matter is how you adapt.
Instagram tightening its hashtag limit is essentially a polite nudge from the platform, asking you to focus on what actually moves the needle now (and no, we are not talking about brainrot and 6-7).
What Should You Focus On?
Well, for starters, focus on creating content, LOL! If you have no content to show, no optimization will help your reach. Now, assuming that you have content to show, what you need is a strategy:
1. Keyword Optimization Is the New Hashtag Strategy
Instagram search is now more like a mini-Google than ever. The algorithm scans:
- Your captions
- Your on-screen text
- Your audio transcripts
- Your profile bio
- Your alt text
This is where discoverability really happens.
If you’re a mortgage broker, a fitness coach, or a small business owner, the words you actually say and write matter more than the list of tags at the end of your post. So instead of 20 hashtags, think:
- Are you writing captions using the language your audience searches for?
- Are you including keywords naturally in the first 1–2 lines?
- Does your bio clearly communicate who you are and what you do?
- If not, start there.
2. Genuine Community Engagement Beats Any Hashtag List
The modern Instagram algorithm is obsessed with signals of real connection. Not fake engagement. Not engagement pods. Not bots. Real interactions (comments, shares, saves, DMs, profile views) now outweigh legacy signals like follows and likes. Meaning:
- Reply to comments quickly
- Ask questions that spark real conversation
- Share your behind-the-scenes
- Show your face (yes, even if you hate it!)
- Participate in the platform instead of just posting and ghosting
Hashtags don’t build community. You do.
3. Review, Improve, Repeat
It is not about posting more, but about learning from what you post, its performance, and adjusting your strategy accordingly. Look at:
- What gets shared
- What gets saved
- What gets people talking
- What drives profile visits
- What leads to website clicks or inquiries
One post can teach you more than a month of guessing. Use your analytics as your compass, not your feelings.
4. Create Quality Content the Algorithm Can Understand
Instagram’s AI prioritizes understandable content over everything else. That means:
- Clear niche
- Clear message
- Clear angle
- Clear topic
You don’t need fancy production; you need clarity and consistency. If the algorithm can immediately identify what your post is about and who it’s for, your reach improves naturally.
The Takeaway on the Instagram Hashtag Limits
No, this is not the end of the world, nor the end of hashtags (yes, this is for the hashtag haters out there), but a sign of algorithmic changes coming and going.
It is a sign that we need to pivot, improve our strategies, and focus on what works today, not what worked in 2018.
Create better content. Understand your audience. Speak their language. Show up. Be human.
