Instagram Hashtag Strategy: How to Get Discovered in 2026

Hashtags remain one of the most powerful discovery tools on Instagram. Using the right hashtags helps your content reach people beyond your existing followers.

How Many Hashtags to Use

Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post. Research shows that posts with 20-30 hashtags get the most reach. However, quality matters more than quantity. Using 10-15 highly relevant hashtags often outperforms 30 random ones.

Hashtag Categories

Mix hashtags from different categories: branded hashtags unique to your business, community hashtags that connect niche audiences, content-specific hashtags describing what is in the post, and trending hashtags that are currently popular. A good ratio is 30% niche, 40% medium-competition, and 30% broad tags.

Finding the Right Hashtags

Use our Hashtag Generator to discover relevant tags for your niche. Look at what successful accounts in your space are using. Check the Explore page for trending content in your category. Avoid banned or spammy hashtags that can reduce your reach.

Hashtag Placement

Place hashtags in your caption or as the first comment. Both work equally well for reach. If you prefer a clean caption, put them in the first comment immediately after posting.

Tracking Performance

Review which hashtags drive the most impressions through Instagram Insights. Remove underperforming tags and test new ones regularly. Keep a library of hashtag sets for different content types.