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1 day ago
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Highlights
- Instagram has capped hashtag usage at five per post or reel, cutting down from the earlier limit of 30
- Adam Mosseri says hashtags do not increase reach and are mainly meant for content organisation and search
- Instagram’s AI-driven recommendations now decide reach based on relevance, not hashtag volume
Instagram Hashtags: For a long time, hashtags were treated like a shortcut to growth on Instagram. Creators believed that adding as many hashtags as possible would automatically push posts to a wider audience. The logic sounded simple: more hashtags meant more visibility. That thinking no longer works on Instagram.
The platform has now capped hashtag usage at five hashtags per post or reel, a sharp cut from the earlier limit of thirty. This change marks a clear shift in how Instagram wants content to be discovered and consumed.
So, what changed?
According to Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, the belief that hashtags increase reach is largely a myth. In a recent interaction, he explained that hashtags are not designed to boost reach. Their primary role today is organisation. They help Instagram understand what a post is about and make it easier for users to find content through search, not to push it aggressively on Explore.
Why hashtags don’t drive reach anymore
Instagram’s recommendation system has evolved. Discovery is now powered mainly by AI, which looks at user behaviour, interests, watch time, saves, and interactions. Instead of depending on hashtags, the algorithm decides who should see a post based on relevance.
This means a post can perform well even with zero hashtags if the content connects with the right audience. On the flip side, loading a caption with random or trending hashtags does not guarantee visibility and can sometimes work against a post.
The same approach is visible on Threads, Instagram’s sister app, where users are limited to just one tag per post. The focus is clearly moving away from engagement hacks and towards genuine community building.
Why Instagram settled on 5 hashtags
Instagram did not roll out this limit overnight. The company tested different caps for nearly a year. Some users were restricted to three hashtags during testing. The data showed that fewer, more specific hashtags led to cleaner captions, reduced spam, and better user experience.
Another key takeaway was that generic hashtags don’t help. Tags like 'reels' or 'explore' are too broad and do not signal clear context. Instagram has even indicated that such vague hashtags may negatively impact performance.
What works better is precision. A beauty creator is better off using niche beauty-related hashtags. A travel creator should stick to destination or travel-specific tags. The idea is relevance, not volume.
What creators should do differentlyHashtag strategy now needs a reset. Instead of chasing numbers, creators should focus on intent. 5 well-chosen hashtags that accurately describe the content are enough. These help Instagram categorise the post correctly and show it to users who are genuinely interested.
The five-hashtag limit is being rolled out gradually, so not all accounts may see it immediately. But the direction is clear. Instagram wants discovery to be cleaner, smarter, and less spam-driven.
This change reflects a broader trend across social media platforms. Growth is no longer about shouting louder; it is about being more relevant. Creators who understand their niche, create focused content, and use hashtags thoughtfully are far more likely to see consistent engagement going forward.
English (US) ·