Why Instagram Made the Change
Instagram has put a cap on the number of hashtags that users can add to posts and Reels. Currently, a user can only add five hashtags to a post or a Reel. In the past, the limit was 30.
According to the platform, the new limit is aimed at enabling content creators to find more “meaningful” ways of connecting with the users who are interested in their posts rather than simply using long lists of general tags. Instagram maintains that targeted hashtags perform better and that they also enhance the chances of users finding the right content.
What Hashtags Are and How They Worked
Hashtags were first introduced on Instagram in 2011 as a search and sorting tool for posts by common theme or topic. With the help of hashtags, Instagram generates the content for the Explore page or search results. To gain visibility, creators for years have been using as many as 30 hashtags or at least close to 30 in their posts and hope for a higher reach.
As users believed that the de facto tags like #reels or #explore would help them reach more people, those tags became increasingly popular. But according to Instagram, to be broadly popular does not necessarily mean to be recommended by the algorithm.
What the New Rule Means
The new rule stipulates that one cannot put more than five hashtags on any Reel or feed post. Instagram wants creators to reflect more on which tags are the most pertinent to their content. The announcement says that by using more targeted tags that illustrate specific topics or themes, the algorithm is then able to easily link the posts with the users who would be interested in that particular content.
This is a considerable departure from Instagram’s previous strategy. The social media platform is not just cutting down on the number of tags a creator can use to reduce spam, but it is also encouraging creators to be more intentional and thoughtful of the hashtags they select.
Mosseri has also said in the past that the number of hashtags a post has is not the main factor that dictates reach or visibility on the platform. The company is now of the opinion that the likes, comments, shares, and saves on a post are the main factors that contribute to the post’s virality.
What This Means for Creators and Marketers
This change in the company’s approach to social media marketing can cause some challenges for influencers and digital marketers. They will have to revise their hashtag strategies and concentrate more on the appropriateness of the tags rather than the number of tags they may use. It could be:
- Finding highly targeted and specific tags that best match the interests of the target group and that they would relate to.
- Keep track of which hashtags are the ones actually leading to the engagement of the audience, not only impressions.
- Stop using general hashtags which are not directed to a certain community.
Those creators who have been depending on a large number of hashtags to gain visibility and will have to alter their strategies. This is in line with social platforms trend where algorithms pay more attention to quality interactions rather than spamming.
There have already been some comments from users on the Internet. The opinions of users have been divided on a limited number of hashtags. On the one hand, fewer hashtags may alleviate the decision-making process whereas, on the other hand, it may pose a problem to those creators who were heavily reliant on broader tag lists.
Hashtag strategy is now more important than ever. Since the change is effective immediately, the actual trials in terms of how discovery trends will work will be over the next several months.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why Instagram is limiting hashtags to five?
According to Instagram, the aim of the limitation is to reduce the cases of spammy tagging and thus, make hashtags more meaningful. The social media believes that the smaller number of targeted hashtags assists its discovery systems in understanding content, thereby enhancing the experience of users. This step is in line with the overall effort to move away from the quantity of hashtags to their relevance.
How many hashtags can I use?
The announcement made by Instagram states that the social media will be allowing up to five hashtags for a post or Reel for the purpose of discovery. The users can still type more in the captions, but the algorithm will recognize only five.
Are hashtags still helpful on Instagram after the limitation?
Indeed. Hashtags remain a helpful tool in linking the content and allowing users interested in the topics to find posts that match their interests. The importance of five hashtags lies in the fact that one has to be thoughtful rather than trying to use a long list.
Will my post be penalized if I use more than five hashtags?
The system that is in place may stop looking for hashtags after the first five that are identified for discovery. This means that those beyond the first five will not necessarily harm your post, but they won’t help extend your reach either. Instagram is encouraging its users to focus on the quality of tags rather than the quantity.
What does it mean if I see different hashtag limits like three?
There were some users who claimed that they got prompts urging a maximum of three hashtags during a testing phase. Instagram has tried different limits before deciding on the final number of five. The experience will depend on which stage of the rollout your account is in.
Can I put hashtags in comments?
Yes, it is still possible for you to put hashtags in comments. However, Instagram just takes into account the first five hashtags that are used in context for a new account. This can be a caption or a top comment, and the relevance of the content is what counts, not the location of the hashtags.
Is the change affecting Stories or other formats?
The current update refers mostly to the posts and Reels. As for Stories, ads and other formats, they use hashtags in a different way, so they might have separate guidelines. Instagram has not made any announcements about changes for other formats besides posts and Reels.
Should I change my hashtag strategy?
Absolutely. Once the limit is implemented, you will have to concentrate on five perfectly selected hashtags which not only match your audience but also the subject of your content instead of writing a caption loaded with weak tags.
What kinds of hashtags perform best now?
They are the ones that are not only specific and relevant but also the ones where your audience takes the most interest. Instead of #reels or #explore which are generally used and have little value, you should use hashtag that are topic-focused and describe the content of your video.
Will this affect reach and engagement?
Yes, indirectly. The main difference this changes is that it will effect the measurement of reach as Instagram will put more focus on contextual relevance rather then just the number of hashtags.
Is this the final change?
Instagram is making these changes little by little and is still testing different scenarios. For instance, there has been an experiment whether to set the limit for 3 or 5 hashtags and
currently they are refining the way in which hashtags can be used for discovery. The temporary limitation is set at 5 hashtags but there could be further changes in future based on user feedback and algorithm development.
