Do Hashtags Still Work in 2025? Platform-by-Platform Analysis
Instagram killed hashtag following. Adam Mosseri says tags don't boost reach. But Twitter data shows 2x engagement gains. Here's what actually works across platforms in 2025.
Do Hashtags Still Work in 2025?
The old hashtag playbook is dead. Stuffing your posts with tags and watching the reach roll in? That doesn't work anymore. Platforms have fundamentally changed how they surface content, and the data on what actually works has shifted with them.
We dug into the research so you don't have to. Here's what we found.
The Shift
For years, hashtags were the primary discovery mechanism on social media. You'd tag your post, and platforms would show it to anyone browsing or following those tags. That model is dying.
In December 2024, Instagram removed the ability to follow hashtags entirely. The feature had been part of the platform since 2017. The reason for killing it? Hashtag feeds had become overrun with spam. Rather than keep policing them, Instagram dropped the feature and leaned harder into algorithm-driven discovery.
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri made the shift explicit. In a Q&A, he stated plainly that hashtags don't boost reach anymore. They're fine for categorization, but don't expect them to get your content in front of new people.
This isn't just Instagram. Across platforms, algorithms now prioritize behavioral signals like watch time, saves, shares and comments over hashtags. A Buffer study found that posts with strong conversation starters ranked 40% higher in visibility than those relying heavily on tags.
Hashtags aren't useless. But they're no longer the growth lever they used to be.
Platform Breakdown
Twitter/X
Twitter is where hashtags still pull their weight. Research from Search Logistics found that tweets with hashtags get 2x more engagement than those without, and are 55% more likely to be retweeted.
But more isn't better. The data points to 1-2 relevant hashtags as the sweet spot. Beyond that, posts start looking spammy and engagement drops.
Bluesky
Bluesky is still early, so the data is more anecdotal than empirical. But there's one mechanism worth understanding: hashtags can get your posts included in custom feeds.
Unlike algorithmic feeds that decide what to show you, Bluesky's custom feeds are user-created and often pull in posts based on specific hashtags. Empower Agency notes that niche hashtags like #AlternativeProteins outperform broad ones like #ClimateChange, which tend to be saturated with noise.
For Bluesky, 1-3 relevant hashtags seems reasonable. Enough to hit the custom feeds that matter without cluttering your post.
Hashtags won't hurt you on Instagram, but don't expect them to drive reach. With hashtag following gone and Mosseri on record, the play here is using 3-5 relevant hashtags for searchability and categorization. Not discovery.
A peer-reviewed study of 991 LinkedIn posts found that hashtags do increase reactions, but the effect is curvilinear. Translation: there's a point of diminishing returns, and going overboard hurts you.
LinkedIn's own guidance suggests 3-5 hashtags, mixing niche tags with broader industry ones.
Facebook is the clearest case for restraint. Data from the American Marketing Association shows that posts with one hashtag average 593 engagements. Posts with 10+ hashtags? Just 188.
One relevant hashtag. That's it.
Steadily Recommendations
Steadily Setting: Up to 2 (default)
Steadily posts to Twitter and Bluesky. The Twitter data is clear: 1-2 hashtags drives the best engagement. That same range works well for Bluesky, where a focused hashtag can land your post in relevant custom feeds without cluttering it.
If you want to push harder on Bluesky discoverability, you can switch to "Up to 5." But for most users, the default is the right call.
| Platform | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Twitter/X | 1-2 hashtags | 2x engagement vs. no hashtags; more looks spammy |
| Bluesky | 1-3 hashtags | Custom feed inclusion; niche tags outperform broad |
| 3-5 hashtags | Searchability only; won't boost reach | |
| 3-5 hashtags | Increases reactions but diminishing returns past that | |
| 1 hashtag | Engagement drops sharply with more |
Sources and Further Reading
Why Did Instagram Discontinue The Ability To Follow Hashtags? SlashGear Context on Instagram's December 2024 decision to remove hashtag following, including the spam problems that drove the change and the platform's shift toward algorithm-driven discovery.
Are Hashtags Still Relevant in 2025? MeetEdgar Overview of platform shifts, including Adam Mosseri's statement that hashtags no longer boost reach on Instagram and Elon Musk's decision to ban hashtags in X ads.
Hashtags Statistics: Should You Use Hashtags in 2025? Search Logistics Data on hashtag performance across platforms, including findings that tweets with hashtags get 2x more engagement and are 55% more likely to be retweeted.
Hashtags in 2025: Are They Still Relevant for Social Media Marketing? Ignite Social Media Analysis of the shift from hashtag-driven to engagement-driven discovery, citing a Buffer study showing posts with conversation starters ranked 40% higher than hashtag-heavy content.
What Predicts Engagement on LinkedIn? SAGE Journals (Usera & Durham, 2025) Peer-reviewed study of 991 LinkedIn posts finding that hashtags increase reactions but with a curvilinear effect, meaning diminishing returns when overused.
Social Media Hashtags American Marketing Association Platform-by-platform breakdown including the finding that Facebook posts with one hashtag average 593 engagements versus 188 for posts with 10+.
Should You Be Using Hashtags in 2025? Empower Agency Guidance on Bluesky hashtags, noting that niche tags outperform broad ones and can help posts get included in custom feeds.