Once upon a time, hashtags were the key to going viral. From #ThrowbackThursday to #ForYouPage, they helped users find content they enjoy, target niche audiences and gain followers.
But today’s platforms are getting smarter, and the current algorithm doesn’t need a hashtag to know what users like.
Introduced by Twitter in 2007, hashtags quickly spread across social media platforms as a way to categorize content and join specific conversations. For years, they were essential for discovery and engagement.
Brands relied on hashtags to boost visibility. Creators used them to join trends. People could tap into a community with a single click.
The smarter development of social media algorithms is making the hashtag era fade fast. After TikTok’s spike in popularity from 2018 to 2020, other platforms followed suit by adopting a form showing users algorithm-driven content.
Instagram switched its chronological feed to an algorithm-based homepage, while X (formerly Twitter), added a “For you” tab in addition to its traditional “Following” feed. The way platforms serve us content is no longer based on chronology or tags; instead, it’s personalized, data-driven and focused on engagement.
The Algorithm Knows More Than a Hashtag
Ever wonder why your middle school best friend’s engagement photos are front and center on your Instagram feed? Or why a former colleague, who hasn’t posted in two years, suddenly reappears with a photo of their newborn, even though you haven’t interacted with them in ages?
Those posts likely gained quick engagement, signaling to the algorithm that it’s worth pushing to more followers and expanding its reach.
Timely engagement is just one of the secret sauces; watch time, shares and comments now carry major weight, especially for video content.
Instead of relying on hashtags to make those decisions, today’s algorithms track how users behave. What you stop to read, rewatch or share tells the algorithm far more than a hashtag ever could.
Keywords and search engine optimization (SEO) have taken the place of hashtags as the go-to tools for discoverability. Instagram and Tiktok have pivoted to a more “search bar” approach, encouraging users to type in natural language queries, just as they would in a Google search bar.
Captions now function like SEO, helping your content surface based on how well your language aligns with what people are actively searching for.
Whether someone’s looking for “easy summer recipes” or “things to do in Columbus, Ohio”, it's the language in your post rather than hashtags that gets videos found or recommended.
For creators and organizations trying to expand their reach, mastering keyword-rich captions is now more effective.
Put Your Energy Elsewhere
I’m not going to just sit here and tell you hashtags = bad without providing an alternative. If you want your organization’s content to reach more people, here’s what actually works:
Hashtags Aren’t Dead
…But they’re no longer the main driver of discovery. Their role has shifted from a growth hack to a post categorizer.
Popular social media platforms now use multiple algorithms that focus on user behavior, content quality and searchability. Hashtags can still support a social media strategy by signaling relevance or tapping into a community, but if you’re chasing reach, the real work lies in your content’s clarity, creativity and performance.
