The Evolution of Hashtags in Social Media

Once upon a time, the hashtag was the exclusive driver of social media reach and engagement. It was the best way to reach out beyond your established online community of people you knew IRL. We were really out there posting and tweeting photos of our pudding cups from the office breakroom tagged with #BossBitch, and were delighted to get a couple Likes from total strangers. WHAT A RUSH! Fifteen years later, we still love boss bitch pudding, but the role of hashtags for achieving virality on social media is much different. 

Origin of the Hashtag 

(Author's note: we will not be referring to it as “X, formerly Twitter” because screw El*n) 

The hashtag debuted on Twitter in 2007, after Chris Messina (not the actor) proposed using the pound symbol to group conversations. In less than two years, Twitter had fully embraced hashtags, making them clickable and searchable. They allowed users to not only join conversations, but to find content tailored to their interests, and participate in trending discussions. The OG hashtag was the backbone of social media discovery. 

As platforms began implementing algorithms to drive feeds, and as advancements in search functionalities grew, the importance of hashtags started to decline. They still play a role in categorizing content and signalling trends, however, they no longer single-handley drive content reach and engagement. 

Post Algorithm

Today, the algorithms powering social media have become more sophisticated, shifting focus away from hashtags and toward content relevance, user engagement, and personalized recommendations. Platforms like Instagram now prioritize content people are  likely to engage with, based on past behaviour.

TikTok's For You Page, a prime example of algorithm-based discovery, often highlights videos without hashtags.

Despite this reliance on algorithms, hashtags remain a valuable marketing tool and their strategic use can still enhance content discoverability. They are still effective for niche communities, live events and campaigns, and trend surfing. Niches refer to specialized hashtags which help users connect with like-minded individuals and content creators, like #VeganRecipes. Branded or event-specific hashtags allow for real-time conversation tracking and wide audience participation, like live-tweeting the Oscars or #SuperBowl2025. Finally, trending hashtags allow you to view what’s being consumed by the global audience at large, hello #BratSummer, and utilizing them can place your content in front of that large audience. 

Current Best Practices for Hashtag Usage

As the role of hashtags evolves, so too must the strategies for using them effectively. To maximize impact, marketers should adopt these best practices:

Research What’s Relevant

Before using a hashtag, research its popularity and relevance. Avoid generic or oversaturated hashtags like #love or #fun, as your content will get lost in the noise. Instead, opt for hashtags which directly align with your industry, campaign, or audience interests.

Quality Over Quantity 

Instead of stuffing posts with dozens of hashtags, focus on a smaller number of  those highly relevant tags. For example, Instagram’s algorithm often performs better with three to five targeted hashtags rather than the old maximum of 30.

Mix It Up

Combine branded hashtags (#YourBrandName) with community and niche-specific tags to balance reach and relevance. For instance, a sustainable fashion brand might use #EcoStyle alongside #SlowFashionMovement. You can also experiment with jumping on trends! It’s usually really fun and a great way to increase visibility, but only if it feels authentic for your company or brand. 

Use CamelCase

CamelCase is a style of writing where the first letter of each word is capitalized, making it easier to differentiate between each word. This subtle yet impactful approach is transforming how we create and read hashtags. CamelCase helps screen readers* read the hashtag correctly by recognizing the hashtag contains multiple words, and is now considered the most accessible way to write hashtags on social media. 

*Screen readers refer to assistive text-to-speech software, which enable people with visual impairments to use social media and other digital technologies. A screen reader translates on-screen information into audio which can be heard through headphones or speakers. 

At the end of the day, creating engaging, high-quality content is always what will make you go viral. 

However, hashtags can still serve as an effective supplement to other engagement-driving tactics. Remember to use as many interactive social media features like Stories and polls, and start conversations within your community.

What’s Next for the Hashtag?

This December, Meta will remove the following hashtags feature. While hashtags will still be searchable, this means you won’t be able to follow your niche interests as closely, which ultimately makes for a less enjoyable feed. Ironically, pulling the feature is supposed to cut down on “digital clutter.” It’s hard to say for certain how hashtags will stay relevant, but from a marketing standpoint, they remain a staple. 

Despite the argument of digital clutter (remember #DicksOutForHarambe lol), hashtags have done some serious good in their time! More than once, hashtags have been the fuel which blasted global social causes into the spotlight, notably the #BlackLivesMatter movement.

Looking for support in finding the hashtags that will work for you? Get in touch, we can do some research and create your custom hashtag strategy.