Popular hashtags on instagram 2021

Decoding Instagram Hashtag Trends in 2021

In 2021, Instagram’s algorithm continued to evolve, making strategic hashtag usage more critical than ever for discoverability and engagement.

It wasn’t just about throwing a bunch of tags onto a post.

It was about understanding how different categories of hashtags performed and how they could be leveraged to reach specific audiences.

The rise of new features like Instagram Reels also significantly impacted hashtag dynamics, creating new opportunities for viral content.

The Shifting Landscape of Popular Hashtags

The general trend in 2021 was a move towards more niche and community-driven hashtags, alongside the perennial giants. While broad hashtags like #love with over 2.1 billion posts and #fashion over 1.1 billion posts remained dominant in terms of sheer volume, their effectiveness for small accounts could be limited due to intense competition. Users were increasingly searching for specific content, leading to a surge in specialized tags.

• Evergreen Hashtags: These are consistently popular and relevant across various niches. Examples include:
  • #instagood around 1.5 billion posts
  • #photooftheday around 950 million posts
  • #beautiful around 850 million posts
  • #happy around 700 million posts
• Niche-Specific Hashtags: Crucial for reaching engaged audiences. For example, a food blogger might use #foodphotography or #homecooking rather than just #food.
• Location-Based Hashtags: Essential for local businesses and events, e.g., #londonfood or #newyorkcityart.
• Brand/Community Hashtags: Tags created by brands or communities to foster engagement, e.g., #NikeRunning or #travelgram.

The Impact of Instagram Reels on Hashtag Strategy

Instagram Reels, launched globally in 2020, gained significant traction in 2021, fundamentally changing how content was discovered. Short-form video content thrived on trending sounds and relevant hashtags. Trending reels hashtags on instagram 2021 became a vital component of any growth strategy, often leading to viral exposure.

• Reels-Specific Popularity: Many hashtags gained popularity specifically because of their association with trending Reels. These were often more dynamic and changed frequently.
  • Examples often included challenges e.g., #xyzchallenge, specific sounds e.g., #trendingsound, or general short-form video categories e.g., #reelsviral, #instareels.
• Increased Discoverability: Using relevant Reels hashtags significantly boosted a video’s chances of appearing on the Explore page or within the Reels feed, exposing it to a broader audience.
• Algorithm Prioritization: Instagram’s algorithm often prioritized Reels content, especially early on, making strategic hashtagging even more impactful for visibility.

Categories of High-Performing Instagram Hashtags in 2021

To truly master Instagram in 2021, understanding the different categories of hashtags was paramount. It wasn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. a diverse mix yielded the best results.

Each category served a distinct purpose, from reaching massive audiences to connecting with highly specific niches.

General & Broad Appeal Hashtags

These are the heavy hitters, often associated with billions of posts.

While they offer immense reach, they also come with significant competition. Pics sizes

They’re best used in conjunction with more specific tags to avoid getting lost in the noise.

• Top 5 General Hashtags Approximate 2021 Metrics:
  • #love: ~2.1 billion posts. Usage: Expressing affection, aesthetic content, personal moments.
  • #instagood: ~1.5 billion posts. Usage: High-quality photos, general positive vibes, daily life.
  • #photooftheday: ~950 million posts. Usage: Curated daily uploads, showcasing photography skills.
  • #fashion: ~1.1 billion posts. Usage: Outfit posts, style inspiration, designer content.
  • #beautiful: ~850 million posts. Usage: Scenery, art, people, anything aesthetically pleasing.
• Strategic Use: While tempting due to their massive volume, using only these can be counterproductive for smaller accounts. They serve as a foundational layer, indicating general content themes.
• Engagement vs. Reach: These hashtags primarily contribute to broad reach rather than targeted engagement. Users browsing these tags might not be looking for specific content, but rather general inspiration.

Niche & Community-Specific Hashtags

This is where the magic happened for many accounts in 2021. Niche hashtags connect you with highly engaged audiences who are actively searching for content within a specific area of interest.

This leads to higher quality engagement and more relevant followers.

• Examples Across Niches:
  • Food: #foodie, #instafood, #homecooking, #veganrecipes, #healthyeating.
  • Travel: #wanderlust, #travelgram, #explorepage, #adventuretime, #bucketlistadventures.
  • Fitness: #fitnessmotivation, #workoutroutine, #gymlife, #healthylifestyle, #fitfam.
  • Art: #instaart, #digitalart, #artoftheday, #illustration, #painting.
  • Business/Entrepreneurship: #smallbusiness, #entrepreneurmindset, #marketingtips, #businesstips.
• Benefits:
  • Higher Engagement Rates: People searching these tags are often highly interested, leading to more likes, comments, and saves.
  • Targeted Audience Growth: Attracts followers who genuinely care about your content, leading to a more loyal community.
  • Increased Discoverability within Niche: Positions your content as an authority or valuable resource within a specific segment.
• Research is Key: Identifying effective niche hashtags requires research. Look at what competitors are using, explore related hashtags suggested by Instagram, and use tools to analyze hashtag performance.

Branded & Campaign Hashtags

Many businesses and individuals successfully leveraged branded hashtags in 2021 to build community, run campaigns, and track user-generated content.

These hashtags are unique to a brand or a specific initiative.

• Purpose:
  • Community Building: Encouraging followers to use a specific hashtag when sharing content related to your brand. E.g., a coffee shop might use #MyDailyBrew.
  • Campaign Tracking: For contests, product launches, or seasonal promotions. E.g., #SummerCollection2021.
  • User-Generated Content UGC: Curating content created by customers or fans.
• Effective Examples from 2021: Many brands saw success with unique, memorable, and easy-to-type branded hashtags. Think of initiatives like #ShareACoke or #JustDoIt – though these are massive, the principle applies to smaller scales too.
• Tips for Creating Branded Hashtags:
  • Keep it short and memorable.
  • Make it unique to avoid confusion with other brands.
  • Promote it consistently across all your platforms.
  • Encourage use through calls to action.

Location-Based Hashtags

For local businesses, events, or travel content, location-based hashtags were non-negotiable in 2021. They allowed users to discover content relevant to specific geographical areas.

• Applications:
  • Local Businesses: Restaurants, boutiques, salons in specific cities e.g., #NYCfries, #LondonFashion.
  • Events: Concerts, festivals, conferences e.g., #ComicCon2021, #GlastonburyFestival.
  • Travel Influencers: Showcasing specific destinations e.g., #ParisTravel, #JapanAdventures.
• Specific Examples:
  • #NewYorkCity, #London, #Dubai, #Sydney broad city tags.
  • #BrooklynBridge, #EiffelTower, #BurjKhalifa specific landmarks.
  • #LocalEats, #ArtScene community-focused local tags.
  • Hyper-Targeted Audience: Reaches users actively searching for content in a particular location.
  • Increased Foot Traffic: For physical businesses, drives local customers.
  • Event Promotion: Gets the word out to potential attendees.

Maximizing Your Reach with Hashtag Strategy in 2021

Simply knowing which hashtags were popular in 2021 wasn’t enough.

The real leverage came from a well-thought-out strategy.

The Optimal Number of Hashtags

In 2021, the general consensus among Instagram experts leaned towards using a healthy number of hashtags, often close to the maximum allowed 30. While Instagram doesn’t explicitly penalize for using fewer, more relevant hashtags generally increased visibility.

• Why More was Often Better: Each relevant hashtag offered an additional pathway for discovery. As long as they were truly relevant to the content, more hashtags meant more opportunities to appear in various feeds.
• Quality Over Quantity but not too few: The key was relevance. 30 irrelevant hashtags were far less effective than 15 highly relevant ones. However, using only 2-3 hashtags would severely limit reach.
• Testing and Iteration: The “optimal” number could vary slightly by account and niche. Consistent A/B testing trying different numbers of hashtags was crucial to find what worked best for specific content.

Best Practices for Hashtag Placement

Where you put your hashtags could also influence performance. Planner hashtags

While Instagram officially stated that placement caption vs. comments didn’t affect algorithm performance, practical observation and user experience suggested nuances.

• In the Caption:
  • Pros: Immediately visible, potentially contributing to early discovery before the comment section loads for some users. Easy to manage within the posting workflow.
  • Cons: Can make the caption look cluttered, especially if you’re using many hashtags.
  • Strategy: If placing in caption, use line breaks or emojis to visually separate them from the main text for better readability.
• In the First Comment:
  • Pros: Keeps the caption clean and focused on your message. Many users preferred this aesthetic.
  • Cons: Requires an extra step after posting. Some argue though not confirmed by Instagram that a slight delay in adding hashtags might impact early discoverability.
  • Strategy: Post your content, then immediately add your hashtags in the first comment.
• Hybrid Approach: Some users would put 3-5 high-priority, broad hashtags in the caption, and the remaining niche ones in the first comment. This offered a balance of immediate visibility and clean aesthetics.

Leveraging Instagram’s Features for Hashtag Discovery

Instagram itself offered valuable tools to help users find trending and relevant hashtags in 2021.

• Explore Page: Observing the content categories and trending topics on the Explore page often revealed popular hashtags in real-time.
• Suggested Hashtags: When typing a hashtag in the search bar or within a post, Instagram provided suggestions with their respective post counts, indicating popularity and related terms. This was an invaluable tool for finding adjacent and niche hashtags.
• Following Hashtags: Instagram allowed users to “follow” hashtags, which meant content using those tags would appear in their feed. This highlighted the importance of being visible in communities where users actively followed specific topics.
• Competitor Analysis: Observing what successful accounts in similar niches were using was a common and effective strategy. It provided insights into what was working for their target audience.

Advanced Hashtag Techniques for 2021 Success

Beyond the basics, several advanced techniques could give your Instagram hashtag strategy a significant edge in 2021. These methods focused on data-driven decisions and continuous optimization.

Hashtag Research and Analytics

Blindly guessing hashtags was a recipe for stagnation.

Effective accounts in 2021 relied on robust research and analytics to inform their hashtag choices.

• Using Third-Party Tools: Many tools emerged to help analyze hashtag performance, identify trending tags, and suggest relevant combinations. While specific tools like Sprout Social, Later, or HypeAuditor offered advanced features, even basic Instagram analytics provided insights.
  • Key Metrics to Track: Reach from hashtags, impressions from hashtags, follower growth linked to specific hashtag sets, and engagement rates on posts using certain tags.
• Analyzing Competitor Hashtags: As mentioned, studying what successful competitors were using could reveal hidden gems or confirm effective strategies. Tools could help automate this analysis.
• Monitoring Industry Trends: Staying updated on broader industry trends and current events was vital, as popular culture and news often dictated temporary hashtag spikes. For example, during major sporting events or cultural moments, related hashtags would see massive surges.

The Hashtag Mix Strategy

A diversified hashtag portfolio was crucial.

Relying solely on broad or highly specific hashtags was less effective than a balanced mix.

The “Rule of Thirds” or similar ratios often applied.

• Mixing Broad, Medium, and Niche Tags:
  • Broad 1-3 tags: Highly competitive, 500K+ posts e.g., #travel, #photography. For maximum reach.
  • Niche 5-15 tags: Less competitive, under 50K posts e.g., #alpshiking, #mirrorlesscamera. Essential for reaching highly engaged, specific communities.
• Why this mix? It allowed content to be discovered by a massive general audience while also appealing to highly specific, interested groups, leading to both reach and quality engagement.
• Dynamic Adjustment: This mix wasn’t static. It needed to be adjusted based on content type, campaign goals, and ongoing performance data.

Avoiding Banned or Spammy Hashtags

Using banned or spammy hashtags could significantly hurt your Instagram presence in 2021, leading to shadowbans reduced visibility or even account suspension.

• What are Banned Hashtags? These are hashtags that Instagram has blocked due to misuse, association with inappropriate content, or violating community guidelines.
  • Examples often included sexual content, hate speech, or tags associated with spam. While a complete list was hard to maintain as it changed, common sense was crucial.
• Identifying Spammy Hashtags: These are typically generic tags used by bots or accounts trying to gain followers unfairly e.g., #followforfollow, #like4like. Using them could associate your account with low-quality content.
• How to Check: A quick way to check if a hashtag was potentially banned was to search for it on Instagram. If no results appeared or a message indicated restricted content, it was best to avoid.
• Consequences: Reduced visibility in the Explore page, non-appearance in hashtag feeds, and ultimately, stifled growth. Regular auditing of your hashtag sets was a smart move.

Evolving Hashtag Trends Beyond 2021

While our focus is on 2021, it’s important to understand that the world of Instagram hashtags is constantly in flux. Perfect hashtags

What worked then provides a strong foundation, but the platform continues to evolve, pushing new trends.

The Rise of Evergreen vs. Trending

In 2021, the distinction between evergreen and trending hashtags became even more pronounced.

• Evergreen Hashtags: These are the foundational tags that remain relevant year after year, regardless of fleeting trends. Think #nature, #art, #photography, #fitness. They consistently draw traffic and provide a stable base for content discovery. They represent broad, enduring interests.
  • Benefit: Provides consistent, long-term discoverability.
  • Strategy: Always include a few evergreen hashtags relevant to your core content themes.
• Trending Hashtags: These are transient, often tied to current events, pop culture, challenges, or new features like trending reels hashtags on instagram 2021. They offer massive, but short-lived, bursts of visibility.
  • Benefit: Can lead to viral exposure and rapid growth if leveraged quickly and effectively.
  • Challenge: Require constant monitoring and quick adaptation. Their relevancy window is often very narrow.
  • Examples: Hashtags related to specific holidays e.g., #Halloween2021, viral challenges e.g., #WipeItDownChallenge, or global events.

The Shift Towards Specificity and Niche

The trend towards highly specific, niche hashtags that began before 2021 continued to accelerate.

As Instagram became more saturated, users sought out more tailored content, making niche hashtags invaluable for connection.

• Audience Demand: Users are increasingly sophisticated in their searches, looking for very particular content. For example, instead of just #food, they might search #glutenfreeveganrecipes or #koreanstreetfood.
• Algorithm Preference: Instagram’s algorithm increasingly prioritizes showing users content that is highly relevant to their expressed interests. Using niche hashtags helps signal this relevance.
• Building Engaged Communities: Niche hashtags naturally attract a smaller but more highly engaged audience, leading to better quality interactions comments, saves, shares rather than just passive likes. This engagement is often a stronger signal to the algorithm.

The Role of User-Generated Content UGC and Community Building

In 2021, many brands and creators successfully harnessed the power of UGC and fostered stronger communities through strategic hashtag use.

• Beyond Promotion: Hashtags weren’t just for promoting one’s own content. they became tools for connecting with audiences and encouraging them to create content.
• Brand Hashtags as Community Hubs: A unique brand hashtag could become a digital hub where customers and fans shared their experiences, showcasing the brand’s impact authentically. This offered social proof and fostered loyalty.
• Contests and Challenges: Running hashtag-based contests or challenges encouraged participation and dramatically boosted organic reach as users shared their contributions.
• Building a Sense of Belonging: When users saw their content featured or connected with others using a shared hashtag, it fostered a sense of belonging and loyalty to the brand or creator.

Islamic Perspective on Social Media Engagement

As a Muslim professional, navigating the world of social media, including platforms like Instagram, requires a thoughtful and principled approach.

While the platform offers opportunities for communication, learning, and dawah calling to Islam, it also presents significant challenges regarding permissible halal and impermissible haram content and practices.

The focus should always be on leveraging these tools for good, avoiding that which is prohibited, and promoting positive, beneficial content.

Permissible Engagement and Content

From an Islamic standpoint, using Instagram for positive purposes is encouraged.

This includes sharing beneficial knowledge, promoting ethical businesses, connecting with family, and engaging in dawah. New trending hashtags

• Sharing Knowledge Ilm: Using popular hashtags to spread Islamic knowledge, Quranic verses, Hadith, or lessons from Islamic scholars is highly commendable. Examples might include #IslamicReminders, #QuranDaily, #HadithOfTheDay, #MuslimQuotes.
• Promoting Halal Businesses: If one is involved in ethical trade, using hashtags to promote products or services that are halal permissible and beneficial to the community is encouraged. This includes halal food, modest fashion, Islamic art, educational resources, and ethical finance.
• Community Building: Connecting with other Muslims globally, sharing experiences, and fostering a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood through relevant hashtags e.g., #MuslimCommunity, #IslamIsPeace can be a positive use of the platform.
• Dawah Calling to Islam: Thoughtfully crafted content aimed at explaining Islam to non-Muslims or strengthening faith among Muslims, utilizing relevant and widely searched hashtags e.g., #IslamExplained, #DiscoverIslam, #TrueGuidance can be a powerful tool.
• Modest Content Creation: All visual content should adhere to principles of modesty and avoid display of adornments in a manner that is not permissible. This includes maintaining appropriate dress codes and interactions.

Avoiding Impermissible Content and Practices

A significant part of a principled approach to Instagram involves actively avoiding and discouraging content and practices that are deemed impermissible haram in Islam.

This includes promoting anything that goes against Islamic teachings.

• Podcast and Entertainment: Much of mainstream podcast and entertainment contains elements that are impermissible e.g., explicit lyrics, immodest visuals, themes of promiscuity. Promoting or consuming such content, even through popular hashtags like those associated with trending songs or movies, should be avoided.
  • Better Alternative: Focus on sharing nasheeds vocal podcast without instruments, spoken word, educational lectures, or Quranic recitations. These offer spiritual upliftment without transgressing boundaries. Hashtags could include #IslamicNasheeds, #QuranRecitation, #IslamicLectures.
• Immodest Behavior and Displays: Content promoting immodesty, sexualized imagery, or interactions that are not permissible between genders is strictly forbidden. This includes hashtags related to dating, promiscuity, or revealing fashion.
  • Better Alternative: Promote modesty, respect, and dignified interactions. Utilize hashtags like #ModestFashion, #HijabStyle, #IslamicLifestyle, #PurityInIslam.
• Gambling and Riba Interest: Any content related to gambling, betting, lotteries, or interest-based financial transactions riba is strictly prohibited. Avoid hashtags associated with casinos, sports betting, or conventional banking products that involve interest.
  • Better Alternative: Promote ethical finance, halal investments, honest business practices, and charitable giving sadaqah. Hashtags could be #HalalFinance, #IslamicInvestment, #EthicalBusiness, #SadaqahJariyah.
• Alcohol, Narcotics, and Harmful Substances: Promoting or normalizing the consumption of alcohol, narcotics, cannabis, or any other intoxicants is impermissible. Avoid hashtags related to these substances.
  • Better Alternative: Promote health, well-being, and sobriety. Share content on healthy eating, exercise, and the benefits of avoiding harmful substances. Hashtags: #HealthyLiving, #CleanLifestyle, #MindBodySoul.
• Astrology, Fortune-Telling, Black Magic: Engaging with or promoting content related to astrology, horoscopes, fortune-telling, or black magic is strictly forbidden as it constitutes shirk polytheism or leads to it. Avoid hashtags like #Astrology, #Horoscope, #TarotReading.
  • Better Alternative: Emphasize reliance on Allah Tawakkul, trust in Divine decree Qadar, and seeking guidance through prayer Du’a and Quran. Hashtags: #Tawakkul, #TrustInAllah, #IslamicGuidance.
• Blasphemy, Idol Worship, Polytheism: Content that mocks religion, promotes idol worship, or advocates polytheism is strictly impermissible.
  • Better Alternative: Reinforce the oneness of Allah Tawhid, respect for all Prophets, and the beauty of Islamic teachings. Hashtags: #Tawhid, #OneGod, #ProphetMuhammad.
• Scams and Financial Fraud: Any content promoting deceptive practices, financial scams, or dishonest dealings is forbidden.
  • Better Alternative: Promote honesty, integrity, and transparency in all dealings. Hashtags: #HonestBusiness, #EthicalMarketing.

By adhering to these principles, a Muslim professional can utilize Instagram as a valuable tool for positive engagement and dawah, ensuring that their online presence reflects their faith and values.

Future-Proofing Your Hashtag Strategy Post-2021

To stay relevant and effective, your hashtag strategy must be agile and forward-thinking.

The Algorithm’s Evolving Focus

Post-2021, Instagram’s algorithm has placed an even greater emphasis on relevance, engagement, and user experience.

Hashtags are still crucial, but their role is increasingly integrated with other signals.

• Content Quality and Value: High-quality, valuable content will always outperform low-quality content, regardless of hashtags. The algorithm prioritizes content that keeps users engaged.
• Engagement Signals: Likes, comments, shares, and saves are paramount. Hashtags that bring genuinely interested users who interact with your content will be more effective than those that just generate passive views.
• Relevance to User Interests: Instagram’s AI is incredibly sophisticated at understanding user interests. Using highly relevant hashtags helps the algorithm categorize your content correctly and show it to the right audience.
• Originality: Original content, especially on Reels, tends to be favored. Recycled trends might offer a quick boost but original, creative use of hashtags on unique content can lead to sustained growth.

The Rise of AI-Powered Hashtag Tools

The market for AI-driven hashtag generation and analysis tools has grown significantly since 2021. These tools leverage machine learning to suggest the most effective hashtags based on your content, niche, and current trends.

• Personalized Recommendations: Instead of generic lists, these tools can analyze your past performance, your competitors’ strategies, and real-time Instagram data to offer highly personalized hashtag suggestions.
• Performance Tracking: Many tools offer advanced analytics to show you which hashtags are driving the most reach, engagement, and follower growth for your specific account.
• Trend Identification: AI can quickly identify emerging trends and associated hashtags, allowing you to jump on them before they become saturated.
• Efficiency: Automating parts of the hashtag research process frees up time for content creation and engagement.

Beyond Hashtags: The Broader Context of Discoverability

While hashtags remain a core component, a holistic approach to discoverability post-2021 involves more than just tags.

• Keywords in Captions and Bios: Instagram’s search functionality has improved, allowing users to search for keywords directly, not just hashtags. Including relevant keywords naturally within your captions and bio can significantly boost discoverability.
• Geo-tagging and Location Tags: Still crucial for local businesses and content, ensuring your content appears in location-specific searches.
• Reels and Video Content: The continued dominance of short-form video means optimizing your Reels including relevant hashtags, trending audio, and engaging visuals is vital for reach.
• Collaborations: Partnering with other creators or brands allows you to tap into their audience, often without relying solely on hashtags for initial discovery.
• Cross-Promotion: Sharing your Instagram content on other platforms e.g., TikTok, YouTube, Twitter can drive external traffic and improve overall discoverability.
• Engagement First: Ultimately, the best way to get discovered is to create content that genuinely engages your audience. High engagement signals to Instagram that your content is valuable, leading to greater organic reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the most popular hashtags on Instagram in 2021?

The most popular hashtags on Instagram in 2021 typically included broad terms like #love, #instagood, #photooftheday, #fashion, and #beautiful, consistently accumulating billions of posts.

How many hashtags should I use on Instagram in 2021?

In 2021, it was generally recommended to use a good number of relevant hashtags, often up to the maximum of 30, to maximize discoverability. New instagram hashtags for likes

The key was relevance and a mix of broad, medium, and niche tags.

Did trending reels hashtags on Instagram 2021 differ from regular post hashtags?

Yes, trending reels hashtags on Instagram 2021 often included tags specifically related to viral sounds, challenges, or short-form video content trends, which could differ from evergreen hashtags used on static posts.

Where should I put my hashtags on Instagram in 2021, in the caption or comments?

In 2021, you could place hashtags either in the caption or in the first comment.

Both methods were effective, though placing them in the first comment was popular for keeping the caption clean and readable.

How can I find popular hashtags for my niche in 2021?

You could find popular niche hashtags in 2021 by using Instagram’s search suggestions, looking at what successful competitors were using, and utilizing third-party hashtag research tools.

What was the impact of Instagram Reels on hashtag strategy in 2021?

Instagram Reels significantly boosted the importance of trending reels hashtags on Instagram 2021 as they were crucial for increasing the discoverability and viral potential of short-form video content.

Are there any hashtags I should avoid using on Instagram?

Yes, you should avoid using banned hashtags blocked by Instagram for misuse and spammy hashtags like #followforfollow as they can negatively impact your account’s visibility and reputation.

How often should I change my Instagram hashtags?

It was advisable to regularly review and rotate your Instagram hashtags in 2021 to prevent stagnation, discover new effective tags, and adapt to changing trends, rather than using the exact same set every time.

Can using too many hashtags hurt my Instagram reach?

No, using up to the maximum of 30 relevant hashtags generally did not hurt reach in 2021. in fact, it often helped.

The issue arises when hashtags are irrelevant, banned, or spammy. Number of hashtags to use on instagram

How did location-based hashtags perform in 2021?

Location-based hashtags performed very well in 2021 for local businesses, events, and travel content, as they allowed users to discover content hyper-relevant to specific geographical areas.

What were some general evergreen hashtags that were always popular in 2021?

Evergreen hashtags that maintained popularity in 2021 included #art, #nature, #travel, #food, and #beauty, as they represented enduring interests that consistently generated high search volume.

Did Instagram’s algorithm favor certain types of hashtags in 2021?

Instagram’s algorithm in 2021 favored relevant hashtags that led to genuine engagement.

Niche-specific hashtags often led to higher quality engagement than overly broad ones, even if they had less volume.

How important was hashtag research for growth in 2021?

Hashtag research was extremely important for growth in 2021, as it allowed users to identify effective, targeted tags, understand competition, and avoid ineffective or harmful hashtags.

What is the “hashtag mix” strategy?

The hashtag mix strategy involved using a blend of broad, medium, and niche hashtags in 2021. This approach aimed to maximize reach through broad tags while driving highly engaged traffic through specific ones.

Should I use hashtags for my Instagram Stories in 2021?

Yes, using hashtags in Instagram Stories in 2021 was a good practice.

While not as prominent as feed post hashtags, they could still increase story discoverability in relevant topic searches.

How can I track the performance of my hashtags?

You could track hashtag performance in 2021 using Instagram Insights for Business/Creator accounts to see impressions from hashtags, and third-party analytics tools provided more detailed breakdowns.

Were unique brand hashtags popular in 2021?

Yes, unique brand and campaign hashtags were popular in 2021 for building community, tracking user-generated content, and running successful marketing campaigns. Optimum instagram image size

Did trending challenges on Instagram in 2021 use specific hashtags?

Yes, trending challenges on Instagram in 2021 almost always used specific, often unique, hashtags e.g., #xyzchallenge to organize participation and increase visibility.

Is it better to use popular hashtags or less popular, niche hashtags?

In 2021, the best strategy was a mix of both.

Popular hashtags offered broad reach, while less popular, niche hashtags helped attract highly engaged and targeted audiences.

How did the concept of a “shadowban” relate to hashtags in 2021?

A “shadowban” in 2021 was a perceived reduction in visibility, often linked to the misuse of hashtags.

Using banned or spammy hashtags could lead to content not appearing in hashtag feeds, effectively “shadowbanning” it.