When it comes to boosting your Instagram likes, mastering the art of hashtags is your secret weapon.

To get more eyes on your content and, by extension, more double-taps, you need to understand how Instagram’s algorithm uses hashtags to categorize and distribute posts.

Think of hashtags as powerful keywords that connect your content to a wider audience actively searching for relevant topics.

The goal isn’t just to use any hashtags, but the right ones that resonate with your target audience and align with your content’s niche. Best hashtags for growth

A smart approach involves blending popular, niche-specific, and even branded hashtags.

For a comprehensive strategy that goes beyond just hashtags to truly grow your presence, consider leveraging a dedicated tool like our 👉 Free Growth Marketing Tool. This can give you an edge in discovering the best hashtags for Instagram to get more likes and what hashtags get most likes Instagram-wide, ultimately helping you expand your reach and engagement effectively.

Table of Contents

Decoding Instagram Hashtags for Maximum Engagement

Understanding how Instagram’s hashtag system works is the first step toward significant growth.

It’s not just about slapping on a few popular terms. Best free hashtag generator instagram

It’s about strategy, relevance, and a bit of a Sherlock Holmes approach to finding what truly resonates.

Hashtags are Instagram’s primary categorization tool, allowing users to discover new content and accounts.

When someone searches for “what hashtags get most likes Instagram” or browses a specific hashtag feed, your post stands a chance to appear if you’ve used that tag.

The Algorithm’s Role in Hashtag Performance

Instagram’s algorithm analyzes the hashtags you use to understand the context of your content. If your hashtags accurately describe your photo or video, the algorithm is more likely to show it to users interested in that specific topic. This means relevance trumps popularity every time. Using irrelevant but trending hashtags might get you initial impressions, but it won’t lead to sustained engagement or new followers who genuinely care about your niche. The algorithm also considers engagement on hashtagged posts: if your post quickly gains likes and comments through a specific hashtag, Instagram learns that your content is valuable for that tag and may push it to more users.

Hashtag Limits and Best Practices

Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post in the caption and an additional 30 in the first comment. While some advise using all 30, empirical data often suggests a sweet spot. Studies by Later.com have shown that posts with 5-10 hashtags tend to perform well for many accounts, though this varies by industry and account size. For example, smaller accounts might benefit from using more hashtags to expand their reach, while larger accounts can be more selective. The best practice is to always aim for relevance, diversity, and a mix of sizes popular, medium-tail, niche. Avoid using the exact same set of hashtags on every post, as this can be flagged as spammy by Instagram. Best hashtags for more followers

Strategic Hashtag Categorization: A Tiered Approach

To truly master the “best hashtags for Instagram to get more likes,” you need a diversified approach. Don’t just pick hashtags randomly. categorize them by their reach and specificity.

This tiered strategy ensures you’re targeting various audience segments, from those looking for broad topics to highly engaged niche communities.

Broad and Highly Popular Hashtags

These are the hashtags with millions of posts, like #love, #instadaily, #photography, or #travel. While they offer massive reach, the competition is fierce. Your post might appear for a fleeting moment before being pushed down by new content.

Purpose: To gain initial visibility and reach a very wide audience.
Usage: Use sparingly, typically 1-3 per post, and only if highly relevant.
Example: If you’re a travel blogger, #travel is essential, but it won’t differentiate your content. You need to combine it with more specific tags.
Data Insight: Posts using only broad hashtags often see a quick spike in impressions but low long-term engagement, as the audience is too general.

Medium-Tail Hashtags: The Sweet Spot

These hashtags have a few hundred thousand to a few million posts. They strike a balance between reach and niche relevance. Examples include #travelphotography, #foodlover, #fitnessmotivation, or #digitalmarketingtips. This is often the sweet spot for growth, as you have a better chance of ranking and staying visible for longer periods.

Purpose: To connect with a substantial, yet somewhat targeted, audience.
Usage: Incorporate 5-10 of these per post.
Example: Instead of just #food, use #foodstagram or #healthyrecipes if your content is about healthy eating. These are frequently what hashtags get most likes Instagram users are searching for within their specific interests.
Benefit: Users actively following these hashtags are more likely to engage with content relevant to their interests, leading to higher quality likes and followers.

Niche-Specific and Hyper-Relevant Hashtags

These are the long-tail keywords of Instagram, with anywhere from a few thousand to a few hundred thousand posts. Examples include #sustainablefashionblogger, #muslimtraveler, #homemadebreadrecipe, or #islamicart. These are your most powerful tools for attracting a highly engaged and relevant audience. Best hashtags for instagram reach

Purpose: To target highly specific communities and attract super-engaged followers.
Usage: These should form the bulk of your hashtag strategy 10-15+ per post.
Example: For a blog on Islamic finance, you’d use #halalfinance, #islamicbanking, or #riba-free.
Outcome: While reach might be smaller, the engagement rate likes, comments, saves, shares is typically much higher, signaling to the algorithm that your content is valuable. This also leads to high-quality followers who are genuinely interested in your niche.

Leveraging Hashtag Research Tools and Strategies

Manual hashtag research can be time-consuming.

Fortunately, a variety of tools and strategies can streamline the process, helping you pinpoint the “best hashtags for Instagram to get more likes” and stay ahead of the curve.

Utilizing Instagram’s Built-in Features

Instagram itself offers valuable insights for hashtag discovery.

Search Bar Autocomplete: Start typing a keyword in the search bar under the “Tags” tab. Instagram will suggest related hashtags along with the number of posts associated with each. This helps you identify popular and niche-relevant options. For example, if you type “halal food,” you’ll see #halalfood millions of posts, #halalfoodie hundreds of thousands, and #halalfoodlondon tens of thousands.
Related Hashtags: When you view a specific hashtag’s feed, Instagram often suggests related hashtags at the top. This is a goldmine for discovering complementary and often niche-specific tags that your target audience might also be following.
Top Posts within Hashtags: Browse the “Top” section of relevant hashtags. Analyze the hashtags used by the most popular posts. This can reveal effective combinations and current trends within that niche.

External Hashtag Research Tools

Several third-party tools can provide deeper analytics and suggestions.

Tailwind: Our 👉 Free Growth Marketing Tool is excellent for this. It provides hashtag suggestions based on your image and previous posts, categorizes them by popularity, and even gives you a “score” for how likely a hashtag is to perform well for you. This helps you move beyond just “what hashtags get most likes Instagram” generally, to what’s best for your specific content.
Flick.tech: Offers advanced analytics, competitive research, and helps you find relevant, high-performing hashtags that aren’t overly saturated.
Display Purposes: A simple tool that generates relevant hashtags based on a few keywords, often filtering out banned or irrelevant tags.
Key takeaway: These tools save time and provide data-driven insights that manual research might miss, allowing for more strategic hashtag selection.

Competitor Analysis and Trend Spotting

Analyze Competitors: Look at what hashtags successful accounts in your niche are using. Don’t just copy. understand why they’re using those tags and how they combine them. Are they using more broad or niche tags?
Monitor Trends: Stay updated on current events, holidays, and cultural moments relevant to your content. Timely, trending hashtags can significantly boost visibility. For instance, during Ramadan, using hashtags like #RamadanKareem or #IftarIdeas would be highly effective for relevant content.
Listen to Your Audience: Pay attention to the language your audience uses in comments and DMs. They might be using specific terms that could become effective niche hashtags.

Best hashtags for instagram to get more likes

Common Hashtag Mistakes to Avoid

While hashtags are powerful, misusing them can hinder your growth rather than help it.

Understanding common pitfalls is crucial to optimizing your strategy for increasing likes and engagement.

Using Banned or Broken Hashtags

Instagram periodically bans hashtags that are associated with inappropriate content, spam, or community guideline violations.

If you use a banned hashtag, your post’s reach can be severely limited, or even worse, it might not show up in any feeds.

How to Check: Before using a new hashtag, search for it on Instagram. If you see a message stating “Recent posts from # hashtag name are currently hidden because the community has reported some content that may not meet Instagram’s content guidelines,” avoid it.
Impact: Using banned hashtags can lead to shadowbanning where your content isn’t discoverable through hashtags, reduced visibility, and even account suspension.

Irrelevant or Overly Generic Hashtags

One of the biggest mistakes is using hashtags that have little to no relevance to your actual content, simply because they are popular. For example, using #fashion for a post about cooking. Best dimension for facebook post

Why it’s bad: Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes relevance. If your content doesn’t match the hashtag, users will scroll past, leading to low engagement rates. This signals to Instagram that your content isn’t valuable for that hashtag, reducing your overall visibility.
Focus on Niche: Always choose hashtags that accurately describe your image or video. A specific hashtag like #HalalCooking will attract a more engaged audience for a recipe post than a generic #food.

Over-Reliance on Only Popular Hashtags

While popular hashtags like #instadaily or #photooftheday offer massive potential reach, they are also incredibly saturated. Your post can get buried within seconds.

The “Million Post” Trap: If a hashtag has millions of posts, your content has a very low chance of being discovered and staying visible in that feed for long.
Solution: As discussed in the tiered approach, combine these broad hashtags with medium-tail and highly niche-specific hashtags. This ensures you’re reaching both a wide and a deeply engaged audience. A good mix is often key to getting “what hashtags get most likes Instagram” has to offer.

Neglecting Hashtag Placement Caption vs. First Comment

There’s an ongoing debate about whether hashtags perform better in the caption or the first comment.

While Instagram has stated that placement doesn’t affect visibility, there are practical considerations.

Caption: Keeps all content in one place. Can make the caption look cluttered if using many hashtags.
First Comment: Keeps your caption clean and focused on your message. Requires quick action after posting to add them before others comment.
Recommendation: From a user experience perspective, placing hashtags in the first comment can make your caption more readable and aesthetically pleasing. From an algorithmic perspective, both work. The key is to be consistent.

Advanced Hashtag Strategies for Exponential Growth

Once you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to explore advanced techniques that can truly elevate your Instagram game and help you discover the “best hashtags for Instagram to get more likes.” These strategies focus on deeper engagement and leveraging community.

Creating Branded Hashtags

A branded hashtag is unique to your brand or account. Best free tools for instagram hashtags

It can be your brand name, a slogan, or a campaign-specific tag.

Purpose: To build community, organize user-generated content UGC, and track brand mentions.
Examples: A modest fashion brand might use #MyModestStyle or #ElegantHijabs. An Islamic education account could use #LearnIslamWithUs.
Implementation:
- Promote It: Include it in your bio, captions, stories, and even offline marketing materials.
- Encourage UGC: Ask your followers to use your branded hashtag when they share content related to your brand. This creates a valuable stream of authentic content and fosters a sense of community.
Benefit: Branded hashtags often lead to higher quality engagement because users are specifically interacting with your brand.

Following Relevant Hashtags

Did you know you can follow hashtags on Instagram? This is a two-way street for engagement.

Discovery: By following hashtags relevant to your niche, you can discover new content, trends, and potential collaborators.
Engagement Opportunity: You can engage with posts from others using the same hashtags you are targeting. Liking, commenting, and saving relevant content from others signals to the algorithm that you are an active and valuable member of that community, potentially increasing your visibility within those hashtag feeds.
Example: If you’re focusing on #halalrestaurants, follow that hashtag. Engage with others who post about halal food. This network effect can bring new followers to your profile.

Hashtag Stacking and Segmentation

Instead of just one list of 30 hashtags, create multiple lists tailored to different content themes.

This is known as “hashtag stacking” or “segmentation.”

Process:
1. Identify Core Content Pillars: What are the main themes you post about? e.g., Islamic travel, halal recipes, modest fashion, Quranic reflections.
2. Create Themed Hashtag Sets: For each pillar, develop a unique set of 20-30 highly relevant hashtags, mixing broad, medium, and niche tags.
3. Rotate and Refine: Don’t use the exact same set every time, even within a theme. Rotate hashtags to test performance and avoid appearing spammy. Regularly review which hashtags are performing best using your analytics.
Benefit: This strategy ensures maximum relevance for every single post, telling the algorithm exactly what your content is about and connecting you with the most interested audience. It’s a precise answer to “what hashtags get most likes Instagram” when applied to specific content types.

Monitoring Hashtag Performance

The work isn’t over once you post. Best business hashtags

Continuous monitoring and refinement are key to maximizing your hashtag strategy.

Instagram Insights: If you have a Creator or Business account, use Instagram Insights. For each post, you can see “Impressions from Hashtags.” This metric tells you how many people discovered your post directly through the hashtags you used.
Identify Top Performers: Track which hashtags consistently bring the most impressions and engagement. Double down on these.
Remove Underperformers: If certain hashtags consistently bring low impressions, replace them with new ones you’ve researched.
A/B Testing: Experiment with different sets of hashtags on similar content. For example, try one set with more niche tags and another with a few more popular ones, and compare their performance. This data-driven approach is how you truly discover the best hashtags for your Instagram to increase likes.

Islamic Perspective on Content Creation and Engagement

As believers, our approach to any digital platform, including Instagram, should align with Islamic principles.

While using “best hashtags for Instagram to increase likes” is a secular goal, the underlying intention and content disseminated through these channels matter immensely.

Our aim should be to use these tools for beneficial purposes, avoiding what is impermissible and promoting good.

Permissible Content and Beneficial Use

Instagram, like any tool, can be used for good or ill. Best crop ratio for instagram

From an Islamic perspective, using Instagram to increase likes is permissible if the content itself is permissible and the intention is righteous.

Dawah Calling to Islam: Spreading knowledge of Islam, sharing Quranic verses, prophetic traditions, or lessons on Islamic ethics.
Education: Teaching valuable skills, sharing beneficial information e.g., halal cooking, ethical fashion, sustainable living tips.
Community Building: Connecting with other Muslims, fostering positive relationships, and creating a supportive online environment.
Halal Business: Promoting ethically produced goods or services that adhere to Islamic guidelines, ensuring transparency and fairness.
Inspiration and Positivity: Sharing uplifting messages, beautiful Islamic art, or scenes from Muslim life that encourage reflection and gratitude.
Key Principle: The content should be free from elements that are forbidden in Islam, such as promoting indecent acts, Riba interest, gambling, alcohol, podcast with instruments a debated topic among scholars but often advised to avoid excess, or any form of shirk polytheism. The focus should be on barakah blessing in what we share, rather than solely on worldly metrics.

Avoiding Impermissible Content and Practices

While the desire for “likes” and “engagement” is natural, it must never compromise our Islamic values.

Podcast and Entertainment: Much of modern entertainment, including podcast and movies, often contains elements that are not permissible in Islam, such as immodest visuals, inappropriate themes, or the promotion of forbidden acts. Using hashtags to promote such content, or using popular podcast in Reels/Stories simply for trending purposes without heed to its content, should be avoided.
Immodesty and Fitna Trial/Temptation: Posting content that leads to immodesty, promotes revealing attire for both men and women, or is designed primarily to attract attention through physical appearance fitna is contrary to Islamic teachings on modesty. This includes “jewelry” that is purely for showing off rather than permissible adornment, or any display that might encourage forbidden glances.
Financial Fraud/Scams and Riba: Promoting any form of financial fraud, scams, gambling, or interest-based financial products riba is strictly forbidden. This includes endorsing credit cards that rely on interest or “buy now pay later” schemes that incorporate hidden interest or deceptive terms.
Dating and Immoral Behavior: Using Instagram to promote dating, premarital relationships, or any immoral behavior is unequivocally against Islamic guidelines.
Astrology and Black Magic: Engaging with or promoting content related to astrology, horoscopes, fortune-telling, or black magic is a grave sin in Islam as it undermines reliance on Allah alone and can lead to shirk.
Alternatives: Instead of pursuing content that could be questionable, focus on developing and promoting meaningful content that brings benefit to yourself and others. This could be short reminders, Islamic knowledge, sharing positive halal experiences like family trips or community events, or showcasing ethical products. The true ‘likes’ are from Allah, for content that is pure and beneficial. Seek to gain hasanat good deeds rather than fleeting digital affirmation that might compromise your akhirah afterlife.

The Role of Analytics in Hashtag Optimization

To truly find the “best hashtags for Instagram to increase likes,” you must become a data-driven content creator. Analytics aren’t just for large corporations.

They are essential for anyone serious about growth on Instagram, providing insights into what works and what doesn’t.

Understanding Instagram Insights

For Creator and Business accounts, Instagram provides built-in analytics that are invaluable. Best aspect ratio for instagram photos

Reach & Impressions: These metrics tell you how many unique accounts saw your post reach and the total number of times your post was seen impressions.
Impressions from Hashtags: This is your golden metric for hashtag performance. It shows exactly how many views your post received directly from hashtag feeds. Monitor this closely for each post.
Engagement: Track likes, comments, saves, and shares. High engagement on posts discovered via hashtags signals to Instagram that your content is highly relevant to that tag’s audience.
Top Posts: Analyze your top-performing posts. What hashtags did they use? What was the content theme? Look for patterns.
Audience Demographics: Understand who is engaging with your content age, gender, location. This can help you tailor your hashtags to specific segments if needed.

Leveraging External Analytics Tools

While Instagram Insights are a great start, external tools offer deeper dives and competitive analysis.

Tailwind: As mentioned, our 👉 Free Growth Marketing Tool is designed to help you analyze hashtag performance, suggest better options, and even schedule posts for optimal timing. It can show you which hashtags brought the most engagement over time.
Hootsuite/Buffer: These social media management platforms offer comprehensive analytics dashboards that go beyond basic Instagram insights, allowing you to track overall performance, compare different campaigns, and gain a holistic view of your social media strategy.
Sprout Social: Provides advanced reporting on engagement, audience growth, and competitor analysis, including hashtag performance metrics.
Key Performance Indicators KPIs for Hashtags:
- Hashtag Reach Percentage: Impressions from Hashtags / Total Impressions * 100. Aim for a high percentage here.
- Engagement Rate per Hashtag: While harder to track precisely per hashtag, look at overall engagement on posts that performed well via hashtags.
- Follower Growth from Hashtags: While not directly shown, consistent high hashtag reach often correlates with follower growth from non-followers.

Iterative Optimization: Test, Analyze, Adapt

Hashtag strategy is not a one-and-done task.

The algorithm changes, trends evolve, and your audience grows.

Regular Review: Set a schedule to review your hashtag performance e.g., weekly or monthly.
A/B Test: Experiment with different mixes of hashtags. Try a set with more popular tags on one similar post, and a set with more niche tags on another. Compare results.
Adapt to Trends: Stay agile. If a new relevant trend emerges, research related hashtags and incorporate them if appropriate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best hashtags for Instagram to get more likes?

The “best” hashtags are those that are highly relevant to your content, a mix of broad, medium, and niche popularity, and actively followed by your target audience. Best amount of hashtags for instagram

There isn’t a single universal list, but rather a strategic approach tailored to your specific niche.

What hashtags get most likes Instagram?

Hashtags with the most likes generally fall into broad, popular categories like #love, #fashion, #travel, #instadaily, or #photography. However, while they generate many likes overall, your individual post might get lost in the noise due to high competition.

How many hashtags should I use on Instagram?

You can use up to 30 hashtags per post.

While some advise using all 30, many experts and studies suggest that 5-10 highly relevant hashtags can be optimal for many accounts, striking a balance between reach and relevance.

Should I put hashtags in the caption or first comment?

From an algorithmic standpoint, Instagram has stated it doesn’t matter. Adjust video size for instagram

For aesthetic reasons and a cleaner caption, many creators prefer placing hashtags in the first comment immediately after posting.

How can I find trending hashtags for my niche?

You can find trending hashtags by using Instagram’s search bar suggestions under the “Tags” tab, checking the “Related” hashtags when viewing a tag feed, and using third-party tools like Tailwind or Flick.tech to analyze trends in your specific niche.

Do hashtags really help in getting more likes?

Yes, absolutely. Hashtags are a primary discovery tool on Instagram.

When used strategically and relevantly, they significantly increase your content’s visibility to users who don’t already follow you, leading to more likes and engagement. App to check instagram feed

Can using too many hashtags hurt my reach?

Yes, using an excessive number of irrelevant hashtags, or the same generic 30 hashtags on every post, can be flagged as spammy by Instagram’s algorithm and potentially reduce your reach. Focus on quality and relevance over quantity.

What are shadowbanned hashtags?

Shadowbanned hashtags are those that Instagram has flagged for inappropriate content or spam.

If you use a shadowbanned hashtag, your post may not appear in any hashtag feeds, severely limiting its reach. Always check a hashtag’s status before using it.

How can I check if a hashtag is banned?

Search for the hashtag on Instagram. If you see a message stating “Recent posts from # hashtag name are currently hidden because the community has reported some content that may not meet Instagram’s content guidelines,” then it is banned.

Is it better to use popular or niche hashtags?

A mix is best. 1080 4×5

Popular hashtags offer broad reach but high competition, while niche hashtags offer highly targeted reach with less competition and higher engagement potential. A balanced strategy combining both is recommended.

How often should I change my hashtags?

It’s a good practice to rotate your hashtags regularly, even within similar content themes.

This helps you avoid appearing spammy and allows you to test new tags for better performance.

Aim to refresh your sets periodically based on analytics.

How do I track hashtag performance?

Use Instagram Insights for Creator/Business accounts to view “Impressions from Hashtags” for each post.

External tools like Tailwind also provide detailed analytics on which hashtags are driving the most reach and engagement.

Should I use branded hashtags?

Yes, branded hashtags are excellent for building community, organizing user-generated content, and making it easy for your audience to find content related to your brand. Promote them in your bio and calls to action.

What is the difference between reach and impressions for hashtags?

Impressions from hashtags tell you the total number of times your post was seen specifically through a hashtag feed. Reach from hashtags though not directly reported by Instagram refers to the number of unique accounts that saw your post via hashtags.

Can old posts gain likes from new hashtags?

No, adding or changing hashtags on an old post typically doesn’t significantly impact its visibility or likes.

Hashtags primarily benefit newly published content during its initial distribution phase.

How do I find hashtags for a specific type of content, like halal food?

For halal food, you’d start with broad terms like #halalfood, then niche down with terms like #halalrecipes, #halalcooking, #halalfoodie, #muslimfood, or location-specific tags like #halalfoodlondon. Use Instagram’s search suggestions.

Is it okay to use English and Arabic hashtags together?

Yes, if your audience is bilingual or you want to reach both English and Arabic-speaking communities, using both English and Arabic hashtags can broaden your reach and engagement significantly.

What are some ethical considerations for using hashtags as a Muslim creator?

As a Muslim creator, ensure your content and the hashtags used are permissible in Islam.

Avoid hashtags that promote immodesty, podcast, gambling, Riba, or any forbidden content.

Focus on beneficial knowledge, dawah, ethical business, and positive community building.

Can Instagram’s algorithm punish me for bad hashtag practices?

Yes, consistent misuse of hashtags e.g., using banned tags, highly irrelevant tags, or appearing spammy can lead to reduced reach, shadowbanning, or even account action, as the algorithm prioritizes authentic and valuable content.

What’s the best strategy for a small account to grow with hashtags?

For small accounts, focus heavily on niche-specific and medium-tail hashtags e.g., 10-15 of these per post combined with a few broad, relevant ones.

This increases your chances of ranking and being discovered by a highly engaged audience, which is crucial for initial growth.

Best hashtags for instagram to increase likes