If you’ve been on social media in the last decade, you’ve used hashtags. They were once the ultimate tool for getting your content discovered, organizing conversations, and even launching entire movements (#ThrowbackThursday, anyone?). But in 2024, the question needs to be asked: Are hashtags still as important as they once were, or are we moving into a new era of social media discovery?
The short answer? Hashtags aren’t dead, but their role has significantly changed. Instead of relying solely on hashtags, social media platforms are now prioritizing SEO within posts—meaning the actual words in your captions and content are doing the heavy lifting when it comes to discoverability.
The Current State of Hashtags
Despite the shift toward social media SEO, hashtags haven’t completely disappeared. In fact, 82% of marketers still use hashtags as part of their Instagram strategy, and 85% of marketers have a documented hashtag strategy for the platform. However, the effectiveness of hashtags is up for debate. While 30% of marketers say having a structured hashtag strategy has been effective, others are shifting their focus toward optimizing for search using keywords and captions instead.
So why are hashtags losing their power? Here are a few reasons:
- Social Media Algorithms Have Evolved – Platforms now scan content for context rather than relying on hashtags as the primary way to categorize posts.
- Users Prefer Search Over Clicking Hashtags – Let’s be honest—when was the last time you clicked on a hashtag to find content? Most people now search for what they want instead.
- Overuse and Spam – Hashtags have been overused (and misused) so much that they don’t hold as much weight as they once did. Adding #love #happy #instagood to every post doesn’t exactly help with engagement anymore.
What Is Social Media SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is no longer just for Google. Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn have evolved their algorithms to function more like search engines. Users are no longer just scrolling endlessly—they’re actively searching for specific content using keywords.
For example, someone looking for fitness tips on TikTok might type “beginner ab workout” instead of clicking on #Fitness. If your caption, video text, or even voiceover includes those words, your content has a better chance of appearing in search results—even if you didn’t use a single hashtag.
And marketers are catching on. 52% of social media marketers are now using hashtags alongside relevant keywords to optimize their social media accounts for search. This means that keywords are just as important—if not more—than hashtags when it comes to getting your content discovered.
While hashtags are no longer the only way to get discovered, they still serve a purpose. Marketers who use hashtags on Instagram are 23% more likely to say Instagram marketing was effective for their brand last year. So while they may not be as powerful as before, they’re still worth including in moderation, especially if used strategically.
-Allison Housley, Account Executive