Still lurking behind your competitors on instagram in 2025? What if the reason is not your posts or content or instagram but the hashtags you are using in your posts?
Hashtags are one of the most important metrics which you should include in your instagram content to get staggering results on instagram.
But, it’s important to use the right hashtags, in the right quantity (how many) and in the right section (feed, stories or reels) to reap the most benefits from the platform.
In this blog we will be discussing the best hashtags to make you viral on instagram, the best practices to deploy with these hashtags, different types of hashtags and many more.
Let’s start without any further ado.
What is a Hashtag?
We all love to talk about hashtags but what exactly is a hashtag? A hashtag is a symbol made of two level vertical strokes entwined with two level horizontal strokes.
Although its usage is new, according to Britannica the symbol itself dates back to the Romans (back then it wasn’t a symbol). With the passage of time, it became the # sign.
Social media started using hashtags after the 2007 San Diego wildfire, when people started to post about it frequently on twitter.
Hashtags are simply words and phrases which are often preceded by # symbol to categorize and simply put common events in a “compartment” on social media platforms.
Since then, the rest is history.
Now, there are over 2 billion instagram users and they post millions of posts everyday and the amount of hashtags used in these posts are uncountable.
Why Hashtags are Must For Your Instagram?
Before we dig deep into the best instagram hashtags it is important to learn about why hashtags are important for your instagram profile.
Algorithm boost
Do you know, posts which have hashtags have more capacity of becoming viral on instagram?
The reason for this is quite clear. Remember, we mentioned categories and compartments? These categories help algorithms organize posts and content more efficiently.
This organization helps the algorithms to boost your content on the for you page, explore page and reel section on instagram.
Discoverability
When algorithms rank your content on the sections mentioned above, your content will ride the wave of becoming more discoverable and visible on instagram.
Suppose, you are new to instagram. Which pages will you prefer to follow and like on instagram? Obviously, the pages which will be ranked by the algorithms in your for you and explore page.
Participation in trends
Through hashtags content creators create trends on instagram. You can easily become part of these viral trends and can become part of something big on instagram.
These trends can easily be found by clicking the “search bar” on instagram or by looking over the repeatedly loaded content on your feed on instagram.
For instance, the #icebucketchallenge was initiated as a challenge and then it became a trend on social media.
Engage with like-minded people
Hashtags are a great way to engage with like-minded people on instagram and they can help you build a bigger and stronger community on the platform.
You can become part of the B2B community by simply becoming part of the #networking hashtags on instagram.
All hashtags work like this, because all hashtags are representatives of certain communities on instagram.
Types of Hashtags to Use in 2025
There are many hashtags to go viral on instagram but all these hashtags are parts of these following types of hashtags:
1. Trending and viral hashtags
These hashtags are dependent on global trends, events and about the “new boy in town” kind of information on instagram.
For example, for 2025 these hashtags are trending and viral:
- #throwback2025
- #mondaymotivation2025
- #newyearnewme2025
2. Niche-specific hashtags
These hashtags are related to your niche on instagram. You will have your own hashtags if you have a specific niche on instagram because these hashtags will help you to target an audience related to your industry.
For example, best instagram hashtags for a chef would be:
- #homechef
- #cooklikeapro
- #recipes4you
If you are a gym enthusiast:
- #fitnessfirst
- #musclesgame
- #bicepsday
3. Branded hashtags
These hashtags are related to your brand and business which you have set up or are promoting on instagram.
For example,
- Starbuck: #starbuckslovers
- Coca-cola: #shareacoke
- Nike: #JustDoIt
4. Location-based hashtags
Location based hashtags are best for targeting audiences in specific countries, cities or regions.
Following are examples of location-based hashtags
- London: #LondonCalling
- Dubai: #DubaiLuxury
- Tokyo: #TokyoDiaries
Best Hashtags To Go Viral On Instagram In 2025
Now, that we have discussed the types of hashtags which are used by instagrammers, following are the best instagram hashtags which you can use to make your content (reels, static posts or carousels) go viral in 2025:
General Hashtags To Use
- #Viral
- #Explore
- #InstaDaily
- #TrendingNow
- #PopularPage
Travel Hashtags To Use
- #TravelGram
- #Wanderlust
- #LuxuryTravel
- #DigitalNomad
- #AdventureTime2025
Fitness And Gym Hashtags To Use
- #FitnessGoals
- #GymLife
- #FitFam
- #WorkoutMotivation
- #HealthyLifestyle
Beauty Hashtags To Use
- #BeautyRoutine
- #SkincareGoals
- #GlowingSkin
- #BeautyTips
- #SkincareAddict
Business And Entrepreneurship Hashtags
- #hustlehard
- #instawork
- #EntrepreneurLife
- #BusinessSuccess
- #StartupJourney
How To Find The Best Hashtag For Your Niche In 2025
Using the right hashtags can make or break your game on instagram. Here’s a brief overview of the strategies you can deploy to find the best hashtags for your account on instagram in 2025:
1. Use Instagram’s Search And Explore
Instagram’s search bar is your go-to for finding the best hashtags you can use on your posts and reels.
How to do it?
- Type a keyword in search bar (e.g. cook)
- Switch to tags
- Check the top section to see popular posts using this hashtag
2. See which hashtags your competitors are using
Your competitors and market rivals are always using hashtags so you should learn from them.
How to do it?
- Figure out 3 to 5 competitors in your niche
- Check their recent posts
- Note their hashtags
- Avoid copying exactly
3. Hashtag Generator Tools
Hashtag generator tools are AI-driven tools which can create industry and niche-oriented hashtags for you.
Best hashtag generator tools
- Ahref
- Inflict
- Canva
You just need to enter the keywords or pictures related to your niche and these tools will automatically generate hashtags for you.
Note: image option isn’t available with canva.
4. Use Instagram Insights To Track Performance
Not all hashtags work equally on instagram. There are some hashtags which can bring more engagement and reach to your page and content while some hashtags are less impactful.
How to do it:
- Go to your posts
- View insights on your posts
- Check discovery to see which hashtags brought impressions.
Note: Your profile needs to be public or business.
Common Hashtag Mistakes To Avoid in 2025
There are some mistakes which we all make while using hashtags on instagram. However, it is crucial to avoid these mistakes in 2025 to make your instagram profile go viral.
1. Using Spammy Hashtags
Instagram bans some hashtags by considering them spam and irrelevant. If you will use these hashtags, your account can get shadowbanned by instagram.
How to check if a hashtag is banned:
- Search the hashtag on Instagram
- If no “Top Posts” section appears, it may be banned.
2. Overstuffing hashtags
Instagram allows 30 hashtags per post but it isn’t necessary that you will use all of them. It’s always better to be at equilibrium. ‘
Too many hashtags can:
- Trigger instagram’s spam filters
- Reduce engagement
- Reduce reach
3. Irrelevant Hashtags
Irrelevant hashtags can also harm your page’s reputation because while searching for content under a specific hashtag, users may not get the desired results on instagram.
For example,
Using #fitnessforall hashtag under your post of traveling may harm your page’s credibility.
4. Not Updating Hashtags
Trending hashtags usually change daily/hourly/weekly. So, it’s crucial that you keep updating your hashtags on your instagram content.
- Keep checking instagram’s trending page for updates.
- Check your niche competitor’s profiles too.
Bonus Points: How Many Hashtags To Use
- Feed posts: 5 to 15 hashtags per post
- Reels: 8 to 10 hashtags per reel
- Stories 1 to 3 hashtags per story (do not make visible; hide under stickers)
Conclusion
This blog explained the importance of hashtags, best instagram hashtags in general and specifically to your niche. Moreover, we tried to find out which practices regarding hashtags can hinder the growth of your instagram and we have also explained how you can find and even generate your own hashtags for instagram.
Comment down below to tell us which hashtags are you going to use in your posts on instagram.
