--- title: "What is Hashtag? — Social Media Glossary | Postpone" canonical_url: "https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/hashtag" last_updated: "2026-10-08T07:18:26.404Z" meta: description: "A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the # symbol that categorizes content and makes it discoverable to people searching or following that topic." "og:description": "A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the # symbol that categorizes content and makes it discoverable to people searching or following that topic." "og:title": "What is Hashtag? — Social Media Glossary" "twitter:description": "A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the # symbol that categorizes content and makes it discoverable to people searching or following that topic." "twitter:title": "What is Hashtag? — Social Media Glossary" --- **Platform Concepts** # Hashtag A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the # symbol that categorizes content and makes it discoverable to people searching or following that topic. [**X **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/twitter-post-scheduler) [** Instagram **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/instagram-post-scheduler) [** Facebook **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/facebook-post-scheduler) [** LinkedIn **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/linkedin-scheduler) [** TikTok **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tiktok-post-scheduler) [** Threads **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/threads-scheduler) [** Pinterest **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/pinterest-scheduler) [** YouTube **Shorts scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/youtube-shorts-scheduler) [** Bluesky **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/bluesky-post-scheduler) [** Tumblr **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tumblr-post-scheduler) [** Mastodon **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/mastodon-post-scheduler) Hashtags started on Twitter in 2007 when Chris Messina proposed using # to group conversations. Now they're baked into nearly every social platform — though how much they matter varies wildly. ## How Hashtags Work When you add #SocialMediaMarketing to a post, you're filing that content under a searchable category. Anyone browsing or following that hashtag can find your post, even if they've never heard of you. On Instagram, hashtags are still a meaningful discovery channel. Users follow hashtags, and the algorithm uses them as relevance signals. On TikTok, hashtags help the algorithm categorize your video for the right audience. On LinkedIn, they're less powerful but still help with topic-based discovery. Twitter/X originally built its identity around hashtags, but they've become less central as the algorithm has taken over content distribution. On Facebook, hashtags play a smaller role in discovery compared to other platforms. ## How Many to Use Platform norms diverge sharply: - **Instagram**: 3-5 targeted hashtags outperform 30 random ones. Instagram's own team has recommended fewer, more relevant tags. - **TikTok**: 3-5 relevant hashtags. Don't waste characters on #fyp or #viral — they're too broad to help. - **Twitter/X**: 1-2 max. More than that looks spammy. - **LinkedIn**: 3-5 relevant tags, placed at the end of your post. - **Pinterest**: Use them in pin descriptions. 2-5 is standard. ## Common Mistakes The biggest mistake is using popular hashtags that are too broad. Posting a photo of your handmade jewelry with #love (2 billion posts) means your content disappears in seconds. #HandmadeGoldRings (smaller, targeted) puts you in front of people actually looking for what you sell. Don't use banned or flagged hashtags — Instagram especially will suppress your post if it contains one. And never stuff hashtags into your caption where they interrupt readability. Put them at the end or in the first comment. **Example** A freelance photographer adds #StreetPhotography to their Instagram post. That single hashtag puts their work in front of people actively browsing that tag — users who don't follow them yet but are interested in exactly what they're posting. ## **Why It Matters** Hashtags are one of the few organic discovery tools you control directly. The right tags expose your content to people outside your follower base who are actively interested in your topic. On platforms like Instagram and TikTok, hashtag strategy can double or triple your reach. ## **Related Terms** [Algorithm](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/algorithm) [Content Curation](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/content-curation) [Engagement Rate](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/engagement-rate) [Reach](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/reach) [Trending](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/trending) [**← Back to Social Media Glossary **](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary)