By Alessia Mangan
The hashtag is a feature that has changed how social media has been used over the last decade. However, new social media advancements have caused some users to believe hashtags have lost their magic touch. With the rise of SEO, keywords and AI, people, including brands, find that hashtags aren’t increasing their reach or visibility like they used to. For social media marketers, the confusion surrounding the effectiveness of hashtags prevents them from using them to their full potential or even using them at all. So, are the rumors true? Are hashtags dead?
The short answer is no. Hashtags are not dead, yet. There is a possibility they’re on their way out, though. In this blog, we will cover hashtags and their evolution, their roles in marketing in 2024, and the future of the symbol.
The Birth of the Hashtag
In the early days of social media, content on a specific topic was pretty difficult to find. Only a little over a year after Twitter (now X) launched, users called for the platform to update with a grouping function. Chris Messina decided to share his idea of a possible solution for grouping similar content together, the hashtag. While many users loved the idea, Twitter wasn’t too fond of it at first. In fact, Messina told Wall Street Journal’s Elana Zak that Twitter told him “these things are for nerds” and “wouldn’t be used widely.”
Though Twitter doubted the idea, the first widespread use of a hashtag on the platform was shortly after Messina pitched his idea in 2007. A devastating fire burned through San Diego County, and #SanDiegoFire was used for users to track updates and find resources on Twitter. In 2009, Twitter gave in and adopted the hashtag. Resulting in hashtags amplifying users’ messages and boosting discoverability.
The Debate
Some people believe that hashtags are still relevant as they enhance visibility, increase reach and engagement, and create communities of like-minded people. Others think that hashtags are oversaturated, don’t hold the same value they once did, and are easily misused, which annoys them. The #Haters believe that algorithm changes, digital advancements, and spammers are factors in the diminishing power of hashtags.
Neither group is completely right or wrong. While hashtags seem to have lost their magic touch, if they’re used properly, individuals and brands can still gain significant benefits. Let’s take a closer look into the reasons people are #HatingOnHashtags.
Hijacking Hashtags: Once you start using a hashtag, you no longer have control over it. Even brand or company-specific hashtags can easily be “hijacked.” When a hashtag is hijacked, it means it’s not being used for the original purpose. This can happen in two ways: trolls or a campaign gone wrong.
Trolls: Trolls are users who use a bunch of trending hashtags to get attention. They spam hashtags with irrelevant content either to promote themselves or “just because.”
Campaign Gone Wrong: When businesses use hashtags to promote an event or product, sometimes the hashtag can be taken over by detractors who try to shift the campaign’s or brand’s perspective negatively. McDonald’s encountered this issue in 2012 with its #McDStories campaign. The purpose was for people to share positive experiences, but instead, the tag went viral because users shared bad experiences. (Campbell, 2023)
— Dude, I used to work at McDonald’s. The #McDStories I could tell would raise your hair. (via Twitter)
Algorithm Shifts
Platforms constantly changing their algorithms have a major impact on the effectiveness of hashtags. Instagram’s algorithm changes, for example, focus more on keywords within captions, comments, and bios than hashtags. The platform began to analyze the content of every post to determine its relevance to users’ interests (Jangid, 2023).
Facebook’s algorithm updates in 2024 are dependent on Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI makes the user experience more personalized by analyzing each individual’s behavior and preferences. Every post is now given a “relevance score” determined by each user’s previous preferences and behaviors. The shift even calculates each individual’s predicted time spent on posts and the likelihood of engagement, again, based on past interactions (Macready, 2024).
Digital advancements such as AI have also significantly impacted the effectiveness of hashtags, but we’ll cover that later when discussing the future of hashtags. Before jumping to the future, let’s discuss why pro-hashtaggers still “see something” in hashtags, what benefits they still hold, and how to use them properly on different platforms.
Proper Use of Hashtags is Key
Those users who aren’t seeing the same increase in numbers as they used to may be using hashtags wrong. It seems simple to use them, right? Well, if brands or individuals want to see a spike in reach and visibility, they can’t just throw a hashtag in the caption and expect a miracle to happen.
Research
To understand what hashtags will work for you or your brand, you must research. Researching trending industry or niche hashtags will ensure that you use one that will reach and resonate with the target audience. Many online resources, such as Hubspot Marketing Hub and Hashtagify, can help track trending hashtags in specific industries/niches. Another way to find relevant hashtags for your brand is to follow influencers in your niche.
Hashtags & Platform-Specifics
Hashtags still remain vital tools for brands on social media when it comes to increasing visibility and reach. Understanding the purposes of hashtags on each platform is essential for creating an effective strategy that resonates with the target audience and maximizes reach.
X (Twitter)
The hashtag was born in 2007 on X (Twitter at the time). Hashtags are still proven to increase engagement for users on the platform. In fact, individual engagement can increase by up to 100% when using hashtags, and brands can see up to 50% increased engagement. To see a spike in engagement, hashtags must be used properly. One to two hashtags per post on X can increase the chance of a “retweet” by 55%. Using more than two hashtags can make posts look spammy, which in turn can decrease engagement by 17%. Surprisingly, when hashtags are NOT used in sponsored ads, brands can see an engagement increase of up to 23%.
Crafting a brand hashtag is an advantage on Instagram, especially if it has 21-24 characters. 21-24 characters in a hashtag do better than those with more or less characters and create a less competitive space. These hashtags attract a more niche audience, which is important for brands, as 70% of hashtags on Instagram are branded. For users with 100,000 followers or more, putting hashtags as the first comment of their post brings up to 15.9% more engagement than no hashtag, whereas placing it in the caption only brings up to 14% more engagement.
For accounts with (followers), hashtags can increase engagement by (%):
- > 1,000 followers – 29%+
- > 5,000 followers – 36%+
- 5,000 – 10,000 followers – 20%
- 10,000 – 50,000 followers – 21%
- 50,000 – 100,000 followers – 21.43%
Hashtags on Facebook are less effective than on other platforms but also less common. Too many hashtags can appear spammy or annoying, as they’re not super common. People are not likely to engage with a post that appears to be spam. One relevant hashtag is actually the best amount to include on Facebook. One hashtag averages an engagement increase of 593/post, 3-5 hashtags increase by 416/post, and 6-10 hashtags increase by 307/post.
Over the past few years, hashtags have increased in popularity on LinkedIn. On the platform, hashtags are used to establish credibility and expertise, reach an audience that values your insights, and spark meaningful conversations. Using one niche and two industry-related hashtags placed at the bottom of the post is seen as the best way to use them on the platform.
TikTok
If you’re not using hashtags on TikTok, consider yourself doing it wrong. TikTok hashtags help boost visibility and engagement. The app suggests hashtags for users, which usually include trending ones. Trending hashtags allow the algorithm to favor your content as it deems relevant and increases engagement. Three to five hashtags is the recommended amount, but using more is okay if they’re niche and/or industry related.
The Future of Hashtags
As we’ve covered, social media is ever-evolving, and so are hashtags. While hashtags still hold a place in social media strategies, digital advancements may diminish their power.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
“The role of AI models in content categorization is transformative. These models can deeply analyze the content, context, and sentiment of a post, effectively categorizing it into relevant groups. The precision with which these models operate often surpasses that of the average user. In simpler terms, AI can understand the essence of a post, ensuring it reaches the audience it resonates with the most, without necessarily relying on hashtags.” – Angel Edsa (2023)
Final Thoughts
Despite the rumors, hashtags do still hold relevance on social media, but aren’t being used as much or in the same way they used to be. Digital advancements such as AI continue to shape how content is distributed and categorized, so hashtags are competing with more sophisticated engagement methods. However, understanding each platform’s “purpose” for hashtags is crucial for successfully using hashtags. Staying informed, adapting to changes, and utilizing hashtags to their full potential will help individuals and brands continue to grow and navigate the social media landscape.
Interested in learning more? Check out the references for this blog
Campbell, A. (2023, October 2). What is Hashtag Hijacking? Small Business Trends. https://smallbiztrends.com/what-is-hashtag-hijacking/
Edsa, A. & The Medium. (2023, September 27). Are Hashtags Dead? The Medium. https://medium.com/@angel.edsa/are-hashtags-dead-f20d2c182af
Instagram’s changing algorithm: Keywords matter more – Uniworld Studios. (n.d.). https://uniworldstudios.com/blog/the-changing-instagram-algorithm-keywords-matter-more-than-hashtags
MacArthur, A. (2021, March 10). History of hashtags and use in social media. Lifewire. https://www.lifewire.com/history-of-hashtags-3288940
Macready, H. (2024, January 11). 2024 Facebook algorithm: tip + secrets revealed. Social Media Marketing & Management Dashboard. https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-algorithm/
Panko, B. (2017, August 23). A decade ago, the hashtag reshaped the internet. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/decade-ago-hashtag-reshaped-internet-180964605/
Search Engine Watch. (2019, September 20). 5 Brilliant ways to use #Hashtags in Social Media Marketing. https://www.searchenginewatch.com/2014/02/10/5-brilliant-ways-to-use-hashtags-in-social-media-marketing/
Staff, V. R. (2020, March 16). #History: How the Humble pound sign became the hashtag. Vertical Rail. https://www.verticalrail.com/2015/09/23/history-of-the-hashtag/
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