Instagram hashtags and keywords both help people find a post, but they do different jobs. Hashtags group posts by topic, while keywords in your caption, name and bio describe what the post is about in search terms. Use a few relevant tags, put the important words in plain text, and check your Insights.
What is the difference between a hashtag and a keyword?
A hashtag is a clickable label. Tapping it opens a page of posts that use it. A keyword is simply a word or phrase people type into the search bar, such as "easy pasta recipe" or "hair braiding tutorial". Instagram reads the text of your caption, your account name and bio, and the text on screen in videos, so a post can be found by words even without a hashtag. Because search behaviour changes, check Instagram's current guidance in its Help Center and creator announcements instead of relying on an old rule of thumb.
How many hashtags should you use?
There is no set magic number. Older advice recommended thirty tags on every post, and many creators now use far fewer, often three to five, because a short set that clearly matches the post looks cleaner and avoids irrelevant tags. The aim is relevance, not volume. Try a lower number for a month and compare reach with your previous posts.
How do you choose hashtags that fit?
- Start with your topic. Write down five words that describe the post as a viewer would.
- Search each one in Instagram. Look at the suggestions and at what the top posts look like. If they are unrelated to your content, skip the tag.
- Mix sizes. One broad tag, a couple of mid-sized ones and a niche one tends to give a balanced set.
- Check the audience. Open a few posts under the tag and see whether the commenters resemble the people you want.
- Keep a list. Save groups of tags in your notes by topic, then adjust for each post rather than pasting the same block every time.
Where should you put keywords?
| Place | What to write |
|---|---|
| Account name | Your name plus a word for your topic, for example "Sara | Home Baking" |
| Bio | One sentence that says who you help and with what |
| Caption, first line | The main phrase a viewer would search for |
| On-screen text | A short title in the first seconds of a Reel |
| Alt text | A plain description of the image for accessibility |
Write the way people talk. A caption stuffed with repeated phrases reads badly and does not help anyone.
What does a worked example look like?
Imagine a post showing a quick weeknight pasta. The caption opens with "Easy 15-minute tomato pasta for busy weeknights", which holds the phrase a person might search. The tags could be one broad tag (#pasta), two mid-sized ones (#weeknightdinner, #easyrecipes) and one niche tag (#15minutemeals). The name field of the account says "Sara | Easy Dinners", so the same topic appears in three places without sounding forced. Compare that with a post that carries thirty unrelated tags and a caption of one emoji: the first tells Instagram and the viewer what the post is, and the second says very little.
Try the same exercise for your own niche, and write the result in your notes so you can reuse the structure.
Which hashtag mistakes should you avoid?
- Banned or restricted tags. Some tags are limited by Instagram. A post using one may not appear in the tag page.
- Unrelated trending tags. They attract the wrong viewers, who scroll past and tell the system your post is not interesting.
- The same block on every post. It signals that you are not describing the specific content.
- Hiding tags in a comment. It does no harm, but it is not clearly better either; test it if you like.
How do you tell whether your tags help?
Open the Insights of a post and look at where impressions came from: home, profile, explore, hashtags. If hashtags bring almost nothing, spend your effort on stronger first lines and Reels instead. Compare a set of posts with five tags against a set with none. Keep notes, because a single post proves little.
Discovery is only one half of growth. People who arrive must also like your profile, so use these profile tips, and follow the weekly routine in our growth guide. For video, the Reels tips explain how to hold attention.
How do keywords differ by language?
People search in their own language and in their own spelling, so write your keywords the way your audience writes them. A baker in Montreal may need both French and English tags, while a Spanish-speaking audience in the United States may search in either language. Try typing the start of a phrase into Instagram's search bar and see which completions appear. Those suggestions reflect real searches, so they are a good clue for captions and tags.
Where do bought likes fit in?
Likes added from outside do not make a hashtag work harder. Instagram's terms prohibit inauthentic engagement, and the platform may remove it, so treat any added numbers as cosmetic. If you still want to compare options, our Instagram likes page asks only for a post link, and followers, likes and views compared shows what each number does.