The Power Of Instagram Hashtags: How I Use Them To Grow Fast In 2025
If you’re struggling to grow on Instagram, I want to show you the exact strategy I use to choose instagram hashtags that get me discovered by real people who actually follow… not ghost accounts who disappear in two days.
Because if you don’t know how to find the best instagram hashtags, you’re posting in the dark.
Before I dive in, let me say this:
Instagram didn’t “stop working.”
I stopped working Instagram.
When life got busy, I posted less.
My content wasn’t visual.
Some weeks I barely touched the app except to laugh at memes or upload a random dog story.
And even with all that inconsistency, something wild still happened:
Whenever I actually used the right instagram hashtags, people found me.
Not bots.
Not spammy accounts.
Real creators.
Bloggers.
Entrepreneurs.
People inside my niche.
And it reminded me of something simple:
Do everything wrong + use the right instagram hashtags = you might still grow.
Do everything right + use the wrong hashtags = you’ll stagnate.
Do everything right + use the right hashtags = jackpot.
What Are Instagram Hashtags (And Why They Still Matter)
Let’s simplify this.
They help the algorithm place you in communities where your ideal followers hang out.
They help you stay discoverable.
So when people say hashtags “don’t work anymore,” that’s cap.
They work.
People just use them wrong.
If you want your content discovered, your reach increased, and your following grown using instagram hashtags, then you must treat hashtags like a full strategy — not an afterthought.
And here’s exactly how I do it.
How To Find The Best Instagram Hashtags (Without Stressing Your Brain)
Before you choose hashtags, you need a list.
Not a random list.
Not hashtags you copied from someone else’s comments.
Your list.
Relevant to YOUR niche.
Your audience.
Your content pillars.
Here’s my exact process.
1. Look At What You Post
Scroll through your last 10–15 posts.
Are you posting quotes?
Selfies?
Reels?
Tutorials?
Food pics?
Pick your content categories.
For each category, brainstorm hashtags.
Don’t overthink it.
Write everything.
2. Think About What You Want To Be Found For
Are people searching for “blogging tips”?
“Motivation quotes”?
“Football drills”?
These become your niche indicators.
Search them manually on Instagram.
Write down every relevant suggestion Instagram gives you.
3. Study Your Competitors
Check accounts inside your niche.
Open their posts.
Find their first comment.
Check their hashtag groups.
If they’re growing, learn from them.
If they’re not… skip them.
4. Avoid Lazy Hashtags
#cool
#pretty
#beauty
#food
Delete these.
They are dead zones.
Oversaturated.
Zero meaningful reach.
A time-waster.
5. Use Predictive Search
Type “blog” → Instagram shows you “blogginglife,” “bloggingtips,” “bloggerstyle,” etc.
Check the usage count.
Write down the good ones.
6. Build A Spreadsheet
This saved my life.
Build a list of every hashtag you find.
Separate them by niche category.
Aim for 50–60 hashtags per category.
It sounds like a lot.
But once the list is built, posting becomes easy.
7. Or… Use MetaHashtags (My Secret Shortcut)
This is the part where I save you six hours of stress.
I use MetaHashtags (affiliate link spot here).
Type a keyword → It gives you relevant hashtags.
It shows usage numbers.
It flags banned hashtags.
It shows competition levels.
And it helps you find related niche communities.
Instead of guessing, it gives you data.
If you want to save time, get it here (affiliate link spot here).
How To Choose The Best Instagram Hashtags (The Filtering Process)
Finding hashtags is step one.
Choosing the powerful ones is step two.
Here’s my filter:
❌ Remove hashtags under 20k uses
They’re too small.
❌ Remove hashtags over 300k uses
Too competitive.
❌ Remove single-word hashtags
They’re almost always spammy.
❌ Check for banned hashtags
Search them manually.
If the hashtag has usage but no posts appear → banned.
Avoid at all costs or your reach suffers.
❌ Remove hashtags used in spam niches
Forex.
Crypto bots.
“DM for collab.”
Delete immediately.
✔ Keep hashtags that describe:
Your content
Your niche
Your audience
Your problem
Your solution
✔ Keep hashtags that match engagement size
If your posts get 50–200 likes, don’t use hashtags where top posts get 10k likes.
You will disappear instantly.
Once this filtering is done, you now have high-quality instagram hashtags ready for posting.
How To Properly Use Instagram Hashtags (The Fun Part)
This is where most people mess up.
✔ Use 28–30 hashtags
You get 30 slots.
Use them.
It’s free real estate.
✔ Create hashtag groups
Group your hashtags in clusters of 30.
Make 2–3 variations per content category.
Rotate them.
Never repeat the same set twice.
✔ Store them
Use Evernote, Google Keep, or Notion.
Copy → Paste → Done.
✔ Add hashtags immediately
Either in your caption
Or your first comment
Don’t add hashtags to old posts.
It won’t help.
✔ Avoid banned hashtags
One banned tag can kill your post.
Check regularly.
FAQs About Instagram Hashtags
1. Do Instagram hashtags still work in 2025?
Yes.
They work if you use relevant, targeted hashtags and avoid spammy or banned ones.
2. Should I use all 30 hashtags?
Yes.
Use 28–30.
It boosts reach.
3. Should hashtags go in the caption or comments?
Both work.
I prefer comments for a cleaner caption.
4. How often should I change my hashtag sets?
Every post.
Rotate between 2–3 sets per category.
5. Are big hashtags better?
No.
Medium-sized niche hashtags outperform large generic ones.
Conclusion: Instagram Hashtags Still Work — If You Use Them Right
Growing on Instagram isn’t magic.
It’s repetition.
Strategy.
Consistency.
And using the right instagram hashtags every single time you post.
If you’ve been struggling, switch up your hashtags.
Start using niche-targeted tags.
Build your list.
Or use MetaHashtags to save time.
Because once you learn how to find the best instagram hashtags, everything changes.
And yes — you can grow even if you post once a week like me.
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