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Your guide to impactful Instagram hashtags
Research consistently shows that using around 20 hashtags per Instagram post can significantly boost your reach and engagement. But how do you consistently find the right hashtags tailored to each post? Here are three effective tactics to help you build a smarter hashtag strategy:
Tactic #1: Use a Hashtag Suggestion Tool
Hashtag suggestion tools can streamline your strategy by recommending relevant hashtags. These tools can provide a range of benefits, including suggesting hashtags based on your content, keywords, or even images. They also offer features like real-time hashtag engagement data, analytics on hashtag performance, and platform compatibility.
Here are 5 free Instagram hashtag suggestion tools that are well-regarded in 2025:
- Buffer’s Instagram Hashtag Generator:
- Why it’s good: It’s AI-powered and designed for speed, giving you tailored hashtag ideas based on a description of your content. It’s great for quickly finding relevant (not just random) hashtags. You can get a certain number of suggestions daily without an account, and unlimited access with a free Buffer account.
- Inflact Instagram Hashtag Generator:
- Why it’s good: This tool is versatile, allowing you to generate hashtags based on a keyword, an uploaded photo, or even a URL. It also categorizes suggestions (e.g., top, average, niche) which can be very helpful. The free version has some limitations on usage per session but is solid for quick research.
- All Hashtag:
- Why it’s good: A long-standing tool that offers more than just generation. You can generate hashtags (top, random, or live based on a keyword), create your own, and get some basic analytics. Its hashtag generator provides a good number of suggestions and is free to use. It also has an AI image-to-hashtag feature with daily limits for free users.
- Kicksta’s Free Instagram Hashtag Generator:
- Why it’s good: A straightforward and easy-to-use free tool specifically for Instagram. You can search for trending, unique, or industry-specific hashtags. It’s designed to help improve discoverability and engagement without much fuss.
- Hootsuite’s Free Instagram Hashtag Generator:
- Why it’s good: Powered by AI (ChatGPT 3.5), this tool suggests hashtags based on your content description and keywords. It’s part of Hootsuite’s suite of free tools and aims to make finding relevant tags more efficient.
Tactic #2: Explore Hashtags Through the Instagram Explore Page
The Explore page is packed with insights into what’s trending in your space. Start by searching for keywords that reflect your content or brand. Then, examine the “Top” posts that appear. These posts are already performing well with Instagram’s algorithm—pay close attention to the hashtags they use. If they’re relevant to your content, consider adding them to your list.
Tactic #3: Analyze Hashtag Popularity with Instagram’s Tag Search Tool
Hashtag volume matters. If a hashtag is too popular (used in millions of posts), your content might get lost in the noise. Too obscure, and no one may see it.
Your best bet? Look for hashtags with 10,000 to 200,000 posts. This sweet spot offers both visibility and discoverability. Use Instagram’s tag search function (found on the Explore page) to check how many posts are associated with a specific hashtag. Pro tip: While researching, you might stumble upon niche hashtags that include your keyword but have a more balanced post volume—perfect for reaching a more targeted audience.
In Summary
To boost Instagram reach and engagement, using around 20 relevant hashtags per post is recommended. You can find effective hashtags by using tools like Later Social, researching top-performing posts on the Explore page, and analyzing hashtag popularity with Instagram’s tag search to target those with moderate post volume (10K–200K).