While Instagram users can still search for hashtags to find relevant content, the platform recently removed the ability to follow hashtags, so users no longer see posts that include hashtags they have followed directly in their feed. Instagram’s move has shifted content discovery and led to a potential decline in reach for branded accounts that relied on hashtag followers.
As hashtags become a less effective way of reaching interested audiences, genuine engagement is now more valuable than hashtag optimization for brands seeking to grow a strong presence on Instagram—meaning it’s crucial for marketers to create engaging, shareable content that encourages organic interaction. Below, 18 members of Forbes Agency Council explore how marketers can best adapt to this big change in how Instagram hashtags work and ensure their brands remain relevant and visible.
1. Focus On Highly Targeted Hashtag Strategies
With the shift away from hashtag following, Instagram is clearly prioritizing content relevance over reach. Marketers need to adapt by focusing on highly targeted hashtag strategies that align with specific audience interests and content themes, rather than relying on broad, high-volume hashtags to reach a wider, less-engaged audience. – Lisa Montenegro, Digital Marketing Experts – DMX Marketing
2. Create Content That Appeals To Your Ideal Connections
The AI-fueled Instagram algorithm is smart enough to understand the context of posts and serve each user content they are most likely to engage with. Hashtags are mostly irrelevant, except for connecting specific communities or branded posts. Including words people might search for, or that give a signal to the algorithm, is key. Also, creating content that appeals to your ideal connections is important. – Kami Watson Huyse, Zoetica
3. Use Relevant, Niche Hashtags
Marketers should know that hashtags on Instagram are now less about expanding reach and more about content categorization and discoverability. Focus on using relevant, niche hashtags to help your posts appear in targeted search results and align with trending topics. Pair this with strategies like posting engaging Reels and doing collaborations to compensate for the reduced reach from hashtag following. – Michael Fox, Corberry Digital
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4. Leverage Special Platform Features
Marketers need to know that organic reach may decrease, as users no longer can follow hashtags. To adapt, they should focus on creating high-quality content, engaging directly with their audience and leveraging features like Reels, Stories and the Explore tab to maintain visibility. – Marilyn Cowley, PREM – PR & Social
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5. Treat Hashtags Like SEO Keywords
With Instagram shifting focus to search-driven discovery, marketers should treat hashtags more like SEO keywords. Optimize captions and content for relevance, not trending tags. Prioritize high-quality, engaging posts that align with user intent—just as you would for TikTok’s algorithm, which surfaces content based on interest rather than follows. Adapt by creating content that naturally ranks in Instagram search. – Christy Saia-Owenby, MOXY Company
6. Explore How Social Media Algorithms Work
I recommend exploring how social media algorithms work, experimenting with different content and approaches and focusing on being original. Engage your audience—even if it’s small—through meaningful interactions. Algorithms are now advanced enough to identify relevant and engaging content, even without relying on hashtags. – Michael Kuzminov, HypeFactory
7. Leverage Hashtags For Intent-Driven Discovery
With hashtag followers gone, focus on positioning content for users actively seeking specific topics. Use hashtags that match current trends and audience interests and pair them with high-quality visuals and compelling captions to increase search visibility and engagement. – Jonathan Schwartz, Bullseye Strategy
8. Use Hashtags To Categorize Content
Hashtags aren’t the reach hack they used to be—they’re now more like labels for the algorithm. With Instagram killing the “follow hashtags” feature, it’s all about using them to categorize your content, not grow your audience. The real game? Captions that slap, stories that spark engagement and visuals that stop the scroll. Hashtags are backup singers now—your content’s the star. – Justin Belmont, Prose
9. Mimic TikTok-Style Videos, Refined For Instagram
Marketers should note that Instagram is shifting from the interest graph (hashtags) to the social graph (user connections) for content discovery. Prioritize creating polished, vertical video content tailored to your audience that mimics TikTok’s style but is refined for Instagram. Leverage a tool like CapCut to make Reels and test a lot of different content to see what works and gains traction. – Anthony Chiaravallo, Vallo Media
10. Create Content That Your Audience Craves
Hashtags may lose their shortcut appeal, but relevance remains king. Focus on knowing your audience and delivering what they crave. Instead of relying on hashtags, create content that connects—including multistep sequences, callbacks to past posts and previews of future ones. This drives deeper engagement, builds loyalty and signals to algorithms to prioritize your content for top followers. – Austin Irabor, NETFLY
11. Craft Precise, Searchable Captions
Instagram now functions as a search engine, not just a social network. Hashtags are secondary to strategic SEO. Marketers must craft captions using precise, searchable language that matches audience queries, prioritizing keyword relevance over traditional hashtag tactics to maximize content discovery and engagement. – Amy Packard Berry, Sparkpr
12. Make Content Users Want To Comment On, Share Or Save
With Instagram ditching hashtag following, marketers need to shift focus to meaningful engagement. It’s not about cramming hashtags into every post anymore—it’s about creating content that gets people to comment, share or save. The algorithm is about real conversations now, so stop worrying about hitting the perfect hashtag count and start thinking about how to truly connect with your audience. – Jacquelyn LaMar Berney, VI Marketing and Branding
13. Leverage Paid Promotion Options
Instagram’s shift highlights the platform’s growing emphasis on paid promotions over organic reach. With hashtags no longer driving discoverability, brands need to focus on creating highly engaging content and leveraging paid options strategically to maintain visibility. Building genuine community engagement through comments, direct messages and collaborations is now more critical than ever. – Michael Phelps, Pipeline
14. Focus On Proper Keywording Throughout Posts
Instagram is finally removing the ability to follow hashtags, but they’ve been losing relevance for some time due to shifts in consumer behavior and the rise of the Explore page. The key takeaway: Focus on proper keywording throughout your posts instead of relying on hashtags at the end. – Ryan Morris, Max Edge Media Agency
15. Expand Your Reach Through Influencers
People follow people more than they follow brands. Expanding your reach through influencers tied to your brand who frequently discuss topics that you would have previously hashtagged is a great strategy. – Jodi Amendola, Amendola Communications
16. Create Content That Drives Long-Term Value
If you rely on hashtags and other shortcuts to drive impact, then you will forever be chasing your own tail. You will not win this game. You can’t beat the algorithm. Instead, focus on creating quality content that drives long-term value for your brand and business. Stick to the fundamentals. – Gully Flowers, ALSO KNOWN AS
17. Shift Focus To Content Quality And Keywords
Understand that you’ll need to shift your focus to the quality and keywording of your content in order to reach certain audiences rather than relying on hashtags. This will help build a stronger connection with your audience as they begin to follow you more for your channel’s content instead of the relatable content you post connected to a hashtag. – Jordan Edelson, Appetizer Mobile LLC
18. Build Communities Through Interactions And Storytelling
As a marketer, I see this as a wake-up call to focus on true engagement rather than algorithm hacks. Without hashtag followers, building loyal communities through meaningful interactions and consistent storytelling becomes essential. Invest in creating shareable content and tap into micro communities—this is where organic growth will thrive moving forward. – Robert Nikic, Why Unified
Source – How Marketers Can Adapt Now That Hashtag Following Is Over
