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How many hashtags should you use on TikTok and Instagram?

Updated October 9, 2026

Hashtags help platforms understand what your post is about and show it to the right people. But adding thirty random ones no longer does much. Here's how to use them smartly.

The golden rule: few, but relevant

Today, TikTok and Instagram mostly analyze the content of the video itself (image, sound, on-screen text, caption). Hashtags confirm the topic. A few well-chosen hashtags beat a long generic list.

• TikTok: 3 to 5 hashtags are usually enough.
• Instagram: aim for 3 to 10 targeted hashtags. Instagram has changed the maximum number allowed per post before — if the app rejects your list, shorten it.
• Facebook: 1 to 3 hashtags; they carry less weight there.

Mix three types of hashtags

1. One broad hashtag describing the category: #cooking, #travel, #fitness.
2. Niche hashtags, more specific and less crowded: #vegetarianrecipes, #hikingcanada. That's often where the truly interested people are.
3. A hashtag of your own (your brand or a series), to group your content together.

Mistakes to avoid

• Off-topic hashtags added just because they're popular: they attract people who won't stay and can lower engagement.
• Hashtags like #followforfollow: they don't bring followers who care about your content.
• Copying the same list everywhere: adapt your hashtags to each post.
• Endless or unreadable hashtags: keep them simple and clear.

Where should hashtags go?

On TikTok, they naturally go at the end of the caption. On Instagram, at the end of the caption or in the first comment — both work. What matters is that the caption stays pleasant to read and the first line makes people want to watch.

What about the caption?

A good caption matters as much as hashtags. It should hook from the first line (a question, a number, a promise), then invite interaction: “What would you do?”, “Save this for later”. The key words of your topic should also appear in the caption itself, not only as hashtags.

To save time, Klipoo's caption generator suggests three captions and fifteen hashtags for TikTok, Instagram or Facebook from a simple description. Then keep only the most relevant ones.

Measure what works

In your professional or creator account insights, check where your views come from. If one post performs better than the others, note the hashtags you used and test variations. Comparing your own results is how you'll find the right recipe.