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Instagram Limits Hashtags to Five Per Post and Reel – Here’s Key Changes Creators Should Know

Highlights

Instagram now limits creators to five hashtags per post or Reel, aiming to reduce hashtag stuffing and improve user experience.
The platform advises using targeted, relevant hashtags instead of broad ones like #reels or #explore.
Adam Mosseri clarified that hashtags aid search visibility but don’t increase reach.

(Photo by Alexander Shatov on Unsplash)

Instagram has introduced a new limit on hashtag usage, allowing creators to add only up to five hashtags per post and Reel. The update was confirmed by Instagram head Adam Mosseri and comes nearly a month after the Meta-owned platform removed the feature that let users follow hashtags. Here’s everything creators should know.

Instagram Hashtag Limit

In a post shared on Instagram’s official @creators account, the platform said it found that “using fewer (up to 5), more targeted hashtags rather than generic ones can improve both your content’s performance people’s experience on Instagram.”

Alongside the change, Instagram also shared guidance on how creators can optimise hashtag usage. The platform advised users to stick to hashtags that are directly relevant to their content. For example, beauty creators are encouraged to use beauty-related hashtags so that users interested in similar content can discover their posts more easily.

Instagram also warned that broad or unrelated hashtags such as #reels or #explore do not significantly help content appear in areas like Explore. In some cases, the company noted such hashtags may even hurt a post’s overall performance.

Adam Mosseri further addressed the update on the Instagram Advice channel, explaining that while hashtags can help with search visibility, they “don’t increase your reach.” He also encouraged creators to “focus on working out what kind of content resonates with your audience.”

Although hashtags continue to play a role in search and content discovery, Instagram has been trying to curb hashtag stuffing. It is the common practice where users add a large number of often irrelevant hashtags to boost reach, even when they have little connection to the actual content.

Instagram recently rolled out a new feature aimed at giving users greater control over their Reels feed. The “Your Algorithm” feature shows users what Instagram believes is most important to the user.

FAQs

Q1. What is the new hashtag limit on Instagram posts and Reels?

Answer. Instagram now allows creators to use only up to five hashtags per post or Reel.

Q2. Do hashtags help increase reach on Instagram?

Answer. According to Adam Mosseri, hashtags can improve search visibility but they do not increase reach.

Q3. What kind of hashtags should Instagram creators use for better performance?

Answer. Instagram advises using targeted, relevant hashtags related to the content, while broad or unrelated ones like #reels or #explore may hurt performance.