Hashtag

A hashtag is a keyword or phrase written after the # symbol, like #weddingflowers or #berlincafe. Networks turn hashtags into clickable links that collect public posts on the same topic. Today they matter less for discovery than they used to, because search and recommendations now read the whole caption, image and video, but they still help categorise content.

For a small business, a few precise hashtags work better than thirty generic ones. Tags like #love or #instagood are flooded and bring nothing; niche and local tags describe what the post is about and who it is for. Many businesses also create a branded hashtag for customer posts and contests.

Example: a wedding florist in Lisbon uses three to five tags per post: #lisbonwedding, #weddingflowersportugal, #bridalbouquet and its own #petalsbyana, which customers use when they share their wedding photos.

Rules differ by network: Instagram and TikTok use hashtags widely, LinkedIn and Threads need only one or two, and in Telegram they mostly work as navigation inside a channel. AI SMM’s AI studio suggests captions that fit each network.