Much less than they used to. On Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, the algorithm now relies mostly on the video itself, captions, on-screen text and audio to decide who sees a post.
Hashtags still help a little with categorization and location searches. Practical use: three to five specific hashtags per post, mixing your niche ("kitchenremodel"), your location ("longmontco") and your brand name.
Skip giant generic tags like #love or #business, and never paste 30 unrelated tags. On LinkedIn, one to three hashtags is plenty. Spend the time you save on better hooks and keyword-rich captions, which do more for reach and search.
McCrawAI focuses clients on what actually drives reach, and we also write captions built for search.
Follow-up questions
How many hashtags should I use on Instagram?
A handful of relevant ones is plenty. Check Instagram's current guidance, which changes from time to time.
Do hashtags hurt reach if I use too many?
Irrelevant or spammy hashtags can make content look low quality. Relevance matters more than count.
Should I create a branded hashtag?
It can help organize your content and campaigns, but it won't drive discovery on its own.