In 2007, Google product designer Mr Chris Messina created the hashtag, proposing that this symbol be used on Twitter to group tweets by topic. The idea initially received push back before becoming a popular tool for organising conversations, tracking trends and enhancing campaigns.

Today, hashtags remain a key element of social media marketing. But what exactly makes hashtags powerful, and can you still use them effectively for your brand? In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of hashtags and provide you with some practical tips on how to use them.

What Are Hashtags?

Hashtags are words or phrases preceded by the “#” symbol, which is used to categorise content and make it more discoverable to a wider audience. When you add hashtags to your posts, they become searchable by anyone who clicks on or searches for that specific hashtag, helping increase visibility, reach and engagement on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, or TikTok. According to Twitter, over a ten-year period, an average of 125 million hashtags were shared each day around the world.

So, Why Are Hashtags Important?

1. They Increase Visibility
   Hashtags make your posts discoverable to people who aren’t already following you but are interested in the topics you’re posting about.
2. Content Organisation – our favourite one at Medical Sphere!
   They help organise your content, making it easier for users to find specific topics. By categorising your posts with the right hashtags, you’re creating a better user experience and making it easier for people to find your content and know what is about.
3. Trend Participation
   Hashtags allow you to tap into ongoing trends and conversations. Participating in trending hashtags can position your brand within a relevant, timely context, showcasing that your business is current and engaged with what’s happening in the world.
4. Community Building and Engagement
   Hashtags help foster a sense of community around shared interests or values. Creating your own branded hashtag encourages followers to share their own content, allowing you to build a loyal, engaged community around your brand.

How to Use Hashtags Effectively
Now that we know why hashtags are essential, here’s some practice tips on how you can use them:

1. Research and Use Relevant Hashtags
   It’s crucial to use hashtags that are relevant to your content and audience. Research popular hashtags in your niche and use a combination of trending, industry-specific, and general hashtags. Tools like Hashtagify, RiteTag, and Instagram’s Explore page are great resources to help you find the most effective hashtags.
2. Mix Popular and Niche Hashtags
   While using trending or highly popular hashtags can help increase your reach, they also come with more competition. A mix of broader, high-volume hashtags and more specific, niche hashtags will help you strike a balance between visibility and targeting the right audience.
3. Create a Branded Hashtag
   Creating your own branded hashtag is an excellent way to build your identity on social media. Encourage your followers to use it in their posts, and you’ll generate user-generated content that helps promote your brand organically.
4. Don’t Use Too Many Hashtags
   It looks messy (and in Elon Musk’s words “they look ugly”…) It may seem tempting to use as many hashtags as possible however, overloading your posts with too many can look spammy and reduce engagement. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags, but we suggest that posts with around 3-5 hashtags tend to perform best.
5. Keep It Short and Sweet
   Avoid overly long hashtags that are hard to read. While it’s important to be specific, long hashtags can be cumbersome and harder to search, which could hinder your reach.
6. Track and Analyse Performance
   Monitor the performance of your hashtags to see which ones resonate best with your audience. Most social media platforms offer analytics tools that help you track the success of your posts, including how different hashtags are performing. Use this data to refine and drive your hashtag strategy.

Do hashtags work in 2025?

This is still a hot debate in 2025, and for good reason- the number of hashtags deemed effective has considerably gone down over the years. It has also been argued that with AI-powered algorithms understanding us better than we understand ourselves… there’s no need to follow that cavoodle hashtag—you’re already being bombarded with cavoodle content!

There are times when hashtags have gone wrong. In 2015, the Victorian, Taxi Association launched #YourTaxis to encourage people to share their taxi experiences but the campaign was flooded with reports of harassment and negative experiences- leading to a PR crisis!

So, is the hashtag a thing of the past? Not quite yet! Hashtags remain a powerful tool to categorise your content (which is predominately what we use them for at Medical Sphere) and making it a more user-friendly experience. Hashtags increase visibility, reach and a powerful tool in your social media strategy.

Need help with your content? Let’s work together! Email: [email protected] #HashtagTips #SocialMediaMarketing #BoostYourReach

References:

• Mitchell, T. (2025). ‘Show me you age without telling me your age online.’ The Sun Herald. 6 April. p. 15
• American Marketing Association. 19 August 2024. Hashtags in 2025: Do they work? Available at: https://www.ama.org/marketing-news/social-media-hashtags/ (Accessed on 5 April 2025)