Hashtags – are they already a thing of the past? Many people wonder why hashtags are needed when there are many other cool tools for promotion in 2025: targeted advertising, vertical videos that promote organically without any hashtags, and so on. Some even believe that hashtags no longer work and can be safely ignored.

But here's the thing: social media algorithms still pay attention to hashtags. They help understand what your content is about and show it to those who might be interested. So, if hashtags are used correctly, they can still be beneficial.

In this article, we'll delve into how hashtags work in 2025 and how to use them properly on Instagram*, Vkontakte, and Telegram.

How to Use Hashtags on Instagram*

Let's see how to effectively use hashtags on Instagram*.

1. Quantity. Instagram* allows up to 30 hashtags per post. However, it's better not to overload the publication. The optimal number is 5-10 relevant hashtags.
2. Relevance. Instagram* algorithms have become smarter. Now they promote posts with hashtags that match users' interests.
3. Targeted hashtags. Narrowly focused hashtags work better than general ones. For example, instead of #food, use #veganrecipes if your content is related to veganism.
4. Niche hashtags. Choose tags that are specific to your theme.

How to Create Hidden Hashtags

Previously, hiding hashtags on Instagram* was quite simple: just write a comment to the post and add the necessary hashtags in response to it. After this, the first comment would be deleted, but the hashtags in the thread remained active. However, in 2025, this method no longer works - now, when the main comment is deleted, the entire thread, including the hashtags, is deleted with it.

In 2025, only conditional ways to hide hashtags remain.

1. Adding hashtags in the post description with several blank lines. This allows you to "hide" them from the users' eyes, but they remain active and work for search.
2. Using comments. You can write a comment and add hashtags in response to it, but you can no longer delete the main comment - otherwise, the entire thread will disappear.
3. Adding tags in stories. To do this, reduce the font size to the minimum and change the text color to match the background color, making the hashtags practically invisible.

Thus, in 2025, it is almost impossible to fully hide hashtags on Instagram*, but they can be made less noticeable using the methods described above.

Should You Add Hashtags in Comments?

Adding hashtags in comments is a working method, but it has its nuances.

• Plus – the post description looks neater, and the hashtags still work.
• Minus – if the comment with hashtags ends up too far in the comment thread, the search might not associate them with a specific post.

How to Use Hashtags on Vkontakte

Let's start by saying that in Instagram*, hashtag functionality is more transparent and understandable: add a tag - get reach. On Vkontakte, things are a bit different. Here, the search is much broader. If you enter in the search bar, for example, "rolls in Moscow" without a hashtag, the system will still show you the maximum information: posts, communities, products, and even videos related to this query. Therefore, hashtags on Vkontakte should be used for more narrow tasks, rather than for global promotion across the entire social network.

Why Do You Need Hashtags on Vkontakte?

1. Content navigation. Unlike Instagram*, where posts can be conveniently arranged in a profile grid, on Vkontakte there's a continuous feed, making it harder to arrange convenient navigation, and posts can "get lost" among many others. Hashtags help structure content and simplify the search for old posts.
2. Creating categories. If you run a group or public page, hashtags can be used to divide content by topics. For example, #news, #promotions, #tips.
3. Unique labels. To limit the search by hashtags to only your community, you can create a unique hashtag with a mention of the group ID.

How to Create a Unique Hashtag for a Group

If you want a hashtag to work only in your community, use the combination: #hashtag_name@group_id. For example, in our service's group with the ID postmypost, we create a section about agreement. The hashtag will look like this: #agreement@postmypost.

How does it work?

• Users will be able to find all posts on the topic "agreement" published only in our group.
• Posts with the "agreement" hashtag from other communities will not be mixed with posts from ours.

Hashtags for User-Generated Content

Hashtags are also great for engaging the audience. For example, if you hold a contest, you can ask participants to post themed content with a specific hashtag. This will help you quickly find all the entries and choose the winners.

• Best recipe contest: #myrecipe@your_group_id
• Photo contest: #bestshot2025@your_group_id.

How to Use Hashtags in Telegram

Let's see how to effectively use hashtags in Telegram.

Content Navigation

In Telegram channels and groups, hashtags help structure information. For example, if you run a channel about marketing, you can use hashtags like #tips, #cases, or #news so users can quickly find the necessary posts.

Global Search

Since the summer of 2024, Telegram introduced the global search by hashtags. If you enter a hashtag in the search bar, a "Public posts" section will open, presenting all posts with this hashtag from public channels.

Features of global hashtag search

• Low popularity of the function. Since global search by hashtags became available only in the summer of 2024, not many people use this function yet.
• Competition in the feed. All posts with the hashtag are combined into a general feed with post previews. To stand out from this stream, special attention should be paid to the title and the first lines of text. They should be attractive and match the interests of your target audience.

Although global hashtag search is not yet very popular, it is one of the few ways of organic promotion in Telegram. Even if the reach is not very large, it's still better than nothing at all.

Mistakes When Using Hashtags

Hashtags are a working tool for promotion, but only if used correctly. Many make common mistakes that not only reduce the effectiveness of hashtags but can also harm promotion.

1. Too many hashtags. Adding a large number of hashtags (for example, 20–30) can look like spam. This not only alienates the audience but can also negatively affect the ranking of your content by social media algorithms.
2. Too general hashtags. Hashtags like #loveLife or #beauty are too broad and do not help attract the target audience. They are often used by millions of users, hence your post might get lost in the general feed.
3. Off-topic hashtags. Using hashtags that aren't related to your content is a serious mistake.
4. Obtrusive use of hashtags. If you use hashtags too actively in the text of the post (for example, "I #love #life and #travel"), it may seem artificial and even annoying to readers.
5. Hashtags look like spam. If you use the same hashtags in each of your posts without changes, this could be perceived by algorithms as spam. Besides, it reduces the uniqueness of your content.

To select suitable hashtags, you can use special tools. They will help find the most relevant options for your request.

Also, pay attention to the hashtags used by your competitors. This will give you an idea of what works in your sphere.

Moreover, we recommend experimenting with different sets of hashtags and analyzing which ones attract more attention.

Conclusion

Even in 2025, when many new methods of promotion have emerged, hashtags still play an important role in social networks. They continue to be beneficial and remain an integral part of the strategy. However, to achieve the desired results, it's important to use hashtags correctly.

Analyze your previous posts, select the right tags, and try to apply the recommendations presented in this article. You'll be surprised at how much it can increase engagement and reach of your content.

*Instagram is owned by Meta, recognized as an extremist organization in Russia