Are Hashtags still relevant? The short answer is yes. Here’s why!

Many things have changed across the Social Media Marketing landscape since the advent of the hashtag era. Today, hashtags serve primarily as a way for users to find and explore content on a specific topic. Social Media platforms treat hashtags as actual contextual signals, which are one of many inputs their algorithms use to understand what the posted content is about and who it is relevant to.

How are Hashtags useful?

While Hashtags are still useful, they are no longer the primary driver of reach they once were. They now play a supporting role within a broader content strategy, that focuses on quality, relevance and engagement. TikTok, for example, relies more on behavioural data than hashtags to push content onto the ‘For You’ feed.

How to use Hashtags correctly?

When it comes to using hashtags correctly, formatting actually matters. Making sure they are used correctly will yield the best results. Here are some top tips:

• Use only letters, numbers or underscores which are compatible across all major social media platforms. For example #DigitalMarketingTips2026, SEO_Tips etc.
• Keep hashtags short, concise and very specific making then easy to read and search for.
• Don’t use any spaces – Hashtags must be a single word or phrase with no spaces used For example – #DigitalMarketing vs #Digital Marketing
• Avoid using any punctuation, emojis or symbols as any characters will break the tag and make it unclickable.

In today’s social media landscape, hashtags still have a place but they should not be primarily relied on. A well rounded strategy should include focusing on delivering engaging and valuable content while using hashtags strategically to support visibility.

Need support with your Social Media Advertising strategy?

At FCDM, our Social Media Advertising content strategies combine hashtags, strong captions and audience insight to maximise performance. Our experienced team understand the mechanics of each platform and how to use them as key lead generating and brand building tools. We regularly experiment and analyse results using new features and adapt and optimise campaigns to continually grow our clients advertising ROI’s.

If you feel that we can assist your business in devising a winning Social Media Advertising strategy to drive engagement and to promote your business effectively, get in touch today!