A hashtag is the # symbol followed by a word or phrase (no spaces) used to tag content by topic, making it discoverable to anyone browsing or searching that tag. Clicking a hashtag takes you to a feed of all public posts using the same one. Originally popularised on Twitter, hashtags are now a standard feature across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and most other platforms.
For brands and creators, hashtags serve two purposes: reach (putting content in front of people who don’t follow you but are interested in that topic) and community (joining ongoing conversations around events, trends, or movements). Using overly broad or saturated hashtags offers little advantage; niche, relevant ones tend to perform better for targeted discovery.
