Hashtags and keywords on Instagram - what is more effective for promotion

Hashtags and Keywords on Instagram – Which is More Effective for Promotion

In modern SMM promotion, every blogger and business asks the same question: what works better for growing reach and followers – Instagram hashtags or Instagram keywords? The social network’s algorithms are constantly changing, and what worked a few years ago may deliver completely different results today. To understand which tool is more effective, it is important to consider the advantages and features of both optimization methods.

Instagram Hashtags: a Traditional Promotion Tool

Hashtags were originally the main way to find content on Instagram. A user would enter a topic of interest, and the system displayed posts with that tag. Therefore, many experts recommended adding 10 to 30 hashtags under each post.

Advantages of hashtags on Instagram:

help users quickly find posts by topic;
make it easier to appear in themed collections;
work well for local promotion (e.g., #MoscowRestaurants or #NYCBusiness);
increase the chance of appearing in hashtag recommendations.

However, today the effectiveness of hashtags has decreased. Instagram’s algorithms focus not only on tags but also on the overall content, audience engagement, and the relevance of a post to user interests.

Instagram Keywords: a New SEO Strategy

Since 2021, Instagram has been actively integrating search optimization elements. Now users can find posts not only by hashtags but also by keywords. This means that post descriptions, captions under photos, Reels titles, and even Story subtitles have become important for Instagram SEO.

Advantages of keywords:

posts are indexed by algorithms based on meaning, not just tags;
content can be optimized for audience search queries (e.g., “how to choose cosmetics,” “best restaurants in New York,” “business promotion tips”);
keywords work in line with the overall SEO strategy;
the text looks more natural and useful for readers compared to a set of tags.

Thus, keywords on Instagram start to play a role similar to SEO for websites, where it is important to build a semantic core, use queries in the text, and focus on relevance.

Hashtags or Keywords – Which Should You Choose for Promotion?

The best option is to use both tools in combination. Instagram hashtags remain useful, especially for niche and local topics. But keywords help reach a broader audience through search and recommendations.

How to Combine Hashtags and Keywords Correctly:

Use Instagram keywords in post descriptions that reflect the topic and your audience’s interests.
Add 5–10 relevant hashtags instead of 30 random ones. Fewer but more accurate works better.
Optimize text in Reels and IGTV – algorithms analyze captions as well.
Use keywords in your profile bio – this helps in account search.
Track analytics: which posts get more reach through hashtags and which through keywords.

Instagram SEO: The Future of Promotion

The main trend of 2025 is search promotion on Instagram. Algorithms are becoming smarter and analyze not only tags but also full context: text, video, voice, and audience behavior. This means that keywords are gradually becoming more important than hashtags, although it is still too early to abandon hashtags completely.

For effective promotion, you should:

make a list of keywords for your niche;
adapt them for posts and Stories;
use hashtags as an additional tool, not the main one.

Conclusion

A few years ago, promotion was built almost entirely on hashtags, but today SEO optimization in Instagram is playing a much bigger role. Hashtags are still useful, but their effectiveness is declining. Instagram keywords allow you to gain more organic traffic, appear in search and recommendations, and thus attract followers and clients.

The ideal strategy is a smart combination of hashtags and keywords, with a focus on text optimization. This is the way to achieve the best results in promoting a brand or personal account.