Do I Need a Hashtag Strategy in 2026?
Surprise, surprise Instagram kicked off this year with a major change to hashtag limits that has a lot of business owners raising the question, “Do hashtags even matter anymore?” While others are scratching their head with what to do about their hashtag strategy altogether.
In short: yes, hashtags still matter and they still help with your visibility.
But now it’s no longer a numbers game, it’s a precision game. At Let’s Bee Social, our social media managers have been tracking these changes since they first began appearing on the app at the end of 2025, and we’ve put together a strategy that you can steal to stay visible in 2026.
What Changed with Instagram Hashtags in 2026
- Limit 5 Hashtags Per Post
Instagram is now emphasizing quality over quantity. With many accounts now experiencing a hashtag limit of up to 5 tags per post. That means you no longer have room for filler, and every hashtag needs to serve a purpose.
- Prioritizing Relevance > Popularity
Instead of large, generic hashtags, you need highly specific, niche-aligned tags that directly describe the content, industry and target audience.
- Keywords Matter More than Hashtags
Instagram is starting to function more like a search engine than ever before. That means that keywords in captions, on-screen text, in your bio and in your profile name.
- Avoid Spam Signals
If your hashtags don’t directly match your content, Instagram reads that as low-quality distribution behavior aka your post won’t get pushed to a larger audience.
How to Build Your 2026 Keyword and Hashtag Strategy
Gone are the days of copy and pasting the same hashtag pod into every single post. If you want to keep reaching non-followers with your Instagram content, your hashtag strategy needs to change in a big way.
Before we build your new system, let me first give you a few existing strategies that you need to ditch entirely:
- Every post gets the same hashtags
- Location or cities as their own hashtag (ex. #orangecounty)
- Branded hashtags with no existing usage other than on your own content
- Putting hashtags in the first comment of your post
Okay, now that we got that out of the way.
Here’s the system that you can use to build your 2026 hashtag strategy like a pro:
Step 1: Identify Your Top 10 Keywords
Think about what your target audience types in a search bar when they are looking for you. To help, ask yourself questions like:
- What services do I specialize in?
- What do I want to be known for?
- What problems do I solve?
For instance, you’re more than a coach or a realtor. Maybe you’re a life coach for entrepreneurs or a mindset coach for women. If you’re a realtor you may be a realtor who specializes in helping first time home buyers. The more specific you are, the better your keyword foundation becomes.
Step 2: Identify Your Top 5 Locations
This is especially important if your services have a local focus. Think in terms of the county and the major cities you want to be known in.
If you’re unsure, you can check your Audience Insights in your Professional Dashboard by going to the Followers tab and scrolling down to see the top 5 cities of your current followers.
Step 3: Write Your Captions First
When writing your post captions, you’ll want to look for ways to naturally incorporate your top keywords and locations. Try to focus your caption and post one clear topic or transformation. Don’t be afraid to use industry language throughout. Avoid abbreviating your business name and trying to cram as many keywords as possible into your caption.
Then, add 3 to 5 highly specific hashtags at the end of your caption.
The Big Takeaway for 2026
Hashtags are no longer a growth hack. They’re tools. The sooner you start thinking like a search engine and writing like a strategist, the sooner you’ll see your visibility stabilize and grow again.
And if you want this implemented into a fully customized content and engagement strategy built by social media experts, that’s exactly what we do inside our Custom Social Media Strategy offer.