How to Create a Hashtag on Instagram for an Event

Creating a specific hashtag for your event is one of the smartest moves you can make to generate buzz, encourage interaction, and gather valuable content all in one place. This guide walks you through exactly how to create a unique and effective event hashtag, from brainstorming great ideas to promoting it so people actually use it.

Why Does Your Event Even Need a Hashtag?

In a world of constant content, an event hashtag does more than just group posts together. It acts as a digital rallying cry, a community builder, and a powerful marketing asset. Here’s why it’s non-negotiable for gatherings of any size.

• It Creates a Central Hub for Content: Your event hashtag becomes a living, breathing gallery of experiences. Anyone can tap on it to see photos, videos, Reels, and Stories from speakers, sponsors, and attendees. This user-generated content (UGC) is authentic, powerful social proof.
• It Boosts Visibility and Organic Reach: When attendees use your hashtag, their followers see it. In essence, every post becomes a mini-advertisement for your event, turning your audience into an active extension of your marketing team.
• It Builds a Sense of Community: A shared hashtag connects people. Attendees can find each other, network, and continue conversations long after the event ends. It’s the digital equivalent of the post-conference lobby chat.
• It Provides Real-Time Feedback: Want to know which speaker session is getting the most love? Or what the general vibe of the event is? Monitoring your hashtag gives you an instant pulse check, helping you see what's resonating with your audience in real time.
• It Offers Added Value for Sponsors: A popular hashtag gives your sponsors an extra layer of visibility. When attendees post about interacting with a sponsor's booth and use the event hashtag, it’s a win-win that you can leverage in sponsorship pitches.

How to Craft the Perfect Event Hashtag: The Step-by-Step Guide

A great hashtag seems effortless, but it’s often the result of careful thought. Follow these steps to land on one that sticks.

Step 1: Start Simple and Make It Memorable

The best hashtags are short, sweet, and easy to recall. If someone has to pause and think about how to spell it, you've already lost them. Brainstorm ideas that are intuitive and directly related to your event.

• Good: #WebSummit, #Coachella2025, #SXSW
• Not so good: #AnExtraordinaryConferenceForCreativeProfessionals2025

Action Tip: Once you have a few options, say them out loud. Do they sound good? Are they easy to dictate to someone else? Simplicity often triumphs over cleverness.

Step 2: Be Unique and Specific

Your goal is to own this hashtag, at least for the duration of your event. Using a generic tag like #MarketingConference or #TechEvent is a recipe for disaster. Your posts will get lost in a sea of completely unrelated content, making it impossible to track conversations about your event.

Adding the year or a location can make a common name unique. For example, instead of #StartupSummit, you might use #StartupSummitNYC or #StartupSummit25.

Step 3: Do Your Homework - Check If It's Already in Use

This is arguably the most important step in the entire process. Before you commit to a hashtag and slap it on all your marketing materials, you absolutely must check to see if it’s already being used. A quick search on Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X will save you a world of headaches.

Go to the explore page on Instagram and type your potential hashtag into the search bar. Look at the "Top," "Recent," and "Reels" tabs. Ask yourself:

• Is this hashtag already associated with another brand, event, or community?
• Is the existing content something you’d be comfortable having associated with your brand? (You definitely don’t want your family-friendly non-profit event to accidentally adopt a hashtag used for something R-rated.)
• How much traffic does it get? If it has hundreds of thousands of posts, it’s too broad for you to stand out.

An unused hashtag is a blank canvas. Find one and make it yours.

Step 4: Read It Carefully to Avoid Misinterpretation

Remember that hashtags don’t have spaces. A phrase that seems clear in your head can sometimes look like something else entirely when crushed together. The classic PR cautionary tale is the hashtag for Susan Boyle's album party, which read as #susanalbumparty. You can imagine how people read that one incorrectly.

To avoid this, use CamelCase (also known as PascalCase), where you capitalize the first letter of each word. For example, use #BestEventEver instead of #besteventever. While Instagram search is not case-sensitive, this styling makes it much easier for people to read correctly and understand your intention.

Action Tip: Show your proposed hashtag to a few people without any context and ask them what they think it says. A fresh set of eyes can spot potential mishaps instantly.

Step 5: Tie It to Your Brand or Event Name

Your hashtag is a branding tool. Whenever possible, it should include your brand or the official name of the event. This builds recognition and reinforces your identity. It instantly tells people who the hashtag belongs to, making it more professional and much easier to remember.

Great examples of this include:

• #MozCon (from marketing software company Moz)
• #Dreamforce (from Salesforce)
• #ShopifyUnite (from Shopify)

If your brand name is short and distinct, this is often the easiest and most effective formula.

Stuck for Ideas? Try These Hashtag Formulas

If you're staring at a blank page, try using these common formulas as a starting point. Plug in your own details and see what works.

• #EventNameYear: This is a classic for annual events. It's clear, timeless, and easy to update each year. Example: #Inbound24
• #[BrandName]Summit or #[BrandName]Conf: Great for corporate or industry-specific conferences. Example: #AdobeSummit
• #[Acronym]Year: If your event name is long but has a well-known acronym, this is a strong choice. Example: #TCDisrupt24 (for TechCrunch Disrupt)
• #Verb[EventTopic]: This is a more creative approach that focuses on the event's purpose. Example: #GrowWithGoogle
• #[EventName][Location]: Perfect if your event happens in multiple cities, or if the location is a key selling point. Example: #SaaStockDublin

You Have a Hashtag. Now What? How to Promote It

Creating the perfect hashtag is only half the battle. If nobody knows it exists, nobody will use it. Promotion should be an active part of your event marketing strategy from day one.

Before the Event: Build the Hype

Start integrating your hashtag into all communications from the moment you announce the event.

• Include it in the bio of your social media profiles.
• Add it to the captions of every single event-related social media post.
• Display it prominently on your event website, blog posts, and ticket registration page.
• Put it in your email marketing campaigns, whether it’s in the subject line or the body of the message.
• Add it to the email signatures of everyone on your team.
• Print it on tickets, flyers, and any physical marketing materials.

During the Event: Make It Impossible to Miss

Once attendees are on-site, they should see the hashtag everywhere. Repetition is reinforcement.

• Digital Displays: Put it on the main screens in between speaker sessions and on rolling announcement slides.
• Physical Signage: Display it prominently at the registration desk, on banners, and at key photo-op locations.
• Mention It on Stage: Have the host or MC announce it at the start of the event and remind people to use it throughout the day. Ask your speakers to include it on their introductory and closing slides.
• Create Instagrammable Moments: Design a photo booth, selfie wall, or unique installation that features the hashtag. People are far more likely to post if you give them a great visual reason to do so.
• Run a Contest: Gamify it! Announce a prize for the best photo, Reel, or post that uses the event hashtag. It's a powerful incentive that floods your feed with high-quality UGC.

After the Event: Keep the Conversation Going

The conversation doesn't end when the lights go down.

• Use the hashtag in your recap posts, sharing official photos and highlighting key moments.
• Feature the best UGC from attendees on your feed (with credit, of course). This makes your community feel seen and appreciated.
• Monitor the hashtag to thank people for attending and answer any follow-up questions.
• Keep it alive by using it to announce early bird tickets for the following year's event.

Final Thoughts

Creating an event hashtag is about building a digital home for your community. It’s a simple tool that turns passive attendees into active participants, collects invaluable social proof, and extends the life of your event far beyond a single day. By being thoughtful, strategic, and proactive in promoting it, you can create a hashtag that drives real results.

Once your hashtag takes off and the content starts pouring in, managing all that community engagement across multiple platforms can be a huge time-sink. At Postbase, we believe managing social media shouldn't feel chaotic. That’s why our unified inbox gathers all your comments, messages, and mentions in one organized place, making it easy to respond and engage without missing a beat. You can focus on appreciating the community you’ve built, not on hunting down conversations spread across five different apps.