How to Research Instagram Hashtags

Using the right hashtags on Instagram can feel like trying to guess a secret code, but it's the most powerful organic tool you have for reaching new audiences. A smart hashtag strategy gets your content in front of people who are genuinely interested in what you do, turning casual viewers into engaged followers. This guide breaks down exactly how to find, choose, and use the right hashtags to grow your account.

First, Let's Get on the Same Page: What Hashtags Actually Do

Think of hashtags as a filing system for all the content on Instagram. When you add a hashtag to your post, you're telling the platform exactly what your content is about. This helps Instagram show your Reel, photo, or Carousel to two groups of people:

• Users who actively follow that specific hashtag.
• Users who have shown interest in similar topics, even if they don't follow the tag.

This is where most people get it wrong. They aim for the biggest, most popular hashtags imaginable - like #entrepreneur (30M+ posts) or #fitness (500M+ posts). While these tags sound like a ticket to massive visibility, the reality is the opposite. There are so many posts being added to those feeds every second that your content gets pushed down and out of sight almost instantly. An hour of hard work creating a great Reel can be undone in five seconds by a poor hashtag choice.

The goal isn't just to use hashtags, it's to use the right combination of hashtags to rank on pages that your ideal audience is actually browsing.

The Hashtag Sizing Ladder: Finding Your Sweet Spot

The secret to an effective hashtag strategy isn't about avoiding big hashtags entirely, but about creating a balanced mix. Think of it like a ladder. You need the small, sturdy rungs at the bottom to get you started before you can reach for the higher ones. Your strategy should be built on a foundation of specific, niche tags, supplemented with a few broader community tags.

1. Niche & Specific Hashtags (Under 50,000 Posts)

These are your foundational hashtags. They are hyper-relevant to your content and have low competition. Because fewer people are using them, you have a much better chance of ranking in the "Top" or "Recent" sections of that hashtag's page.

• What they do: Connect you with a highly targeted and engaged audience. Someone searching for #veganbakingrecipes is much closer to becoming a follower than someone browsing the ultra-broad #baking tag.
• How to use them: Fill the majority of your hashtag slots (around 10-15 tags) with these.
• Examples: Instead of #interiordesign, try #scandinaviandesignideas or #diyhomedecorproject. Instead of #coaching, try #smallbusinesscoachforwomen.

2. Community & Interest Hashtags (50k - 500k Posts)

These hashtags move up a level in terms of reach but are still focused on a specific interest group. They target established communities and are great for brand building, as they signal that you're part of a particular conversation.

• What they do: Balance targeted reach with broader visibility. You can get seen by a wider audience that still shares a common interest.
• How to use them: Sprinkle in about 5-10 of these to supplement your niche tags.
• Examples: Instead of jumping straight to #homedecor, use #mybohohome or #apartmenttherapy. For a graphic designer, instead of just #graphicdesign, try #thebrandidentity or #typographydesign.

3. Broad & Popular Hashtags (500k+ Posts)

These are the high-competition, high-reach hashtags. Think of them as a lottery ticket. When your content is performing exceptionally well (getting lots of saves, shares, and comments quickly), you have a small chance of getting a burst of visibility from one of these tags. But don't rely on them.

• What they do: Provide a possibility for significant short-term reach if your content gains quick traction.
• How to use them: Use them sparingly. Add just 1-3 broad tags to your list. They only work if your content is already catching fire.
• Examples: A pastry chef might use #pastrychef or #chocolateart after loading up on more specific tags like #frenchpatisserie and #cacaobarry.

Where to Actually Find Good Hashtags: 4 Research Methods

Now that you know what kind of hashtags you're looking for, here's how to find them. Spend about 30-60 minutes on research to build a solid list that you can pull from for weeks to come.

Method 1: The "Related Hashtags" Goldmine

Instagram itself is your best research tool. It wants to help users find relevant content, and you can use that to your advantage.

1. Start with a broad topic word. Go to the Instagram search bar and type in a general term related to your niche, like "sourdough." Search for it as a tag (#sourdough).
2. Look at the "Related" tags. After you tap on the tag page, you'll see a scrollable list of related hashtags just below the "Follow" button. These are tags people often use alongside the original one. For #sourdough, you might see #sourdoughbread, #sourdoughstarter, and #baking.
3. Go down the rabbit hole. Tap on one of those related tags, like #sourdoughstarter (which has a moderate volume). Now, check its related tags. There, you might find more niche options like #sourdoughfeeding or #levainbakery. Check the post count for each and note down the good ones.

Repeat this process, starting with different keywords from your niche. You can quickly build a large, multi-tiered list straight from the source.

Method 2: Spy on Your Peers (the Smart Way)

Your competitors and peers in the industry are doing some of the work for you. Analyzing their strategy can reveal hashtags that you might have missed.

1. Find your "Goldilocks" accounts. Identify 5-10 other accounts in your industry. Don't look at the massive accounts with millions of followers, their strategy won't work for you. Instead, find accounts that are either your size or just slightly larger and get great engagement.
2. Analyze their high-performing posts. Scroll through their feed and look at the posts with the most comments and likes. What hashtags are they using on that specific content?
3. Look for patterns, not just tags. See if you can spot their "Sizing Ladder" strategy. How many niche, community, and broad tags are they combining? Often you'll find they are using specific formulas for different types of content.

The key here is analysis, not just copying. Take the hashtags they use, check them for relevance to your own content and audience, and add the best ones to your personal library.

Method 3: See What Your Ideal Customer Follows

This is a lesser-known but incredibly insightful tactic. Instead of just looking at what other creators are posting, find out which hashtags your target audience is already following.

1. Identify engaged followers. Find people who regularly comment on your posts or the posts of your peers. These are the people you want to attract more of.
2. Visit their profile. Go to their page, tap the "Following" button, and you may see a "Hashtags" tab on the next screen. This shows you every single hashtag that person has chosen to follow.

Seeing that your ideal customer follows #sustainablefashionblogger or #midcenturyfurniture is a direct signal that using those hashtags will put your content on their radar.

Method 4: Location, Location, Location (Crucial for Local Businesses)

If you have a location-based business (like a coffee shop, photographer, or real estate agent), local hashtags are non-negotiable.

• Be specific and creative. Don't just stick with #newyorkcity. Think about how locals search. They might use #nycfoodie, #brooklyneats, or even hyper-local tags like #eastvillagenyc.
• Combine industry with location. Blend your service with your city to find customers actively looking for you. For example: #austinweddingplanner, #chicagohairstylist, or #sandiegofitness.

Building Your Hashtag Library: How to A/B Test and Organize

Once you've put in the research time, the final step is to organize and implement your findings in a way that saves you time and gets results.

Creating Hashtag Sets

Don't just keep one giant, jumbled list of 100 hashtags. The best way to manage them is by creating pre-made "sets" or "groups" based on your content pillars - the core topics you post about.

For example, a fitness coach could have:

• Set 1: For workout tutorials. Includes tags like #athomeworkoutvideos, #quickworkout, #strengthtrainingforwomen.
• Set 2: For nutrition tips. Includes tags like #healthyrecipeshare, #mealprepideas, #balancedeating.
• Set 3: For mindset and motivation. Includes tags like #fitnessmotivations, #mindovermatter, #consistencyiskey.

Each set should have 15-30 hashtags following the "Sizing Ladder" approach with mostly niche tags. Having these ready to go makes posting incredibly fast.

The A/B Testing Mindset

Instagram's algorithm favors variety. Using the exact same block of 30 hashtags on every single post can look spammy and may harm your reach over time. Instead, rotate between your different hashtag sets. Pay attention to how each post performs. Does one set consistently get you more reach or engagement? If so, lean into it. Refresh your sets every couple of months by removing underperforming tags and researching new ones.

First Comment vs. Caption: The Final Word

Everyone asks: "Should hashtags go in the caption or the first comment?" The official word from Instagram is that it makes absolutely no difference for discoverability. Your post will perform the same either way. This is purely an aesthetic choice.

• In the caption: Keeps everything in one place, guaranteed to appear instantly.
• In the first comment: Keeps your caption looking clean and focused on the message.

Pick the look you prefer and stick with it. There's no secret advantage to one over the other.

Final Thoughts

Hashtag research isn't a one-time task but an ongoing part of your social media strategy. The real magic happens not when you find one perfect tag, but when you build balanced, relevant sets that consistently put your content in front of a new and targeted audience.

Staying organized with different hashtag sets for all of your content pillars can be tough to juggle in a notes app or spreadsheet. As part of our own growth process, we discovered that having a central place to plan content on a calendar makes testing and managing these sets much easier. We built the visual planner in Postbase so you can see your entire strategy at a glance and easily pair the right hashtag groups with each post, cutting out the guesswork and helping your content stay consistently discoverable.