How to Search Hashtags on Instagram

Searching for the right hashtags on Instagram is one of the most direct ways to get your content in front of people who don't follow you yet. But finding the *perfect* mix of tags often feels like guessing in the dark. This guide breaks down exactly how to search for, discover, and organize hashtags so you can build a strategy that fuels organic growth. We’ll cover everything from the basic search function to advanced methods for discovering the niche communities where your ideal audience is spending their time.

Why Is Thoughtful Hashtag Research Worth It?

Dumping 30 random hashtags like #instagood or #love at the end of every caption might get you a few stray likes from bots, but it won’t build a real brand or a loyal following. Taking 15-20 minutes to search for tags strategically does three powerful things:

• It improves your discoverability. Great hashtags act like signposts, guiding people who are actively looking for your type of content directly to your profile.
• It helps you reach the right audience. Using targeted, niche hashtags connects you with potential customers and super-fans, not just random scrollers. This leads to higher engagement rates and better-qualified followers.
• It provides valuable competitive and community insights. Searching hashtags lets you see what your competitors are doing, what’s trending in your industry, and what kind of content your ideal followers are sharing. It's a goldmine of market research.

The Fundamentals: How to Perform a Basic Instagram Hashtag Search

Before getting into complex strategies, let's nail down the basics. The Instagram app itself is your starting point and an incredibly powerful tool if you know where to look. Here is the step-by-step process.

Step 1: Navigate to the Explore Page

Open your Instagram app and tap on the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the screen. This takes you to the Explore Page, your portal for an in-app Instagram hashtag search.

Step 2: Use the Search Bar and Filter for Tags

At the top of the Explore page, tap the search bar. As you start typing, you’ll see several tabs appear below the bar: Top, Accounts, Audio, Tags, and Places. Tap on “Tags” to filter your search to show only hashtags.

Step 3: Enter a Seed Hashtag

Type in a broad word or phrase related to your business, content, or industry. This is your "seed" hashtag. For example, if you're a ceramics artist, you might start with #ceramics. As you type, Instagram will show you a list of related hashtags and the number of posts associated with each one.

Step 4: Analyze the Hashtag's Page

Tap on a hashtag from the results to visit its dedicated page. This page is priceless for research. At the top, you'll see the total number of posts that use the tag. Directly below the "Follow" button, Instagram often provides a scrollable bar of “Related” hashtags - we'll come back to this, as it's hugely important.

The content on the page is broken into three tabs:

• Top: This is a curated grid of the most popular posts using this hashtag. Posts here typically have very high engagement (likes, comments, saves, and shares). Analyzing this feed tells you what kind of content performs best within this topic.
• Recent: A chronological feed of the most recent posts that have used a specific tag. This feed moves fast for popular hashtags, and it's a great way to see how people are using the tag in real-time. Use this to check if a tag has been taken over by spam or content that doesn't fit your brand.
• Reels: This hub shows all the Reels that have used this tag. Since Reels are a major driver of reach right now, it’s smart to check this tab to see what kind of video content is resonating with the audience interested in this hashtag.

Advanced Strategies to Find the Best Hashtags

Doing a basic search is just the starting line. The real magic happens when you use that initial search as a jumping-off point to build a diverse and effective set of hashtags tailored to your brand.

1. Master the "Related Hashtags" Feature

When you look up a broad tag like #woodworking (40M+ posts), you’re competing with an enormous number of other creators. It's hard to stand out. The solution is to get more specific, and the "Related" hashtags bar is your guide.

If you search for #woodworking, the related tags might show you things like #woodworkingprojects, #woodworkerofig, #customwoodworking, or #woodworkingcommunity. These are more niche communities. Tapping on one of these, like #customwoodworking, will lead you to ANOTHER set of related hashtags, which might be even more specific, like #finewoodworking or #handmadefurniture. Follow this breadcrumb trail to dig deeper and find tags that are much more specific to what you do.

2. Analyze Competitors and Industry Leaders

Who is already successful in your niche? Make a short list of 5-10 competitors, creators, or brands that you admire, and spend some time deep-diving into their content strategy. Don’t just copy and paste their hashtags blindly, analyze them. Look at their top-performing posts. What hashtags did they use?

You’ll often find they're not just using generic, giant hashtags. They mix a variety of tags that speak directly to their ideal customer. For example, a vintage clothing shop might use general tags like #vintagestyle, but they'll also use much more specific ones like #70sfashion, #vintagedenim, or even hyper-local ones like #miamivintage if they have a physical store. Note what they’re using and see which tags could apply to your own content.

3. Find What Hashtags Your Audience Uses

This is a step most people skip, but it’s incredibly powerful. Who are your most engaged followers - the people who comment on and share your posts? Visit their profiles and see what hashtags they are using, especially if they post content related to your niche. This tells you what language they actually use and what communities they see themselves as being a part of. Using the hashtags your target customers use is a fantastic way to build a genuine connection.

For example, a fitness creator might find her followers aren't using #fitnessmotivation as much, but are using community-focused tags like #pelotonmoms or #gymanxietyisreal.

4. Search for Branded and Community Hashtags

Branded hashtags are unique to your business. Yours could be as simple as your company name (e.g., #GlowUpSkincare) or a tagline (e.g., #GetYourGlowUp). Searching your own branded hashtag is the best way to find User-Generated Content (UGC) and see what your customers are saying about you.

You should also search for existing community hashtags that you can tap into. These often start with phrases like #myhomestyle, #catsofinstagram, or #bakersgonnabake. These are made by users to connect with other users, and participating in these conversations is a brilliant way to organically appear trustworthy and build community.

Building Your Strategic Hashtag Library

Once you’ve done your research, you should have a big list of potential hashtags. Just dropping all of them onto every post isn’t the best practice. Instead, you need to categorize them so you can deploy thoughtful combinations for each piece of content.

Use a Hashtag Pyramid Approach

The best strategy involves using a mix of hashtags with different sizes. Think of it as a pyramid or ladder. You should use a few large hashtags, several medium-sized ones, and a healthy handful of small, super-niche tags.

• Large (High popularity): 500-1M posts. Tags like #graphicdesign or #digitalmarketing. These have huge reach but your content will be buried in the "Recent" feed within seconds. Use 2-3 of these sparingly to maximize broad visibility for a short period.
• Medium (Medium popularity): 80k-500k posts. More specific tags like #logodesigner or #contentstrategy. You have a much better chance of ranking in the "Top" posts for these, and they'll attract a more relevant audience. Use 5-10 of these.
• Niche (Highly specific): Below 80k posts. Hyper-targeted tags like #brandingforcreatives or #socialmediamanagerlife. These are your bread and butter. The audience is smaller but highly engaged and specifically looking for what you offer. You can more easily become a top voice in these communities. Use 5-15 of these.

Organize Your Hashtags into Lists

Don’t try to manage these in your head. Use a note-taking app on your phone, a Google Sheet, or a project management tool. Create different lists based on your content pillars or product categories. For instance, a life coach could have separate hashtag lists for posts about "Productivity," "Mindfulness," and "Career Goals."

Example Hashtag Organization for a Coffee Shop:

• Broad/General: #coffee, #coffeelover, #cafe, #espresso, #caffeine
• Niche/Specific: #specialtycoffee, #thirdwavecoffee, #latteartgram, #filtercoffee
• Local/Location: #bostoneats, #bostoncoffeeshops, #eastboston, #coffeeinboston
• Community/Branded: #TheDailyGrindBoston, #baristadaily, #coffeeshopvibes

When you have these saved, it becomes a simple matter of grabbing an appropriate group of hashtags and customizing them slightly for each new post.

Final Thoughts

Mastering how to search for hashtags on Instagram is less about finding a single "magic" tag and more about building a thoughtful, diverse portfolio of tags that connect you with different segments of your target audience. Use the "Related" tags feature, analyze your competitors and community, and organize your lists strategically to turn your hashtag efforts from a daily chore into a powerful engine for organic growth.

Once you've done the work of researching and building out these great lists of hashtags, the next step is planning how to use them. For this, we designed our visual calendar in Postbase to help you see your entire content strategy at a glance. You can plan your posts, including captions and hashtags, weeks in advance, spot any gaps in your schedule, and get a clear picture of how you're using different hashtag categories across your content without having to manage it all from a chaotic spreadsheet.