How to Search Instagram Tags

Finding the right hashtags on Instagram can feel pretty overwhelming, but it's one of the most effective ways to grow your account organically. Tossing a random #fyp at the end of your caption won't cut it. This guide will walk you through exactly how to search for Instagram tags, from simple in-app searches to advanced strategies for finding hidden gems that actually boost your reach and connect you with the right audience.

Why Searching for Tags is a Game-Changer

Before we get into the "how," let's talk about the "why." A solid hashtag strategy isn't just about getting more likes, it’s about starting conversations with the right people. When you take the time to search for and use relevant, targeted tags, you unlock several powerful benefits:

• Increased Discoverability: The most obvious benefit. Hashtags categorize your content and make it discoverable to users who aren't following you yet. Someone searching for #veganrecipes might find your post and become your newest follower.
• Audience Targeting: Using niche-specific tags helps you reach people who are genuinely interested in your topic. You attract higher-quality followers who are more likely to engage with your content because it speaks directly to them.
• Community Building: Hashtags are the unofficial gathering places for online communities. Using tags like #womeninbusiness or #bookstagram instantly connects your content with a passionate and engaged group of people.
• Competitor Analysis: Wondering what’s working for others in your space? Searching the tags they use provides powerful insights into their content strategy and what resonates with your shared target audience.
• Content Inspiration: Stuck in a creative rut? Searching a relevant hashtag can give you a real-time look at what others in your niche are talking about, sparking tons of new ideas for your own content.

How to Search Instagram Tags: A Step-by-Step Guide

Let's start with the fundamentals. The Instagram app itself has a simple but effective search tool for finding tags. Here’s how to use it.

1. Navigate to the Explore Page

Open the Instagram app and tap the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of your screen. This takes you to the Explore page, which is customized with content Instagram thinks you’ll like.

2. Tap the Search Bar and Select "Tags"

At the very top of the Explore page, you'll see a search bar. Tap on it. Once you do, several filter options will appear right below the search bar: Top, Accounts, Audio, Tags, and Places. Tap on “Tags” to make sure your search focuses exclusively on hashtags.

3. Enter a Keyword

Now, type a broad keyword related to your post or niche into the search bar. Let’s say you’re a photographer sharing a landscape shot. You might start by typing "landscapephotography." As you type, Instagram will automatically suggest a list of related hashtags, showing you the number of posts associated with each one.

4. Analyze the Results

Tap on one of the suggested tags (e.g., #landscapephotography, with over 200 million posts). You'll land on that hashtag’s page. Here you’ll see two tabs:

• Top: This is a curated feed of the most popular and engaging posts using this hashtag. Getting your post featured here can result in a huge spike in visibility. Reels are often prioritized in this section.
• Recent: This is a chronological feed of every single public post using the hashtag, with the newest appearing at the top.

This basic search is ground zero. It shows you the volume of a tag, who is using it, and what kind of content performs best. But to build a real strategy, you need to go deeper.

Moving Beyond Broad Tags: Finding Your Niche

The biggest mistake people make is using only massive, generic hashtags. A tag like #travel (650M+ posts) or #ootd (400M+ posts) is so oversaturated that your content will be buried in the "Recent" tab within seconds. It’s like shouting into a hurricane, you’re unlikely to be heard.

The secret is to use a mix of hashtags with varying sizes, focusing on those where you have a genuine chance to compete and connect with a dedicated community. This is where a "hashtag funnel" comes in.

The Hashtag Funnel Strategy

Think of your hashtag strategy as a pyramid or funnel. You should use a few large tags for massive reach, a larger number of medium-sized tags for community engagement, and a lot of small, niche tags to attract your ideal follower.

Popular Tags (500k – 5M+ Posts)

These are the broad keywords in your industry. For a ceramicist, this might be #pottery or #ceramics. Use 1-3 of these per post. They give you a quick, short-lived burst of visibility, but your content won't stay at the top for long.

Community Tags (50k - 500k Posts)

This is the sweet spot. These tags are large enough to have a dedicated audience actively searching for them, but not so large that you’re instantly drowned out. Think more specific, like #handmadeceramics or #potterystudio. Aim for 5-10 of these per post. These are where you will find your community.

Niche Tags (Under 50k Posts)

These are your secret weapons. Niche tags are ultra-specific and have a highly targeted, passionate audience. They may only bring a few people to your post, but those people are exactly who you want to attract. Examples could be #mugshotmonday or #contemporaryceramics. Use 10-15 of these. Because there’s less competition, you have a much better chance of landing in the "Top" posts section, giving you sustained visibility for days or even weeks.

Advanced Techniques for Tag Discovery

Okay, you understand the theory. But how do you actually find these amazing community and niche tags? Searching in the app is just the start. Here are some savvier ways to uncover hidden gems.

1. Get Ideas from Similar Accounts

One of the best sources for hashtag inspiration is a competitor or an account you admire in your niche. Find an account that has a similar target audience and strong engagement. Scroll through their popular posts and see what hashtags they're using.

Don't just copy and paste them! Look for patterns. Are they using local hashtags? Event-specific tags? Product-focused tags? This process helps you understand what's already working in your space. Create a simple note or spreadsheet to keep track of the effective tags you find.

2. Use Instagram’s "Related Tags" Feature

This is an easy-to-miss feature that can feel like a cheat code. When you search for a tag on the Explore page, Instagram often displays a scrollable list of "Related" tags just below the search filters.

For example, if you search for #contentcreation, the related tags might include #videocreator, #socialmediatips, #digitalcreator, and #contentstrategy. This is Instagram literally telling you, "Hey, people who like this also like this!" Clicking through these suggestions can lead you down a rabbit hole of relevant and powerful niche tags.

3. See What Your Audience is Using

Instead of guessing what your audience is searching for, why not go directly to the source? Spend some time browsing the profiles of your most engaged followers. What hashtags are they using on their own posts?

You might find they’re part of communities you didn’t even know about. If you’re a fitness coach and you notice your clients are constantly using #weekendwarrior or #garageworkout, you should probably be using those tags, too. It shows you're part of the same conversation they are.

4. Search for Branded and UGC Tags

Don't forget to create and search for your own unique branded hashtag (e.g., #YourBrandName or a campaign-specific tag like #YourBrandChallenge). Searching your own tag is the best way to find user-generated content (UGC) - posts created by your customers and fans.

Actively searching your branded tag allows you to see what people are saying about you, engage with them directly, and find authentic content you can reshare on your own profile (with permission, of course!).

Building Your Hashtag Library

All this research is pointless if you don't organize what you find. Hunting for 30 new hashtags every time you create a post is incredibly time-consuming. The smart approach is to build a "hashtag library."

This can be as simple as a list in your notes app or as detailed as a spreadsheet categorized by post type. The goal is to save your researched hashtags so they’re ready to go whenever you need them.

How to Create "Hashtag Sets"

An even better way to organize them is by creating "hashtag sets" (also known as stacks or groups). These are pre-made lists of around 15-30 hashtags tailored to your specific content pillars.

For example, a marketing agency might have sets like:

• A "Video Tips" Set: Tags related to video marketing, Reels, and content creation.
• A "Brand Strategy" Set: Tags focused on branding, messaging, and client work.
• A "Team Culture" Set: Tags about their company culture, behind-the-scenes, and hiring.

When it’s time to post, you just grab the most relevant set, give it a quick review to make sure every tag fits that specific post, and you're good to go. This one practice will save you hours every month.

Final Thoughts

Digging into Instagram hashtag research is about more than just finding keywords, it’s about understanding the language of your niche. By moving beyond generic tags and using a mix of popular, community, and niche hashtags, you can connect with a highly targeted audience that is genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

Once you've built your library of go-to hashtag sets, manually copying and pasting them from a notes app for every single post gets old, fast. That's one of the personal pain points that led us to create Postbase. In our tool, you can save your hashtag sets and add your perfectly curated list to a caption in one click. It keeps everything organized and makes scheduling feel effortless, so you can spend less time on tedious tasks and more time on creating great content.