How to Use Hashtags on Facebook Reels

Using the right hashtags on your Facebook Reels is the difference between your content finding its ideal audience and getting lost in the feed. This isn't about guessing or just copying trends, it's a learned skill that directs the algorithm to show your videos to people who will actually engage with them. This guide will walk you through exactly how to find, choose, and strategically use hashtags to get your Reels the attention they deserve and build a community around your brand.

Why Hashtags Still Matter on Facebook Reels

In the fast-moving world of short-form video, it’s easy to wonder if hashtags are still as important as they used to be. The short answer is yes - but their role has evolved. They aren't just for discoverability anymore. Think of hashtags as data points that you feed the algorithm, telling it what your content is about, who it’s for, and where it fits in the broader social media landscape.

Here’s what a good hashtag strategy accomplishes for your Reels:

• Categorization and Discovery: At the most basic level, hashtags categorize your content. When someone watches, searches for, or engages with a Reel using #mealprepideas, Facebook's algorithm learns they are interested in that topic. It then finds other Reels with a similar hashtag - like yours - and serves them up, helping you reach a highly relevant and motivated audience beyond your existing followers.
• Community Building: Niche and branded hashtags connect users with shared interests. For example, a local vintage store could use #ChicagoVintageFinds to attract nearby shoppers, while a large brand could use a unique tag like #BrandNameStyleChallenge to encourage user-generated content, building a community hub of engaged fans.
• Competitive Analysis: Paying attention to the hashtags your competitors and industry leaders use provides valuable insight into what’s resonating with your target audience. You can see which tags are driving conversations and find opportunities to join them.

Without hashtags, you're leaving the discoverability of your Reels entirely up to chance. By using them strategically, you’re giving Facebook a clear roadmap to delivering your content to the right people.

How to Find The Perfect Hashtags for Your Reels

Finding the right hashtags isn't a one-and-done task. It requires a bit of research and ongoing awareness of your niche. The goal is to create a blend of hashtags that balance broad reach with specific relevance. Here’s a framework to find them.

1. Start with Core Topics and Audience Descriptors

Before you even think about specific tags, ask yourself a few clarifying questions about the Reel you just created:

• What’s the one main topic of this video? (e.g., making coffee at home)
• Who is the ideal person to see this? (e.g., a coffee enthusiast who likes experimenting)
• What problem does this Reel solve or what inspiration does it provide? (e.g., how to make a better latte without an espresso machine)

Your answers will give you a list of foundational keyword ideas. For our example, we get: #homebarista, #coffeetutorial, #latteathome, #coffeetips. These are your high-level, broad-reach starting points.

2. Go Deeper with Niche and Long-Tail Hashtags

Broad hashtags like #coffee have millions upon millions of posts, making it nearly impossible for a new Reel to stand out. The real strategic advantage comes from getting specific. To find niche hashtags, add descriptive words to your core topics.

Think about location, skill level, product type, or specific interest.

• Skill Level: #beginnersourdough, #advancedknitting
• Location: #nycrealestate, #londoneats
• Interest-Specific: #dndcharacterart, #audiophilegear
• Product-Specific: #procreatetutorial, #diyikeahack

For our coffee Reel example, niche hashtags might include: #aeropresscoffee, #frenchpresshacks, #oatmilklatte, #specialtycoffeeathome. People searching these terms have much higher intent and are more likely to find your content valuable.

3. Analyze Your Competitors and Niche Creators

Look at the accounts in your space that are doing well - both direct competitors and aspirational creators. Don't just blindly copy and paste their hashtag lists. Instead, analyze them.

Go to their profiles and select their "Reels" tab. Look at their top-performing videos. What hashtags are they consistently using on their most successful content? You will likely find a mix of well-known community tags you weren't aware of. For instance, you might see that all the top home coffee creators are using #coffeeculture or #morningritual.

Make a list of these hashtags in a note or spreadsheet. This isn't for copying directly, but for building your own arsenal of proven tags relevant to your industry.

4. Use Facebook's Native Search and Suggestion Tools

Facebook gives you the tools you need - use them! The search bar is your best friend for hashtag research.

Step-by-Step Search Method:

1. Go to the main Facebook search bar and type in `#` followed by a core keyword (e.g., `#digitalart`).
2. On the results page, look at the suggestions that appear. Facebook will often show you related or more specific hashtags like `#digitalarttutorial` or `#characterart`.
3. Click on a few of these hashtags. This takes you to a dedicated page for that tag. Take note of two things: the volume of posts (bigger isn’t always better) and the type of content ranking at the top. Does your Reel fit in here? If the top Reels are wildly different from yours, it's not the right tag, even if the name seems right.

5. Create and Promote a Branded Hashtag

As your account grows, a branded hashtag becomes a powerful asset. It’s a unique tag that’s specific to your business or persona. It could be your brand name, a slogan, or the name of a recurring content series.

Examples:

• Local Coffee Shop "The Grind": #TheGrindMoments
• Fitness Coach "JaneFit": #GoFurtherWithJane
• Marketing Podcast "Social Hour": #SocialHourQs

A branded hashtag organizes all content related to your brand in one place and encourages your followers to use it when they post photos of your products or share their results from your tutorials. Feature it in your bio and mention it in relevant Reels to get the momentum started.

How Many Hashtags Should You Use on Facebook Reels?

This is one of the age-old social media debates, but for Facebook Reels, the consensus is clear: quality over quantity. While you can technically add up to 30 hashtags, it often looks spammy and can confuse the algorithm.

The sweet spot for Facebook Reels is generally between 3 to 10 highly relevant hashtags.

A good strategy is to use a mix:

• 1-2 Broad Hashtags: These are the high-volume terms that describe your general category (e.g., #interiordesign, #fitness). They offer broad reach.
• 2-4 Niche Hashtags: These are more specific tags that describe exactly what’s in your video (e.g., #scandinaviandecor, #bodyweightworkout). This is where you find your people.
• 1 Branded Hashtag (Optional): Your unique tag to build community (e.g., #MyBrandHomeStyle).

This "hashtag stack" gives the algorithm signals for both theme and specificity, allowing it to test your content with a broader audience while still prioritizing your core niche community.

The Essential Do's and Don'ts of Reels Hashtags

Following a few best practices will make your hashtag strategy more effective and keep your account in good standing with the algorithm.

What to Do

• DO place hashtags directly in the caption. While putting them in the first comment works on Instagram, Facebook's interface makes this less effective. Hashtags in the caption are immediately indexed and help the algorithm categorize your content from the moment it's published.
• DO check hashtags before you use them. Click on a tag and spend a minute reviewing the top posts. Does your content fit the vibe? Sometimes, a seemingly perfect hashtag has been co-opted for unrelated or spammy content. You don’t want your brand associated with that.
• DO vary your hashtags. Avoid using the exact same block of 10 hashtags on every single Reel. The algorithm notices this behavior and may see it as spammy or lazy. Customize your list for each video to ensure maximum relevance. Keep a running master list, but pick and choose the most appropriate ones each time.
• DO keep them readable. Remember that people - not just algorithms - read your captions. Putting a massive, unreadable wall of 20 hashtags at the bottom decreases the quality of the user experience. A clean, relevant list is always better.

What Not to Do

• DON'T use irrelevant, trending hashtags. It might be tempting to slap a tag like `#fyp` or `#viralreels` on your video in hopes of getting cheap reach, but it does more harm than good. When users who follow these tags see your irrelevant video and scroll past it quickly, it sends a negative signal to the algorithm that your content isn't engaging. Stick to what's relevant.
• DON'T use only giant hashtags. As mentioned earlier, relying solely on tags with millions of posts (like #art or #food) is like shouting into a hurricane. Your content will be buried in seconds. Niche down to be discovered.
• DON'T use banned or broken hashtags. If a hashtag has been used for content that violates Facebook's community guidelines, it may be "banned," meaning content with that tag will have severely limited visibility. A quick check of the tag page before use is all you need to avoid this.
• DON'T forget to review performance. Pay attention to your Reels analytics. If a Reel performs especially well, look at the hashtags you used. Is there a pattern? This feedback loop is essential for refining your strategy over time.

Final Thoughts

Mastering hashtags on Facebook Reels isn't about finding a secret formula, it's about being a clear and helpful guide for both the algorithm and your viewers. By prioritizing relevance, researching your niche, and creating a balanced mix of broad and specific tags, you give your content the best possible chance to connect with an audience that will find it valuable.

As you build a solid strategy with different hashtag sets for each of your content pillars, keeping a dozen notes and spreadsheets open can feel overwhelming. That's one of the workflows we aimed to simplify with Postbase. Our visual content calendar and scheduling tools let you customize captions and hashtags for all your platforms in one place, so you can focus on creating great content instead of constantly switching between tabs.