Are you ready to supercharge your Instagram Reels strategy and skyrocket your growth? Hashtags are one of the most powerful tools to boost the reach and engagement of your Reels, helping you get discovered by a massive new audience.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive deep into the most effective Instagram Reels hashtags to use in 2023 to 10x your results. Plus, we‘ll share insider tips and strategies from top creators to maximize your hashtag performance.
Why Hashtags are Non-Negotiable for Reels Success
First, let‘s look at why hashtags are absolutely essential if you want your Reels to reach their full potential.
Hashtags are Instagram‘s core discovery and search mechanism. They categorize content and allow users to find Reels and accounts related to topics they‘re interested in. When someone searches for or clicks on a hashtag, they can view all Reels tagged with it.
Hashtags also signal to the Instagram algorithm what your Reels are about. This helps Instagram show your content to users who are most likely to engage with it, both on the Explore page and in their main feeds.
The impact of hashtags on post performance is staggering:
- Instagram posts with at least one hashtag get 29% more interactions on average compared to those with no hashtags (Sprout Social)
- Reels and posts with 1-3 hashtags see the highest average engagement rates of 5.31% and 4.96% respectively (Rival IQ)
So if you want to grow your account through Reels, hashtags are non-negotiable. But to truly move the needle, you need a strategic approach.
How Many Hashtags Should You Use on Instagram Reels?
While Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, using that many can look spammy. For Reels, we recommend using 5-10 highly targeted, relevant hashtags.
This aligns with advice from Instagram‘s @creators account, which states: "Don‘t use too many hashtags–keep it to 3-5 hashtags that are hyper relevant to your content and niche."
But which specific hashtags should you choose? Let‘s break it down.
The Ideal Instagram Reels Hashtag Mix
The most effective Reels hashtag strategy combines three key ingredients:
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Niche-specific hashtags – Tags that are highly specific to your content topic or industry, like #veganbaking or #guitarlessons101. These help you reach a narrow but engaged target audience.
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Content theme hashtags – Broader tags that describe your Reel‘s overall theme or pillar, such as #musicmonday, #selfcaresunday, or #behindthescenes. Using these tags consistently helps establish your content lanes.
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Trending hashtags – Popular tags that are currently spiking on Instagram Reels, often tied to challenges, memes, songs, or special events. Hopping on relevant trends with their associated hashtags can expose you to a wider audience.
By mixing these three hashtag types, you can achieve the perfect balance of niche relevance and mass appeal.
100+ Powerful Instagram Reels Hashtags by Category
To jumpstart your hashtag ideation, we‘ve compiled the top-performing tags across the most popular Instagram Reels categories.
While you can draw inspiration from these lists, remember that the key is to choose tags that accurately describe YOUR specific Reels and target audience.
Travel & Adventure Hashtags
| Hashtag | Post Volume |
|---|---|
| #travelreels | 930K |
| #travelbucketlist | 194K |
| #travelstorytime | 183K |
| #adventureseeker | 178K |
| #travelvlog | 129K |
| #travelcouple | 103K |
| #travelthrowback | 90K |
| #travelhacks | 78K |
| #passionpassport | 66K |
| #traveldeeper | 55K |
Food & Cooking Hashtags
| Hashtag | Post Volume |
|---|---|
| #foodreels | 1.3M |
| #foodgasm | 517K |
| #homecooking | 507K |
| #foodphotography | 457K |
| #easyrecipes | 440K |
| #foodtiktok | 405K |
| #foodiesofinstagram | 340K |
| #heresmyfood | 264K |
| #foodintheair | 194K |
| #cookingram | 150K |
Fitness & Sports Hashtags
| Hashtag | Post Volume |
|---|---|
| #fitnessreels | 910K |
| #homeworkouts | 617K |
| #workoutmotivation | 415K |
| #fitnesstips | 387K |
| #fitnessjourney | 365K |
| #gymreels | 214K |
| #sportsreels | 194K |
| #footballskills | 172K |
| #basketballedits | 115K |
| #gymnastreels | 87K |
Beauty & Makeup Hashtags
| Hashtag | Post Volume |
|---|---|
| #makeupreels | 1.1M |
| #makeuptutorial | 958K |
| #beautyreels | 655K |
| #makeuptransformation | 440K |
| #skincareroutine | 409K |
| #beautyhacks | 355K |
| #wakeupandmakeup | 323K |
| #makeupartist | 274K |
| #makeupideas | 247K |
| #hudabeauty | 209K |
Dance & Music Hashtags
| Hashtag | Post Volume |
|---|---|
| #dancereels | 2.6M |
| #dancechallenge | 1M |
| #dancetrend | 760K |
| #dancevideo | 710K |
| #dancersoftiktok | 604K |
| #choreography | 534K |
| #dancetutorial | 447K |
| #hiphopmusic | 372K |
| #musicreels | 333K |
| #newmusic | 314K |
Source: Hashtag data via Socialinsider, March 2023
5 Insider Tips to Optimize Your Reels Hashtag Strategy
Now that you have some top hashtag ideas for your niche, how can you make the most of them? Here are 5 pro tips to maximize your Reels‘ hashtag potential:
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Mix hashtag placement – Instagram advises putting 1-2 "focus" hashtags in the Reel caption and the rest in the first comment. This keeps your caption clean while still categorizing your content.
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Use hashtags in storytelling – Instead of just tacking a list of hashtags onto your Reels, get creative with weaving them into your content. Use text overlays, say them out loud, or create a visual tied to the hashtags. Sephora seamlessly works in hashtags like #currentlyobsessed and #makeupmusthaves in their Reels.
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Create a branded hashtag – Develop a unique hashtag for your brand or content series. Encourage viewers to use it in their own posts for a chance to be featured. This builds community and makes your content more discoverable.
For example, Adobe uses #CreateYourStory and #AdobeIllustrator for user-generated content campaigns. The former has over 15K posts!
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Join hashtag challenges – Participating in trending hashtag challenges is one of the fastest ways to gain new followers on Reels. Browse the Explore page for popular challenges, put your own spin on them, and include the challenge hashtag to get in front of a big audience.
Take inspiration from creators like magician @seandoesmagic, who jumped on the #invisiblechallenge trend and racked up over 8M views.
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Leverage hashtag tools – Manually researching hashtags for each Reel is time-consuming. Streamline the process with hashtag generator tools like Flick, Inflact, or Hashtag Expert. These tools provide data-driven tag suggestions and analytics to optimize your strategy.
Case Study: XYZ Brand‘s Reels Growth with Strategic Hashtags
To see the power of a well-executed Reels hashtag strategy in action, let‘s look at [XYZ Brand]. This fitness coaching company increased their Reels views by 400% and gained 10,000 new followers in just 60 days.
Their approach involved:
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Identifying niche and trending hashtags – The brand used Inflact to discover relevant hashtags like #homeworkouts, #hiitworkout, and #bodyweightworkout, as well as popular trends like #fitnesstiktok and #gymtok.
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Participating in hashtag challenges – XYZ joined trending fitness challenges such as the #75hardchallenge and #300abchallenge, putting their own spin on the workout routines. This exposed them to challenge participants and viewers.
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Developing a branded hashtag – To create a community around their content, XYZ launched the #XYZfitfam hashtag. They encouraged viewers to post their own workout Reels with the tag for a chance to win free merch and be featured on the XYZ account.
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Partnering with micro-influencers – XYZ teamed up with niche fitness creators to co-create Reels optimized with popular hashtags. The influencers also promoted the Reels to their own audiences, multiplying XYZ‘s reach.
By combining a targeted hashtag strategy with compelling content, XYZ was able to rapidly grow their Reels views and gain thousands of new potential customers. The branded hashtag campaign also strengthened loyalty and engagement among existing fans.
Implement Your Instagram Reels Hashtag Strategy Today
Ready to put these Instagram Reels hashtag insights to work and grow your account like never before?
Here‘s your action plan:
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Audit your current top Reels. Note any patterns in the hashtags you used on high-performing vs. underperforming videos. Which hashtag types seem to be driving the most views, likes, comments, and shares?
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Brainstorm hashtags in the three key categories. Create a spreadsheet to compile hashtag options for your niche, content themes, and trending topics. Use the lists in this guide as a starting point, but branch out to uncover hidden gem tags.
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Schedule your next 10 Reels. For each Reel, choose 5-10 hashtags from your researched list. Incorporate them naturally into your content plan and storyboards. Remember, keep them hyper-relevant!
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Publish and track results. Post your hashtagged Reels and keep a close eye on your analytics. Do certain tags or tag combinations seem to be outperforming others? Double down on what‘s working.
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Refine and repeat. Hashtag strategy is all about continuous testing and optimization. Regularly refresh your hashtag lists based on your Reels‘ performance data and new trends. Adapt to boost your momentum over time.
To dive even deeper into building an unstoppable Instagram Reels strategy, download our free Reels Mastery Guide & Hashtag Cheatsheet. It‘s packed with bonus tips, templates, and winning hashtags to copy-and-paste.
You‘ve got this. With a solid hashtag foundation and irresistible Reels content, you‘ll be on your way to explosive growth in record time.
I‘d love to hear how these strategies work for you. DM me on Instagram @yourusername and keep me posted on your Reels progress!
Happy hashtagging!
[Your Name]
