TikTok hashtags: how to choose and use them

What do hashtags do on TikTok?

Hashtags give TikTok context about what a video is, which helps it reach people interested in that topic. They also make your content easier to find when someone searches for a tag or follows one.

They are one signal among several. The words in your caption, the text on the screen and the words you speak also tell TikTok what the video is about. Hashtags help, but they do not make a weak video travel.

How many hashtags should you use?

Use a few, not many. A handful of relevant tags works better than a wall of them, and a long list can look spammy. TikTok has changed its limits more than once, so check the current limit in the app when you write a caption.

Quality matters more than quantity. Each tag should describe the video honestly. If you cannot explain why a tag belongs, leave it out.

What is a good mix of hashtags?

Combine three kinds of tag.

• One broad tag for the category, such as a topic or an industry. It places the video in a large pool.
• One or two niche tags that describe the exact subject. Fewer videos compete here, so you have a better chance of being seen.
• Optionally, one trending tag, but only if it truly fits the video.

How do you find the right hashtags?

Start by searching your topic in TikTok’s search bar. The suggestions and the tags on top videos show what people use. Look at several videos like yours and note which tags they share.

TikTok’s Creative Center also lists popular hashtags by industry and time period, with a rough view of how interest has changed. Use it to see what is rising, and to check whether a tag is large and broad or small and specific.

Finally, look at your own best videos. The tags on the ones that did well are a good starting point for new videos on the same topic.

Which hashtags should you avoid?

Generic tags such as #fyp tell TikTok almost nothing and attract everyone, which means nobody in particular. Avoid tags that are unrelated to your video, since that confuses the system and annoys viewers.

Be careful with tags that have a mixed or harmful meaning. A tag can pick up a different use over time, so open the tag page and look at what appears before you use it.

Where should the hashtags go?

Put them at the end of the caption, after a short line that says what the video is about. Lead with words, because the opening of the caption is what people read. A caption such as “Three mistakes that slow down a new sourdough starter” followed by a few tags works better than a caption that is only tags.

How do hashtags fit with TikTok search?

More people now use TikTok to search for answers, so treat your caption like a search result. Write the main phrase someone would type, say it in the video and show it on the screen.

When the caption, the spoken words and the on-screen text all point to the same topic, TikTok has an easier time matching the video to the right searches. Hashtags then add a little extra context on top.

How do you keep sets of hashtags ready?

Keep two or three short sets for your main topics, and paste the right one into each caption, changing one or two tags to suit the video. This saves time and keeps you consistent.

In Content Postiz, your AI can add the right set when it writes the caption, and you can edit it before the video publishes.

How do you tell whether your hashtags work?

Compare videos on the same topic with different tags. Look at views, watch time and how many viewers come from search. If one set seems to bring more of the right people, keep it.

Review every month or two, since tags rise and fade.

How do you build hashtag sets for your topics?

Start with three or four topics you post about most. For each topic, write a short list of tags in three groups: broad, niche and occasional. A cooking account, for example, might have a broad tag for the cuisine, niche tags for a technique and a dish, and occasional tags for a season or an event.

Test each list for a few weeks and keep a note of which videos did well. Drop tags that never seem to help, and add new ones from the videos that surprised you. Over a couple of months, you will have sets that fit your audience, rather than tags copied from other creators.

What is a branded hashtag, and should you make one?

A branded hashtag is a tag you own, such as your name or a campaign title. It gives your audience a way to find your content and to tag their own. It works best for campaigns or communities where people already want to take part, such as a challenge, a product launch or a recurring series.

Do not expect a branded tag to catch on by itself. Use it consistently, ask people to use it and share the best videos that carry it. If nobody joins in after a few weeks, drop it and focus on tags that people already search.

What are common hashtag mistakes?

• Using the same long list of tags on every video.
• Choosing only huge tags, where your video is lost.
• Adding tags that do not describe the video.
• Ignoring the caption and relying only on tags.
• Never checking which tags are connected to content you would not want to appear beside.

How often should you review your hashtags?

Review them every month or two. Tags change in popularity, and what worked in spring may be crowded by summer. Open your best and worst videos from the period and look at which tags they used. Keep the ones that appear on your best videos and test replacements for the rest.

Set a reminder in your calendar, so that this review becomes a habit rather than something you remember only when your views drop. A short, regular check keeps your sets fresh without taking much time.

What should you do when a hashtag stops working?

Do not keep using it out of habit. Check a few recent videos under the tag to see whether the content still matches yours, and whether the tag has been taken over by something unrelated. If so, replace it with a closer one from your research. A tag is only useful while it still describes your video.

Frequently asked questions