Has AI come for hashtags? Not quite yet. Despite the rapid evolution of social media platforms and the increasing role of AI and other SEO strategies, hashtags are still important, but their role and usage have changed. Understanding how to adapt your hashtag strategy to maximize visibility, engagement, and traffic is critical.
Fear not! As always, WP Wellness is here to help you stay on top of all the latest, most effective digital marketing trends.
The Current State of Hashtags in 2025
While hashtags are no longer the undisputed king of social discoverability they once were, they still serve useful functions if you use them with intention.
Hashtags no longer:
- Serve as the sole driver of discoverability. With AI algorithms now capable of analyzing captions, text, images, and even user behavior, hashtags are less crucial for discovery compared to past years.
- Guarantee visibility. Platform algorithms prioritize content quality, relevance, and engagement metrics over hashtag usage.
- Replace quality content: Good content that answers your audience’s needs will consistently outperform poorly targeted hashtag threads.
Now, Hashtags:
- Enhance local and niche visibility. Use location-based hashtags (#YourCity, #YourNeighborhood) and industry-specific tags (#WellnessCoach, #FunctionalMedicine) to connect with highly relevant audiences.
- Support community engagement. Participate in trending, topical, or seasonal hashtags (#MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, #SelfCareSunday) to jump into broader conversations and increase visibility.
- Organize and categorize content. Hashtags help your audience find related posts easily, enabling better content discovery within your profile or platform. Having a branded hashtag for your business can go a long way in keeping your audience engaged.
The best strategy for health and wellness digital marketing is to combine hashtags with other effective, and increasingly important tactics, such as:
- Focusing on Content Quality and Consistency: High-quality, insightful, and visually appealing content still reigns supreme, and posting it regularly keeps your audience engaged and boosts algorithmic favor.
- Utilizing Engagement Metrics and Analytics: Use platform insights to identify which hashtags, post themes, or formats resonate most. Let this data guide your future content and hashtag choices.
- Leveraging AI Tools for Trend Discovery: AI-driven tools now suggest trending hashtags based on real-time topical relevance, so stay updated and incorporate these into your strategy.
- Optimizing Google My Business and Local SEO: Combine hashtags with local SEO efforts—use geotags and local hashtags, and maintain an optimized Google My Business listing to attract nearby clients.
- Investing in Paid Advertising: Targeted ads often outperform organic efforts; refine your audience segments based on engagement analytics, not just hashtags.
The Ideal Number of Hashtags in 2025
Gone are the days of finding and adding any semi-related hashtag to your content, with platforms now favoring more intentional strategies that use far fewer hashtags. While recommended numbers vary across platforms, the current best practices are:
- Instagram: 3-5 hashtags with a balanced mix of popular, niche, and local tags.
- X (Twitter): 1-2 relevant hashtags per Tweet (less is always more on X).
- LinkedIn: 2-3 professional or industry-specific hashtags.
- Facebook: 1-2 hashtags, used sparingly to support your content’s context.
#WhereDoYouGoFromHere?
Hashtags aren’t obsolete—they’ve just become part of a broader, more sophisticated social media strategy. By combining targeted hashtag use with high-quality content, local SEO efforts, and genuine engagement, your practice can continue to grow its online visibility and attract new clients effectively in 2025 and beyond.
Need help refining your social media approach? Partner with WP Wellness.
Our team specializes in creating customized, compliant strategies to elevate your health and wellness business’s digital presence on every platform your current (and future!) clients are using. We know there are people out there whose lives could be transformed by your services, and we’re really passionate about ensuring they can find you.
Contact us today to start optimizing your social media approach. #WPWellness
