Most popular hashtags 2021

Understanding the Landscape: The Shifting Sands of Hashtag Popularity in 2021

The Rise of Short-Form Video Hashtags

2021 was undeniably the year TikTok solidified its dominance and Instagram Reels came into its own.

This meant a whole new lexicon of hashtags emerged, focused on virality and algorithmic visibility.

• TikTok’s Influence: The infamous #ForYou and #FYP For You Page became almost mandatory for anyone trying to gain traction. These weren’t about content categories but about directly signaling to TikTok’s algorithm that you wanted to be discovered.
• Instagram Reels’ Emergence: Instagram users adopted similar strategies, with #Reels, #InstagramReels, and content-specific tags like #ReelsViral gaining massive traction. This shift also propelled more ephemeral, trend-based hashtags to the forefront, such as specific audio trends or challenge names.
• Data Point: A report by Social Insider in late 2021 noted that Instagram Reels consistently outperformed traditional photo posts in reach and engagement, often by a factor of 2x or more, largely due to the algorithmic push associated with video-centric hashtags.

Community and Niche Hashtags: The Power of Specificity

While broad hashtags might expose content to a larger audience, niche hashtags often led to significantly higher engagement from a more invested audience.

This was a crucial insight for marketers and content creators aiming for conversion over mere impressions.

• Hyper-local Tags: As people spent more time at home, local businesses and community groups saw a surge in engagement around specific location-based hashtags like #SupportLocalBusinesses or #Eats.
• Hobby and Interest Groups: From #Bookstagram to #PlantParent, communities flourished around shared interests. These hashtags fostered genuine connections and were often less saturated than generic terms, making content more discoverable to the right audience.
• Data Point: Hootsuite’s 2021 social media trends report highlighted that Instagram posts with 1-3 highly relevant hashtags often saw better engagement rates than those with 10+ generic ones, emphasizing the quality over quantity approach.

Top-Tier General Popular Hashtags of 2021

Looking at the sheer volume of usage across major platforms, certain hashtags consistently topped the charts.

These were often broad, evergreen, and crossed multiple content categories, making them go-to options for widespread visibility.

However, their high volume also meant increased competition.

Evergreen & Broad Appeal Hashtags

These are the foundational hashtags that remained consistently popular year after year, forming the backbone of many content strategies.

• #Love: Perennially popular, used across personal, inspirational, and lifestyle content.
• #Fashion: A massive category, encompassing everything from haute couture to street style, often paired with more specific tags like #OOTD OutfitOfTheDay or #Style.
• #Travel: Despite travel restrictions, aspirational travel content and throwback posts kept this tag alive, often seen with #Wanderlust or #TravelGram.
• #Art: From digital art to traditional painting, this tag united a vast creative community, often paired with #ArtistOnInstagram or #DigitalArt.

Trending Social & Cultural Hashtags

2021 was marked by significant social and cultural discussions, and hashtags became central to these conversations, reflecting global events and collective experiences.

• #BlackLivesMatter: Continued to be a powerful vehicle for social justice discussions and activism.
• #ClimateChange: Gained renewed prominence as environmental awareness surged, often linked with #Sustainability and #GoGreen.
• #MentalHealthAwareness: Amidst ongoing global challenges, this hashtag saw a massive increase in usage as individuals and organizations emphasized well-being.
• #Vaccine: Became a dominant hashtag for public health information, discussions, and personal stories.
• Data Point: According to Statista, the hashtag #COVID19 and its variations was one of the most used hashtags globally throughout 2020 and continued to be highly relevant in 2021, showcasing the impact of global events on digital conversations.

Industry-Specific Hashtags That Dominated

Beyond the general and trending, many industries saw specific hashtags emerge as crucial for discoverability within their respective niches. More followers hashtags

These were the keys to unlocking targeted audiences and engaging with industry peers.

Business and Entrepreneurship Hashtags

With the surge in remote work and e-commerce, hashtags related to business, entrepreneurship, and personal development saw significant growth.

• #SmallBusiness: Became a rallying cry for consumers to support local and independent ventures, especially vital during economic uncertainties.
• #EntrepreneurLife: Popular among aspiring and established entrepreneurs sharing insights, struggles, and successes.
• #WorkFromHome: Reflected the massive shift in employment structures, often paired with #RemoteWork or #WFH.
• #MarketingTips: A staple for digital marketers and business coaches, sharing strategies and advice.
• Data Point: Instagram’s own insights revealed a significant increase in engagement with #SmallBusiness and #SupportLocal content, particularly during promotional events like Small Business Saturday.

Health and Wellness Hashtags

The pandemic amplified the focus on health, both physical and mental, leading to a flourishing of related hashtags.

• #FitnessMotivation: A constant in the fitness world, inspiring workouts and healthy living.
• #HealthyEating: Used by food bloggers, nutritionists, and individuals sharing healthy recipes and meal prep.
• #SelfCare: Emphasized the importance of personal well-being and mindful living.
• #Mindfulness: Gained traction as people sought ways to manage stress and anxiety.
• Data Point: A report from Brandwatch in 2021 indicated a 30% increase in mentions of #MentalHealth on Twitter compared to the previous year, highlighting the growing public discourse.

Leveraging Hashtags for Maximum Impact in 2021

Simply knowing popular hashtags isn’t enough.

The true skill lies in strategically deploying them to maximize your content’s reach and engagement.

It’s about blending popularity with relevance, and understanding platform-specific nuances.

The Algorithm’s Best Friend: Relevance over Raw Volume

Algorithms are getting smarter.

They don’t just look at how many times a hashtag has been used.

They prioritize how relevant that hashtag is to your content and, crucially, to the user consuming it.

• Context is King: Using #Travel on a photo of your cat is less effective than using #CatsofInstagram and #PetLovers. The former might get you eyeballs, but the latter gets you interested eyeballs.
• Mixing Broad and Niche: A common strategy was to use 2-3 broad, popular hashtags for general discoverability, coupled with 5-7 highly specific, niche hashtags that directly pertained to the content and target audience. This provided a balanced approach.
• Hashtag Research Tools: Tools like our suggested 👉 Free Growth Marketing Tool are invaluable here. They allow you to analyze hashtag performance, identify trending terms in your niche, and even suggest optimal hashtag combinations based on your content.

Platform-Specific Hashtag Strategies

What works on Instagram might not be ideal for Twitter or LinkedIn.

Most follow hashtags on instagram

Each platform has its own dynamics when it comes to hashtag usage and effectiveness.

• Instagram: Known for its liberal use of hashtags up to 30, but 2021 trends suggested that 5-10 highly relevant ones performed best. Hashtags in captions were often more effective than in the first comment for initial algorithmic indexing.
• TikTok: The #FYP and #ForYou strategy dominated, often paired with 1-3 trending audio-specific or challenge-specific hashtags. Too many hashtags could sometimes dilute reach.
• Twitter: Character limits always made brevity key. 1-2 trending or highly relevant hashtags were usually sufficient to join conversations or signal topic. Over-hashtagging felt spammy.
• LinkedIn: Professional networks saw hashtags used for industry discussions, thought leadership, and networking. 2-4 relevant industry-specific or professional development hashtags were common.
• Data Point: Research by Sprout Social in 2021 found that while Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags, posts with 9-11 hashtags tended to have the highest engagement rates on average.

Beyond the Obvious: Emerging Hashtag Trends in 2021

While the big players held their ground, 2021 also saw the emergence of more nuanced, often purpose-driven, or algorithmically favored hashtag trends.

These were often indicators of future shifts in social media behavior.

Hashtags for Authenticity and Transparency

Consumers in 2021 increasingly valued authenticity.

Hashtags reflecting realness, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and genuine connection gained traction.

• #NoFilter: While not new, it saw a resurgence as users pushed back against overly curated, unrealistic portrayals of life online.
• #RealTalk: Used for sharing honest opinions, personal struggles, and vulnerable moments.
• #BehindTheScenes: Gave audiences a glimpse into the creation process, fostering connection and appreciation.
• #AuthenticContent: A meta-hashtag used by creators emphasizing their commitment to genuine interaction.

The Rise of Hashtag Challenges and Memes

Viral challenges, particularly on TikTok and Instagram Reels, were powered almost entirely by dedicated hashtags.

These were often short-lived but incredibly impactful during their peak.

• #ChallengeName: Specific to a particular trend, often tied to a piece of audio or a specific action. Examples like #VogueChallenge or #FlipTheSwitch gained massive traction.
• #MemeCulture: While not a single hashtag, it encompassed a wide array of content often tagged with generic terms like #Funny or #DankMemes, but also specific meme formats.
• Data Point: TikTok’s own trend reports highlighted that 7 out of 10 trending videos were part of a larger hashtag challenge or sound trend, underscoring their power in discovery.

The Islamic Perspective on Hashtags and Digital Engagement

From an Islamic perspective, engaging with popular hashtags, like any form of digital communication, falls under the broader principles of beneficial speech, responsible conduct, and avoiding that which is harmful or frivolous. The purpose of communication in Islam is to convey truth, build community, promote good, and deter evil. Therefore, while leveraging popular hashtags for reach is permissible, the content associated with those hashtags and the intent behind their use are paramount.

Permissible Uses of Hashtags for Muslims

Using popular hashtags can be a powerful tool for da’wah inviting to Islam, sharing beneficial knowledge, promoting ethical businesses, and fostering positive community engagement, provided the content adheres to Islamic guidelines. Landscape and portrait instagram post

• Da’wah and Education: Using hashtags like #IslamicQuotes, #MuslimLife, #Quran, #Hadith, or #Ramadan during the holy month can disseminate accurate Islamic knowledge and positive messages.
• Halal Businesses and Products: Promoting permissible goods and services using relevant hashtags like #HalalFood, #IslamicArt, #ModestFashion, or #EthicalBusiness can connect with a relevant audience.
• Community Building: Hashtags like #MuslimsOfInstagram, #Ummah, or local masjid-specific tags can help foster a sense of community and connection.
• Positive Social Causes: Supporting and raising awareness for ethical and just causes, such as #Charity, #HumanitarianAid, or #EnvironmentalProtection, aligns with Islamic values.
• Data Point: Various Islamic educational accounts on platforms like Instagram and YouTube saw significant growth in 2021, often by strategically using a mix of general and specific Islamic hashtags to reach diverse audiences seeking spiritual content.

Avoiding and Discouraging Impermissible Content

Conversely, involvement with hashtags that promote or lead to impermissible haram activities is to be avoided. This includes content that encourages:

• Immodesty and Immorality: Hashtags associated with explicit content, immodest displays, dating, or any form of illicit relationships e.g., #DatingLife, #AdultContent, #Sensual.
• Podcast and Entertainment as primary focus: While nasheeds vocal podcast and Islamic performances are distinct, engaging with hashtags focused on mainstream podcast, movies, and entertainment that often promote un-Islamic values or immoral behavior e.g., #PopPodcast, #Hollywood, #PartyLife. Our focus should be on beneficial content.
• Financial Fraud and Riba: Hashtags related to scams, interest-based investments, or gambling e.g., #Casino, #ForexTrading if based on interest/riba, #Lottery. Instead, promote #HalalInvesting or #EthicalFinance.
• Astrology, Fortune-Telling, and Black Magic: Any hashtags related to these practices are strictly forbidden in Islam e.g., #Horoscope, #Tarot, #Psychic.
• Alcohol, Narcotics, and Harmful Substances: Promoting or normalizing any of these e.g., #DrinkUp, #CannabisCommunity, #VapeLife.
• Excessive Self-Adornment Jewelry, etc. & Display of Wealth: While permissible to wear, excessive show-off, particularly with jewelry or ostentatious displays that lead to arrogance or envy e.g., #Bling, #LuxuryLife, #RichKidsofInstagram should be discouraged in favor of #Modesty and #Gratitude.
• Idol Worship & Polytheism: Any content promoting or condoning these e.g., #HinduGods, #BuddhistArt if used for worship.
• Blasphemy: Content disrespecting religious figures or beliefs.

As a Muslim, the ultimate goal of digital engagement should be to use these tools as a means to seek Allah’s pleasure, share what is good, and warn against what is evil, always remembering that our actions, even online, are recorded.

Future-Proofing Your Hashtag Strategy Beyond 2021

Future-proofing your hashtag strategy means staying agile, continuously learning, and focusing on long-term trends rather than just chasing fleeting virality.

Adaptability and Continuous Learning

What was popular in 2021 might be obsolete in 2022 or beyond.

• Stay Updated: Regularly monitor platform announcements, industry reports, and content trends.
• Test and Analyze: Don’t just blindly use popular hashtags. A/B test different hashtag combinations and analyze their performance using analytics tools.
• Leverage AI and Predictive Analytics: As AI becomes more sophisticated, it will play a larger role in identifying nascent trends and optimal hashtag strategies.

Focusing on Evergreen Content and Niche Communities

While trending hashtags offer short-term boosts, a sustainable strategy relies on building long-term value.

• Evergreen Hashtags: Continue to use broad, relevant hashtags that have enduring appeal for your industry or content niche.
• Community Building: Invest in creating content that resonates with specific communities. These niche groups often have their own unique hashtags that foster deeper engagement and loyalty.
• Value-Driven Content: Ultimately, a strong hashtag strategy only works if the content itself is valuable, engaging, and relevant to your audience. Hashtags are discoverability tools. content is what retains.
• Data Point: A study by SEMrush noted that while viral trends can provide significant short-term spikes in traffic, content optimized with evergreen keywords and hashtags consistently generates traffic over months and even years, providing a more stable organic reach.

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the absolute top trending hashtags in 2021?

The absolute top trending hashtags in 2021 included a mix of general, platform-specific, and event-driven tags. Dominant ones were #ForYou TikTok, #FYP TikTok, #Reels Instagram, #SmallBusiness, #COVID19 and variations, #Love, #Fashion, #Photography, and #Travel.

How many hashtags should I use on Instagram in 2021?

While Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags, in 2021, the common consensus and data suggested that using 5-10 highly relevant hashtags performed optimally for engagement, prioritizing quality and relevance over sheer quantity.

Did TikTok hashtags like #ForYou and #FYP still work effectively in 2021?

Yes, #ForYou and #FYP For You Page were still incredibly effective and almost essential for discoverability on TikTok throughout 2021, signaling to the algorithm that the content was meant for broad distribution.

Are popular hashtags always the best to use?

No, popular hashtags are not always the best to use. Instagram without cropping

While they offer broad visibility, they also come with high competition.

A better strategy is to use a mix of popular, broad hashtags and highly specific, niche hashtags that are relevant to your content and target audience.

How important was hashtag relevance in 2021?

Hashtag relevance became paramount in 2021. Algorithms increasingly prioritized content that accurately matched the hashtags used, ensuring that content reached users genuinely interested in that topic, leading to higher engagement.

Should I put hashtags in my Instagram caption or first comment?

In 2021, data suggested that putting hashtags directly in your Instagram caption generally led to better initial algorithmic indexing and discoverability, though placing them in the first comment was still a common practice.

What were the most popular hashtags for small businesses in 2021?

For small businesses in 2021, #SmallBusiness, #SupportLocal, #Local, #ShopLocal, and #EntrepreneurLife were among the most popular and effective hashtags for reaching targeted audiences.

Did the pandemic influence hashtag trends in 2021?

Yes, the pandemic significantly influenced hashtag trends in 2021, leading to increased usage of tags related to #COVID19, #WorkFromHome, #MentalHealthAwareness, and local support initiatives like #SupportLocal.

Were video-specific hashtags more popular in 2021?

Yes, with the rise of TikTok and Instagram Reels, video-specific hashtags like #Reels, #Shorts for YouTube, #ViralVideo, and #ChallengeName became significantly more popular and crucial for discoverability in 2021.

How can I find trending hashtags in my niche?

To find trending hashtags in your niche, you should use social media analytics tools like our suggested 👉 Free Growth Marketing Tool, monitor industry leaders, observe what competitors are using, and regularly check platform-specific trend sections.

Are niche hashtags more effective than broad hashtags for engagement?

Often, yes. Instagram upload photo size in inches

Niche hashtags, despite having lower search volume, tend to attract a more engaged and targeted audience, leading to higher quality interactions and potentially better conversion rates compared to broad hashtags.

What role did challenges play in hashtag popularity in 2021?

Challenges, particularly on TikTok and Instagram, played a massive role in hashtag popularity in 2021. Each viral challenge typically generated its own specific hashtag, driving massive short-term engagement and discoverability.

What are “evergreen” hashtags?

Evergreen hashtags are those that remain consistently popular and relevant over long periods, regardless of specific trends or events. Examples include #Love, #Fashion, #Photography, and #Travel.

How can I measure the effectiveness of the hashtags I use?

You can measure hashtag effectiveness by tracking metrics like reach, impressions, engagement rate, and new followers gained from specific hashtags, usually through the native analytics provided by social media platforms or third-party analytics tools.

Is it okay to use outdated popular hashtags?

It is generally not advisable to rely heavily on outdated popular hashtags, as their relevance and effectiveness for discoverability diminish over time. Focus on current trends and evergreen tags.

What were the top lifestyle hashtags in 2021?

Top lifestyle hashtags in 2021 included #Lifestyle, #HomeDecor, #FitnessMotivation, #HealthyEating, #SelfCare, and #Minimalism, reflecting diverse interests and trends.

How did Instagram’s algorithm changes affect hashtag usage in 2021?

Instagram’s algorithm changes in 2021 increasingly favored Reels and original content, making video-specific hashtags and those promoting authentic engagement more critical.

It also emphasized relevance over sheer volume for hashtag effectiveness.

Should I use hashtags on LinkedIn?

Yes, using hashtags on LinkedIn in 2021 was beneficial for professional networking, increasing the discoverability of your posts within specific industries or topics, and engaging with relevant communities.

What were the most popular travel hashtags in 2021, despite travel restrictions?

Despite travel restrictions, popular travel hashtags in 2021 included #Travel, #Wanderlust, #TravelGram, #Explore, and specific destination tags for domestic travel or aspirational content. Instagram trending hashtags for likes

Are there any hashtags Muslims should avoid using?

Yes, Muslims should avoid hashtags that promote or are associated with anything forbidden in Islam, such as explicit content, gambling, alcohol, interest-based finance, black magic, or any form of immorality or polytheism.

Focus on content that is beneficial and aligned with Islamic principles.