You’ve probably heard YouTubers and Social Media experts say “Stop using hashtags, they don’t work anymore“… They are dead and evil and should be put to bed!… If you listened, you would never use them again.
However, like most social media advice… it’s half‑true, half‑myth, and mostly repeated without context.
So what is the real story… I want to tell small businesses that there’s no harm in using them, and actually they may still do some good!
I’ve done some research and here’s what I’ve found!
Why we’re told that hashtags don’t work
- Facebook and LinkedIn don’t behave like Instagram, adding 20 hashtags won’t magically boost reach.
- Most users don’t actively search hashtags on these platforms any more.
- Using them can make posts look spammy or AI‑generated.
- It’s true that both Facebook and LinkedIn have reduced the algorithmic weight of hashtags compared to 2018–2021.
So the experts can’t see any further than that and declare their demise.
In 2026 hashtags aren’t dead – they’ve just evolved
There’s been lots of research done lately, and I’ve put together a summary of the findings…
LinkedIn’s “Hashtag Reset” (2025 – 2026)
LinkedIn quietly shifted hashtags from “reach boosters” to metadata signals. They now help the algorithm understand:
- what your post is about
- who might care
- which topic category it belongs in
They’re not magic. They’re context markers.
Sprout Social’s 2026 LinkedIn Guide
This one’s crystal clear:
- 3-5 hashtags perform best
- Niche beats generic
- Hashtags help with topic relevance
- They amplify good content (but can’t save bad content)
Heropost 2026 + Planable 2026
Both say the same thing:
- Algorithms now rely heavily on AI content understanding
- Hashtags still help with discovery, especially niche/local ones
- Generic mega‑tags (#Business, #Marketing) do absolutely nothing
- Hashtags behave more like search keywords than trend labels
SocialPilot 2026
Hashtags now act as AI visibility signals. They reinforce meaning, tone, and context, like little signposts for the algorithm.
So no… hashtags aren’t dead. They’ve just grown up a bit.
“But aren’t hashtags bad for accessibility?”
Only if you write them wrong.
Screen readers struggle with:
- All‑lowercase hashtags
- Multiple words mashed together
- Hashtags shoved mid‑sentence
Example: #localbusinesstips… sounds like a sneeze when read aloud.
Accessibility research from Mencap and Proudlock Associates from 2025 confirms this.
The fix?
Put a list at the end of the post… And use CamelCase. Capitalise Each Word Like This:
#LocalBusinessTips#ShowYourFace#HumaniseYourBrand
Suddenly screen readers can understand them. People with dyslexia can read them (or at least struggle less). And your post looks cleaner.
Accessibility problem solved.
So how do you use hashtags properly nowadays?
Simple:
- Use 3-6 hashtags
- Use CamelCase
- Keep them specific, not generic
- Put them at the end
- Mix: a couple of industry tags, a couple of content‑specific tags and a couple of brand/location tags
Hashtags today aren’t about going viral. They’re about helping the algorithm understand your content faster. If you feel like using them is old hat, then don’t… I’m calling B.S. on the haters though and what does it matter, keep them at the end of your post and it takes 30 seconds to add them in the hope it helps a little with providing context to the social networks and AI.
Think of them as little labels that say: “This post belongs over here.”
