The One Where We Only Use Three Hashtags?

In this episode, Kat tackles one of the most misunderstood and ever-changing parts of social media: hashtags. With Instagram now testing new limits of just 3 to 5 hashtags per post, this episode unpacks what’s really happening, how it affects reach and discovery, and what local small business owners should do to stay strategic — and sane — on social media.

What this episode covers 👀

• Instagram is testing new hashtag limits: 3 or 5 instead of 30.
• Hashtags are no longer a major driver of reach — they’re now used more for search and categorization.
• The Instagram algorithm reads your entire post, not just hashtags: image, caption, text on screen.
• Relevance matters more than quantity: 3–5 strategic hashtags > 30 gene ...