Hashtag Science: Do We Still Need #Hashtags in 2025?
Spoiler: sometimes yes, mostly meh. Read this before you slap five random tags on your next post.
What changed?
- Hashtag followers vanished. LinkedIn killed the “follow #Marketing” feature in late 2024. Reach tanks if you still bet on it.
- AI topics stepped in. The feed now sorts posts by intent and dwell time, not blue links. Hashtags are just one weak signal.
- Some analysts even call hashtags “worthless in 2025.” Harsh, but the algorithm agrees for broad tags.
The numbers, no fluff
| Setup | Avg. Likes | Key Take |
|---|---|---|
| 0 hashtags | 10.8 | Baseline. |
| 1–3 hashtags | 14.7 | Sweet spot. |
| 6+ hashtags | 8.4 | Punishment zone. |
Statista pulled these stats from 2 000 posts in 2024. Small lift, but lift.
LinkedIn’s own docs still say “Use 3–5 relevant tags.” Keep it tight.
When hashtags still work
- Niche discovery. #SaudiFintech or #B2BPodcast—small crowds, big intent.
- Live events. Use the official tag. Instant lobby.
- Search crumbs. Users still filter by tag inside Search.
When to ditch them
- Generic spam. #Success #MondayMotivation = algorithm yawns.
- Over-tagging. Six tags screams “desperate.”
- Vanity tags. #MySuperCoolFramework? Congrats—only you follow it.
2025 Hashtag Game Plan
- Cap at three. Anything beyond hurts reach.
- Mix sizes. One large (100 k+), one mid, one micro.
- End of caption. Keeps hook clean.
- Test monthly. Track with Spiry analytics; double down on what drives clicks.
- Skip if irrelevant. Better no tag than a wrong one.
P.S. Let the Ai handle the science
Spiry auto-recommends the best three hashtags for every post—Arabic or English—then tracks the lift so you don’t guess.
Jump on the free trial at Spiry and let the platform tag smart while you focus on real work.