TikTok is capping hashtags at five per post, a shift some users have recently noticed through in-app notifications.
Details. TikTok hasn’t formally announced the update. A Reddit user said a TikTok notification explained the change is aimed at:
- Reducing hashtag clutter,
- Discouraging spammy usage,
- Improving discovery relevance.
TikTok is the latest social platform to sideline hashtags:
- X dropped hashtags from ads.
- Meta’s Threads limits posts to one topic tag, while Instagram is testing a five-hashtag cap.
- LinkedIn has de-emphasized them.
Why we care. Hashtags have long been used to boost reach, but platforms are dialing them back as algorithms rely more on engagement signals – and as spammy, irrelevant tags clutter feeds. This could improve relevance and reduce spammy competition, but it also raises the stakes for picking the right hashtags to ensure campaigns still surface in discovery.
The big picture. For creators, the change means quality over quantity. Picking the most relevant hashtags matters more than piling on extras. TikTok’s Trends dashboard can help surface the tags most likely to drive discovery.
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