Instagram has announced a new restriction to control the growing issue of hashtag spam on the platform. The social media giant confirmed that posts and reels will soon be limited to a reduced number of hashtags, moving away from the allowance of unlimited tags. This strategy emphasizes the importance of relevance over volume when sharing content for both creators and everyday users.
The update was quietly announced through a Threads post instead of a formal disclosure. In the post, Instagram acknowledged that while hashtags help organize content, excessive use makes captions cluttered and hinders readability.
Users worldwide have expressed frustration with posts overloaded with unrelated tags, which can be misleading. By implementing this limitation on hashtag usage, Instagram aims to discourage spam and encourage more mindful and relevant publishing. The company is focused on enhancing overall content quality and building trust with its audience.
For some time, Instagram has downplayed the significance of hashtags for discoverability. The newly established limits support this notion by suggesting that posts featuring fewer, more relevant hashtags are likely to perform better. The new rules impose a clear numerical cap, limiting posts and reels to a maximum of five hashtags. Additionally, the company has advised against overusing labels, as they can negatively impact post visibility.
This change will affect both consumers and creators. Creators will need to use only relevant hashtags, while consumers can expect more pertinent content in their feeds. The rollout has already started, and most users around the world should experience it in the coming days.
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