Hashtags are an integral part of any social media marketing strategy. They allow you to tap into existing conversations, increase engagement, and expand your reach. However, sometimes hashtags that were previously successful seem to stop working overnight. If you’ve noticed your hashtags aren’t getting the same traction they once did, there are a few potential causes to investigate.
Hashtag Saturation
One of the most common reasons a hashtag stops working is that it becomes oversaturated. When a hashtag gains popularity, more and more people start using it. This causes the hashtag to become cluttered with irrelevant or low-quality content. As a result, real engagement with your posts declines. Saturated hashtags also get pushed further down in search results because the algorithm can’t discern high-value content from low-value when there is too much variety.
A hashtag can become saturated for a few reasons:
- It is attached to a popular event like a concert or festival. Everyone there uses the event hashtag, making it overwhelming.
- Influencers or businesses push an unsustainably large campaign with it. The concentrated use spikes volume fast.
- A large company promotes it but doesn’t have control over how people use it. For example, adidas promoted #creativedifferences as part of a campaign about celebrating diversity. However, they couldn’t dictate what type of content creators posted with the hashtag, leading to it being flooded with irrelevant posts.
Saturated hashtags are difficult to resurrect. The best approach is usually to stop using them and come up with fresh alternatives that are more niche and targeted to your goals.
Shadowbanning or Post Suppressing
Another possibility is that social media platforms are “shadowbanning” your hashtag or suppressing posts with it. Shadowbanning is when platforms algorithmically limit the visibility or reach of certain accounts or content, without outright banning them. The intention is to reduce the spread of spam, false information, or abusive/dangerous content. But sometimes perfectly legitimate hashtags get caught up in sweeps and shadowbanned as well.
Some signs your hashtag may be shadowbanned:
- Engagement on posts with the hashtag suddenly drops off.
- The hashtag stops trending or showing up in search despite continued use.
- You notice followers aren’t seeing your hashtagged posts in their feeds.
If a platform flags your hashtag as suspicious, there is not much you can do other than appeal or stop using it. Preventing shadowbans comes down to using hashtags responsibly and intentionally from the start.
Algorithm Changes
Social platforms like Instagram are constantly tweaking their algorithms. Changes aim to surface better content and improve user experience, but they can tank engagement on posts using once-successful hashtags. Two common algorithm shifts are:
- Prioritizing relevance: Algorithms now try to show posts based more on each user’s interests and connections. Even popular hashtags may not boost irrelevant content anymore.
- Curbing overtagging: Some platforms now deprioritize posts using excessive, unrelated hashtags just to game the system.
You may not be doing anything wrong, but if an algorithm decides your hashtagged content doesn’t align with its new priorities, reach will decline organically. In these cases, integrating different hashtags better suited to emerging algorithm tendencies is the best move.
Increased Competition
With social media marketing’s rising popularity, competition is steeper than ever. When more accounts start using your hashtag, it dilutes the engagement each user gets. Businesses with more followers and resources can start “take over” hashtags, monopolizing visibility through volume.
Competition can also drive down quality, making the hashtag less appealing overall. Low-value recycled posts will overtake thoughtful content without vigilance.
You may not be able to reclaim traction fully in competitive hashtags, but there are some mitigation strategies:
- Follow the 80/20 rule – only 20% of your hashtags should be for high-volume ones, while 80% should be niche.
- Refresh hashtags regularly to stay ahead of competition.
- Use competitor analysis to assess their hashtag strategy and differentiate yours.
- Focus more on quality and relevance over volume.
bans and Restrictions
In some cases, hashtags stop working because platforms ban or restrict them. Social networks prohibit hashtags that:
- Incite violence or hate.
- Are used to spread explicit/dangerous misinformation.
- Facilitate illegal or unethical behavior.
Bans often hit controversial hashtags tied to political movements or current events. For example, during Black Lives Matter protests, Instagram restricted #BlackLivesMatter and other related hashtags because some used them to post violent content.
Platforms aim to curb abuse, but blanket bans penalize legitimate advocacy too. If your hashtag gets restricted, appealing the decision is likely the only option. Avoid using hashtags associated with dangerous or hateful behavior from the start to prevent the risk.
Using Too Many Hashtags
One of the main reasons your own hashtags may fail is overusing them. Each platform has optimal hashtag amounts before you risk being flagged for spam or excessive tagging. For example, on Instagram using over about 11 hashtags causes steep engagement drops. On Twitter, the recommended amount is 2.
Packing posts with every hashtag you can think of can backfire. It looks spammy and leads platforms to limit visibility. Keep hashtags short, targeted, and relevant to each post’s content specifically.
You can also avoid red flags by spacing out hashtags. Don’t put them all in the main caption. Add some in the first comment, some in Stories, etc. to vary placement.
Using the Wrong Hashtags
Choosing low-performing hashtags wastes opportunities for visibility. Relying on outdated, banned, or saturated hashtags kills social strategies. You want to use hashtags that are:
- Active: They are still frequently used by a core engaged community.
- Targeted: They reach your niche and directly relate to content themes.
- Fresh: They aren’t oversaturated or falling out of favor with algorithms.
Regular hashtag research is key. You can use tools like RiteTag to identify trending options and analyze performance. Switch out underperforming hashtags for more relevant or popular alternatives.
Geographic Bans
Some hashtags only resonate or are permitted in certain countries and regions. They may stop working if you use them in the wrong geographic context. For example, #blackfriday is hugely popular around Thanksgiving in the US, but irrelevant in other places.
Region-specific bans also impact certain hashtags. Social platforms restrict abusive or dangerous local hashtags that violate policies. Using prohibited foreign hashtags by mistake can tank engagement.
If your account targets multiple regions, research which hashtags translate and which don’t. Analyze local language differences and restrictions too. When in doubt, ask local followers what resonates.
Sudden Trend Changes
Viral trends and current events rapidly change hashtag relevance. One week a hashtag aligns perfectly with a surging movement. But the next week conversation shifts and content with the “old” hashtag falls flat.
Right now, trends and topics rise and fall faster than ever. Timing is everything. You have to continuously follow cultural conversations and hashtag evolution in real time.
Monitor trend forecasting tools to identify when once-hot hashtags start fading. Jump on emerging trending hashtags before saturation. Capitalize on short hashtag shelf lives rather than trying to revive expired ones.
Conclusion
There are many possible reasons successful hashtags suddenly become ineffective. But with the right troubleshooting approach, you can diagnose the root cause and take appropriate action to revive engagement.
Analyze if the hashtag is now banned, restricted, saturated, or irrelevant. Assess if you are using hashtags improperly or algorithm changes have made them less impactful. Research if competition has overtaken a hashtag or temporal factors like geography and trends have made it obsolete.
Hashtag marketing requires constant vigilance. But keeping up with the right diagnostics and pivots will help you renew hashtag success as soon as it starts to slip.