TikTok sets a limit of 5 hashtags per post

There was a time when hashtags stood out as a key tool for establishing your presence on social media. However, everything changes, and these number signs have lost much of their influence. This, combined with an effort to “clean up” post descriptions, has led several platforms to recommend limiting their use or even enforcing such limits directly. The latest platform to do so is TikTok.

The renowned Chinese social network has decided to establish a permitted maximum of five hashtags per publication. In recent days, users have noticed a pop-up notification informing them of this change as they were adding the final touches to their TikToks.

TikTok has a max 5 hashtags now, since when!? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/H5zuk51O1s

— Gee ✨ (@justgee92) August 12, 2025

This would be a way to improve the experience on the social network by reducing hashtag spam, allowing for posts with cleaner descriptions, and helping people discover more organized and focused content.

Hashtags no longer determine reach on social media

This measure is not revolutionary, even if it may cause certain discomfort among those who are accustomed to flooding their TikToks with hashtags. In recent years, these tags have become less relevant when segmenting content, and fewer people are relying on hashtag searches.

Back in 2022, Adam Mosseri already explained that hashtags had little real utility when it came to increasing Instagram views. In fact, the evolution of algorithms, together with the growing influence of key metrics such as impressions, views, or shares, has changed the rules of the game. Now, reach is no longer dictated by the use of number signs with keywords.

Another noteworthy case is Twitter, which on June 27th introduced an even more radical measure: eliminating the use of hashtags in its advertisements. Elon Musk himself called them an “aesthetic nightmare” and asserted that they have no usefulness on his social network.

Of course, this does not mean that you should abandon their use on TikTok, as they continue to be helpful for organizing content. What we do recommend is focusing your attention on factors such as using keywords in your descriptions, selecting trending topics, leveraging audio and music, and encouraging interaction with your content. Likewise, a good option for designing your strategy is to consult the TikTok Trends section.

In any case, it will always be interesting to know which are the most popular hashtags in the world on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.

Photo: GPT-5