The Small Business Owner's Guide to Hashtags in 2025: What Actually Works Now

Sep 13

Hey there! Can we talk about hashtags for a minute? Because honestly, everything you thought you knew about them just changed.

I've been watching small business owners stress about hashtag strategies that stopped working months ago, and I think it's time we had an honest conversation about what's really happening on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok right now.

Here's the thing that might surprise you: hashtags got way simpler in 2025, not harder. The platforms basically did us all a favor by making the rules clearer. Let me walk you through what I'm seeing work for the small businesses I work with.

The game completely changed (and that's actually good news)

Remember when everyone said you needed 30 hashtags on Instagram? Yeah, those days are over. Instagram removed hashtag-following entirely, LinkedIn stopped letting people follow hashtags, and TikTok now limits you to just 5 hashtags per post.

I know what you're thinking - "Great, another thing I have to relearn!" But here's why this is actually fantastic news: you can stop playing the hashtag guessing game.

Instead of spending your Sunday afternoon researching 50 different hashtag combinations, you now need maybe 3-5 really good ones. The platforms want to show your content to people who'll actually care about it, not just anyone scrolling through random hashtag feeds.

Here's the bigger shift that's exciting: Social media is becoming searchable like Google. Your Instagram captions now show up in actual Google search results. I'm not kidding - people are finding small businesses through Google searches that lead them straight to Instagram posts.

This means the words you use in your captions matter more than ever. Instead of cramming hashtags, focus on writing captions that describe what you actually do, the problems you solve, and the value you provide. Think of it as "social SEO" - optimizing your posts so people can find you when they're searching for exactly what you offer.

Think of hashtags now like filing your content in the right folder, while your caption is the detailed description that helps people understand why they should care. Simple, right?

Instagram: Less really is more (and your captions are now searchable)

The magic number? 3-5 hashtags. That's it.

I've tested this with dozens of small business accounts, and consistently, posts with 3-5 thoughtfully chosen hashtags outperform everything else. The businesses getting great results right now use this simple formula:

1-2 broad tags about your industry (#smallbusiness #entrepreneur)
2-3 specific tags about what you do (#localcoffee #handmadecandles #bookkeeping)
1 location tag if you serve local customers (#yourtown #downtownarea)

Here's what I love about this approach - it doesn't matter if you put these hashtags in your caption or in the first comment anymore. Choose whatever feels more natural for your voice.

The bigger shift? Instagram now pays just as much attention to the actual words in your captions as it does to hashtags. But here's what's really exciting - your Instagram posts can now show up in Google search results.

I've seen local businesses get discovered by potential customers who were just Googling things like "best coffee shop downtown" or "bookkeeper near me" and finding their Instagram posts. This is huge for small businesses!

So instead of stuffing 30 hashtags at the bottom of your post, spend that energy writing captions that actually describe what you're sharing. Use the words your customers would search for. Talk about the problems you solve. Describe your services clearly. Think of each caption as a mini webpage that helps people find you.

Facebook: Skip the hashtags, focus on connection

I'm just going to say it - hashtags barely work on Facebook anymore. The data shows posts with fewer hashtags get more engagement, and honestly, posts without any hashtags often do better than those with them.

Facebook's algorithm cares about one thing: real conversations between real people. So instead of hashtag research, focus on:

Creating posts that make people want to comment (ask questions, share relatable moments)
Actually responding to every single comment like you're talking to a friend
Using Facebook's features like Stories, Reels, and going live when you can
Being part of your local community conversations

If you really want to use a hashtag on Facebook, use one - maybe two max - and make them feel natural, like you'd actually say them in conversation.

LinkedIn: Keep it professional, keep it simple

LinkedIn's sweet spot is 3 hashtags, and they should sound like something you'd actually say in a business meeting.

What's working for the small business owners I know:

1 broad professional tag (#marketing #leadership #smallbusiness)
2 specific tags about your expertise (#contentmarketing #localSEO #financialplanning)

But here's the real secret to LinkedIn success - write like you actually know what you're talking about. The algorithm loves expertise and experience. Share what you've learned, what you've seen work, what challenges you're facing. Be the person other business owners learn from.

And here's a tip that makes a real difference: if you're the face of your business, post from your personal profile instead of your business page. Personal profiles get way better reach because LinkedIn wants to promote thought leaders, not just companies.

TikTok: Work smarter with the 5-hashtag limit

TikTok's new 5-hashtag limit is actually genius because it forces you to be strategic instead of throwing everything at the wall.

Here's the approach that's working:

1-2 broad hashtags (#smallbiz #entrepreneur)
2-3 community hashtags (#SmallBizTok #YourIndustryTok #BehindTheScenes)
Maybe 1 trending hashtag if it actually fits your content

But honestly? TikTok works more like Google now than old-school social media. People are searching for specific information, so the words you say in your video, the text on screen, and your caption matter just as much as hashtags.

Focus on being helpful, authentic, and interesting. The algorithm rewards videos people actually want to watch all the way through.

Writing captions that people (and search engines) can actually find

Since your captions are now doing the heavy lifting for discovery, let's talk about writing them strategically. This isn't about keyword stuffing - it's about being clear and descriptive.

Think like your ideal customer: What would they type into Google or Instagram search when looking for what you offer? Use those exact phrases naturally in your captions.

Instead of: "Another successful project in the books! ✨ #blessed"

Try: "Just finished helping a local restaurant streamline their bookkeeping system. Small business owners, if you're spending more than 2 hours a week on financial paperwork, we should talk about systems that can cut that time in half."

Be specific about what you do and where you do it: The more descriptive you are, the easier you are to find. Location-based searches are huge for small businesses.

Instead of: "Great day at the shop!"

Try: "Fresh lavender scones just out of the oven at our downtown bakery. If you're looking for artisan pastries made with locally-sourced ingredients in [your city], stop by before 2pm while they're still warm."

Answer questions your customers actually ask: Turn your captions into helpful mini-guides that solve real problems.

This approach works because it serves both the algorithm (which wants helpful, relevant content) and your potential customers (who are searching for solutions you provide).

How to research hashtags without losing your mind

You don't need expensive tools. Here's my simple process:

Start with free options:

Type your main keyword into Instagram's search bar and see what comes up
Check out TikTok's Discover page for trending hashtags in your space
Look at what your successful competitors are using (but don't copy them exactly)

Spend 20 minutes once a month looking at accounts similar to yours. What hashtags do they use consistently? What kind of engagement are they getting? You'll learn more in 20 minutes of smart observation than hours with fancy tools.

A strategy that actually saves you time

Instead of starting from scratch every time you post, create simple hashtag sets for different types of content:

Behind the scenes posts: #BehindTheScenes #SmallBizLife #YourIndustry
Product/service features: #YourService #SmallBusiness #YourLocation
Tips and advice: #SmallBizTips #YourExpertise #Entrepreneur
Customer features: #HappyCustomer #SmallBizLove #YourIndustry

Mix and match from these sets, but don't use the exact same combination every time. The platforms notice patterns and prefer some variety.

What to track (without getting lost in the numbers)

Look at your analytics once a month - not daily! - and pay attention to:

Which posts got the most reach from hashtag discovery
What hashtag combinations led to the most meaningful comments or DMs
Whether your hashtag strategy is attracting your ideal customers

If a post with certain hashtags led to three new customer inquiries, that's worth noting. If another post got 500 likes but zero business impact, maybe those hashtags aren't serving your goals.

Your action plan for this week

This week: Look at your last 10 posts on each platform. Are you using too many hashtags? Are they actually relevant to your business? Start trimming down to the recommended numbers.

Next week: Create your simple hashtag sets for different content types. Test them out and see how they feel.

This month: Check your analytics once and adjust based on what's actually working for your business, not what some guru on the internet says should work.

The truth about hashtags in 2025

Here's what I keep telling the small business owners I work with: hashtags are now the supporting actors in your social media strategy, not the stars.

The businesses succeeding on social media right now focus on creating genuinely helpful content, building real relationships with their community, and showing up consistently as themselves. They use hashtags as simple organizational tools, not magic growth formulas.

But here's the exciting part: This shift toward social SEO actually gives small businesses a huge advantage. While big brands are still figuring out this new landscape, you can get ahead by simply writing clearly about what you do, who you serve, and how you help people.

When someone in your town searches Google for "best [your service] near me," your Instagram posts could be right there in the results alongside your website. That's powerful stuff for local businesses.

This shift actually makes things easier for small businesses like yours. Instead of trying to crack some mysterious hashtag code, you can focus on what you do best - serving your customers and sharing your expertise in clear, searchable language.

Your hashtag strategy should take about 15 minutes a week to manage, not hours. Spend the time you save on writing better captions that help people find you and understand exactly how you can help them.

The platforms want authentic businesses connecting with real people. And honestly? That's exactly what small businesses do better than anyone else.

Still feeling unsure about your social media strategy? I get it - keeping up with all these changes while running your business isn't easy. Whether you need someone to handle your social media completely or want personalized guidance to master it yourself, I'm here to help small businesses put the 'social' back in social media. Let's chat about what would work best for your goals.

Eagle's Eye Creative
Helping Small Businesses Put The 'Social' Back In Social Media