LinkedIn has always been the go-to platform for professionals, and as we step further into 2025, the way content is discovered has shifted dramatically. Among these changes, LinkedIn hashtags have undergone a major transformation.
Once considered a core discovery tool, hashtags are no longer the sole driver of visibility. Instead, they’ve become a supporting component in a broader AI-powered content strategy. Yet, when used correctly, hashtags can still elevate your reach, amplify engagement, and connect you with the right professional audience.
In this ultimate guide, we’ll explore:
- What LinkedIn hashtags are and how they work in 2025
- The latest algorithm changes and their impact
- Differences between hashtags and keywords
- Major LinkedIn updates that have reshaped hashtag usage
- Best practices for placement and frequency
- Actionable strategies to use hashtags across posts, articles, company pages, and more
- Six proven methods to master LinkedIn hashtags for business growth
By the end, you’ll know exactly how to adapt your strategy and use LinkedIn hashtags to build influence in today’s competitive digital landscape.
What Are LinkedIn Hashtags and How Do They Work?
At their core, LinkedIn hashtags are words or phrases prefixed with the #symbol. They help categorize your content and make it discoverable by professionals searching for specific topics.
For example:
- A post with #DigitalMarketing files your content under LinkedIn’s massive “digital marketing” category.
- Users exploring that hashtag can stumble upon your post, even if they aren’t in your network.
But unlike platforms like Instagram or Twitter, LinkedIn hashtags serve a professional purpose. They are not about going viral but about connecting your expertise with decision-makers, recruiters, industry peers, and potential clients.
In 2025, hashtags still play a role in:
- Search indexing
- Professional content categorization
- Enhancing discoverability across industries
However, the way LinkedIn prioritizes and distributes content has changed, which brings us to the next section.
LinkedIn’s Algorithm Evolution in 2025
LinkedIn no longer depends solely on hashtags to organize and distribute posts. Instead, it relies on AI-powered natural language processing (NLP) to understand the context of your entire post.
Here’s what happens behind the scenes when you post with hashtags today:
- Entity Recognition – The algorithm parses hashtags as topic classifiers.
- Content Indexing – Posts are still indexed under hashtags for search.
- Relevance Mapping – The system checks if hashtags genuinely match your content.
- Distribution Logic – Engagement potential and contextual quality weigh more than hashtag popularity.
In short: Hashtags still matter, but the words you use naturally within your content matter even more.
Hashtags vs. Keywords: What Changed?
In 2025, keywords have taken center stage. Hashtags remain clickable and searchable, but LinkedIn now emphasizes:
- Semantic understanding of your content
- Contextual relevance instead of hashtag stuffing
- Organic engagement quality from relevant professionals
- Natural keyword placement across your post or article
👉 Example:
A post about “remote work productivity tips” will be categorized correctly by LinkedIn’s AI, even without #RemoteWork. But adding the hashtag can still improve discoverability through manual search.
Pro Tip: Think of hashtags as labels and keywords as fuel. Both together maximize your visibility.
Major LinkedIn Hashtag Changes in 2025
LinkedIn introduced several updates in late 2024 and early 2025 that transformed how hashtags work.
1. Removal of the Hashtag Following Feature
- Before: Users could follow hashtags (e.g., #AI, #Leadership) and see related posts in their feed.
- Now: This feature is gone. Instead, AI curates feeds based on behavior and interest.
2. Creator Mode Retirement
- Before: Profiles had a “Talks About” section with up to 5 hashtags.
- Now: Creator Mode is retired. LinkedIn now infers expertise through profile keywords and post content.
3. AI-Powered Recommendations
LinkedIn’s algorithm now analyzes content context (beyond hashtags) to match posts with users likely to engage. Hashtags alone no longer guarantee visibility — engagement relevance does.
What Still Works (and What Doesn’t)
| Still Effective in 2025 | No Longer Effective |
|---|---|
| 3–5 strategic hashtags per post | Hashtag stuffing (10+) |
| Hashtags in search (#Leadership) | Relying only on hashtags for reach |
| Industry-specific hashtags | Following hashtags for feed curation |
| Branded hashtags for campaigns | Generic, context-free hashtags |
Where Should You Use LinkedIn Hashtags?
Strategic hashtag placement makes a difference. Here’s where to apply them:
1. Posts and Articles
- Place hashtags at the end of posts to keep messages clean.
- In articles, integrate them naturally within text or list them at the end.
Example:
“After six months of testing, our AI chatbot reduced support response times by 78%. True innovation solves real-world problems.
#CustomerExperience #AIInnovation #SaaS”
2. Comments
Add extra hashtags in comments on your post. This avoids clutter while expanding reach.
Strategy:
- Main post: 3–4 primary hashtags
- First comment: 2–3 secondary hashtags
3. Company Pages (Specialisms)
LinkedIn now lets companies add up to 20 specialisms instead of hashtags.
- Example: “content marketing,” “SEO services,” “brand strategy”
4. Personal Profiles (Skills)
Profiles now showcase skills instead of hashtags. While not clickable, these boost search relevance. Align them with your posting hashtags.
How Many Hashtags Should You Use on LinkedIn?
The 3–5 hashtag rule is the golden standard in 2025.
- 1–2 hashtags → Minimum visibility
- 3–5 hashtags → Optimal engagement
- 6–9 hashtags → Diminishing returns
- 10+ hashtags → Spam signal
Case Study:
Financial advisor Diego Rodriguez tested:
- Post A: 10 generic hashtags (#Business #Money #Success)
- Post B: 3 niche hashtags (#RetirementPlanning #WealthManagement #FinancialLiteracy)
➡ Result: Post B got 3.2x more engagement despite fewer hashtags.
LinkedIn vs Other Platforms
| Platform | Optimal Hashtags | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | Professional discovery | |
| 10–30 | Maximum reach | |
| Twitter/X | 1–2 | Trend participation |
| 1–3 | Minimal impact |
6 Best Practices for LinkedIn Hashtags in 2025
To get the most from hashtags, follow these proven tactics:
1. Use the 3–5 Rule
Posts with 3–5 hashtags double engagement compared to those with 10+.
✔ Use 3 for everyday posts
✔ Use 5 for important announcements
✘ Never exceed 7
2. Research Your Audience’s Hashtags
Check your target audience’s posts. Identify which hashtags they actually use and engage with.
Example:
Instead of generic #HR, HR directors prefer #EmployeeWellbeing and #PeopleFirst.
3. Mix Popular and Niche Hashtags
Combine:
- 2 popular hashtags (10k+ uses)
- 2 niche hashtags (1k–10k uses)
- 1 ultra-specific hashtag (<1k uses)
Example for AI in Healthcare:
- Popular: #AI #Healthcare
- Niche: #HealthTech #MedicalAI
- Ultra-specific: #AIRadiology
4. Place Hashtags at the End
Always put hashtags after a line break for clean, professional formatting.
Example:
“What’s your biggest challenge with remote work productivity?
#RemoteWork #TeamManagement #Productivity”
5. Track Hashtag Performance Weekly
Review metrics every Friday:
- Which posts performed best?
- Which hashtags drove views?
- Which ones generated comments from the right audience?
Keep winners, drop losers, and test new ones weekly.
6. Create Hashtag Sets
Save time by building pre-made hashtag sets for different content types.
Educational Content:
- #CareerGrowth #Learning #ProfessionalDevelopment
Industry News:
- #MarketTrends #BusinessInsights #IndustryUpdate
Company Updates:
- #Innovation #CompanyCulture #TeamUpdate
Why LinkedIn Hashtags Still Matter in 2025
Before we jump into tactics, it’s worth understanding why hashtags remain relevant:
- Improved Discoverability: LinkedIn’s AI still indexes hashtags to help surface relevant content in search.
- Content Categorization: Hashtags give context to your posts, signaling what topic your content belongs to.
- Community Engagement: Using industry-specific hashtags helps you join professional conversations.
- Trend Tracking: Trending hashtags reveal what people in your sector are currently discussing.
While hashtags aren’t the only factor driving reach, they act as signposts that guide LinkedIn’s algorithm and your audience to your content.
Step 1: Use LinkedIn’s Search Bar (Free & Effective)
LinkedIn’s search bar is a surprisingly powerful research tool. Although LinkedIn removed follower counts for hashtags in 2025, you can still gather useful insights.
Here’s how to do it:
- Go to the LinkedIn search bar.
- Type your keyword with a “#” (e.g., #DigitalMarketing).
- Click on “Posts” to filter for content using that hashtag.
- Study the results for:
- Freshness: Are posts recent? Active hashtags bring ongoing visibility.
- Engagement: Do posts get comments, shares, or reactions? That shows community interest.
- Relevance: Is the content aligned with your industry?
- Authority: Are thought leaders or companies using this hashtag?
Pro tip: Keep a running list of hashtags that consistently appear on engaging, relevant posts in your sector.
Step 2: Learn from Competitors & Industry Leaders
Why reinvent the wheel when you can study what already works? Analyzing competitor activity is one of the smartest ways to discover effective hashtags.
Here’s how:
- Direct Competitors: Companies offering similar services often use hashtags tailored to your shared audience.
- Indirect Competitors: Businesses targeting the same audience in adjacent industries may use creative hashtags you haven’t tried.
- Thought Leaders: Experts and influencers in your field tend to use hashtags that gain visibility.
- Rising Stars: Keep an eye on fast-growing profiles to spot emerging hashtag trends.
Track which hashtags these players use frequently and note which ones consistently earn high engagement.
Step 3: Understand Your Industry’s Hashtag Culture
Every industry has its own “hashtag language.” Using the wrong hashtags is like speaking the wrong dialect—you won’t connect with the community.
Examples of Industry Hashtag Cultures:
- Tech: #DevOps, #SaaS, #API, #LLMs, #QuantumComputing
- Marketing: #ContentMarketing, #DemandGen, #ABM, #ConversationalMarketing
- Finance: #FinTech, #DeFi, #OpenBanking, #ESGInvesting
- Healthcare: #DigitalHealth, #Telemedicine, #MedTech
Identify whether your industry favors broad hashtags (like #Technology) or niche ones (like #RegTech). In 2025, niche hashtags tend to perform better because they attract a focused audience.
Step 4: Stay on Top of Trending Hashtags
Trends on LinkedIn shift quickly. A hashtag that was hot last month may already be fading. As of 2025, here are some of the most popular and consistently effective general hashtags:
- #Leadership – For management strategies and executive insights.
- #Innovation – Highlights creative business solutions.
- #AI – Covers artificial intelligence topics.
- #Technology – For tech news and updates.
- #DigitalTransformation – About modernizing businesses.
- #Sustainability – Discussing eco-conscious practices.
- #RemoteWork – Distributed teams and hybrid work.
- #CareerDevelopment – Tips for growth and advancement.
- #Entrepreneurship – Startup and founder discussions.
- #Marketing – Covers marketing strategies and trends.
These hashtags are a good foundation, but you should pair them with industry-specific hashtags to avoid being drowned out in overly broad conversations.
Step 5: Explore Industry-Specific Hashtag Lists
To save you time, here’s a categorized set of hashtags for key industries:
Marketing & Digital Marketing
- #DigitalMarketing
- #ContentMarketing
- #BrandStrategy
- #GrowthMarketing
- #B2BMarketing
- #InfluencerMarketing
- #AIMarketing
- #VoiceSearchOptimization
Sales & Business Development
- #SalesStrategy
- #B2BSales
- #SocialSelling
- #BusinessDevelopment
- #Partnerships
- #RevOps
Technology & AI
- #SoftwareDevelopment
- #WebDevelopment
- #ArtificialIntelligence
- #GenerativeAI
- #Blockchain
- #IoT
Finance & Investing
- #WealthManagement
- #FinTech
- #DigitalBanking
- #Cryptocurrency
- #StockMarket
- #VentureCapital
Healthcare & Wellness
- #DigitalHealth
- #MedTech
- #Telemedicine
- #MentalHealth
- #WorkLifeBalance
- #EmployeeWellbeing
HR & Workplace
- #HumanResources
- #Recruiting
- #PeopleAnalytics
- #DiversityAndInclusion
- #FutureOfWork
- #HybridWork
Education & Learning
- #EdTech
- #OnlineLearning
- #Upskilling
- #LeadershipDevelopment
- #ExecutiveCoaching
Real Estate
- #RealEstate
- #CommercialRealEstate
- #PropTech
- #SustainableRealEstate
Entrepreneurship & Startups
- #StartupLife
- #Founder
- #GrowthHacking
- #StartupFunding
- #Unicorn
Career Development & Remote Work
- #JobSearch
- #PersonalBranding
- #Networking
- #RemoteLeadership
- #DigitalNomad
Step 6: Use Free LinkedIn Hashtag Generator Tools
Hashtag research doesn’t have to be manual. In 2025, AI-powered tools analyze millions of LinkedIn posts to identify trending and relevant hashtags. Here are five standout free tools:
1. ChatGPT Hashtag Generator
- Analyzes your full post for context.
- Suggests industry-specific hashtags.
- Predicts reach and engagement.
- Identifies trending hashtags early.
Best for: Marketers and businesses needing consistent LinkedIn growth.
2. Hootsuite’s AI Hashtag Generator
- Uses engagement data from millions of posts.
- Scans images and videos for context.
- Suggests cross-platform hashtag strategies.
Best for: Social media managers handling multiple platforms.
3. Planable’s Smart Hashtag Tool
- Adapts to your brand’s tone.
- Supports team collaboration and approvals.
- Tracks which hashtags perform best for your brand.
Best for: Agencies and distributed teams.
4. SocialPilot’s Multilingual Generator
- Provides native-language hashtags for different markets.
- Avoids cultural missteps.
- Suggests international posting times.
Best for: Global businesses and multilingual brands.
5. Mention’s Trending Hashtag Tool
- Monitors hashtags in real time.
- Identifies trending topics before they peak.
- Shows competitor hashtag use.
Best for: Thought leaders and PR professionals.
Best Practices for Using Hashtags on LinkedIn
- Use 3–5 hashtags per post: Too many looks spammy; too few limit reach.
- Place them at the end: Keeps posts clean and professional.
- Mix broad and niche hashtags: Balance reach and relevance.
- Add hashtags in comments: A subtle way to extend visibility.
- Avoid random branded hashtags: Unless running a campaign, stick to established ones.
FAQs About LinkedIn Hashtags (2025 Edition)
1. Do hashtags still work on LinkedIn?
Yes. While you can’t follow them anymore, they still enhance discoverability and content categorization.
2. Should I create my own hashtag?
Only for branded campaigns or events. Generic custom hashtags don’t help with visibility.
3. Where should I put hashtags—beginning or end?
At the end for readability, unless naturally integrated in your sentence.
4. How do I know if a hashtag is trending?
Check LinkedIn search, monitor influencer usage, and use tools.
5. Do hashtags in comments count?
Yes, they’re indexed and searchable.
6. Should you use hashtags on LinkedIn?
Yes, you should. Hashtags on LinkedIn increase your post visibility, help you reach a wider audience, and categorize your content so it appears in relevant searches.
7. How to use hashtags on LinkedIn?
Use hashtags by typing “#” followed by a keyword in your post. For example, “#Marketing.” Place 3–5 relevant hashtags at the end of your post or naturally within sentences.
8. Do people use hashtags on LinkedIn?
Yes, millions of users and companies use hashtags on LinkedIn daily. They are especially popular for topics like jobs, business trends, marketing, leadership, and industry insights.
9. How many hashtags should I use on LinkedIn?
The ideal number is 3 to 5 hashtags per post. Using too many looks spammy, while using too few limits your reach. Focus on a mix of niche and broad hashtags.
10. Do you use hashtags on LinkedIn?
Yes. Adding hashtags is highly recommended to improve post discoverability, engagement, and relevance. They work similarly to other social media platforms.
11. Should I use hashtags on LinkedIn?
Definitely. Hashtags help your posts get indexed in LinkedIn searches, making it easier for professionals to find and engage with your content.
12. How to add hashtags to a LinkedIn post?
Simply type “#” and the keyword directly in your post caption. LinkedIn will suggest trending hashtags as you type. Add them at the bottom or weave them into sentences.
13. How to follow hashtags on LinkedIn?
Search for a hashtag in the LinkedIn search bar (e.g., #DigitalMarketing). On the results page, click the “Follow” button to see posts using that hashtag in your feed.
14. LinkedIn how to follow hashtags?
Go to the search bar, enter the hashtag, and click “Follow.” Once followed, content with that hashtag will appear on your home feed.
15. How do hashtags work on LinkedIn?
Hashtags group content around specific topics. When you use or follow a hashtag, LinkedIn shows you posts related to it, helping expand reach and discoverability.
16. Can you use hashtags on LinkedIn?
Yes, LinkedIn supports hashtags. They work similarly to Twitter or Instagram, allowing your content to be found by professionals searching for specific topics.
17. How to search hashtags on LinkedIn?
Type a hashtag (e.g., #Leadership) into the search bar and press Enter. You’ll see all posts, people, and companies using that hashtag.
18. How to find trending hashtags on LinkedIn?
Check LinkedIn’s “Discover More Hashtags” section or type hashtags in the search bar to see engagement levels. Tools like Hashtagify or LinkedIn analytics also help.
19. How to add hashtags on LinkedIn?
Type “#” followed by a keyword directly in your post. You can also add hashtags when writing an article or updating your profile headline.
20. How to find hashtags on LinkedIn?
Use the search bar to explore topics with “#” before them, check suggested hashtags when posting, or follow industry-relevant hashtags to discover new ones.
21. What are the best practices for using hashtags on LinkedIn?
- Use 3–5 hashtags per post.
- Mix broad (e.g., #Business) and niche (e.g., #B2BMarketing) hashtags.
- Place hashtags at the end of your post for readability.
- Follow and engage with hashtags to join industry conversations.
22. How to use hashtags on LinkedIn posts?
While writing your post, type “#” followed by a keyword. Example: “Stay updated with #AI trends.” Stick to relevant hashtags only.
23. How to add hashtags on LinkedIn posts?
After drafting your post, type your chosen hashtags at the end of the caption. LinkedIn will also recommend hashtags based on your content.
Conclusion: Hashtags Are Signposts, Not the Destination
In 2025, LinkedIn hashtags are no longer about building massive followings around a tag. Instead, they’re tools that help the platform’s AI categorize content and surface it to the right audience. The key is relevance—choosing hashtags that align with your content and resonate with your target audience.
Focus on combining smart hashtag use with high-value content. Hashtags may guide people to your post, but it’s the insights you share that keep them engaged.
Final Takeaway: Treat hashtags like a GPS for your content. They won’t drive the car for you, but they’ll make sure your message reaches the right destination.
Final Thoughts: Mastering LinkedIn Hashtags in 2025
LinkedIn hashtags may no longer dominate content discovery the way they did a few years ago, but they’re far from irrelevant. In 2025, the secret is balance — blending strategic hashtags with strong keywords, context-rich posts, and genuine engagement.
When used correctly, hashtags still:
- Improve search visibility
- Signal topic relevance
- Strengthen brand campaigns
- Connect you with niche communities
Follow the 3–5 rule, research your audience, mix niche and popular hashtags, and track results consistently. Done right, hashtags remain one of the most powerful — and underrated — tools to expand your influence on LinkedIn.