# What is Hashtag?
Canonical URL: https://www.velocity.li/glossary/hashtag
Description: A word or phrase preceded by # that categorizes social media content and makes it discoverable. Hashtags help expand your reach beyond existing followers.
## Main content
# What is Hashtag?

A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the pound/hash symbol (#) that serves as a metadata tag on social media platforms. Hashtags categorize content, making it discoverable to users searching for or following specific topics. Using relevant hashtags can significantly expand your content's reach beyond your existing followers. The optimal number and type of hashtags varies by platform. Instagram supports up to 30 per post, while Twitter is most effective with 1-3. Strategic hashtag use is a fundamental social media skill.

## Examples

- IA coffee shop using #CoffeeLovers, #MorningCoffee, and a branded hashtag like #BrewedByUs.
- IIA fitness creator using a mix of broad (#Fitness) and niche (#HomeWorkoutForBeginners) hashtags.
- IIIA brand creating a campaign-specific hashtag for user-generated content collection.

## Why it matters for social media

Hashtags are one of the primary ways new audiences discover your content. Strategic hashtag use can put your posts in front of people who don't yet follow you but are interested in your topics.

Using a mix of popular and niche hashtags gives you the best chance of being discovered. Popular hashtags have more searchers but more competition, while niche hashtags have fewer searchers but your content is more likely to stand out.

## How Velocity helps with Hashtag

Velocity agents help you apply hashtag across real social workflows: research, platform-ready content, scheduling, publishing, analytics, and recommendations. The full workspace helps you optimize, track, and improve performance without splitting the work across separate tools.

Learn about Velocity Agents

## Related terms

### Trending

Topics, hashtags, or content formats that are currently popular and gaining rapid attention on social media. Trending content can provide a visibility boost.

### Organic Reach

The number of unique people who see your content without paid promotion. Organic reach depends on your content quality and algorithm performance.

### Engagement Rate

The percentage of your audience that interacts with your content through likes, comments, shares, and saves. It measures how compelling your content is.

### Caption

The text that accompanies a social media post. Captions provide context, tell stories, and include calls-to-action to drive engagement.

### Algorithm

A set of rules a social media platform uses to decide what content to show users. Algorithms determine the order and visibility of posts in a feed.