4-min Read.
For years, hashtags were a standard part of social media marketing.
Write the post. Add the graphic. Then finish it off with a collection of hashtags — sometimes a very large collection — designed to help more people discover it.
But social media has changed.
Hashtags still have a role, but they’re no longer something businesses should rely on to make their content discoverable. Today, the actual words you use in your posts, profiles and captions are becoming increasingly important.
Welcome to the world of social SEO.
Social Media Has Become a Search Engine.
Think about how you use social media today.
People aren't only scrolling through their feeds. They're actively searching for businesses, products, services, recommendations and answers.
Someone might search LinkedIn for a construction project manager in Kelowna, Instagram for Okanagan wedding venues, or Facebook for information about a local service.
The social platforms need to understand what your content is about so they can decide when and where it should appear.
That's where keywords come in.
What Are Keywords on Social Media?
Keywords are simply the words and phrases people might use when they're looking for something.
For Lexabi, for example, those could include:
- social media management
- social media marketing
- LinkedIn management
- digital marketing
Using those phrases naturally within our content gives both the reader and the platform more context about what we do.
That's considerably more useful than writing something vague like:
Want to take your business to the next level? We can help! #Business #Success #Marketing
What kind of marketing? Who do you help? What problem do you solve?
The hashtags don't magically fix unclear content.
Does This Mean Hashtags Don't Matter Anymore?
No.
Hashtags aren't dead. Their job has changed.
Current social media guidance increasingly describes hashtags as signals that help categorize content rather than shortcuts to dramatically increasing reach.
In other words, a few specific and relevant hashtags can still be useful. Adding a long list of broad hashtags to every post isn't necessarily going to get your business in front of more of the right people.
We wrote about this specifically in our article on LinkedIn hashtags in 2025, but the larger shift extends beyond LinkedIn.
In fact, compare that with our 2017 article about LinkedIn hashtags. It’s a pretty good illustration of just how much social media marketing has changed.
Write for People — But Help Search Understand You
Does this mean every social media post should be stuffed with keywords?
Absolutely not.
Keyword stuffing can make content awkward, repetitive and difficult to read. Your first priority should still be communicating clearly with a human being.
The difference is that we now need to think about how that person might search for what we're talking about.
Instead of:
Another beautiful project completed! We're so proud of our team.
Try:
We've completed another commercial renovation project in Vancouver, with our team managing the project from demolition through final finishing.
The second version tells people — and the platform — much more about the business.
That's social SEO in its simplest form.
What Should Businesses Do Differently?
Before publishing a social media post, ask yourself:
If someone were searching for this topic, what words would they use?
Then look at your post.
Have you actually used those words?
Your business name, location, services, industry, areas of expertise and the problems you solve can all provide useful context when they're relevant.
Don't force them in. Don't write for an algorithm. And you won't use the same ones in every single post.
Be clear and make sense.
And if a few relevant hashtags support the topic, use them. Think of hashtags as supporting players rather than the star of the show.
Social media platforms will continue to change. The good news is that businesses don't have to chase every algorithm update.
Clear, useful, relevant content is still the foundation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are hashtags still important on social media in 2026?
Yes, but their role has changed. Hashtags can still help categorize content and provide context, but businesses should not rely on them as their primary strategy for reach or discovery.
How many hashtags should a business use?
There isn't one number that works across every platform. In general, focus on a small number of highly relevant hashtags rather than adding a long list of broad or generic ones.
What is social SEO?
Social SEO is the practice of optimizing your social media profiles and content so they are easier to discover through searches on platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. This includes using relevant keywords naturally in profiles, captions and posts.
Should I use keywords or hashtags on social media?
Use both when appropriate, but start with strong content. Relevant keywords within your actual copy help explain what your content is about, while hashtags can provide additional context and categorization.
Where should I put keywords on social media?
Use keywords naturally in your profile or bio, post captions, headlines, descriptions and other relevant areas. Focus on the words your customers are likely to use when searching for your products, services or expertise.