What are the best hashtags for Instagram Reels?
We sample public trending Reels via GET /v1/instagram/reels/trending, count hashtag appearances in captions, and rank by share of the sample. This is a dated snapshot of what showed up in that pull — not a permanent "best forever" list. Creators sometimes paste TikTok discovery tags (#fyp, #foryou) onto Reels; if those appear, they reflect caption habit in the sample, not an Instagram product feature.
As of 2026-07-21 · 32 trending Reels across 4 fresh batches. Plays from reel metrics when present, else GET /v1/instagram/posts playCount. Live refresh via GET /v1/instagram/reels/trending.
What this snapshot shows
Reels sampled
32
4 batches
Unique hashtags
28
Top tag share
13%
#worldcup2026
Batches
4
Top hashtags in this sample
| Rank | Hashtag | Share | Reels | Plays (sample) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | #worldcup2026 | 13% | 4 | 19.3M |
| 2 | #worldcup | 9% | 3 | 24.2M |
| 3 | #spain | 9% | 3 | 26.5M |
| 4 | #fifaworldcup | 9% | 3 | 16.9M |
| 5 | #argentina | 9% | 3 | 27.1M |
| 6 | #soccer | 9% | 3 | 33.8M |
| 7 | #worldcupfinal | 9% | 3 | 33.8M |
| 8 | #fifa | 6% | 2 | 11.3M |
Share is relative to this snapshot only. Broad discovery tags like #reels dominate most pulls. TikTok-only tags (#fyp) are filtered from the foundation table.
How we compute this
Pull several fresh batches from trending Reels. Collect hashtags from each reel caption. Rank by how often each tag appears in the sample. Sum play counts per tag from reel metrics when present; otherwise resolve each reel via GET /v1/instagram/posts (metrics.playCount).
- Endpoints
GET /v1/instagram/reels/trending — primary sample source (multiple fresh batches)
GET /v1/instagram/posts — play-count fill-in when trending metrics.plays is null
GET /v1/instagram/search/hashtags — optional follow-up to inspect a single tag's recent posts
- Formula
- Share % = reels with hashtag ÷ reels in sample × 100. Plays = sum of play counts on matching reels (trending metrics.plays, else posts metrics.playCount).
- Sample
- Four trending batches in one refresh when the live key works. Foundation table filters TikTok-only discovery tags (#fyp, #foryou) so ranks stay Instagram-facing. Hashtags with fewer than two appearances are dropped from the top table. Sample size: 32.
- Refresh
- Live recompute on snapshot refresh when SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY is valid (target: weekly). A refresh that returns zero Reels fails instead of writing empty rows. Methodology version 2.
Run this yourself
Same production API. Replace $SOCIALFETCH_API_KEY with your key (100 free credits on signup).
FAQ
Are these the best hashtags to use on every Reel?
No. Broad discovery tags dominate trending samples. Niche tags that match your content still matter more for topic relevance. Use this table as a dated signal of what is circulating in trending pulls, then check a specific tag with GET /v1/instagram/search/hashtags.
Why does #reels show up so often?
Creators attach Reels and discovery tags on many uploads. Our rank counts presence in the sample, so high-frequency tags rise to the top even when they add little topical signal.
Why might #fyp appear on an Instagram list?
Many creators cross-post from TikTok and keep the same caption tags. Our foundation table filters #fyp / #foryou so this page does not read like a TikTok chart. A live refresh may still surface them if they are common in captions — that reflects habit, not an Instagram For You product.
How often is this updated?
Snapshots refresh on a regular cadence (target weekly) when a valid API key is available. The page shows the as-of date from the last successful compute. We do not re-hit trending on every page view.
Can I reproduce this with the API?
Yes. Call GET /v1/instagram/reels/trending a few times for fresh batches, aggregate hashtags from captions, and rank. The curl block on this page is the starting request.