If you’ve opened Instagram recently, you know Reels are big on the platform. The short-form video format has quickly become a favorite of both brands and consumers.

The good news is you can add Instagram hashtags to Reels the same way you add hashtags to posts to boost visibility, reach and engagement.

In this post, you’ll find a curated list of the top Instagram Reel hashtags for travel, fitness, food, fashion and other categories. We’ll also talk about the value of using Reel hashtags for Instagram and share tips for finding the best hashtags for your brand.

Let’s dig in.

Table of contents

Why use hashtags in your Instagram Reels

Using hashtags can do more than just get more eyes on your content. Hashtags are also excellent targeting and analytics tools. Here are three benefits of using Instagram Reel hashtags for your business:

Make your content easier to find

Hashtags can put your content in front of a larger audience, including users who don’t follow you on Instagram. Adding them to Reels offers the same benefits as adding hashtags to posts. It helps people interested in your topics or themes easily find your videos.

An example of a Sprout Social Reel that uses hashtags in the caption

This, in turn, gets your content more engagement in the form of likes, comments and shares—the holy grail of social media success. Take it a step further and engage with users who interact with your hashtags to strengthen your brand’s relationship with its audience.

Finally, by monitoring trending hashtags and incorporating them into your posts, you can help your content ride the wave of current events, conversations and Instagram trends. This not only gets you more exposure, but also positions your brand as relevant and up-to-date.

Target your niche demographics and audiences

Your videos might go viral, but not everyone on Instagram is a potential customer. Adding hashtags to Reels lets you target niche communities and specific demographics with your content—people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services.

As a result, you’ll attract more qualified leads and boost visibility among your target audience, ultimately translating into higher ROI for your business.

Use hashtag analytics to refine your Instagram content strategy

Analyzing the performance of different hashtags can provide valuable insights into what resonates most with your audience.

By tracking Instagram metrics like reach and engagement for Reels with specific hashtags, you can refine your strategy and better understand consumer preferences and behavior.

Sprout Social’s Hashtag Tracking tools can help you pinpoint exactly which hashtags work best for your Instagram strategy. Track your most-used and top hashtags or manually add hashtags that are important to your brand to keep tabs on performance.

Sample Instagram Outbound Hashtag Performance data which contrasts hashtag usage during a given reporting period with hashtags that drew the most engagement.

Tips for finding the right Instagram Reel hashtags for your brand

You know the value of using Reel hashtags on Instagram—but how do you find the right ones? Follow the best practices below to add hashtags that are relevant to your brand and resonate deeply with your audience.

Know your buyer personas

Before you start writing down hashtags, you need to truly understand your target audience. What does your ideal buyer look like? Which accounts do they follow on Instagram? What type of content do they like to engage with?

Dig into original research and analytics to find out key characteristics of your potential customers. Note the hashtags used in Reels these people are interacting with the most.

Then, use these insights to guide your own hashtag strategy. Incorporate relevant hashtags in your Reels that align with the niches and interests of your target audience.

Remember—you are a business creating content to achieve certain goals, whether that’s brand awareness, lead generation or sales. Targeting everyone and anyone is not going to get you results. Focusing on users who match your buyer personas will.

Analyze your competitors

Keeping an eye on your competitors’ content can give you ideas for hashtags you can use in your own Reels. Watch for videos that get the most engagement or views. What hashtags are they using? How many hashtags are they adding to their videos? Are they going after niche keywords or broader hashtags?

Streamline this process with Instagram competitor reports.

Sprout’s competitive analysis features can help you with that. Our tool allows you to track competitor posts, engagement rates, the hashtags they’re using and more. Better yet, compare their metrics with your own to benchmark performance and set realistic goals.

Screenshot of the Profile tab from Sprout's Instagram Competitor Analysis Report

Use competitor analysis to inspire your own content and hashtags. But don’t always copy hashtags off other accounts and Reels—keep experimenting. You might stumble upon some highly engaging hashtags your competitors might be neglecting.

Use branded hashtags on Reels and other content

Capitalizing on existing hashtags is great—but what about creating your own hashtag?

Using branded hashtags in Reels and posts can help you build brand awareness and instill a sense of community in your followers. Branded hashtags are also one of the best ways to encourage user-generated content.

For example, Canva launched a branded hashtag challenge to encourage creators to use the software and share their designs:

An example of a Canva Reel that uses and promotes a branded hashtag

Best Instagram Reel hashtags for 2024

Looking for inspiration? Below is a list of 250+ top hashtags for various industries like fashion, travel, fitness and food. We’ve also added popular hashtags for viral and funny Reels—all relevant to brands and marketers.

Top Instagram Reel hashtags

#explore

#viral

#trendy

#reel

#viralreel

#viralreels

#trendingsound

#fyp

#reeloftheday

#trendingreels

#trendingnow

#inspiration

#viralvideos

#viralcontent

#viralmemes

#growth

#success

#businessstory

#brandstory

#luxurybrand

#luxury

#luxurylifestyle

#budgetfriendly

#springvibes

#trendalert

#newarrivals

#musthave

#shopnow

#smallbusiness

#womeninbusiness

#instagramseller

#sellersofinstagram

Fitness Instagram Reel hashtags

#gym

#gymmotivation

#gymlife

#gymtime

#gymlifestyle

#gymworkout

#gymreels

#gymvideos

#gymtips

#gyminspiration

#gymgoals

#fitness

#fitnessmotivation

#igfit

#getfit

#stayfit

#fitfam

#fitspo

#fitlifestyle

#fitinspiration

#fitspiration

#fitnesschallenge

#supplements

#preworkout

#workout

#workoutmotivation

#workoutvideos

#workoutathome

#homeworkout

#workoutoftheday

#bodybuilding

#bodypositivity

#bodypositive

#plussize

#weightloss

#transformation

#weightlossmotivation

#weightlossjourney

#dietplan

#healthybodyhealthymind

#fitmeals

#healthylifestyle

#selfcare

Travel Instagram Reel hashtags

#travel

#instatravel

#travelgram

#budgettravel

#travellife

#travelling

#traveltheworld

#backpacking

#travelwithme

#wanderlust

#hiddengems

#travelinspiration

#shetravels

#dametraveler

#sheisnotlost

#thetravelwomen

#womenwhoexplore

#travelsolo

#solotravel

#solotraveler

#vacation

#romanticgetaway

#beautifuldestinations

#luxurytravel

#luxuryhotels

#forbestravelguide

#sustainabletravel

#sustainabletourism

#responsibletravel

#vanlifemovement

#vanlifediaries

#vanlifeexplorers

#vanlifer

#skoolie

#rvlife

#motorhome

#homeiswhereyouparkit

#camperlife

#staycation

#travelbucketlist

#adventuretravel

#lifeofadventure

#hikingadventures

#getoutside

#outdooradventure

#camplife

#cabinlife

#digitalnomadlife

#nomadiclife

#workandtravel

#wellnesstravel

#wellnessretreats

#traveltherapy

#slowtravel

#foodtravel

#traveleats

#livelikealocal

#besthotels

#beautifulhotels

#hotelsoftheworld

Food Instagram Reel hashtags

#food

#foodstagram

#healthyfood

#foodie

#foodgasm

#instafood

#comfortfood

#recipes

#cooking

#foodstyling

#whatifeedmyfamily

#familymeals

#familydinner

#healthymeals

#healthysnacks

#diet

#easyrecipes

#foodrecipes

#foodideas

#dinnerrecipes

#healthyeating

#lowcaloriesmeals

#easymeals

#chickenrecipes

#mealprepping

#mealprep

#recipeshare

#vegan

#bestofvegan

#feedfeedvegan

#healthyvegan

#plantbased

#plantbasedfood

#vegetarianrecipes

#eatyourveggies

#vegandessert

#healthydessert

#dessertrecipe

#fakeaway

#recipeoftheday

Fashion Instagram Reel hashtags

#fashion

#fashionstyle

#fashionreels

#fashiontrends

#slowfashion

#highfashion

#sustainablefashion

#prelovedfashion

#secondhandfashion

#handmadeclothing

#madetoorder

#bespoke

#custommade

#vintagestyle

#vintagefashion

#vintageclothing

#unisexfashion

#unisexclothing

#styleinspiration

#ootd

#outfitinspiration

#lookoftheday

#thriftstorefinds

#thriftfinds

#thrifthaul

#thriftedfashion

#thriftedstyle

#inclusivefashion

#streetwear

#streetweardaily

#streetstyle

#streetfashion

#howtostyle

#nycfashion

#grwm

#getreadywithme

#athleisure

#activewear

#gymwear

#diyfashion

#fashiontech

#wearabletech

#capsulewardrobe

#lessismore

#minimalista

Funny Instagram Reels hashtags

#funny

#funnyvideos

#funnyvideosdaily

#funnymemes

#funnymemesdaily

#memestagram

#funnyreels

#funnyisfunny

#funnymoments

#comedy

#comedyvideos

#comedyreels

#sketchcomedy

#dailyfluff

#dailylaugh

#dailydose

#standupcomedy

#relatable

#relatablereels

#jokes

#hilarious

#funnyclips

#funnyvids

#justforlaughs

#humor

#humour

#laughoutloud

#laughing

#smile

#memes

#haha

#lol

#lmao

Use Instagram Reel hashtags to grow your brand

Adding hashtags to your Instagram Reels should be a no-brainer. Hashtags are the easiest way to categorize your content, drive visibility and boost engagement on your videos.

But what’s more important is using the right hashtags. You need keywords that align with your brand and match the needs and interests of your target audience. Only then can you expect to see business growth and results from your social media efforts.

This is where hashtag analytics can help. Track your most-used and top hashtags, competitor hashtags and trending keywords your audience is loving. Use the data to guide your Instagram strategy and watch views and engagement on your content skyrocket.

FAQs about Instagram Reel hashtags

Do hashtags really work?

Yes, hashtags are proven to drive engagement and visibility on Instagram. When used strategically across Reels and posts, hashtags can put your content in front of the right audience—users who are interested in your niche, topics, products or services. They’re also great tools for categorizing your content and providing context.

Which hashtags are best for reels?

The best hashtags for Instagram Reels are those that are relevant to your target audience and the content you’re sharing. Trending and popular hashtags can be effective for increasing visibility, but it’s also important to use niche hashtags that align with the interests and demographics of your ideal customers.

Do hashtags work on Instagram Reels?

Yes, hashtags work on Instagram Reels in the same way they do for regular Instagram posts. Using relevant hashtags in your Reel captions can boost their reach and help you attract more views, likes, comments and shares.

Do Instagram Reels do better without hashtags?

No, Instagram Reels generally perform better when you include relevant hashtags in the caption. Without hashtags, your Reels are less likely to be found by users outside of your existing follower base. This limits your content’s potential reach and engagement.

How many hashtags should I use on Instagram Reels?

While Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags on Reels, it’s recommended to use between 5-10 relevant and targeted hashtags. This helps your content get found by users interested in specific topics, without making you look like spam. Focus on a mix of popular and niche hashtags to reach a wider audience.

What are the best Instagram Reels hashtags to go viral?

As of date, viral Instagram hashtags reels include:

  • #viralreels
  • #viralvideos
  • #trendingsound
  • #trendingnow
  • #reeloftheday