David Gee

David Gee writes the MetaHashtags blog. He spends his time in Instagram's help pages and in our database of more than half a million hashtags, working out what actually helps a post get found.

Instagram Hashtags
How to Find Trending Hashtags on Instagram When There’s No List
Instagram doesn't publish a trending hashtags list, and most lists online are old giants. Here's where Instagram shows trends and how to check a… 11 min read
Instagram Hashtags
Instagram Shadowban in 2026: How to Check, Fix and Avoid It
Instagram says silent hiding isn't its intention, but it does stop recommending some posts and accounts. How to check yours in Account Status, what… 14 min read
Instagram Hashtags
Instagram SEO in 2026: How to Get Found in Search and on Google
How Instagram search actually works, what's confirmed and what's guesswork, why caption keywords matter more under the 5-hashtag cap, and how your posts end… 13 min read
Instagram Hashtags
Instagram Hashtag Analytics in 2026: What You Can (and Can’t) Measure
Instagram doesn't document a views-from-hashtags number. Here's what Insights and hashtag trackers can really measure, plus a free spreadsheet test you can run. 12 min read
Instagram Hashtags
How to Use Hashtags on Instagram in 2026 (Now You Only Get Five)
Instagram now allows five hashtags per post. What they still do, where to put them, and how to pick the right five, with live… 17 min read
Instagram Hashtags
How to Find Hashtags for Instagram (and Choose Your 5) in 2026
A method, not a list: where to find hashtag ideas inside Instagram, five checks for every candidate, and how to land on five, with… 15 min read
Instagram Hashtags
How to Check Hashtag Popularity (and What the Post Count Hides)
Where to find a hashtag's post count, what that number leaves out, and how to judge a tag's size, activity and risk, with data… 12 min read
Instagram Hashtags
How Many Hashtags on Instagram in 2026? Five, and How to Pick Them
Instagram now allows five hashtags per post, not 30. What changed, what happens if you add a sixth, what the studies say about using… 12 min read
Instagram Hashtags
How to Use Hashtags on Instagram Reels in 2026 (You Get Five)
Reels are found through recommendations far more than hashtags. Here's how to pick the five tags you're allowed, with real post counts, and why… 11 min read
Instagram Hashtags
Do Hashtags Still Work on Instagram in 2026? Yes, but Not for Reach
Hashtags still work on Instagram as labels, not as a reach hack. What Instagram has said, why the studies disagree, and a four-week test… 11 min read