Threads is Hiding Hashtags in Cross-Posts from Instagram

09/30/25
Source: Social Media Today – Latest News by Andrew Hutchinson. Read the original article

TL;DR Summary of Threads Hides Instagram Hashtags to Reduce Clutter and Spam

Threads is now hiding hashtags from cross-posted Instagram content behind a “Show hashtags” button to reduce visual clutter. Meta and former Threads lead Adam Mosseri emphasize that hashtags no longer significantly boost post reach. Instead, Threads promotes topic tags and community features as better alternatives for content discovery. Despite hashtags being unclickable, keyword search results differ with or without the # symbol, complicating best practices for tagging.

Optimixed’s Overview: How Threads Is Shaping Hashtag Use and Content Discovery

Background on Hashtag Usage in Threads

Since its launch, Threads has taken a cautious approach to hashtags, aiming to minimize spam and clutter associated with popular tags. Unlike Instagram, where hashtags are heavily used to increase reach, Threads leadership has expressed skepticism about their effectiveness and potential downsides.

Recent Changes to Hashtag Visibility

  • Hidden Hashtags: When users cross-post from Instagram with many hashtags, Threads now hides these behind a “Show hashtags” call-to-action to keep feeds cleaner.
  • Discouraging Hashtag Spam: This move aligns with Meta’s stance that excessive hashtags don’t meaningfully improve content distribution.

Alternatives to Hashtags on Threads

  • Topic Tags: Introduced in late 2023, topic tags allow users to add a single relevant topic per post, facilitating easier content discovery.
  • Communities Feature: Threads is experimenting with communities to foster focused discussions and improve topic-based engagement.

Search Behavior and Hashtag Impact

Technically, keywords in posts are searchable on Threads regardless of the hashtag symbol. However, search results differ when using plain keywords versus hashtags, which complicates content optimization strategies. Threads does not currently provide data on search trends or keyword performance, limiting insight into effective tagging practices.

Conclusion

Threads is actively evolving its approach to hashtags by reducing their visibility and promoting topic tags and communities as more effective tools for engagement. Users should prioritize relevant topic tagging and community participation over traditional hashtag use to maximize content reach on Threads.