140 Trending Instagram Hashtags In 2021

Hashtags are an important and effective method of social media marketing — and trending Instagram hashtags are even more essential. Adding hashtags to your posts can help increase engagement: Posts that have at least one hashtag receive 12.6% more engagement than posts that don’t.

Trending Instagram hashtags, which can be defined as tags that are frequently used by a large number of accounts, help increase your brand visibility and get that engagement rate up even higher. Here are the top trending Instagram hashtags in different industries that you should take note of in 2021.

Trending Instagram Hashtags 2021

Let’s take a look at the most popular Instagram hashtags in different industries for 2021.

Food

According to SocialBuddy, these hashtags are trending in the food industry in 2021:

1. #Food
2. #FoodPorn
3. #Yummy
4. #Foodie
5. #Delicious
6. #Dinner
7. #Breakfast
8. #Yum
9. #Lunch
10. #Homemade

Which of these trending Instagram hashtags should you focus on throughout 2021? #Food is a good one to keep around — this tag is very general, so it’s probably not going to stop trending anytime soon. Hashtags like #Foodie and #Delicious can help you reach out to all the foodies out there on the ‘gram. And if your post features food from a specific meal, add a relevant tag (#Dinner, #Breakfast, #Lunch) to help people who are truly interested find your post. 

Fashion

According to Oberlo, these are the top fashion hashtags to use on Instagram in 2021:

1. #Fashion
2. #FashionBlogger
3. #Fashionista 
4. #Fashionable
5. #FashionStyle 
6. #FashionBlog
7. #FashionGram
8. #FashionAddict
9. #FashionWeek
10. #FashionDiaries 

While #InstaStyle used to be a popular tag, this option has fallen off of the list and might not be the most effective way to market your brand. Instead, use #Fashionista and #FashionDiaries to keep followers engaged. “Fashion diary” posts are popular because they help users get inspiration for assembling their own stylish outfits. Outside of these top ten hashtags, your brand can get more even visibility by using these additional trending fashion tags.

Want to organically grow your Instagram and gain REAL followers?

Try Kicksta Today!

Fitness

These are the top ten fitness hashtags used most often in 2021:

1. #Fitness 
2. #Gym 
3. #Workout 
4. #FitFam 
5. #Bodybuilding 
6. #FitnessMotivation 
7. #Yoga 
8. #GymLife 
9. #CrossFit 
10. #FitnessModel 

The fitness industry is huge on Instagram, and fitness brands can gain a lot of visibility by using trending hashtags. #Fitness, #Gym, and #Workout are a few of the most obvious popular fitness tags. Other popular hashtags in 2021 include #FitFam, #GymLife, and #FitnessMotivation. If relevant, you can also use tags that refer to specific activities or types of workouts (think #Yoga or #CrossFit).

Retail

These are the most popular retail hashtags on Instagram:

1. #Retail 
2. #Wholesale 
3. #Fashion 
4. #Shopping 
5. #Design 
6. #Business 
7. #RetailDesign 
8. #Marketing 
9. #VisualMerchandising 
10. #OnlineShopping

Retail companies can get ahead of the game by using #Retail and #Shopping to market their brand. These general tags are hugely popular, with millions of posts each. Consumers regularly browse these tags to find new products to buy. With COVID precautions still in place in many cities, #OnlineShopping has also made its way onto the top ten list. If you have an online store or you’re focusing on ecommerce in any way, this could be a helpful hashtag for you. 

Travel

These are some of the trending Instagram hashtags used for travel in 2021:

1. #Travel
2. #TravelGram
3. #Traveling
4. #TravelPhotography
5. #Travelling
6. #TravelBlogger
7. #Traveler
8. #Traveller
9. #Travelingram
10. #TravelTheWorld

The travel and tourism industries have historically been huge on Instagram thanks to the app’s visual nature, which works well for sharing travel images. In 2020, however, COVID turned the travel industry upside down. As a result, most Instagram travel posts and hashtags over the past year have focused on future plans, not current travels. Whet your followers’ appetites for travel by encouraging them to have patience. Tell your followers that as soon as it’s safe to #TravelTheWorld again, they’ll be the first ones on a plane.

Music

These are the most popular music industry hashtags used on Instagram in 2021:

1. #Music
2. #Musician
3. #Musica
4. #Musically
5. #MusicVideo
6. #Musical
7. #MusicIsLife
8. #Musicians
9. #MusicLife
10. #MusicProducer

Give your fans a behind-the-scenes look at your lifestyle by using the hashtag #MusicLife. Frequented by solo musicians and brands alike, this tag is a good way to get some eyes on your posts in 2021. Music brands can also benefit from tags such as #Musicians and #MusicProducer. 

Sports

These are the top trending Instagram hashtags used for sports in 2021:

1. #Sports
2. #Football 
3. #Sport 
4. #Fitness 
5. #NFL 
6. #Basketball 
7. #NBA 
8. #Training 
9. #Soccer 
10. #Gym

#Sports and #Fitness should continue to trend throughout 2021. These are basic, general tags that work for anybody from professional athletes to lifestyle brands to sports marketing companies, with a Muay Thai clothing brand using both tags here. Businesses that focus on only one sport will also benefit from more niched-down tags, such as #Basketball or #Soccer, in 2021.

Entertainment

These are the top entertainment hashtags used in 2020:

1. #CelebrityNews 
2. #OnlineEntertainment
3. #Podcast
4. #TalkShowHost
5. #Update 
6. #Interviewer 
7. #StageShows
8. #Updates
9. #Entertain
10. #Entertainer 

Entertainment companies — think a film company, a local theatre, or a DJ — can get a lot more business by using trending hashtags on Instagram. Just remember, to create a good user experience on Instagram, it’s important to only use hashtags that are relevant to your business (for example, don’t add #Podcast to your post unless you actually have a podcast).

Want to organically grow your Instagram and gain REAL followers?

Try Kicksta Today!

Beauty and Makeup

Here are the top trending hashtags for beauty and makeup in 2021: 

1. #Makeup
2. #MakeupArtist
3. #MakeupAddict
4. #MakeupLover
5. #MakeupJunkie
6. #MakeupTutorial
7. #MakeupForever
8.  #MakeupByMe
9. #MakeupOfTheDay
10. #MakeupLook

The top beauty and makeup hashtags for 2021 show that you don’t need to go crazy with hashtags to get some good results. The most popular, #Makeup, is as simple as can be. When picking out hashtags for your beauty posts, just be descriptive: #MakeupTutorial if you’re posting a tutorial, #MakeupAddict if you’re sharing favorite products, and #MakeupOfTheDay if you want to show off a brand new look. 

Lifestyle

These are the top lifestyle hashtags on Instagram in 2021: 

1. #Lifestyle 
2. #Love 
3. #Life 
4. #InstaGood 
5. #Motivation 
6. #Fitness 
7. #Instagram 
8. #Fashion 
9. #Follow 
10. #Inspiration

The lifestyle niche is pretty broad, and the trending hashtags reflect that. In fact, there’s quite a bit of overlap with other categories — like fashion, business, and fitness. It’s always a good idea to include #Lifestyle on each of your posts and then choose additional hashtags that are relevant to that specific photo. 

Home And Garden

These are the top home and garden hashtags in 2021:

1. #HomeAndGarden 
2. #Garden 
3. #HomeDecor 
4. #InteriorDesign 
5. #Home 
6. #Gardening
7. #Interior 
8. #GardenDesign 
9. #GardenInspiration 
10. #HomeSweetHome

There’s nothing too surprising in this year’s home and garden trending hashtags. Unlike the creative and quirky hashtags you’ll find in other niches, the home and garden space keeps things simple with purely descriptive hashtags. The only outlier is #HomeSweetHome, which is slightly less concrete than the other tags in the top ten. Interestingly enough, this hashtag placed last, signifying that Feng Shui-like simplicity is the key to home and garden hashtag success.

Parenting

These are the top trending Instagram hashtags for parenting content in 2021:

1. #Parenting
2. #Parenting101 
3. #ParentingMemes 
4. #ParentingQuotes 
5. #Mommies 
6. #ParentingSupport 
7. #GentleParenting 
8. #NewParent 
9. #ParentingGoals 
10. #Parents

Like home and garden tags, parenting hashtags stay pretty simple. The most popular hashtag in 2021 is simply #Parenting, with #Parents and #Mommies on the list too. It’s also clear from #ParentingSupport and #Parenting101 that parents use Instagram to find the advice and support they need. Don’t be afraid to offer some valuable advice if you want to get noticed on Instagram. And a healthy dose of humor will satisfy your followers’ appetites for #ParentingMemes. 

Business

These are the top business hashtags on Instagram in 2021: 

1. #Business
2. #Businessman
3. #Businesswoman
4. #BusinessOwner
5. #BusinessOwners
6. #BusinessCoach
7. #Businesswomen
8. #BusinessLife
9. #BusinessTips
10. #BusinessMinded

The business space on Instagram is filled with motivation and feel-good posts. If you want to get attention on Instagram, try sharing your expertise with #BusinessTips to position yourself as an expert in your field. You can also write motivational captions and post them with tags like #BusinessOwner or #BusinessCoach. This is a great way to cater to aspiring entrepreneurs who are hungry for tips on how to get their mind in the business game. 

Animals

These are the top animals hashtags on Instagram in 2021: 

1. #Animals 
2. #AnimalPhotos 
3. #AnimalsOfInstagram 
4. #AnimalLove 
5. #AnimalAddicts
6. #AnimalLovers 
7. #Wildlife 
8. #Pet 
9. #Cats 
10. #Dog

With COVID still keeping many people locked up inside their houses, it should come as no surprise that people are turning to Instagram for nature and outdoors content. If you want to get your posts noticed, hashtags like #Wildlife, #Pets, and #AnimalLove will do the trick. Surprisingly, #Dog is pretty far down the list, so make sure to include #Animals even when posting a picture of your adorable doggo. 

Top Hashtags of All Time

Now that you have the trending Instagram hashtags for 2021 in hand, there’s one more step — researching the top hashtags of all time! You don’t need to use all of these hashtags on every post (in fact, it’s better if you don’t). But sprinkling these tags over your IG feed can go a long way in helping get more eyes on your posts. Here are the top ten Instagram hashtags of all time:

1. #Love
2. #InstaGood
3. #PhotoOfTheDay
4. #Fashion
5. #Beautiful
6. #Like4Like
7. #PicOfTheDay
8. #Art
9. #Happy
10. #Photography 

These tags aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They’ve stood the test of time on Instagram — and when used correctly, they can help you boost your IG account. Add #Photography to an impressive snapshot or #Like4Like if you’re looking for engagement. #PicOfTheDay can expose your account to new users. And if you’re #Happy and you know it, adding in that tag is rarely a bad idea.

How to Use Trending Instagram Hashtags Effectively

Use trending hashtags for Instagram strategically to reach as many users as possible. A hashtag categorizes a post where people who are interested in a certain topic can find it — which means that hashtags are a great way to find your target audience. Create a good user experience for Instagram users by only using relevant hashtags on your posts. That way, you won’t waste the time of anybody who’s not interested. 

The first thing you’ll need to do is learn how to find trending hashtags on Instagram. One method of doing this is simply searching for hashtags on Instagram. Type a general hashtag — such as “fashion” — into the search bar and Instagram will give you a list of related hashtags to peruse.

Another way to find trending Instagram hashtags is to use hashtag generators. These tools, which are usually free to use, give you a list of related hashtags when you type a word into the search bar. There are also filtering options that allow you to view hashtags with a certain number of posts.

Try Our Free Hashtag Generator

Many companies will also publish round-ups that list the current most popular hashtags in certain industries. Searching the Web to find blog posts like this can further inform your strategy as you work to find trending hashtags for Instagram, reinforcing your decisions as you dial in your list of tags.

Finally, one last method of finding trending Instagram hashtags is to look at what your competitors and industry leaders are doing. By keeping an eye on these posts, you can get a feel for what your target audience is talking about and draw inspiration for some new hashtags to add to your list.

Once you have your list of hashtags, it’s time to start using them. Something important to note is that you don’t want to use the same exact hashtags on every single post. This can look spammy, and besides, some hashtags may not go with certain posts. To ensure maximum relevance, switch things up! Many brands do several types of Instagram posts — for example, a video on Monday, product post on Wednesday, and employee spotlight on Friday. 

Create a list of hashtags for each type of post and then copy and paste the correct list into each of your captions. Using trending hashtags can help you get on users’ explore pages, exposing your brand to more sets of interested eyes. 

How To Create A Hashtag That Will Start Trending in 2021

You can also create your own trending hashtags for Instagram. Start small, using a simple yet unique branded hashtag on all of your posts. Promote the hashtag often via posts and Instagram Stories and ask your followers to share posts with the hashtag, too. By taking these steps, you’ll slowly begin to see your hashtag grow. If you play your cards right, it might even start trending. 

Here’s a good example: World of Dance, a television show, has created a couple of branded hashtags that have amassed a sizable following. One is #thisiswod, created to share videos from the TV show. Another is simply #worldofdance. World of Dance promoted the hashtag to the show’s viewers first and then slowly began to expand into the broader dance community. Now, the hashtags have thousands of posts and followers and are frequently used by dancers around the world. 

To have an even better chance of creating a trending hashtag, find a timely hook to include: Take a story that’s in the news or an event everybody’s buzzing about and link it back to your company somehow. This will help more social media users pick up on your hashtag and begin using it, too.

The Takeaway

Trending hashtags can be hugely helpful if you use the right ones. It might take a little work to figure out which tags are best for your brand, but once you’ve got your list of hashtags dialed in, you can start growing your account. Just be flexible and willing to tweak your hashtags throughout the year if needed. By using 2021 trending hashtags, you can give your brand the visibility boost it needs in 2021 and beyond.

Bonus Content

Check out the infographic version of this article below and feel free to share on your website or social media accounts!