How to Find Trending Instagram Hashtags That Rank on Google

Published on 04.11.2025 by Chizoba T

At one time, Instagram hashtags were simple tools for categorizing content and increasing its discoverability. However, they have become powerful tools for increasing visibility and engagement today. That means if you are a brand that wants to grow on Instagram and rank on Google, one of the must-have skills is the ability to find trending hashtags. This is especially important as Google now ranks Instagram posts, raising the need for Instagram SEO.

If you include the relevant and trending hashtags, the Instagram algorithm will reward you, enabling you to get a bigger and more targeted audience. According to various sources, an Instagram post with at least one hashtag can achieve a 12.6% higher engagement rate compared to one without hashtags. This means that including the right hashtag can transform your brand. In this article, we will take you through the steps of finding the right trending hashtags to increase your discoverability on Instagram and Google.

What are Instagram Trending Hashtags?

An Instagram trending hashtag is a popular hashtag that gains traction rapidly. If increased activity surrounds a particular hashtag, the Instagram algorithm will detect posts using the hashtag and give them more visibility. When you use the right hashtag, you can make your content more discoverable and increase its reach.

An Instagram hashtag typically reflects the latest current events or topics that require an Instagram user’s attention. For instance, the hashtag #worldcup may trend during the World Cup as millions of Instagram users share posts about the event. 

Hashtags have their own feed, enabling the algorithm to push more content, including tags, in the Explore Page. Therefore, you can reach a great audience if you are a marketer using the right Instagram hashtags.

How to Choose the Right Trending Hashtags

The fact that a particular hashtag is trending doesn't mean it will be right for you. You need to carefully consider the hashtags you need to use for your brand. 

Here are the top tips for choosing the right ones:

  • Relevance. Ensure that you select hashtags that align with the content's needs. Combine broad hashtags with niche ones to increase your content's visibility.
  • Engagement. You need to dig deeper and check the engagement rate of Instagram hashtags.
  • Volume. Also, consider how many posts use that particular hashtag. The higher the number of users, the more popular it is. However, you should remember that these hashtags are widely used and can be more competitive.

Finding the right hashtags should be part of your long-term social media growth strategy.

How to Find Trending Instagram Hashtags

To help you find hashtags that will increase your visibility and reach on Instagram and Google, use the following tips:

Use the Instagram Search Functionality

Instagram has a search feature that allows you to search accounts, audio sounds, reels, tags, places, and non-personalized content. Any Instagram user can utilize this feature to discover content related to their interests. As you type, the search engines will display similar hashtags that are frequently used. 

Here are the steps to follow when using the search function on Instagram:

  • Enter your relevant keywords in the search bar.
  • Tap on the Tags tab.
  • You will see the related hashtags and posts. Ensure that you click on them to see the posts they use.

The downside of this method is that it does not show data on engagement trends. However, it is a great way to discover popular hashtags and generate inspiration for your content. You can read our guide on Instagram hashtag strategy for service-based businesses.

Find on the Instagram Explore Page

One of the top places to find trending hashtags and content is on the Instagram Explore page. When niche content appears on your feed, this is a sign that the algorithm is targeting a particular audience. With this approach, you can gain critical insights into the top trending topics, personalized to your audience’s interests.

The Instagram algorithm usually drives the Explore Page and consists of collections of reels and posts based on your own data, such as:

  • The accounts you follow.
  • Your followers.
  • The accounts you have been following.
  • Your search history on Threads and Facebook.

The Explore page displays content related to your niche. For instance, if you are a fashion brand, you might discover that most of the content on your Explore page is fashion-related. You can engage with such an account to increase your brand's discoverability. However, you can also partner with other brands, such as those in the fitness or beauty sector, to expand your reach. Remember that each Instagram user has an especially curated explore feed for them.

Leverage Third-Party Hashtag Managers

These tools can be an excellent option for analyzing and enhancing the trending hashtags in your niche. Most of them feature a search function enabling you to find Instagram reels and posts tagged with a particular hashtag. These can also help you track the effectiveness of a campaign, monitor trends, and identify influencers.

You can also utilize social listening tools to discover new hashtags relevant to your business. These tools can help you monitor any keywords. Some of the keywords you might want to monitor include:

  • Branded hashtags.
  • Your company name, product, or service.
  • Hashtags related to your particular campaign.
  • Keywords for your business niche.
  • Name of your CEO or other prominent team member.
  • Future trending keywords.

The tools will then use this data to determine the hashtags most used for your business.

Follow Influencers in Your Niche

Influencers can be a valuable way to stay on top of trends, as they also help create them. Therefore, you need to monitor the hashtags influencers are using in their content, especially if you want to reach a specific target audience. Start by listing the hashtags from influencers you find performing well. This will provide insights into the hashtags you will use in the context. 

If you want to explore niche topics, follow nano influencers. While these have fewer followers, their engagement rate is usually higher because they cater to a niche audience. These can connect deeply with audiences due to their authentic content. Remember that Instagram Stories also contain hashtags; therefore, don't forget to check them out.

Use Niche-Specific Hashtags

It is possible to identify the top trending hashtags for a particular niche by conducting an online search or performing an analysis. Keep in mind that these lists often include some very popular hashtags that many users frequently use. While these may sometimes not work for Instagram posts, as some lists may be untrustworthy and outdated, you can still create a list of the most popular hashtags on Google.

In Conclusion

To increase the visibility of your Instagram posts on both the platform and Google, consider including trending hashtags. These are digital gateways that connect your content with its target audience, even those outside your immediate followers. If you are wondering how to find trending hashtags that will make your content rank on Google, the above tips will prove helpful.