Do hashtags work on LinkedIn in 2026?

They are neutral to slightly positive: 6+ hashtags got +13% and 1 to 2 got +3% vs the same author's posts with none. They are not a growth lever.

How many hashtags should I use on LinkedIn?

There is no penalty at any count we measured. Three to five relevant hashtags is a sensible default; zero is also fine.

Does tagging people on LinkedIn increase reach?

Posts tagging one person got +35% engagement and 4+ people +126% vs the same author's untagged posts. Much of that comes from the tagged people engaging, so tag people who were involved.

LigoSocial Research/Report

Do hashtags work on LinkedIn?

Not much, either way. Hashtags neither hurt nor help much. Tagging the people involved is what moves the needle.

Published September 25, 2026By LigoSocial Research

Sample134,522 posts from 1,499 real LinkedIn profiles, January 2023 to September 2026

1 to 2 hashtags: +3%; 1 to 2 hashtags; vs none
6+ hashtags: +13%; 6+ hashtags; vs none
Tagging one person: +35%; Tagging one person
1 to 3 emojis: +11%; 1 to 3 emojis; vs none

Key findings

Hashtags: 1 to 2 +3%, 3 to 5 +6%, 6+ +13% vs none, same author.
Hashtag use fell from 68% of posts (2023) to 41% (2026).
Tagging people: +35% (1 person) to +126% (4+).
Emojis: small positive; bold Unicode: no effect.

Contents

1The short answer
2By follower band
3Fewer people use them
4Emojis and tagging people
5What to do

The short answer

Hashtags do not hurt and barely help. Compared with the same author's posts without hashtags, posts with 1 to 2 hashtags got +3%, 3 to 5 got +6% and 6+ got +13%. The popular claim that hashtags now reduce reach is not visible in our data, and neither is a big reward.

Bar chart: No hashtags baseline, 1-2 hashtags +3%, 3-5 hashtags +6%, 6+ hashtags +13% — Figure 1. Hashtags vs no hashtags, same author. Download PNG

By follower band

Table 1. Engagement vs the same author's posts without hashtags

Followers	0 hashtags	1-2 hashtags	3-5 hashtags	6+ hashtags
All authors	baseline	+3%	+6%	+13%
Under 1,000	baseline	-20%	+8%	+2%
1,000 to 3,000	baseline	+4%	+9%	+19%
3,000 to 6,000	baseline	+13%	+8%	+18%
6,000 to 10,000	baseline	+13%	+5%	+4%
10,000+	baseline	-2%	-2%	+13%

n/a: cell below our minimum size. 2024 to 2026.

The small positive effect comes from the 1,000 to 6,000 follower bands. At 10,000+ followers hashtags make no measurable difference.

Fewer people use them

Posts using at least one hashtag fell from 68% in 2023 to 41% in 2026.

Emojis and tagging people

+13%

Finding 26

Hashtags and emojis are harmless, not magic

Posts with 6+ hashtags got +13% vs the same author's posts with none (95% CI +8% to +18%); 1 to 2 hashtags +3%. Emojis are similar: 1 to 3 emojis +11% vs none, and bold Unicode text made no difference (+1%). No penalty, no big reward. 54% of posts use none.

122,302 postsHigh confidenceRead the full report

+35%

Finding 27

Tagging the people involved lifts engagement sharply

Tagging one person went with +35% engagement, 2 to 3 people +76%, and 4+ people +126%, against the same author's untagged posts. Tagged posts are often wins, events and collaborations, and the people tagged tend to engage, so treat this as "involve real people", not "tag strangers".

635 authorsMedium confidenceRead the full report

Bar chart: No one tagged baseline, 1 person tagged +35%, 2-3 people tagged +76%, 4+ people tagged +126% — Figure 2. Tagging people, same author. Download PNG

What to do

Post what the data says works, in your own voice

LigoSocial learns how you write from your own LinkedIn posts, then drafts posts, comments and replies in that voice right inside LinkedIn. You approve what goes out.

Add LigoSocial to Chrome Or try it at ligosocial.com

Common questions

Do hashtags work on LinkedIn in 2026?: They are neutral to slightly positive: 6+ hashtags got +13% and 1 to 2 got +3% vs the same author's posts with none. They are not a growth lever.
How many hashtags should I use on LinkedIn?: There is no penalty at any count we measured. Three to five relevant hashtags is a sensible default; zero is also fine.
Does tagging people on LinkedIn increase reach?: Posts tagging one person got +35% engagement and 4+ people +126% vs the same author's untagged posts. Much of that comes from the tagged people engaging, so tag people who were involved.

Download the data

Hashtags, emojis and tagging
Engagement vs the same author's posts with none.
32 rows, CSV
CSV

Suggested citation

LigoSocial Research (2026). Do hashtags work on LinkedIn? What 134k posts show. https://ligosocial.com/research/do-hashtags-work-on-linkedin

Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: quote the numbers, embed the charts or rework the data, with credit to LigoSocial Research and a link to this page. Every figure is aggregated and anonymised; no individual, profile or post can be identified.

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