How to find trending and niche hashtags on TikTok

Hashtags play a crucial role in TikTok content discovery. Similarly to keywords, the TikTok’s algorithm leverages hashtags to categorise content and recommend it to users based on their interests, making them a powerful tool to get your videos in front of the right audience.

But with million of hashtags in circulation, it can be difficult to pick the right ones for your video. So how can you find the best hashtags to use on TikTok?

Understanding TikTok Hashtags

Hashtags are words or phrases that help categorise content on social media. When you click on or search a hashtag on TikTok, you’ll see all the videos tagged with that hashtag. This allows users to find content related to specific topics, trends, or interests.

For example, if you search #booktok, TikTok will show you a feed of videos related to books, recommendations and reviews. This is how hashtags help the TikTok algorithm understand what your content is about and recommend it to the right audience.

Hashtags play a critical role in TikTok’s content discovery system and when properly used they can:

• Increase your visibility by making your content discoverable to a broader audience.
• Help you target the right viewers by aligning your posts with relevant niches.
• Enable you to boost engagement and expand your reach.

Types of Hashtags on TikTok

There are four main types of hashtags on TikTok each with a specific purpose: trending, niche, branded and general hashtags. For SEO purposes, you should be focusing primarily on the first two categories.

1. Trending Hashtags

These are the hottest hashtags at any given moment. They usually relate to viral trends, popular challenges, or global events. Trending hashtags are used by millions of users, so while they can offer significant exposure, they come with more competition. These hashtags are used to reach a broader audience and increase awareness about your content.

2. Niche Hashtags

Niche hashtags are more specific and cater to smaller, more targeted audiences. While these hashtags may have fewer posts, they allow you to tap into a community that's highly engaged and interested in your content. These hashtags are used to increase engagement.

3. Branded Hashtags

Branded hashtags are created by brands, businesses, or influencers to promote specific campaigns, products, or challenges. Examples include #JustDoIt by Nike. These hashtags are often part of larger marketing efforts and can build brand awareness.

4. General Hashtags

These are broad and commonly used hashtags like #fyp or #viral. While they may help with visibility, they tend to be overused and less effective for reaching a targeted audience.

Find the Right Hashtags for You on TikTok

While not being as powerful as keywords, hashtags are still helpful (when used properly!) for getting your content discovered on TikTok, and with so many to choose from, it can be difficult to know which ones to use. In this section, we’ll cover straightforward methods for finding trending and niche hashtags that can improve your visibility and engagement.

TikTok’s Discover Page

The easiest way to find trending hashtags is through TikTok’s Discover page. By scrolling through this section, you can see which hashtags are currently popular. TikTok updates this page frequently, so it’s a reliable place to find the latest viral challenges, trends, and keywords.

Search Hashtags by Topic

To find niche hashtags based on specific topics, use TikTok’s search bar. Simply enter a keyword related to your content and see all the hashtags that are suggested. To take this a step further, you could also check the hashtags used in the top ranking videos for your search and what sounds are associated to them. Study the top videos, how many and what type of hashtag they use.

Monitor Low-Competition Hashtags

For long-term growth, finding low-competition hashtags can be a smart strategy as these are hashtags that don’t have millions of posts associated with them yet. With fewer posts to compete with, your video has a higher chance of standing out.

To spot low-competition hashtags, look for those with less than a million posts but still show signs of steady engagement.

Data and insights platforms like ShortFormData can help you analyse hashtag competitiveness and topic relevancy - click here to find out how!

Hashtags and TikTok SEO: Best Practices & Common Mistakes

Once you’ve done your hashtag research is time to start including them in your videos. To use them effectively, follow these best practices and avoid common mistakes.

Best Practices

• Mix Trending and Niche hashtags: Use a combination of 1-2 trending hashtags and 2-3 niche hashtags to balance reach and relevance.
• Ensure Relevance: Choose hashtags that accurately reflect your content to avoid confusing the algorithm. You want TikTok to fully understand what your content is about.
• Limit Hashtags: Stick to 3-5 relevant hashtags to maintain clarity and avoid confusing the algorithm.
• Stay Updated: Regularly refresh your hashtag strategy to stay on top of trends and avoid outdated tags.

Do you need help with your hashtag strategy? Make sure to check out this article on our blog where we discuss how hashtags are still relevant in 2025.

Common Mistakes

• Overusing Generic or Irrelevant Hashtags: Avoid broad, overused hashtags like #fyp, as they lead to over-saturation and low engagement.
• Relying Too Much on Trending Hashtags: Use trending hashtags selectively and ensure they align with your content to drive meaningful engagement.
• Hashtag Stuffing: Avoid loading your posts with too many hashtags. Focus on a few relevant ones to keep your message clear.

Conclusion

By following these guidelines you’ll be able to use hashtags effectively to enhance your TikTok SEO and endure your content is reaching your target audience.