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Hashtag Analytics: Full Guide for Businesses [+7 Top Tools]

Free AI Hashtags Generator

If you’re running social campaigns without checking your hashtag analytics, you’re flying blind. After all, every hashtag you use carries insights about your audience, content performance, and reach across social media platforms.

With the right hashtag analytics tool, you can measure engagement, uncover trends, and fine-tune your strategy. Whether you’re doing a quick hashtag analysis or diving deep into audience sentiment, the data is there—you just need to track it.

So, I’ll show you how to check hashtag analytics, what metrics to focus on, and which free hashtag analytics tools can give you a strong head start.

Let’s break it all down—platform by platform.

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What is hashtag analytics, and why does it matter?

Hashtag analytics is the process of tracking and evaluating the performance of hashtags used across social media platforms. It involves monitoring how a specific hashtag performs in terms of reach, engagement, sentiment, popularity, and audience behavior.

‘Hashtag analytics’ definition

In simple terms, it helps you answer questions like:

Here’s why hashtag analytics is important for your business:

Without analytics, hashtags are just guesses. But with the right data, they become strategic tools for expanding reach, discovering trends, and building stronger audience connections.

Key metrics to track when analyzing hashtags

When you’re analyzing hashtags, it’s not just about counting likes or using what’s trending. To get real value, you need to track specific metrics that show how a hashtag is performing and what it means for your brand or campaign goals.

Here are the key hashtag analytics metrics you should track:

1. Reach and impressions

Understanding how many users see your hashtagged content is crucial. Reach refers to the total number of unique users who have seen your post, while impressions indicate the total number of times your content is displayed, regardless of user duplication.

Pro tip: Since a single user can account for multiple impressions, monitoring both metrics helps differentiate between widespread visibility and repeated views by the same audience.​

2. Engagement rate

This metric measures how actively involved your audience is with your content, as it encompasses actions like likes, comments, shares, and saves.

Pro tip: A high engagement rate often signals that your content resonates well with your audience, fostering community and loyalty.​

3. Post volume

Tracking the number of posts using a specific hashtag helps gauge the popularity and trend status of said hashtag, which signals its value for your brand.

Fun fact: High post volume can indicate a trending topic, but it’s essential to assess the quality of these posts to ensure relevance to your brand.​

4. Top contributors and influencers

Identifying key users who frequently use your hashtag can amplify your content’s reach and credibility, as you can amplify their voice.

Pro tip: Collaborating with top contributors can enhance brand visibility and tap into new audience segments, since they can convey genuine support.

5. Audience sentiment

Analyzing the emotions and opinions expressed in posts containing your hashtag provides insights into public perception.

Pro tip: Regular sentiment analysis can help you proactively address negative feedback and reinforce positive interactions.​

6. Geographic distribution

Understanding where your hashtag is being used geographically can help tailor your marketing strategies to specific regions.

Pro tip: Localized campaigns can benefit from insights into geographic distribution, allowing for more targeted and relevant content.​

Identifying hashtags commonly used alongside yours can uncover new engagement opportunities and audience interests.

Pro tip: Incorporating related hashtags can expand your content’s reach and connect with broader conversations.

How to check hashtag analytics via native social media methods?

Every major social media platform offers some sort of hashtag analytics capabilities, but they are more or less limited in terms of the actionable insights you will get:

Instagram hashtag analytics

Instagram offers limited native hashtag analytics for business and creator accounts (standard personal profiles do not have this feature).

For each post, Instagram Insights provides:

Users can find these metrics in the ‘Insights’ section, which can be accessed via the ‘View insights’ button found underneath each specific post.

Naturally, the limitations of this system include: lack of performance metrics for specific hashtags or historical analytics on a hashtag’s usage across posts.

Also, Instagram doesn’t have discovery for popular Instagram hashtags or sentiment analysis tools. Plus, it doesn’t track hashtag popularity platform-wide.

Learn more:

There’s a better way to monitor Instagram hashtags via third-party tools!

Twitter hashtag analytics

Twitter (now X) offers minimal native hashtag analytics. The platform focuses on tweet-level metrics rather than tracking hashtag performance across posts.

For each tweet, Twitter Analytics provides:

These insights are accessible via the ‘Post Analytics’ button under each post or through the analytics dashboard at analytics.twitter.com (if enabled).

Limitations include the lack of a centralized hashtag tracking dashboard, no data for hashtag performance, and no native sentiment analysis or hashtag discovery.

Learn more:

How to Track X Hashtags For Insights & Trends in 2025

TikTok hashtag analytics

TikTok offers native hashtag insights through in-app search and the TikTok Creative Center, with additional traffic data available to creators.

From the app (TikTok Studio and Business Suite) or Creative Center, you can see:

However, TikTok does not provide detailed historical hashtag performance, engagement breakdowns, or sentiment analysis within its native tools.

LinkedIn hashtag analytics

LinkedIn provides basic hashtag visibility, but no dedicated hashtag analytics dashboard exists natively.

From the platform, users can observe:

These insights are accessed by searching for a hashtag or viewing post analytics under your content. Naturally, you don’t get tracking of hashtag-driven reach, engagement data for hashtags across posts, and insights on trending or emerging tags.

Facebook hashtag analytics

Facebook supports hashtag usage, but native analytics do not provide any metrics related to hashtag performance.

Within Facebook or Meta Business Suite, users can view:

However, Facebook does not track how hashtags contribute to reach or engagement, nor does it offer trending hashtag discovery or performance history. Therefore, to gain valuable insights from Facebook hashtags, you will have to use a third-party platform.

YouTube hashtag analytics

YouTube allows hashtags in video titles and descriptions, but offers only minimal native analytics for them, short of checking out their pages.

On the platform, users can find:

There is no native tool to track hashtag performance, trends, or sentiment over time, and no data is provided about engagement through hashtags.

Learn more:

YouTube Hashtag Analytics: How to Unlock Insights In Seconds?

How to track your hashtags via EmbedSocial?

Most social media platforms don’t offer deep hashtag analytics natively, especially when it comes to tracking sentiment, gathering user-generated content, or exporting posts in bulk. That’s where EmbedSocial comes in.

With direct integrations to platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Threads, YouTube, X (Twitter), and more, EmbedSocial gives you a centralized method for social media listening, including hashtagged content across all your marketing channels.

Setting up your hashtags, tracking them, and analyzing them is a 3-part process:

Phase 1: Generate hashtags for your campaign via a Free AI Hashtag Generator

First things first, you have to set up your hashtag contests and campaigns by coming up with popular hashtags you and your followers could use.

One of the best ways to do that is to use this Free Hashtag Generator Powered by AI, as it can come up with absolutely any hashtag you may need:

The process is very simple: type in or copy your post description, choose your platform, and tap ‘Generate Hashtags’!

Phase 2: Download your hashtagged posts’ data via EmbedSocial

Next, you need the hashtags data to analyze their performance. You can easily get it via EmbedSocial in five simple steps:

1: Create your EmbedSocial account and log in

Start by signing up for an EmbedSocial account. You can kick off a free 7-day trial in just a few clicks and get immediate access to hashtag tracking features.

2: Add a new hashtag source

Once logged in, go to the left-hand menu and click ‘Sources’‘Add new source’ in the top right. Pick the platform you want to track (e.g., Instagram, X, or YouTube), then choose the ‘#Hashtag’ option. Enter your desired hashtag and hit ‘Next’:

3: View all hashtagged content under ‘All Posts’

Navigate to the ‘All Posts’ section to see every piece of content EmbedSocial has pulled that uses that hashtag. Use the dropdown menu to refine your selection:

4: Tag and organize posts as needed (optional step)

For better organization, you can manually tag specific posts—ideal for running contests, curating UGC campaigns, or simply flagging posts for deeper analysis later.

5: Export your content for analysis

Dive deeper into the data by downloading the report in a .csv or Excel format before uploading it to our sentiment analysis tool. You can do that via the ‘Reports’ section. You only have to select the hashtag source and press ‘Download’:

Phase 3: Analyze your hashtag data via the Free Brand Sentiment Analysis Tool

Once you’ve exported your hashtag data, upload the file into our Free Brand Sentiment Analysis Tool—an AI-powered tool that gives you quick insights into sentiment, post themes, and keyword trends:

You can also showcase your hashtagged content on your website via EmbedSocial’s widget builder: Learn more here:

  1. How to Embed Instagram Hashtag Feed Widget on Your Website?
  2. How to Embed Twitter Hashtag Feeds on Any Website

Types of hashtags you need to be tracking for your business

To optimize your brand strategy, you must monitor different types of hashtags that align with your business goals. Here are the key categories to focus on:​

Start including different types of hashtags if you want to refine your social media strategy, engage with your audience, and enhance your brand’s online presence.

7 top hashtag analytics tools to use in 2025

With so many hashtag analytics tools available—both free and paid—it’s important to choose one that fits your goals, budget, and the platforms you care about most.

1. EmbedSocial – Best for sentiment-based hashtag analysis across platforms

EmbedSocial is a powerful UGC and social media monitoring platform that now offers its Free Brand Sentiment Analysis Tool to help brands understand how audiences feel about their hashtags across platforms like Instagram, X (Twitter), and TikTok. If you care about more than just how many people use a hashtag, i.e., why they’re using it and what they’re saying.

If your team is already doing review management, tracking brand mentions, or getting user-generated content through hashtags, EmbedSocial can streamline your workflow with visualizations and performance tracking, all from a single platform.

Here’s what makes EmbedSocial’s hashtag tracking tool stand out:

The free sentiment analysis tool is open to anyone—no signup needed. For full access to advanced analytics, UGC management, and social media integrations, EmbedSocial offers paid plans starting at $29/month for businesses of all sizes.

2. Sprout Social – Best for all-in-one social media management and in-depth hashtag tracking

Sprout Social is a premium platform built for businesses that want deep insights into their social content—including hashtag performance. It offers detailed reports, visualizations, and trend tracking across all major networks, making it a go-to for teams managing large-scale campaigns.

If you’re running multi-platform campaigns and want to analyze hashtag engagement in the context of broader social performance, Sprout Social gives you the following:

Sprout Social plans start at $199/month with a 30-day free trial. Hashtag analytics is included in all plans, but advanced reporting and listening features are available on higher tiers.

3. Talkwalker – Best for hashtag tracking and social listening at scale

Talkwalker is a powerful social listening and hashtag monitoring tool with enterprise-level analytics and AI-powered sentiment analysis. It’s known for tracking hashtags in multiple languages across over 150 million data sources—including blogs, forums, and news sites—not just social platforms.

It’s ideal for brands that need to monitor hashtag performance alongside public perception, trends, and global conversations:

Talkwalker offers custom enterprise pricing. It’s on the higher end, but tailored plans depend on data volume, features, and integrations.

4. Vista Social – Best affordable tool for scheduling and hashtag analysis for SMBs

Vista Social is a budget-friendly social media management platform designed for small teams and agencies. While lighter than Sprout or Talkwalker, it offers solid hashtag tracking, post insights, and competitive reporting features that cover all major platforms.

It’s a great choice for businesses wanting a low-cost entry point into smarter hashtag usage and analytics for a few reasons:

Vista Social offers a free plan with limited features. Paid plans start at just $39/month, making it one of the most affordable analytics tools on the market.

5. RiteTag – Best for real-time hashtag suggestions and optimization

RiteTag is a lightweight but powerful tool designed to help you choose the right hashtags before you post. It provides instant feedback on hashtag performance, helping you find the best combinations for visibility and engagement—especially on Instagram and Twitter (X).

Perfect for creators and marketers who want to fine-tune their posts quickly with data-backed hashtag recommendations for all these reasons:

RiteTag is part of the RiteKit suite and starts at $49/year or $15/month as a standalone tool. It offers a 7-day free trial to test hashtag analytics and suggestions.

Brand24 is a reputation and mention monitoring tool that also supports hashtag tracking across the web, not just social media. It’s especially useful for brands that want to analyze both hashtag popularity and how people feel about them.

If sentiment and visibility around branded hashtags are part of your strategy, Brand24 gives you a centralized way to measure it with a few features:

Brand24 plans start at $199/month with a 14-day free trial. The Individual plan covers basic hashtag tracking, while Pro and Enterprise plans unlock more detailed analytics and historical data.

7. Keyhole – Best for campaign-level hashtag tracking and influencer insights

Keyhole offers real-time hashtag analytics tailored for marketing campaigns, influencer tracking, and event monitoring. It gives you clear visuals of how hashtags perform over time, making it easier to measure ROI and identify top-performing content or contributors.

Best suited for brands running frequent or large-scale hashtag campaigns across social media, Keyhole packs the following features:

Keyhole pricing starts at $79/month, with custom plans for agencies and enterprises. A free trial is available for testing hashtag and influencer tracking features.

How to use hashtag analytics to improve your strategy? 5 best practices

Using hashtag analytics the right way can help you go beyond vanity metrics and actually shape a smarter, data-driven social media strategy:

Measure campaign impact with branded hashtags

Tracking analytics on your branded hashtags helps you evaluate how well a specific hashtag contest is performing. You can monitor engagement levels, sentiment, and post volume to understand how your message is landing.

Real-life scenario: A fitness apparel brand launches a campaign with #TrainWithPace. By tracking how often it’s used and how people respond, they discover the hashtag performed better when paired with workout challenges—so they double down on user-generated content.

By analyzing related hashtags in your industry, you can identify emerging trends before they peak. This allows your brand to participate while conversations are still fresh and discoverable.

Real-life scenario: A skincare brand notices a spike in the use of #Slugging through their hashtag analysis tool. They quickly create a tutorial and publish it across Instagram and TikTok—earning thousands of impressions before the trend saturates.

Refine your hashtag mix

Not all hashtags carry the same weight. Hashtag analytics shows you which ones actually drive traffic and engagement. Use that data to balance trending, niche, and branded hashtags for each post.

Real-life scenario: A travel agency sees that general tags like #TravelAddict generate reach but few clicks, while niche ones like #HikingInAlbania attract more targeted, engaged users. They update their hashtag strategy to focus on region-specific travel terms.

Understand audience sentiment and adjust tone

Sentiment analysis tells you if people are reacting positively or negatively to posts that use your hashtags. This helps you align your brand messaging with what your target audience actually feels.

Real-life scenario: A tech startup runs a product launch campaign with #SmartWave. Analytics reveal that while reach is high, sentiment is mostly negative due to unclear messaging. The brand pivots with more transparent content and turns perception around.

Identify top contributors and influencers

Hashtag analytics helps you spot which users are consistently engaging with or promoting your hashtag. These people are potential brand ambassadors or influencers who already align with your message.

Real-life scenario: A plant-based food company finds that a popular vegan blogger consistently uses their branded hashtag #EatGreenDaily. They reach out for a partnership, which results in a new content series and a spike in follower growth.

Conclusion: Let your hashtags work smarter, not harder!

At the end of the day, you have to remember that tracking hashtags isn’t just about numbers—it’s about understanding the conversations that shape your brand.

With the right social media analytics tools, you can uncover insights, fine-tune your content, and make smarter, faster decisions across every platform.

Whether you’re just starting out or optimizing at scale, tools like EmbedSocial can help you connect the dots between hashtags, sentiment, and real impact.

So, next time you add a hashtag—don’t just hope it works. Analyze it.

Your strategy will thank you!

FAQs about hashtag analytics

What is hashtag analytics?

Hashtag analytics is the process of tracking how hashtags perform across social media platforms. It includes metrics like reach, impressions, engagement, and sentiment to help businesses evaluate effectiveness.

How do you analyze a hashtag?

You analyze a hashtag by measuring key metrics such as post volume, engagement, reach, sentiment, and contributor insights—usually with the help of analytics tools like EmbedSocial’s Free Brand Sentiment Analysis Tool or native platform features.

What is the 3-3-3 hashtag rule?

The 3-3-3 rule suggests using 3 broad, 3 niche, and 3 branded hashtags per post to maximize reach, relevance, and brand visibility without looking spammy.

What is the best hashtag analyzer?

The best hashtag analyzer depends on your needs—Sprout Social, Talkwalker, and EmbedSocial offer strong features for campaign tracking, sentiment analysis, and influencer detection.

How do you find out what a hashtag means?

To find out what a hashtag means, look at the content and context of top posts using it. You can also check platforms like Twitter Search, Instagram Explore, or sites like Urban Dictionary for cultural references.

What is the best hashtag analytics tool?

Tools like EmbedSocial, Sprout Social, and Vista Social are among the top options, as they offer performance tracking, sentiment analysis, and reporting to suit various business sizes and goals.

How can I check hashtag performance for free?

You can use native platform insights or free tools like EmbedSocial’s Social Media Sentiment Analysis Tool to monitor basic performance and sentiment without cost.

Can I see who uses my hashtag?

Yes—on platforms like Instagram, Twitter (X), and TikTok, you can view public posts that include your hashtag and identify top contributors or frequent users.

What’s the difference between impressions and reach in hashtag analytics?

Reach refers to the number of unique users who saw a post, while impressions count how many total times the post was displayed—even if it’s to the same user multiple times.

How do I find trending hashtags in my industry?

You can track industry-related conversations using tools like Talkwalker, Vista Social, or Twitter Trends. Explore platform search features or follow niche influencers to spot hashtags gaining momentum.

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