Remember when we included hashtags on every post to be seen? A way to join the digital conversation, boost reach and build community?
That era is ending.
Social media platforms have steadily shifted away from hashtag-driven discovery. For life sciences marketers under pressure to drive consumer and HCP engagement, and elevate thought leadership, this change matters more than you might think.
What’s Actually Changed?
- LinkedIn quietly removed “Talks about” hashtags from user profiles, stopped suggesting hashtags in search, and discontinued the ability to follow them altogether.
- Instagram turned off hashtag following, diminishing their influence in content discovery.
- Even on X (formerly Twitter), where hashtags once dominated real-time dialogue, they’ve removed hashtags from ad units.
Meanwhile, platforms like TikTok still see value in niche community hashtags (e.g., #DiabetesTok), but these are the exception, not the rule.
What Matters Now
Today’s algorithms prioritize natural language, topic relevance, and engagement quality over keywords with a hashtag. Writing “clinical trials” in your post is as discoverable as using #clinicaltrials, and it reads better, too.
That’s a signal for brand and comms teams: relevance wins. Not hashtags.
Implications for Regulated Industries
For life science companies, the takeaway is strategic clarity:
- Skip hashtags that clutter your posts, especially new branded campaign tags.
- Focus on message clarity, including key words in the posts vs. putting them at the end.
- Use paid strategically to reach your key audiences. Very few people will see organic posts these days – hashtags aren’t going to help that.
What about Influencer Transparency?
The FTC does NOT require you to use a hashtag in your disclosure. The words “ad” and “sponsored” are compliant on their own. Using the hashtag is optional. I guide influencers to use “Sponsored:” at the beginning of their first sentence to ensure compliance.
When (and Where) Hashtags Still Work
- Conferences & events (e.g., #ASCO2025) for real-time discovery and conversation.
- Patient and HCP communities on TikTok and Instagram to reach existing groups who are actively using those hashtags.
But overall? Hashtags are no longer a primary tool for visibility. They’ve become digital noise, and your audience is already tuning it out.
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