Hashtag Research Template (Free, Filled Example)

Free, no signup · Updated 14 October 2026 · Opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers

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Hashtag research: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
Hashtag sets: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)
Results log: filled example (CSV) · blank (CSV)

In Google Sheets: File, Import, Upload, then pick the CSV.

What's inside

A research sheet: each hashtag's type, platform, relevance score, what recent posts under it look like and a banned-tag check
A hashtag sets sheet with ready-to-paste groups for different kinds of post
A results log to record which set went on which post and what happened
A filled example for a fictional pottery studio and a blank CSV of each sheet

How to use it

Start with five types: your branded tag, your town or area, your product or service, your community, and any event you're part of.
Search each candidate on the platform and look at its recent posts. If they're spam, unrelated or from businesses far away, drop it.
Score relevance from 1 to 3: would someone looking at this tag want what you sell?
Run your Instagram candidates through the free banned hashtag checker before you use them.
Group the best tags into two or three sets for different kinds of post, and keep each set short and specific.
Log the set you used on every post for a month, with the post's reach from the platform's own insights.
Swap out tags that never seem to help, and check the platform's help centre for its current hashtag limit and advice.

Preview: Hashtag research

A filled example for a made-up small business, first 8 of 11 rows.

Hashtag	Platform	Type	Relevance (1-3)	What recent posts look like	Banned check	Keep?
#kilnlanepottery	Instagram, TikTok	Branded	3	Only our posts and customers' class photos	Clear	Yes
#bristolpottery	Instagram	Local and product	3	Bristol studios, classes and makers	Clear	Yes
#bristolmakers	Instagram	Local community	3	Local makers' markets and studios	Clear	Yes
#potteryclass	Instagram, TikTok	Service	3	Beginners at the wheel; many from other cities	Clear	Yes, with a local tag
#wheelthrown	Instagram	Product	2	Finished pieces from potters everywhere	Clear	Yes
#handmadeceramics	Instagram	Product	2	Mix of makers and shops selling online	Clear	Yes
#pottery	Instagram, TikTok	Broad topic	1	Very broad: hobbyists, museums, shops worldwide	Clear	Only on how-to videos
#ceramicart	Instagram	Broad topic	1	Gallery work, not classes	Clear	No

Preview: Hashtag sets

A filled example for a made-up small business.

Set	Use on	Hashtags	Platform	Last checked
Classes	Posts about booking a class	#kilnlanepottery #bristolpottery #potteryclass #bristolmakers	Instagram	14 Oct 2026
Finished pieces	Photos of pieces for sale	#kilnlanepottery #wheelthrown #handmadeceramics #bristolmakers	Instagram	14 Oct 2026
Workshops and dates	One-off workshops and couples' nights	#kilnlanepottery #bristolevents #datenightideas #bristolpottery	Instagram, Facebook	14 Oct 2026
How-to videos	Short videos showing a technique	#kilnlanepottery #pottery #potteryclass	TikTok	14 Oct 2026

Preview: Results log

A filled example for a made-up small business.

Date	Post	Platform	Set used	Reach	Where reach came from (if the platform shows it)	Note
2 Oct	Saturday beginners' class, wheel close-up	Instagram	Classes	1,240	Mostly followers, some non-followers	Example figures, made up
5 Oct	Speckled mugs for sale	Instagram	Finished pieces	860	Mostly followers	Product tags didn't seem to add much
8 Oct	Centring clay in 15 seconds	TikTok	How-to videos	3,900	Mostly recommendations, not hashtags	The video did the work, not the tags
11 Oct	Couples' night, 24 Oct	Instagram	Workshops and dates	1,510	Followers plus a noticeable share from hashtags	Two bookings mentioned finding us via #bristolevents
11 Oct	Couples' night, 24 Oct	Facebook	Workshops and dates	640	Not shown	Hashtags matter less here; the event listing did more

Tips

Relevant beats popular. A small local tag that your customers browse is worth more than a huge tag where your post vanishes in minutes.
Look at the recent posts under a tag before using it. If they're spam or unrelated, your post will sit next to them.
Capitalise each word in multi-word hashtags, such as #BristolMakers, so screen readers read them correctly.
Hashtag rules and limits change. Check each platform's help centre for the current maximum per post rather than relying on old advice.
Kiln Lane Pottery and its results are made up. The example tags were run through the free banned hashtag checker on 14 October 2026, but lists change, so recheck before you post.
Zolyp's Create adds hashtags to each post in your brand voice, and you can edit or remove them before anything is scheduled.

Common questions

How do I research hashtags for my business?

List tags in five groups: branded, local, product or service, community and events. Search each on the platform, look at recent posts under it, and keep the ones where your customers would be browsing. Then group them into sets and track which sets you use.

How many hashtags should I use?

Each platform sets its own maximum and its own advice, and both change, so check the platform's help centre. Within the limit, a few specific, relevant tags are a safer choice than filling every slot.

What are banned hashtags?

Tags a platform restricts, often because they attract spam or break its rules. Using one can limit how a post is shown or stop it publishing through some tools. Run Instagram tags through a banned hashtag checker before using them.

Do hashtags still matter?

Less than they once did on some platforms, where recommendations drive most discovery. They still help label what a post is about, and local or community tags can help people nearby find you. Your results log will show whether they help your account.

Hashtag research template: find, group and test hashtags