The Hashtag Strategy That Actually Works for Salons — Learnings from Korean Salons

Instagram just changed the rules. Here’s what you need to know.

Big update (December 2025): Instagram now limits hashtags to 5 per post. The days of stuffing 20-30 hashtags are officially over.

This changes everything — but most salons haven’t caught up yet.

We recently audited top Korean hair salons in Singapore. When it came to hashtags, we saw the same mistakes over and over:

Copy-pasting the same block of 20+ hashtags on every post (now impossible)
Using generic hashtags like #reels and #explore (Instagram says this hurts your reach)
No hashtags at all
Random hashtags with no strategy

Let’s break down what actually works in 2026.

The Hashtag Formula That Works in 2026

With only 5 hashtags allowed, every hashtag needs to earn its place. Here’s how to use them:

The 5-Hashtag Mix

Slot	Type	Purpose
1-2	Niche	Your specific service (e.g., #koreanperm, #volumeperm)
2-3	Location	Your area (e.g., #sghairsalon, #orchardhairstylist)
1	Branded	Your salon hashtag (e.g., #YourSalonName)

Niche Hashtags (Pick 1-2)

Specific to your service. Low competition, high relevance.

#koreanperm
#koreanhairstyle
#volumeperm
#settingperm
#koreanrebonding
#kbeautyhair
#koreanbalayage

Location Hashtags (Pick 2-3)

Target people searching in your area.

#sghairsalon
#singaporesalon
#sgbeauty
#singaporehairstylist
#sghairdresser
#orchardhairstylist
#beautysg

Branded Hashtag (Pick 1)

Your own hashtag for building community.

Examples:

#HairPlusSG
#MagoGlow
#ProtrimGlow
#KoreanHeadspaSG

Sample Hashtag Sets for Singapore Salons

Ready-to-use sets with exactly 5 hashtags each:

Set A: Korean Perm

#koreanperm #volumeperm #sghairsalon #singaporehairstylist #YourBrandedHashtag

Set B: Hair Color

#koreancolor #balayagesg #sgcolorist #singaporesalon #YourBrandedHashtag

Set C: Hair Treatment

#koreantreatment #keratinsg #sgbeauty #healthyhairsg #YourBrandedHashtag

Set D: General Transformation

#hairtransformation #koreanhairstyle #sghairsalon #sgbeauty #YourBrandedHashtag

Pro tip: Replace #YourBrandedHashtag with your actual salon hashtag.

Where to Put Your Hashtags

Instagram’s recommendation: In the caption.

With only 5 hashtags, there’s no need to hide them in the first comment anymore. Put them at the end of your caption.

			
Your caption text here...
#hashtag1 #hashtag2 #hashtag3 #hashtag4 #hashtag5

Keep it clean. Keep it relevant.

The Branded Hashtag Strategy

Even with only 5 hashtags, your branded hashtag should always be one of them.

What is a branded hashtag?

A unique hashtag for your salon that customers can use when posting about their experience.

How to create one:

Format	Example
[Salon Name] + SG	#HairPlusSG
[Salon Name] + Glow	#MagoGlow
[Salon Name] + Hair	#JoHwaHair

How to get customers to use it:

Put it in your bio
Mention it in your captions
Print it on your mirror or reception desk
Include it on booking confirmation messages

Why it matters: When clients use your branded hashtag, their posts become free marketing. You can find and repost their content easily.

Hashtags to Avoid

Instagram has specifically called out generic hashtags as harmful to your reach. Here’s what to stay away from:

Banned / Flagged	Spam Triggers	Too Broad
#adulting	#follow	#beauty
#alone	#followme	#hair
#brain	#like4like	#salon
#costumes	#followforfollow	#style
#dating	#tagsforlikes	#love
#graffiti	#instalike	#photo
#humpday	#likeforlike	#art
#kansas	#f4f	#fashion
#kissing	#l4l	#life
#milf	#spam	#instagood

Also avoid: #reels, #explore, #viral, #instagram — Instagram says these can hurt your performance.

Why they hurt: The algorithm sees these as spam signals. They don’t categorize your content — they just make you look like you’re gaming the system.

Quick Action Plan

This week:

Create your branded hashtag and add it to your bio
Build 2-3 hashtag sets (5 hashtags each)
Delete any generic hashtags from your saved lists

Every post:

Pick a set that matches your content
Always include your branded hashtag
Place hashtags at end of caption

The Bottom Line

Instagram has made hashtags simpler — but more strategic.

Old way: Stuff 20-30 hashtags and hope for the best.

New way: Choose 5 highly relevant hashtags that actually describe your content.

The formula:

2 niche + 2 location + 1 branded = 5 hashtags

The salons still copying the same block of generic hashtags? They’re actively hurting their reach.

The salons using 5 targeted, relevant hashtags? They’re getting discovered by the right people.

Fix your hashtag strategy this week. It takes 15 minutes to set up.

This post is based on our audit of top Korean hair salons in Singapore. Want a personalized audit for your salon? Visit glamingo.ai or DM us on Instagram @myglamingo

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