EDIT: Facebook will unlink your Instagram account if you do not access Facebook often,to get your hashtags to work again, you need to re link Facebook with Instagram via Share Settings, see instructions below.
I thought I would write up a quick post in regards to Instagram and *new* users, before facebook took over. I recently became a Instagram addict and I love everything about it. I was fed up with social media about a year ago and deleted my facebook account. So when I started using Instagram I was instantly addicted. Anyway the problem that I was noticing was none, I mean no #hastags were working for me. My other friends could do it right before my eyes. So I started to think, what’s different between their account and mine. Did I like something raunchy that got me banned? It turns out they had an active facebook account linked to their instagram account. Or they were customers before facebook took over so it did not matter. I decided to setup a test facebook account for testing, I linked it with Instagram and bam!! hashtags started working.
So in short, you need a facebook account to hashtag ever since facebook took over. At least it worked for me.
EDIT: this post has become quite popular.. For those who do not know how to link with Facebook. You need to do this from the Instagram application Settings.
1. Go to your profile
2. Tap (Android) or (iPhone) in the upper-right corner Gear looking icon.
3. Tap Sharing Settings
4. Tap Facebook and connect using your Facebook login info
If this solution fixes your #hashtag problem, please reply and let me know. This will encourage me to continue posting helpful blogs. You do not need to register and I will approve all comments.