Elon Musk bans hashtags from ads on X ¡ª here¡¯s what it means for advertisers and regular users
Elon Musk has announced that hashtags will no longer be permitted in advertisements on X, calling them ¡°an aesthetic nightmare.¡± The change won¡¯t affect regular posts. Musk says AI tools like Grok now handle search and discovery without needing hashtags.
X owner Elon Musk has announced a new change for the platform¡¯s advertising features. Starting June 27, 2025, advertisers will no longer be able to include hashtags in paid promotions. In a post on X, Musk referred to hashtags as ¡°an aesthetic nightmare¡± and confirmed the change would take effect the following day.
This move is part of Musk¡¯s ongoing efforts to reshape the look and function of the platform formerly known as Twitter. While the announcement confused some users, it does not affect the use of hashtags in regular posts.
Starting tomorrow, the esthetic nightmare that is hashtags will be banned from ads on ?
¡ª Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 26, 2025
Hashtag use still allowed in regular posts
Despite the upcoming change to ads, users posting regular content on X can still use hashtags. In fact, as per X¡¯s AI chatbot Grok responded to a user query by confirming that hashtags remain beneficial for visibility and engagement.
¡°Yes, hashtags are still useful for regular posts on X, despite the ad ban starting June 27, 2025. They boost visibility and engagement. Use 1¨C2 relevant hashtags per post to avoid looking spammy,¡± Grok advised.
The chatbot also recommended rotating hashtags, engaging with hashtag communities, and timing posts during peak hours for improved reach.
Musk¡¯s history of criticising hashtags
This is not the first time Musk has spoken against the use of hashtags. In 2024, he publicly described them as visually unappealing and urged users to stop using them. At the time, he explained that with AI tools like Grok integrated into X¡¯s discovery systems, the platform no longer needed traditional hashtag-based grouping.
Elon Musk | Credit: X
¡°Please stop using hashtags. The system doesn't need them anymore and they look ugly,¡± Musk had said last year.
Another step in X¡¯s evolution
Hashtags have been a defining feature of the platform since 2007. Musk¡¯s recent decision to remove them from ads adds to the growing list of changes since he acquired the platform in late 2022. This shift reflects his broader focus on integrating artificial intelligence and streamlining user experience.
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Nancy Jaiswal is a journalist who started her career in reporting and has covered both hard and soft news. From serious city news developments to lighthearted lifestyle pieces, she has written on almost everything hapenning in India (except maybe alien invasions¡ªyet!). For her, writing isn¡¯t just work; it¡¯s a passion, an obsession, and sometimes the reason she forgets to reply to texts.
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