Tagging is an indispensable social media tool – and Instagram places particular emphasis on this handy feature. So what exactly does it entail, and why does it matter so much?
In this definitive guide, we‘ll explore the ins and outs of tagging on Instagram, from understanding its core benefits to mastering the simple steps for tagging others in your posts, comments, and messages. Read on to become a pro at @ mentioning your friends, collaborators, and favorite accounts!
Why Bother Tagging People on Instagram?
Before we get into the nitty gritty "how to" details, let‘s back up and explore why tagging is such a vital aspect of the Instagram experience in the first place. There are three major reasons you‘ll want to tag other users:
1. Giving Credit Where It‘s Due
Tagging someone is first and foremost a way to acknowledge them. So if you‘re sharing a fun picnic photo featuring friends, family members, or even your favorite small business, tagging gives them a digital credit for their presence and involvement.
It‘s especially important when working on collaborative branded content or co-created posts. Properly tagging any partner accounts, influencers, or creators ensures they also get exposure from the content they played a role in producing.
Tagging the @café account gives them credit for their superb baked goods
2. Sparking Engagement
Another prime benefit of tagging? Alerting others about your posts can ignite higher user engagement.
When you tag someone, they receive a notification letting them know. This prompts the tagged person to view your post, hit "like", leave a comment with their own thoughts, and share it with their own following. The back and forth activity and conversations generated increase overall engagement.
Plus, even if you don‘t personally know an account, relevant tagging can help capture more audience eyeballs. For example, tagging a popular podcast featured in your post sends notifications their way – and they may even repost your content as user-generated content!
3. Expanding Your Reach & Exposure
Speaking of widening your audience, properly leveraging tags gives your own content far more exposure. Like we just mentioned, a branded account might share your post containing their tag – instantly broadcasting it across their follower base.
And say you use niche hashtags and tag leaders in that community. Doing so gets your post seen by real users genuinely interested in your content‘s specific focus or topic. Targeted tagging facilitates discovery by relevant accounts to follow and interact with.
In summary, tagging checks all the boxes: showing appreciation via credits, sparking engaging back-and-forths, and securing more eyeballs. Time to learn how to tag on Instagram like a pro!
Step 1: Tag Someone in Your Post Caption
Tagging in post captions comes first, because it‘s undoubtedly the simplest method. Just type the "@" symbol followed by the exact username to tag other accounts.
You‘ll see a dropdown menu with account suggestions appear after inputting "@". Search for the person or brand you want to tag by typing the first letter(s) of their handle. Select their name to automatically add the full tag into your caption.
The tags will appear underlined in blue and link directly to their profile pages. It‘s clickable both for you and all your followers viewing the post later on.
One thing to remember is that tags in the caption have higher visibility because they‘re prominently displayed. So reserve caption tags for your best friends, closest collaborators, or brands deserving exceptional spotlight.
Pro Tip: Tag Influencers to Amplify Reach
Strategically tagging influencers or leaders in your niche is a stellar way to expand your Instagram post‘s reach.
Get on their radar and try securing re-shares of your content to their follower base. Even if they don‘t repost, your post still gains visibility in their "tagged" sections. And a simple like or comment back goes a long way too!
Step 2: Tag Someone Directly in Your Photo
Now let‘s explore tagging people in the actual photos you post. This ensures whoever you tag gets labeled right on their face, food dish, outfit, or whatever the corresponding Instagram post features.
You can tag up to 20 accounts this way. Sorry – no tagging your 1,000 closest friends! But 20 (plus unlimited tags in the caption) proves plenty for most purposes.
Clarissa, Jacob, and Sam all got tagged right on their happy foodie faces!
Here‘s a walkthrough of tagging users in posted images:
After uploading your photo(s) and adding filters/edits, look underneath at the tagging option. Tap "Tag People".
You‘ll enter a new screen where you can tap directly on areas of the photo to add tags. Instagram automatically suggests identifying people if their faces are clear.
Alternatively, manually search for the username you want associated with different areas.
Once satisfied, finish up by tapping "Done".
The tags will now display overlaid on whichever spots you selected – forever linking that account to their appearance in your Instagram post!
Step 3: Tag Someone in a Comment
So we‘ve covered tagging in the conventional places: post captions and photos themselves. Now let‘s tackle tagging users in the comments section.
Tagging in comments calls attention to your message towards specific people following the post. It works just like tagging in captions – by inputting "@" followed by an account‘s username.
Jenny tagged friends to notify them about the hilarious cat video
Say you land on a funny post and instantly think to share it with particular friends. Tagging them directly in your comment lets them know you thought of them!
Comments also represent a public forum seen by all followers. So tag with care – harassment and bullying via comment tagging carries serious consequences including disabled accounts.
Optimizing Your Instagram Tagging
Now that you‘ve mastered the steps to tag accounts on Instagram, let‘s chat best practices to employ moving forward:
Edit Tags That No Longer Apply
Did you tag someone who later blocked you? Or maybe a brand changed their official handle altogether. Regardless, you want to edit past tags linking to inactive accounts or errors.
Rest assured, updating tags proves straightforward. Simply access the post in question, delete the outdated tag, and replace it with the accurate username.
Give Tagging Power to Group Admins
If you manage a business profile or public figure account, take advantage of tag reviewal permissions.
Account admins can grant privileges allowing certain users to tag freely without each instance requiring admin approval. And you can always take away tagging rights should any particular account demonstrate abusive behaviors.
Limit Tags From Overeager Friends
Tired of getting bombarded with unnecessary tags from excitable pals? Ask them politely to tone it down first. Or take more definitive action through adjusting your account privacy settings.
You can prohibit other accounts from tagging you in posts altogether this way. Toggle off the feature in your account‘s settings page. While extreme, it eliminates all unwanted tags in one fell swoop!
Tagging FAQs: Your Top Questions Answered
We‘ll wrap up this guide with concise answers surrounding some of the most frequently asked questions about tagging users on Instagram:
How many people can you tag in an Instagram photo?
You can tag up to 20 different accounts directly on any single image posted. No limit exists for tagging users in the caption section.
Can someone tag me on Instagram without my consent?
Yes – anyone can tag you by default, unless your account gets set to private. Or you manually block other accounts from having permission to tag you via privacy controls.
Why can‘t I tag certain Instagram accounts?
If someone‘s account has tagging ability disabled, you won‘t even see their username as a tag suggestion. Restrictions also apply with private profiles requiring follower approval or accounts simply prohibiting tags among settings.
What happens when you tag someone on Instagram?
Tagging immediately sends a notification to the account holder regarding their inclusion in your post or comment. It also links their username for one-click access back to their profile page and designated content.
Can I get notified when I get tagged on Instagram?
Yes! Tagging triggers notifications by default in your activity feeds. You‘ll receive alerts on posts, photos, captions, comments, and Instagram Stories containing your tags when published or shared live.
And that‘s a wrap! We covered why tagging represents such an invaluable Instagram feature, broke down step-by-step instructions for tagging in posts/comments/messages, provided best practices, and answered FAQs.
You should now feel completely comfortable mastering mentions and inclusion tags on Instagram. Start tagging away – it‘s a surefire way to boost engagement, widen your audience reach, and forge more authentic connections!
