How to tag your photo on instagram


How to Tag Someone in an Instagram Post, Story, or Comment

  • You can tag someone on Instagram in four main ways. 
  • Instagram lets you tag someone in a new post, an existing post, a comment, or a story.  
  • This story is part of Business Insider's Guide to Instagram.

Social media is supposed to be "social" and on Instagram, tagging is one of the tools you can use to make it a more collective experience.

When you tag someone on Instagram, it usually triggers a notification for the person you tag (the exception being when a private account tags someone who isn't following them.) 

Here's everything you need to know to tag someone on Instagram.

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How to tag someone on Instagram

There are four ways to tag (or mention) people on the Instagram mobile app for iPhone or Android.

How to tag someone in a new Instagram post 

When you tag someone in a post, it will appear on their profile, in the "Photos and videos of you" section.

1. Open your Instagram app.

2. Create a new post by tapping the plus symbol, edit the photo then tap "Next."

3. After you've finished editing your photo, tap "Next" again.

4. Fill out your post as usual, but before you publish, tap "Tag People."

Press Tag People right below your caption. Devon Delfino/Business Insider

5. Tap the photo where you want the tag to appear, then enter the name or username of that person and tap to select them.

Select who you want to tag. Devon Delfino/Business Insider

6. Tap "Done" on your iPhone  or click the checkmark on your Android.

7. Tap "Share" and publish your post.

How to tag someone in an existing Instagram post

1. Open your Instagram app.

2. Toggle over to your profile and locate the post you want to tag someone in.

3. Tap the three dots above the photo or video and select "Edit."

Tap Edit to tag someone. Devon Delfino/Business Insider

4. Tap "Tag People" and enter their name or username, then tap to select the proper user.

Tap Tag People on the bottom left of the post. Devon Delfino/Business Insider

How to tag someone in a comment on Instagram

Technically speaking, you can't tag people in a comment. But you can mention their username and thereby get to the same result. Here's how.

1. Tap the speech bubble icon under a post to make a comment. 

2. Type out your message (if necessary) then type "@" and start entering the person's Instagram username.

Type out the username of the person you want to tag and click their name. Devon Delfino/Business Insider

3. Tap the proper username to tag them in your comment.

How to tag someone in an Instagram story

1. Tap the camera icon, located in the top-left side of your screen (or swipe right when viewing your feed).

2. Take a photo or video to create your story (or select one by tapping the thumbnail of your last photo in the bottom-left corner of the screen), then tap the "Aa" option in the top right corner.

Tap Aa in the top right corner when composing a story. Devon Delfino/Business Insider

3. Type "@" and then begin to enter their username and select the person you want to tag by tapping their username when it appears.

Type out the username of the person you want to tag and select them. Devon Delfino/Business Insider

Tagging someone in your story will create a link to that person's Instagram profile.

The person you tag in your story will both get a push notification and a direct message within the app showing them a preview of your story – and be aware that you're limited to 10 of these tags per photo or video story.

  • How to delete your Instagram account on an iPhone, or temporarily disable it

  • How to ask a question to your followers using Instagram Stories

  • How to make your Instagram private and hide your account from everyone except the followers you approve

  • How to clear suggested searches on Instagram for iPhone, and clear your search history

Devon Delfino

Devon Delfino is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist specializing in personal finance, culture, politics, and identity. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Teen Vogue, Business Insider, and CNBC. Follow her on Twitter at @devondelfino.

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Learn when and how to tag on Instagram

Do you want more people to see your Instagram posts? Instagram tagging can help you grow your account when you use best practices. 

Whether you’re @ mentioning in the comments or tagging a photo, strategically connecting with other people on Instagram is a great way to get your content in front of a new audience. If you think that you’re making an impact by tagging random accounts, with no real goal in mind, it’s time to stop spamming and start making a real impact. 

In this blog post, I cover what you need to know about Instagram tagging and how to avoid being tagged by random accounts.  

How to Tag v. @ Mention on Instagram

There are a couple of different ways you can give a shout out to an account on Instagram. 

First, you can tag an account in the post, video, or comment. The business, brand, or person you tag will receive a notification, and your content will show up in that account’s tagged content tab. Plus, this is an organic way to get your content in front of a wider audience. 

Plus, it’s easy to find the photos you’re tagged in. Just navigate to your Instagram account, then tap on the person icon. Voila, you can see all of the photos and videos you’re tagged in. 

 

 

Another way to get the attention of an Instagram account is with an @ mention. You can either @ mention in your post caption or in a comment. If you’re sharing user-generated-content, an @ mention is a must. For example, when I shared this post featuring Nicte I made sure to include a photo tag and an @ mention in the caption.

 

If you’re going to feature another brand or person on your Instagram feed, make sure to give them a heads up. Then they can share your Instagram content with their audience. 

Is Instagram tagging not the only thing overwhelming you when it comes to content strategy? Grab my FREE Instagram training to learn the three simple steps every successful brand must implement to consistently attract leads and buyers. 

How to Strategically Tag on Instagram

If you’re randomly tagging brands and businesses on Instagram … stop! This strategy just makes you seem spammy, and it might get your account muted or blocked. There is a better way to get the attention of other Instagram accounts. 

Take a look at how Modern Muffin strategically tags on their account. Claire makes the most of her photo by tagging the grocery store, the clothes she’s wearing, and even her location. 

 

 

Keep it strategic and don’t tag large accounts. A business with huge following, like Lululemon, might not share your content. But a smaller brand, like the lip balm you bought at the farmer’s market, are more likely to share your Instagram photo.  

Think about the businesses and brands that are always sharing user-generated-content. Make those kinds of accounts part of your tagging strategy. But don’t tag businesses, brands, or people who are not featured in your photo or video.

Pro Tip: You can tag up to 20 accounts on Instagram. 

But that doesn’t mean you need to tag 20 Instagram accounts. The only time I tag this many accounts is when I share my weekly YouTube videos. I always tag members of my Ready Set Gram community who want to know the latest news on Instagram. 

How to Remove Tags on Instagram

How many times have you been tagged in a random or spammy Instagram post? I know, it’s really annoying! But there’s a way to take control and avoid these annoying tags on Instagram. Here’s how to change your tag settings on Instagram in a few steps: 

  • First, tap on the three bars to open your Instagram settings

 

 

  • Then, tap on the Instagram settings gear

 

 

  • Next, open the Instagram privacy setting

 

 

  • Then, pick the Instagram settings tag option 

 

 

  • Finally, you can toggle to change your Instagram tagging options 

 

 

Now, what do you do if you’re tagged on a random Instagram photo or video? It’s easy to remove the tag. Here’s how: 

  • First, tap on the photo you’re tagged in

 

  • Then, tap on your account’s tag 

 

 

  • Lastly, pick “remove me from post”

 

 

If you notice that you’re frequently being tagged by a spammer, it might be better to block that account. 

Why Now is the Time to Step Up Your Instagram Strategy

Even as Instagram gets more crowded, knowing how to tag on Instagram isn’t the only way to make your business or brand stand out. Grab my FREE Instagram Strategy Guide to learn how you can catch the attention of your followers and make Instagram your most profitable social platform. 

How to tag people in your Instagram posts?

Help Center

Instagram features

Posting photos and videos

There are two ways to tag a person in your Instagram post. You can only tag people in your own posts.

How do I tag people before posting?

To tag a person before sharing a Reels photo, video, or carousel:

Instagram app for Android

Tap Tag people before posting.

Click on the person in the photo.

Enter the person's name or username, and then select it from the menu.

Click the icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

Instagram App for iPhone

Before posting, tap Tag people.

Click on the person in the photo.

Enter the person's name or username, and then select it from the menu. nine0003

Click Done in the upper right corner of the screen.

instagram.com in browser on mobile

instagram.com in browser on desktop

Instagram Lite app for Android

How do I tag people after posting?

To tag people in a photo or video you've already shared:

Instagram app for Android

Click the or icon on your profile picture in the lower right corner of the screen to go to your profile.

Go to the publication, and then click the icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

Select Edit.

Select Tag people and click on a person in the post.

Enter the person's name or username, and then select it from the menu.

Tap in the upper right corner of the screen and then again to confirm the action. nine0003

Instagram app for iPhone

Tap the or icon on your profile picture in the lower right corner of the screen to go to your profile.

Go to the publication, and then click the icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

Select Edit.

Select Tag people and click on a person in the post.

Enter the person's name or username, and then select it from the menu.

Click Done in the upper right corner of the screen and confirm the action. nine0003

instagram.com in a browser on a computer

Instagram Lite app for Android

If you're tagging an author or business account, you can also specify a category for their profile. To do this, click Mark a category under the profile name.

If you can't tag a person, they may have disabled it in their privacy settings.

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How to tag a person on Instagram: in a photo, post, story, comments stories and IGTV.

How it works, what gives an account, what does it have to do with promotion, and how to tag a person on Instagram - read about all this in our article.

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nine0002 Read also : How to promote an account on Instagram yourself

What does it mean to mark on Instagram

A simple example - you went to a cafe with friends and want to share your impressions of your leisure time on Instagram. You can simply post a photo and write the name of the cafe, or you can mark the official profile of the institution or mention its profile in the text. Here's what the mark on Instagram looks like - the icon in the photo.

If you click on the mark, the login of the marked account appears, you can go to it or immediately subscribe directly under the photo. Convenient - no need to look for it in the search. nine0003

You can also mention the institution's account in the post under the photo, for this you need to write its login with the dog @, it is clickable, you can also go to the profile by it.

P.S. The difference between tags and mentions is purely symbolic, both of these tools are effective for promoting an account.

You can mark and mention institutions, friends, colleagues, business partners. The account that is tagged receives a notification. Posts with marks are displayed in the "marks" section. By going to someone's profile, you can not only see the publications of the author, but also the photos in which he is tagged. nine0003

If the account is closed, then only its subscribers can see the marks. In addition to posts, you can tag comments, stories, and IGTV.

If the mark is not displayed for the marked account, most likely its owner has set manual moderation of marks. This may be for anti-spam purposes, to prevent bulk tagging, or simply the author wants to control the placement of such content. Your mark may have been rejected or not yet reviewed.

Why should businesses use tags

  1. The tagged account gets additional content.
  2. They allow you to attract a new audience, that is, they can become a source of additional traffic. The mark on the photo makes you want to look into the profile. If it is interesting, guests can subscribe. If a blogger with a large number of subscribers gets a mark with you, you can count on an increase in the audience. You can tag your friend or business partner and help them get more followers. nine0166
  3. Marks are often used for promotional purposes, during collaborations or for competitions, marathons and challenges.
  4. Tags allow you to share photos with business partners.
  5. Bloggers sell posts with tags and mentions. You can make money by selling such posts if you are a blogger. Or you can order a paid post with a mark from a blogger if you are a business owner.
  6. If you have several projects and a separate account has been created for each, the marks will help you exchange traffic between them. nine0166
  7. Marks allow you to collect feedback and follow feedback.
  8. There are services that allow you to run mass marks on photos and stories. But we do not recommend using marks for this purpose, as this is spam.

How to tag a person on Instagram

On the photo

Add a photo from the gallery for publication on Instagram (+ button). Apply a filter if necessary. Click Next and get into the settings. Below the description block, click on "Tag People". nine0003

You need to select the area where the mark will be. For example, if this is an advertisement for glasses, click on the glasses, if this is a joint photo with some person, click on it. The "Who is this" icon appears. There will be a mark here.

We start writing the login of the desired account. From the very first letter, Instagram offers accounts that begin with this letter, that is, you can mark any account in general, and not just the one you are following or who is following you.

When a username is written or selected, the username is displayed instead of the "Who is this" icon. Now you can post your photo.

The mark can be deleted or moved. To move, simply pinch and drag to another location. To delete, click on it, and then on the cross that appears.

You can also put a mark on an already published photo. To do this, open the publication and click on the 3 dots, and then "Edit". A "Tag people" button appears in the lower left corner. nine0003

Click on it and then, in the same way, select the place on the photo where the mark will be and write it down as described above.

In the post

Here you can additionally mention the account in the post itself, for this you need to write its login with the dog @.

In the story

There are two ways to mark stories:

  1. Create a story using the camera, upload a story from the gallery, or simply add a background for the story. Then click on the Aa text icon. nine0222 We write the dog icon @ and the full login of the account that we want to mark in the story. Here you can also write the first letters and select the one you need from the drop-down list.
  2. Using the Mention sticker. Let's go to stickers. We find the orange sticker @ MENTION.
    Add to story and write the desired login. The sticker is even more convenient, it is not necessary to prescribe a dog here, it is set automatically, you can start right away with letters. Here you can also select an account from the drop-down list or register completely manually. nine0222

Stories can have up to 10 tags. They are also clickable, that is, any viewer can go to the mentioned profile. Mentions made in stories will come to Direct to the person you mentioned. He will also be able to add this story to himself.

You can also tag a person through a challenge sticker - when you create a challenge, you can challenge other people by mentioning their accounts. They will receive a notification that they were marked in the challenge.

In the comments

In the comments put marks under other people's posts. So you can fulfill the condition of the draw (“Tag three friends under the photo”) or draw the attention of a friend to an interesting publication.

To mark a comment under an Instagram post, open the post we are interested in and start writing a comment. The marked account must be written with the @ (dog) symbol before the login. For example, @postiumru. The account will receive a notification about the mark. You can specify up to 5 profiles in one comment. nine0003

If the account has restricted the ability to mark, then the warning "Unable to @mention" will pop up.

In IGTV

If you use the IGTV app, then add a video through the + button in the upper right corner. If you upload a video via Instagram, then through the + button at the bottom (where we publish photos).

Select the desired video in the gallery, click "Next". Choose a cover for IGTV from a video fragment or upload from the gallery. Next, the settings open. Here you can mark the account in the description of the video - through the dog. Read more in the article: How to upload a video to IGTV. nine0003

You can also tag a business partner or sponsor if your video is branded content.

In the profile description

You can also put a mark in the account profile, for this we simply write other accounts with the dog @ in the description.

How to use Instagram tags and mentions to promote

Possible ways to promote with tags:

1. Tag a brand

Brand tags and mentions bring more traffic than friends' tags. We advise you to post a detailed sincere review about a product or store that you really want to recommend to other people. What this gives you is that if a brand likes a review, it will keep it for itself, and some of its subscribers may subscribe to you. Or the brand might give you a thank you gift for your honest review, such as a discount on your next purchase. nine0003

The rest of the tips are more about commercial accounts.

2. Create multiple profiles and mark them

For example, you have a business account and a personal account. You can make cross marks and drive traffic back and forth. So people who subscribe to a personal account can switch to a commercial one and become your customers.

An example is a cafe chain. The main account periodically marks regional restaurants and cafes.

3. Organize contests with the condition to put a mark in the comments

This is the most common way to use marks. You create a contest, one of the conditions of which is to tag a couple of friends in the comments under an Instagram post. Friends of the commenters will receive notifications about the tagging and can follow you after reading the post in which they are tagged.

4. Reviews tagged

Similar to the first point, only if the client posts a review at the call of his heart, without expecting anything in return, and here you yourself motivate customers to write reviews with your brand tagged. You can offer bonuses for reviews or publishing a post with marks on Instagram. nine0003

5. Advertising

These are essentially the same reviews with a mark, but for a specific paid order. Or direct advertising. Find a blogger or media personality, and for a penny he posts a post tagged with your brand.

6. Collaboration with another blogger

Now this is a popular feature among bloggers. They make a joint project, a webinar, a video and indicate each other in the marks under the publication, exchanging the audience.

7. Mutual PR

The same, but for all users. For example, you can promote your friend in a post by posting a joint photo and tagging. If a friend is in business, you can also promote him, and he will promote you.

8. Create a quest game

This idea is suitable for a competition to increase engagement. The bottom line is this - you create an account for the contest or post a post with a mark in the main profile. And several accounts where they will go by marks. For example, the game “Choose your look” - in the first photo, a person must select a hat, then click on the checkmark to select the top of the wardrobe (in the second account), then he must again click on the checkmark to select trousers (in the third account) etc. And in the end, he gets to the account with a discount. Or you can come up with a detective story where the plot changes depending on the choice of mark. nine0003

The point of this is to involve the audience in the process of the game so that they interact with brand accounts for as long as possible. Read more in the article: Games for followers on Instagram.

Conclusion

Remember to use tags and mentions and find a good way to do it.


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