Instagram tagging is one of the most important tools at your disposal for increasing the visibility and engagement of your content. By tagging relevant users, locations, products or hashtags in your posts and stories, you make your content discoverable to wider audiences and signal to the Instagram algorithm that it‘s valuable and worth promoting.
Consider these statistics:
- Posts with at least one hashtag average 12.6% more engagement than posts with no hashtags (Hootsuite)
- Posts with a location tag get 79% more engagement than posts without (Mention)
- 72% of Instagram users have made fashion, beauty or style-related purchases after seeing something on the app (Facebook)
Clearly, tagging is a powerful tool for driving results on Instagram. But how exactly does it work? What are the different types of tags you can use? How can you implement a tagging strategy to achieve your goals on the platform?
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll dive deep into everything you need to know about tagging on Instagram in 2024. Whether you‘re a business, creator, or casual user, you‘ll learn the most effective ways to use tags to increase your reach, engagement, and conversions.
We‘ll cover:
- The different types of Instagram tags
- How to tag in feed posts, stories, reels, and more
- Best practices for tagging
- How to analyze your tagging performance
- New Instagram tagging features to watch for in 2024
Types of Tags on Instagram
Let‘s start with a quick overview of the 4 main types of tags you can currently use on Instagram:
- User Tags – Tagging other Instagram accounts in your post or story
- Hashtags – Tagging relevant keywords to categorize your post and make it discoverable
- Location Tags – Tagging a geographic location in your post
- Product Tags – Tagging specific products in your post to make them shoppable
Here‘s a bit more detail on each type of tag and how to use them:
1. User Tags
User tags allow you to mention another account in your post by tagging their username. When you tag someone, they receive a notification and the post appears on the "Tagged" section of their profile.
User tagging is a great way to:
- Give credit to someone featured in your content
- Engage in a conversation with another account
- Encourage another account to re-share your post to their audience
- Drive traffic to your profile when others tag you
To add a user tag, simply tap the "Tag People" button when creating a post, then tap the photo and search for the username you want to tag. You can add up to 20 user tags per post.
It‘s important to only tag accounts that are directly relevant to your post – don‘t just tag lots of random accounts in hopes they‘ll share or follow you back, as this can come across as spammy. If you‘re tagging a major influencer or celebrity, it‘s also a good idea to ask permission first.
2. Hashtags
Hashtags are keywords that you add to your posts to categorize them and make them discoverable to users searching for that topic. When you click a hashtag, you can see all the public posts that have used it. Many users browse hashtag pages to discover new content and accounts to follow.
Instagram allows you to add up to 30 hashtags per post, but research suggests that the optimal number of hashtags is around 11 per post (SocialInsider). Using too many hashtags can make your post look cluttered and spammy.
To find relevant hashtags for your post, you can:
- See which hashtags are commonly used by similar accounts in your niche
- Check the "related hashtags" that Instagram suggests when you search for a keyword
- Use a hashtag research tool like Flick to get data on hashtag volume and competition
It‘s a good idea to use a mix of popular hashtags (over 100k posts) and more niche ones (under 100k posts). Popular tags will give you more visibility but also more competition, while niche tags can help you reach a very targeted audience.
Make sure to put your hashtags at the end of your caption, separated by several line breaks, to avoid cluttering your main caption. You can also add hashtags in a comment right after posting.
3. Location Tags
Location tags allow you to geotag your post with a specific location, which makes it show up on that location‘s page. Users can discover your post by searching for or clicking on that location.
Tagging your location is useful for:
- Local businesses promoting an offer or event
- Highlighting places you‘re visiting or recommending
- Connecting with other users in the same area
- Giving context to your post
To add a location tag, tap "Add Location" when creating your post and search for the specific place. If you have a physical business, make sure to set up your location page so users can tag you directly.
Posts with a location tag get 79% more engagement than posts without a location (WebDam), so it‘s an easy way to increase your reach. Just make sure you‘re using locations that are genuinely relevant to your post.
4. Product Tags
If you have an Instagram Shop set up, you can tag your products in posts to make them shoppable. Product tags display a small shopping bag icon on your post. When tapped, it shows product details and a link to purchase.
Product tagging allows you to:
- Showcase your products in a visual, organic way
- Simplify the purchase process for customers
- Measure the impact of your posts on product page visits and sales
To use product tags, you must have a business account connected to a Facebook catalog. Once set up, you can tag products via the "Tag Products" option when creating a post.
According to Instagram, 130 million users tap on shopping posts every month (Facebook), so product tags can be a highly effective way to drive traffic and sales for your business.
How to Tag on Instagram
Now that you know the different types of tags available, let‘s dive into the specifics of how to actually tag someone or something in your Instagram posts and stories.
Tagging in Feed Posts
When creating a new feed post, follow these steps to add tags:
- From the Instagram home screen, tap the + icon and select "Post"
- Choose the photo or video you want to post
- Add filters and edit your media as desired, then tap "Next"
- On the New Post screen, tap "Tag People"
- Tap on the photo where you want to add the user tag
- Start typing the account‘s username and select it from the dropdown
- To tag products, tap "Tag Products" and search your catalog
- To add a location, tap "Add Location" and search for the place
- When finished tagging, tap "Done" in the top right
- Add any other details like your caption and hashtags, then tap "Share"
If you want to add tags to an existing post:
- Open the post and tap the three dots icon in the top right
- Tap "Edit"
- Follow steps 4-10 above to add your tags
- Tap "Done" in the top right to save your changes
Tagging in Stories
The process for tagging accounts in stories is a bit different:
- From the Instagram home screen, tap "Your Story"
- Take or select the photo/video you want to post
- Tap the sticker icon in the top right
- Select the "@Mention" sticker
- Type in the username of the account you want to tag and select it
- Place the mention tag where you want it and tap "Done"
- Continue editing your story with text, stickers, etc.
- When finished, tap "Send To >" and select "Share" next to "Your Story"
Note that you can only mention accounts in stories, not products or locations. However, you can add a location sticker or product link sticker separately.
Tagging in Reels
To tag users in a Reel:
- From the Reels tab, tap the camera icon in the top right to create a new Reel
- Record your clip(s) and edit them
- On the Share screen, tap "Tag People"
- Tap the video where you want the tag to appear
- Start typing the account‘s username and select it from the dropdown
- Tap "Done" and continue editing your reel with text, stickers, etc.
- When finished, tap "Next" and then "Share" to post your Reel
Again, you can only tag accounts in Reels, not products or locations.
Instagram Tagging Best Practices & Strategies
To get the most out of tagging, it‘s important to be strategic about how you use tags. Here are some key best practices and strategies to keep in mind:
1. Only tag relevant accounts
When user tagging, make sure you‘re only tagging accounts that are directly related to or featured in your post. Don‘t just tag random accounts in hopes of getting their attention – this can be seen as spam and may actually hurt your engagement.
2. Engage with tagged accounts
If you‘re tagging someone in a post, make an effort to authentically engage with them. Like and comment on their recent posts, send them a DM letting them know you tagged them, and build a real relationship. This increases the chances they‘ll re-share your post and engage back.
3. Encourage tagged accounts to re-share
When user tagging, it can be effective to directly invite the other account to re-share your post in your caption, e.g. "Loved collaborating on this project with @brand, check out their account for more!" Just avoid being too pushy or aggressive.
4. Use a mix of hashtags
As mentioned above, use a variety of popular and niche hashtags, and aim for around 11 per post. Using the same set of hashtags on every post can actually signal to Instagram that you‘re spamming, so switch them up based on the specific content of each post.
5. Create a branded hashtag
Come up with a unique hashtag for your brand or campaign, and encourage your followers to use it when posting about you. This is a great way to collect user-generated content and build community around your brand. Make sure to search the hashtag regularly and engage with the posts.
6. Put hashtags in comments
If you prefer a clean aesthetic for your captions, you can put your hashtags in the first comment of your post instead. Just make sure to post the comment immediately after posting, as hashtags only work on the initial post upload. Some studies actually show that hashtags in comments may be more effective for engagement than hashtags in captions (SocialInsider).
7. Check your tagged posts
Keep an eye on the "Tagged" section of your profile to see what kinds of posts you‘re being tagged in. If someone tags you in a post you don‘t want to be associated with, you can untag yourself or report/block that account if needed. Aim to like or comment on positive posts you‘re tagged in to show appreciation.
8. Use tagging to amplify reach
Tagging can be a great way to extend your reach on Instagram, by getting your post in front of another account‘s followers. Look for relevant accounts that have an engaged following similar to your target audience, and find authentic ways to tag them that provide value. Just be sure not to overdo this, as too much random/irrelevant tagging can backfire.
9. Measure your tagging performance
As with any Instagram strategy, it‘s important to analyze your results to see what‘s working. Use Instagram Insights to track how your tagged posts are performing in terms of reach, profile visits, website taps, and follows. See which tagged posts get the most engagement, and try to replicate that in future.
New Instagram Tagging Features in 2024
Finally, let‘s take a look at some new and upcoming Instagram features related to tagging that you should keep an eye out for in 2024:
Enhanced Tags
In 2021, Instagram started testing "Enhanced Tags" which provide more context about how a user is related to a post they‘re tagged in. For example, users can specify roles like "Photographer" or "Designer" to give credit to someone‘s contribution to the post beyond just being in the photo. Enhanced tags could expand in 2024 to include more roles and details.
Location Stories
Instagram is reportedly working on a new feature called Location Stories which would compile public stories that use the same geotag into a single reel. This could be a great way to get more visibility for your stories if you use location tags strategically.
Hashtag Collections
Instagram may be developing a feature to allow users to save and follow specific hashtags in collections, similar to how you can save posts. This would make it easier to keep track of and engage with hashtags relevant to your interests.
Wrapping Up
Tagging on Instagram is a key part of growing your presence and achieving your goals on the platform. By tagging relevant accounts, hashtags, products, and locations in your posts and stories, you can reach new audiences, build valuable relationships, and even drive more website traffic and sales.
Just remember to always be strategic, relevant, and authentic when using tags. Focus on providing value and building genuine connections, rather than just trying to boost vanity metrics.
Implement the tips and strategies covered in this guide, keep an eye out for new tagging features, and track your results to see what works for your unique account and audience.
Happy tagging!
