How to Add a Tag on Facebook

Tagging someone on Facebook is more than just a link - it's how you loop people into a conversation, give a shout-out to a brand you love, or make sure your friends see a great photo. This guide walks you through every way to add a tag on Facebook, from basic post tagging to best practices that help you grow your audience. We'll cover how to tag people, Pages, and groups in posts, photos, comments, and Stories, plus what to do when it isn't working.

What "Tagging" on Facebook Actually Means (and Why It Matters)

At its core, a tag is a special kind of link to a person's, Page's, or group's profile. When you tag someone, you're not just typing their name - you're creating a direct, clickable link to their profile. This action triggers a notification, letting them know they've been mentioned. Why is this small action so significant?

• It Boosts Visibility: When you tag a person and their settings allow it, your post can appear on their timeline. This exposes your content to their network of friends, creating a ripple effect that extends your reach far beyond your own followers.
• It Drives Engagement: Tagging directly invites someone into the conversation. The person or Page you tagged is more likely to comment, like, or share the post because they've been personally notified.
• It Acknowledges and Builds Relationships: Tagging is the digital equivalent of a public acknowledgment. It’s perfect for giving credit to collaborators, thanking a business for great service, or simply sharing a memory with friends. For brands, this is a powerful way to engage with User-Generated Content (UGC) and build community.
• It Networks and Collaborates: Tagging other businesses or creators is a go-to strategy for networking. It puts you on their radar, showcases your professional relationships, and can lead to mutually beneficial collaborations.

How to Tag a Person or Page in a Facebook Post

Tagging someone in a written post - whether it's on your personal profile or a business Page - is the most common form of tagging. The process is simple and works almost identically on both desktop and mobile.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Start Your Post: Begin writing your post in the "What's on your mind?" box at the top of your News Feed on a personal profile, or using the "Create post" option on a business Page.
2. Use the "@" Symbol: When you're ready to tag someone, type the "@" symbol. This tells Facebook you want to tag a profile or Page.
3. Start Typing the Name: Immediately after the "@" symbol (with no space), begin typing the name of the person or Page you want to tag. For example, "@Jane Doe" or "@Postbase".
4. Select From the Dropdown Menu: As you type, a dropdown menu will appear with suggestions. It's important to click or tap the correct profile from this list. If you just type out their name without selecting it, it will appear as plain text, not a clickable tag. The name will turn blue once you've successfully selected it.
5. Finish and Publish: Continue writing the rest of your post. The tag will remain a clickable blue link. When you're done, click "Post." The person or Page you tagged will receive a notification.

Example: "Had an amazing brainstorming session with @Jane Doe today talking about our next project with @Awesome Design Studio! Feeling really inspired."

Pro Tip: You can remove the last name of a person after tagging them to make your caption feel more casual. Just tag their full name (e.g., Jane Doe), and once it's blue, use the backspace key to delete "Doe." The tag will still link to their profile, but it will just say "@Jane." This doesn't work for business Pages.

How to Tag Someone in a Photo or Video

Tagging people in photos is where it all started. This adds a tag to a specific part of an image or identifies people present in a video. There are two primary ways to do this: during the upload process or after the content has already been posted.

Tagging While Posting a New Photo or Video

1. Upload Your Media: Click the "Photo/video" button on your profile or Page and select the file(s) you want to upload.
2. Edit and Tag: Before you post, hover over the photo thumbnail and click the "Edit" button (a paintbrush icon). This will open an editor where you'll see a small "Tag" icon (often looks like a price tag).
3. Click to Tag: Click on the face of the person you want to tag in the photo. A text box will appear.
4. Type and Select Name: Start typing the person's name in the box and select their profile from the dropdown list, just as you would in a written post. The tag will then appear on the photo. You can drag and drop it if needed.
5. Save and Post: Click "Save" and then publish your post. Tagged individuals will be notified.

Tagging in a Photo or Video That’s Already Published

1. Find the Photo/Video: Go to the post or album containing the image or video you want to tag.
2. Open and Tag: Click on the photo to open it in the photo viewer. At the bottom or side of the photo, you will see an option labeled "Tag Photo."
3. Click and Tag: Click on the person's face in the photo, start typing their name, and select their profile from the pop-up list.
4. Finish Tagging: Facebook might try to automatically find other faces to tag. Once you're done, simply click "Done Tagging" or the equivalent button. Everyone you successfully tagged will get a notification.

Tagging Best Practices &, Pro Etiquette

Just because you can tag someone doesn't always mean you should. Irrelevant tagging is considered spammy and can get your post reported. Following a few simple rules of etiquette will keep your engagement positive and authentic.

1. Be Relevant

The golden rule of tagging: only tag people or Pages that are directly relevant to your post.

• Tag people who are in a photo.
• Tag collaborators or partners on a project you're announcing.
• Tag a business whose location you're visiting or whose product you're featuring.

Do not tag 50 random people or popular brands just to try and get more views. This tactic backfires because users can remove tags, report the post, and the Facebook algorithm might even penalize you for spam-like behavior.

2. Don't Over-Tag in a Single Post

A post with dozens of tagged accounts looks cluttered and often disingenuous. Stick to a handful of the most relevant tags. If you need to acknowledge many people, consider mentioning them in a comment or creating a dedicated text post instead of cramming them into a single-photo description.

3. Be Mindful of Privacy

Not everyone wants every mention of their name broadcasted to a wide audience. Tag review is a feature that allows users to approve or deny tags before they appear on their timeline. If you notice your tags on a certain friend aren't showing up on their profile, it’s likely because they're using this feature. Respect their decision.

Troubleshooting: Why Can't I Tag Someone?

Sometimes you’ll type "@" followed by a name, and nothing comes up. It can be frustrating, but there's almost always a logical reason. Here are the most common culprits:

1. Privacy Settings Are Blocking You

The most common reason is that the person’s privacy settings restrict who can tag them. Users can set their profiles so that only "Friends of Friends" or "Friends" can tag them. If you don't fall into the category they've selected, their name won't appear for you to tag.

2. You Aren't Friends (For Personal Profiles)

Many users have their tagging settings set to "Friends only." If you are not friends with that person on Facebook, you won't be able to tag their personal profile.

3. The Page Has Restrictions

Some Facebook Pages have age or country restrictions. If your account doesn't meet their set criteria (e.g., you're in a different country), you might not be able to find or tag them. Similarly, some Pages may disable the ability for others to tag them altogether.

4. You Misspelled the Name

It sounds simple, but it happens all the time. Double-check the spelling of the person or Page. Look out for hyphens, numbers, or unique spellings that might be throwing off the search.

5. They Blocked You or Deactivated Their Account

If you're unable to tag someone who you were previously able to tag, it could be that they've unfortunately blocked you, or they may have temporarily deactivated their Facebook account. In either case, their profile won't be accessible for tagging.

Tagging Beyond the Post: Comments and Stories

Tagging isn't just for primary posts. It's an effective way to pull people into ongoing discussions or share dynamic content.

How to Tag in Comments

Want to draw a friend’s attention to a hilarious meme or an interesting article? Tag them in the comments! The process is identical to tagging in a post: simply type the "@" symbol, start typing their name, and select it from the dropdown list. They'll get a notification and can jump right into the conversation thread.

How to Tag in Facebook Stories

1. Create a Story: Add a photo or video to your Facebook Story.
2. Use the Text or Sticker Tool: Tap the "Aa" (Text) tool and tag someone using the "@" method. Alternatively, you can use the Sticker icon and look for a dedicated "@Mention" sticker.
3. Position and Customize: Type the account's name and select it. You can then resize, move, and change the color of the tag to fit your Story's aesthetic. When someone views your Story, they can tap the tag to visit that profile.

Final Thoughts

Tagging on Facebook is a fundamental feature that unlocks deeper engagement and broader reach when used thoughtfully. Mastering how to tag people and Pages in your posts, photos, comments, and Stories allows you to build stronger connections, give proper credit, and naturally expand your audience.

Handling all the notifications and replying to comments that come from tagging is often the more time-consuming part. To keep all our conversations in check, we designed the Engagement Hub in Postbase. Instead of hunting through notifications on each platform, our unified inbox shows all your comments and DMs from Facebook, Instagram, and more in one feed, so we can reply to every mention without missing a thing.