How to Add Mentions on an Instagram Story

Tagging another account in your Instagram Story is one of the easiest and most effective ways to boost your engagement and build connections on the platform. More than just a simple shoutout, a successful mention can get your content shared to a whole new audience, spark conversations, and make members of your community feel recognized. This guide covers everything you need to know, from the simple step-by-step process to strategic ways you can use mentions to grow your brand organically.

Two Easy Ways to Add a Mention in Your Instagram Story

There are two primary methods for adding a mention to your Story: the Sticker Method and the Text Tool Method. Both are incredibly simple, but they offer different aesthetic results, so it’s good to know how to use each one.

Method 1: Using the @Mention Sticker (The Classic Way)

The @Mention Sticker is the most direct and visually prominent way to tag another account. It’s hard for viewers to miss, which makes it perfect for important collaborations, UGC shoutouts, or giving clear credit. If you want everyone to see who you're tagging, this is your go-to option.

Here’s how to do it step-by-step:

1. Open the Story Camera: Launch the Instagram app and swipe right from your home feed, or tap the plus icon (+) in the corner and select "Story."
2. Create Your Content: Snap a new photo or video, or swipe up to choose a pre-existing image or clip from your phone's gallery.
3. Access the Sticker Tray: Once your content is on the screen, tap the Sticker icon at the top (it looks like a square smiley face).
4. Select the @MENTION Sticker: In the sticker tray, find and tap on the sticker labeled “@MENTION.”
5. Type the Username: Start typing the Instagram username of the person or brand you want to tag. As you type, Instagram will display a list of suggested accounts that match your text.
6. Choose the Correct Account: From the list, tap on the correct profile to select it. This creates the mention sticker on your Story canvas.
7. Customize and Place the Sticker: You can now treat the mention like any other sticker. Drag it anywhere on the screen, use two fingers to pinch and zoom to resize it, and tap it a few times to cycle through different color and style variations to best match your Story's aesthetic.
8. Share Your Story: Once you’re happy with the placement and look, hit "Your Story" to post it live.

Method 2: Using the Text Tool (The Subtle Way)

If you prefer a more integrated or understated look, you can tag an account directly through the text tool. This method makes the mention blend in with any other text on your Story, which can create a cleaner, more streamlined design. It's fully functional - the tag is still tappable - but it doesn't shout for attention like the sticker does.

Here’s the process for that:

1. Open the Story Camera &, Add Content: Just like before, create or upload the visual content for your Story.
2. Open the Text Tool: On the Story editing screen, tap the "Aa" icon in the top right corner to bring up the text cursor.
3. Type the Mention: Type the "@" symbol followed immediately by the username (e.g., @postbase). As you start typing, a list of matching accounts will appear at the bottom of the screen.
4. Tap to Confirm the Tag: You must select the account from the list that pops up. Once you tap the correct profile picture, the text will become underlined on the editing screen. This underlining confirms the account is tagged successfully. If it isn't underlined, it's just plain text and won't work as a link.
5. Customize Your Text: With the mention created, you can now use all the regular text tools. Change the font, adjust the text color, add a background, or resize it as you see fit. You have full creative control to make it look exactly how you want.
6. Position and Post: Drag the text box to its final position on the screen and share your Story.

Why Mentions are a Game-Changer for Social Strategy

Knowing how to tag someone is just the start. Understanding why it’s so powerful is what will set your strategy apart. A simple mention does three critical things for your account.

1. It Dramatically Increases Your Reach (Through Resharing)

This is the most significant benefit of mentioning another account. When you tag someone in your Story, they receive a notification and a direct message with a preview of that Story. That DM contains a powerful button: "Add to Your Story."

If they tap that button, your Story gets reposted to their Story, complete with a tappable link back to your profile. Suddenly, your content is in front of their entire follower base - an audience that may have never seen your account before. This organic, authentic form of distribution is one of the fastest ways to gain new followers and increase brand visibility without spending a dime on ads.

2. It Boosts Engagement and Builds Relationships

Social media is built on connection. Tagging other accounts is a direct way to initiate or nurture a relationship. When you mention a brand, a creator, or even a customer, you're sending a clear message: "I see you, I value you, and I want my audience to see you too."

This simple act can lead to:

• More DMs and Replies: The tagged account is highly likely to respond, either by resharing, replying to your Story, or sending a DM. This interaction is gold for the Instagram algorithm.
• Networking Opportunities: Consistently tagging partners, complementary brands, or creators in your niche keeps you on their radar, opening the door for future collaborations.
• Stronger Community Loyalty: When you feature and tag your customers (sharing their User-Generated Content), they feel celebrated and validated. This fosters immense brand loyalty and encourages others to share content in the hopes of being featured too.

3. It Provides Important Context and Credit

Finally, mentioning is just good social media etiquette. It’s the right way to give credit and show appreciation. For example, you should use mentions to:

• Credit the photographer or videographer who created your content.
• Tag the location, restaurant, or store you’re visiting.
• Shout out the brands whose products are featured in your post.
• Give credit to another creator whose idea inspired your content.

Creative Strategies for Using Mentions

Ready to move beyond basic tags? Here are some strategic ways to integrate mentions into your content calendar to drive specific marketing goals.

Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC)

Actively search for posts and Stories where customers have tagged your brand. Screenshot or save these posts and reshare them to your own Story. When you do, be sure to tag the original creator with a heartfelt thank you message. It’s a win-win: you get authentic content to post, and your customer gets a rewarding shoutout that strengthens their connection to your brand.

Run Interactive Contests and Giveaways

Mentions can be a key mechanic for a viral contest. A common but effective strategy is to create a giveaway post and set one of the entry rules as: "Share this post to your Story and tag us (@yourbrand) and a friend who would also love to win!" This not only boosts engagement on your original post but also uses every participant’s Story as a free ad for your brand.

Collaborate with Other Businesses and Creators

When you partner with another brand or creator, use Story mentions to cross-promote your audiences every step of the way. Share behind-the-scenes content and tag your partner as you're working on the collaboration. Announce the project and mutually tag each other to ensure both audiences are aware. This builds hype and doubles your promotional reach.

The "Secret" Mention: How to Tag an Account Invisibly

Sometimes you want an account (say, a huge brand you hope will see your product) to get the resharing notification, but you don't necessarily want the tag to clutter your beautifully designed Story. In this case, you can make the mention invisible.

Use either the sticker or text method to create the tag. Then, either:

• Shrink it down: Use two fingers to pinch the sticker or text box until it's a nearly invisible dot.
• Hide it: Drag the mention sticker completely off the viewable screen area.
• Cover it: Place another sticker, a GIF, or a larger text box directly on top of the mention to hide it from view.

Even though it’s hidden visually, the tag is still active. The account will get the notification and the option to reshare your Story, giving you the best of both worlds.

Troubleshooting Common Mention Issues

Struggling with a tag that won’t work? Here are some solutions to the most common problems.

Why can't I mention a specific account?

This usually happens for one of a few reasons. First, double-check the spelling of the username - it’s easy to make a typo. Second, the account may have blocked you, which prevents you from mentioning them. Finally, if the account has restrictions on who can mention them in their privacy settings, you won't be able to tag them.

Can I add a mention after I've already posted my Story?

Unfortunately, no. Mentions, like all other interactive elements, must be added to your Story before it’s published. If you forgot to tag someone, the only way to fix it is to delete the original Story and re-upload it with the mention included correctly this time.

How many people can I mention in a single Story?

Instagram lets you mention up to 10 accounts in a single Story. However, just because you can doesn't mean you should. Tagging a long list of people can look cluttered and spammy to your audience, so only mention accounts that are genuinely relevant to the content you’re posting.

Why didn't the person I tagged get the "Add to Your Story" option?

If the account you mentioned is private, they will not be able to reshare your Story to their own audience. Only public accounts have this functionality for resharing mentions from people they follow. It may also be a temporary glitch, so if it's an important mention, it might be worth sending them a quick DM.

Final Thoughts

Adding mentions to your Instagram stories is a small action with a big impact. From building a devoted community and sourcing authentic content to creating viral marketing loops, this simple feature is a fundamental tool for any creator or marketer looking for organic growth. Mastering both the technical "how" and the strategic "why" will help you make every Story count.

As social media professionals, we understand that planning this kind of strategic content across multiple platforms can quickly become overwhelming. At Postbase, we focused on creating a visual calendar that lets you plan your Story collaborations, UGC shoutouts, and creator tags right alongside your scheduled Reels and feed posts. While Instagram’s rules mean no third-party tool can directly schedule a Story with interactive stickers like mentions, our planner gives you the bird’s-eye view you need to keep everything organized and ensure those relationship-building moments never fall through the cracks.