How to Credit Someone on Instagram

Sharing content on Instagram is all about community, but giving proper credit is what keeps that community strong and respectful. Getting this right isn’t just about being polite, it’s a key part of your social media strategy that builds relationships and protects you from potential issues. This guide will walk you through exactly why crediting matters, the different ways to do it, and the best practices for every type of content you might share.

Why Bother Crediting? More Than Just Good Manners

You might think giving credit is just a small detail, but it has a significant impact on your brand's growth and reputation. It goes far beyond simply acknowledging another person's work, it’s a strategic practice that opens doors, builds trust, and fosters a positive online environment.

Building Community and Relationships

At its core, social media is about connection. When you properly credit another creator, photographer, or brand, you're doing more than just giving a shout-out, you’re building a bridge. You’re telling them, "I see your work, I value it, and I want my audience to see it too." This simple act of recognition can be the start of a powerful professional relationship. Other creators are more likely to engage with your content, share your posts, and even collaborate with you in the future when they see you're an active and respectful member of the community. It’s the grassroots of brand networking.

Staying on the Right Side of Copyright

This is a big one. Any photo, video, piece of music, or graphic you find online was created by someone, and they almost always own the copyright to it. Using someone else’s work without their permission can lead to serious consequences, including having your post taken down by Instagram or facing legal action. While giving credit is not a substitute for getting permission, it's an absolutely essential first step. Many creators are happy for their work to be shared as long as they are properly credited, but you should always aim to ask for permission first, especially if you're a business.

Boosting Visibility for Everyone (Including You)

Crediting is a two-way street for exposure. When you tag or mention someone, you introduce them to your audience. Many of their followers may see your post through notifications or shares, bringing new eyes to your profile. The original creator might even share your post to their own Stories, putting your account directly in front of their audience. This cross-promotion expands everyone's reach. Think of it as a collaborative signal boost - you help them, they help you, and both of your communities grow.

Establishing Trust and Authenticity

Your followers appreciate transparency. When you consistently and clearly credit the sources of your content, you show that you're an honest and authentic brand. It proves that you're not trying to take credit for work that isn't yours. This level of integrity builds trust over time, making your audience more likely to engage with you, listen to your recommendations, and stick around for the long haul. A trustworthy brand is a strong brand.

The Core Methods: Tagging, Mentioning, and Captions

Instagram gives you several tools to give credit where it's due. The best approach often involves using a combination of these methods to make sure your acknowledgment is clear, respectful, and visible.

1. Tagging in a Post or Story (The Visible Method)

Tagging directly links another account to your visual content - your photo or video. This is the most common and effective way to give credit because it makes the creator's profile just one tap away and adds the post to the "Tagged In" section of their profile.

How to Tag in a Feed Post:

• First, create a new post by tapping the "+" icon and selecting your photo or video.
• After editing your content and tapping "Next," you'll land on the final screen where you write your caption.
• Tap on "Tag People."
• Tap anywhere on the photo. A search bar will pop up.
• Start typing the username of the person you want to credit and select their account from the list. You can add multiple tags if needed.
• Tap "Done" to save the tags, finish your caption, and hit "Share."

How to Tag in an Instagram Story:

• Create your Story by adding a photo or video.
• Tap the sticker icon (the smiley face in a square) at the top of the screen.
• Select the "@MENTION" sticker from the options.
• Type the username you want to credit and select their account.
• You can then resize, move, and customize the color of the mention sticker before publishing your Story. Anyone who views the Story can tap the sticker to visit that person's profile.

2. Mentioning in the Caption (@Username)

A mention uses the "@" symbol followed by a username directly in your caption or in a comment. This creates a clickable link to their profile and sends them a notification that they've been mentioned. While a tag is tied to the photo itself, a mention is part of the text.

For best results, do both! Tag the person in the photo and mention them in the caption. This offers multiple ways for your audience to find the original creator and ensures your credit can't be missed. The ideal place for a mention is at the very top of your caption, even before the main text. This makes it instantly visible.

Example:

Amazing shot by @photographersusername! 📸
We had so much fun exploring the coastline this weekend. Where should we go next?

3. Using the Collaboration Feature (The Co-Author Method)

This is the gold standard for crediting a direct collaborator. When you invite someone to be a collaborator, the post appears on both of your profiles simultaneously. You share likes, comments, and engagement, and both of your usernames appear in the post's header. It's the ultimate way to show a piece of content was a joint effort.

How to Add a Collaborator:

• Follow the steps to tag someone in a Feed post. On the "Tag People" screen, tap "Invite Collaborator."
• Search for and select the user you want to co-author the post with. You can invite multiple collaborators.
• When you share the post, your collaborator will receive a notification and an invitation. Once they accept, the post will appear on their profile grid as well.

This method is perfect for brand partnerships, creator collaborations, joint projects, and any situation where two accounts shared equally in creating the content.

Crediting Best Practices for Different Content Types

How you give credit can change depending on what you're sharing. Here's a breakdown for some common scenarios to make sure you're getting it right every time.

Crediting Photographers and Videographers

This is non-negotiable. If you're posting a photo or video that you didn't create yourself, the photographer or videographer must be credited clearly and prominently.

• Make it Obvious: Don't bury the credit at the bottom of a long caption. Put it right at the top.
• Use Emojis for Clarity: Using a camera emoji (📸) or a video camera emoji (📹) makes the credit easy to spot.
• The Best Practice Combo: Tag their account in the photo/video itself and mention them in the very first line of the caption. Example: 📸: @artistname.

Crediting in User-Generated Content (UGC)

If you're a brand or business sharing a photo or video from a customer or follower, you are using User-Generated Content. This is a powerful marketing tool, but it comes with responsibilities.

• Permission First, Always: Before you even think about posting, reach out to the original creator via DM and ask for their explicit permission to share their content on your feed. A credit is not a replacement for permission.
• Credit Prominently: Once you have permission, tag their account in the photo and mention them clearly in the caption. Frame it positively. Example: "We love how @username styled our new collection! ✨"

Crediting a Source for a Quote, Idea, or Trend

Content isn't always visual. If you're sharing an idea, a quote, or taking part in a trend, it's good practice to credit the source.

• Quote Graphics: Credit the person who said the quote as well as the designer of the graphic if it wasn't you. Example: "'Quote goes here.' – Original Speaker // Graphic by @graphicdesigner"
• Inspiration or Ideas: If another creator's post inspired you to create your own, give them a nod. A simple "Inspired by @username!" in your caption goes a long way.
• Dance Credits (DC): On Reels and TikTok, it’s a community standard to credit the creator of a dance or challenge. Use "DC: @creatorname" in your caption or in on-screen text.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Giving proper credit is easy, but it's also easy to get it wrong. Avoid these common mistakes to keep your account in good standing with the creator community.

"Credit to the Owner" is Not a Real Credit

This is probably the most common mistake. Writing "credit: owner" or "photo credit: Pinterest" is useless. It does nothing to help your audience find the original creator and shows a lack of effort to find the correct source. If you don't know who created it, don't post it.

Burying the Credit

Don't hide the photographer's tag at the very end of your caption after five paragraphs of text and squeezed between 30 hashtags. Good crediting is visible crediting. Put it front and center, right at the top of your caption, so it's one of the first things people see.

Assuming Credit is Enough

We've said it before, but it bears repeating: credit does not equal permission. For any professional or brand use, you should always get written permission (a DM is fine) from the creator before you repost their work. It's the professional and legally sound way to operate.

Final Thoughts

Properly crediting others on Instagram isn't just about following rules, it's a powerful strategy for building relationships, increasing visibility, and establishing your account as a trustworthy part of the community. Using a mix of tags, mentions, and collaborator invites shows respect for the creative process and helps everyone on the platform grow together.

As our community of users grows, we consistently see how proper crediting is a core part of a winning content strategy. That's why we built Postbase with a visual calendar that helps you plan collaborations and schedule user-generated content weeks in advance. By keeping everything organized in one place, you can focus on building relationships and creating great content, trusting that your posts, complete with all the right credits and tags, will go live exactly when planned.