How to Get the Athlete Tag on Instagram

Getting that Athlete category label under your name on Instagram might seem like a small detail, but it's a powerful and immediate signal of your identity in the competitive world of sports and fitness. This simple tag lends instant credibility, opening doors to new followers, brand partnerships, and opportunities. In this guide, we'll walk through exactly how to add it to your profile, explain why it matters, and share strategies for building a powerful athletic brand around it.

What Exactly is the Instagram Athlete Category?

The "Athlete" tag is a professional category label that you can display on your Instagram profile, right below your name. It’s not just a random piece of text you add to your bio, it’s an official category assigned to your account through Instagram’s professional settings. To get it, you must have an Instagram Business or Creator account.

So, why go through the trouble? This little label does more heavy lifting for your brand than you might think:

• Establishes Instant Credibility: It immediately tells visitors - brands, sponsors, agents, and fans - who you are and what you do. There's no guesswork. You’re not just someone who posts gym selfies, you are identified as an athlete. This professionalism is a huge first impression win.
• Enhances Discoverability: By categorizing yourself, you're giving Instagram’s algorithm a clear signal about your content niche. This can help connect your profile with users who actively engage with sports figures, teams, and fitness content, potentially increasing your reach and follower growth.
• Unlocks Professional Tools: The tag itself is a cosmetic feature, but the requirement to have a Professional account is where the real value lies. Switching unlocks access to Instagram Insights (analytics), contact button options for your bio, and promotional tools to run targeted ads.

In short, it’s a foundational step in transforming your Instagram from a personal page into a professional brand hub.

How to Add the Athlete Tag to Your Instagram Profile: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough

Ready to make it official? The whole process takes less than two minutes. The most important prerequisite is switching your personal account to a professional one. Don’t worry, it's free and reversible if you ever change your mind.

Step 1: Switch to a Professional Account

If you're still using a personal Instagram profile, your first step is to switch. This is what gives you access to the category labels and analytics.

1. Navigate to your profile page and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top-right corner.
2. Select Settings and privacy.
3. Scroll down to the "For professionals" section and tap on Account type and tools.
4. Tap Switch to professional account and hit "Continue" through the introductory screens that explain the benefits.

At this point, you'll be prompted to choose between a "Creator" account and a "Business" account.

• Creator Account: This is the ideal choice for most individual athletes. It’s designed for a public figure, content producer, or artist. Creator accounts offer more flexible profile controls, detailed growth insights, and, importantly, access to the full music library for Reels - which is often restricted on Business accounts due to licensing.
• Business Account: This is better suited for official team pages, sports brands, gyms, or companies. It has slightly different features, like the ability to add a physical location, but often comes with music limitations.

For an individual athlete, always choose Creator for the best experience.

Step 2: Select the "Athlete" Category

Once you’ve selected "Creator," you'll land on a "What best describes you?" page. This is where you find the magic tag.

1. In the search bar at the top, type "Athlete."
2. Select it from the list that appears. You might see other related options like "Coach" or "Sports Team," but for the specific tag we're after, make sure you choose "Athlete."
3. After selecting it, tap "Done."

This assigns the category to your account. The final step is making sure everyone can see it.

Step 3: Make Sure the Tag Is Displayed on Your Profile

On the next screen, you’ll see an option called Display on profile. Make sure this toggle is switched on (it should turn blue). If it's off, your category will be set internally, but the "Athlete" label won't appear publicly under your name.

After finishing the setup steps (which may include connecting a Facebook Page, which is optional), go back to your profile. The "Athlete" tag should now be proudly displayed right under your username!

Already Have a Professional Account?

If you already have a Creator or Business account but have the wrong category (or none at all), updating it is simple.

1. Go to your profile and tap Edit Profile.
2. Look for the Category option, located right under "Pronouns."
3. Tap on it, search for "Athlete," and select it.
4. On this same screen, ensure the "Display on profile" toggle is on.
5. Tap the checkmark to save your changes.

The Athlete Tag is Just the Beginning: Maximizing Your Presence

Activating the Athlete tag is like putting on the uniform - it signals you belong. But it's your performance, or in this case, your content strategy, that truly defines your brand. The tag is the first step, not the finish line.

Optimize Your Bio for a Pro Look

Now that you have the professional tag, make sure the rest of your bio supports it. This is your digital business card. Your bio should explicitly state:

• Who you are: Your sport and position (e.g., "Pro Volleyball Player," "Powerlifter").
• What you've accomplished: A key achievement or affiliation (e.g., "Team USA," "2x National Champion," "Founder of XYZ Fitness").
• What you offer: If you offer coaching or have a specific message (e.g., "Helping you get stronger," "Mindset & Performance Coach").
• A link: Use your one link in bio to direct traffic to your website, training app, YouTube channel, or sponsor pages.

A bio that works in harmony with your "Athlete" tag creates a cohesive, powerful first impression.

Create Content That Reinforces Your Identity

Your feed is the proof behind the label. Your content strategy should consistently reinforce your identity as an athlete. Think beyond just posting highlights. Build a well-rounded content mix that showcases your journey.

Behind-the-scenes Training

This is your bread and butter. Show the grit, the grind, and the dedication that goes into your craft. Use Reels and Stories to share clips from training sessions, warm-ups, and drills. This type of content is authentic and highly engaging for fans who want to see what happens off the competition floor.

Performance & Competition

Share highlights from your games, meets, or competitive events. Slow-motion Reels of a perfect play, a photo series of a victory, or a carousel post breaking down a key moment - these posts celebrate your success and showcase your skills at their peak.

Educational Content

Establish your expertise and give back to your community. Create simple tutorials on techniques specific to your sport, offer tips for aspiring athletes, or explain exercises and their benefits. This builds authority and positions you as a knowledgeable figure in your niche.

Lifestyle & Personality

Being an athlete is what you do, but it's not all of who you are. Share content about your nutrition, recovery routines, mindset strategies, and hobbies outside of your sport. This humanizes your brand, deepens your connection with your audience, and makes you more relatable.

Use Your Professional Account Tools

Remember those professional tools you unlocked? It's time to put them to work.

• Check Your Insights: Once a week, look at your Instagram Analytics. Which posts got the most saves or shares? At what time of day were your followers most active? Which Reels got the most views? Use this data to understand what your audience loves and create more of it.
• Add Contact Options: In "Edit Profile," you can add "Contact options" like an email button. This makes it incredibly easy for brands, agents, or media to reach you for partnership opportunities without having to dig for information.

Adding the Athlete tag is the easy part. Building a compelling brand requires you to consistently show up and prove it with valuable, inspiring content.

Final Thoughts

Switching to a professional account and selecting the "Athlete" category is a simple yet high-impact move for any athlete looking to grow on Instagram. It’s a clear, professional label that legitimizes your presence, boosts visibility, and gives you the tools you need to build a meaningful personal brand.

We know that as an athlete, your focus should be on training and creating content, not getting stuck wrestling with social media logistics day after day. That's why we designed Postbase to streamline everything for you. Our visual calendar lets you plan your training content, lifestyle posts, and brand partnerships weeks ahead of time. You can schedule Reels, TikToks, and posts across all your platforms at once and trust that they'll publish reliably - without you double-checking or worrying about accounts disconnecting. Postbase handles the backend, so you can keep your head in the game.