How to Repost a Tagged Post on Instagram

Tapping into the content your audience creates is a goldmine for your brand, turning happy customers into your most authentic marketing team. Getting tagged on Instagram isn't just a notification, it's a piece of user-generated content ready to be shared. This guide will walk you through exactly how to repost tagged photos, Reels, and Stories to build social proof and fill your content calendar with material your audience will love.

Why You Should Be Reposting Tagged Content

Before jumping into the "how," it's worth understanding the "why." Leveraging user-generated content you're tagged in is one of the most powerful organic growth strategies available on Instagram. It’s more than just filling an empty slot in your posting schedule, it’s a deliberate move that strengthens your brand.

Builds Genuine Social Proof and Trust

Think about it: which are you more likely to trust? A perfectly polished ad from a company, or a post from a real person showing off a product they genuinely enjoy? For most, the answer is the real person. When you share content from your followers, you’re providing authentic social proof. You're showing potential customers that real people, not just your marketing team, love what you do. This builds a level of trust that branded content struggles to achieve on its own.

An Endless Supply of Authentic Content

The content creation treadmill is real. Coming up with new ideas, staging photoshoots, and editing videos takes a massive amount of time, energy, and resources. UGC is a sustainable solution. Your community becomes a team of creators, providing you with a constant stream of high-quality, relevant content that reflects how your product or service fits into their lives. It's honest, relatable, and frees up your time to focus on other parts of your strategy.

Strengthens Your Brand Community

Everyone loves to be recognized. When you feature a customer's post, you’re not just sharing a picture, you're celebrating a member of your community. This simple act makes that person feel seen, valued, and more connected to your brand. In turn, it encourages them and others to keep sharing and tagging you in the future, creating a positive feedback loop of engagement and loyalty.

How to Repost a Tagged Story to Your Own Story

This is the simplest way to reshare content on Instagram, and it's a feature Instagram has built directly into the platform. When someone tags your account in their Story, you get a dedicated notification, making it almost effortless to share.

Here’s the step-by-step breakdown:

1. Check Your Notifications and DMs: When someone tags you in their Story, you'll receive a notification. You will also get a direct message (DM) from that person containing their Story. The DM will explicitly state, "mentioned you in their story."
2. Find the "Add to Your Story" Button: Open the DM. You'll see a preview of their Story with a prominent button that says "Add to your story." Tap it.
3. Customize and Edit: This will open the Instagram Story editor with their post embedded as a sticker. Now, you can get creative!
   • Resize and Rotate: Pinch to zoom in or out, and use two fingers to rotate the post.
   • Reposition: Drag the embedded story anywhere on the screen.
   • Add Your Own Spin: This is a great opportunity to add your brand's voice. You can add a text overlay thanking the person, use a GIF to express excitement, run a poll, or add a sticker asking a question related to their post.
4. Share It: Once you're happy with how it looks, just hit the "Your Story" button at the bottom to post it live.

Pro-Tip: Don't just hit reshare without context. By adding a simple "We love this vibe!" or "So glad you enjoyed your visit!" you add a personal touch that shows you're paying attention and truly appreciate the shout-out.

Sharing and Reposting Tagged Reels

Reposting a Reel where you've been tagged involves a few more steps because Instagram doesn't offer a direct "repost to feed" button from another person's video. But you have two main options: sharing the Reel to your Story or reposting it to your permanent feed.

Method 1: Share the Tagged Reel to Your Story

This method is quick, easy, and great for timely, in-the-moment content that doesn't need to live permanently on your Grid. It functions much like a regular Story post.

1. Go to the Reel you’re tagged in.
2. Tap the paper airplane icon (the share button) below the comment icon on the right.
3. Select "Add to story" from the menu that pops up.
4. Just like any Story, you can resize the Reel, add text, mention stickers, GIFs, and other interactive elements before posting.

While this is simple, remember that it will disappear after 24 hours just like any other Story. For content you want to feature more permanently, you'll need to repost it to your feed.

Method 2: Repost the Tagged Reel to Your Feed (The Right Way)

Reposting a user's Reel to your own profile grid is a powerful way to endorse their content. But it requires care and proper etiquette. This is not the place to take a screenshot and call it a day, as that screams unprofessionalism and results in low-quality content.

Step 1: Always, Always Ask for Permission

This is the most critical step and is absolutely non-negotiable. Before you do anything else, slide into the creator's DMs and ask if you can share their video on your feed. It’s polite, professional, and protects you from any potential usage rights issues. A collaborative relationship starts with respect.

Here’s a friendly template you can adapt:

"Hey [Creator's Username]! We absolutely loved the Reel you posted featuring us. It’s amazing! We’d be honored to share it on our feed for our whole community to see. Would that be okay with you? We'll give you full credit in the caption and tag, of course!"

Step 2: Get the Original Video File

Once you have permission, the goal is to get the highest-quality version of the video. The best way is to simply ask the creator if they can send you the original file. Most creators are happy to do so.

If you can't get the original, you might look into third-party downloader apps or websites, but be cautious and vet them carefully. Screen recording is a last-resort option, as it almost always degrades the video quality and includes on-screen elements you don't want.

Step 3: Upload and Give A-Plus Credit

Now you’re ready to post.

1. Upload the video to Instagram just as you would create a new Reel.
2. Give prominent credit. This is about celebrating the creator, not just using their content. Tag their account directly in the Reel and mention their username at the very top of your caption. Don't bury the credit at the bottom of a long paragraph or hide it in the hashtags. Examples like "📽️ An incredible moment captured by @[creator’s username]!" or "We’re obsessed with this Reel from @[creator’s username]!" work perfectly.
3. Add Your Own Flavor. Write a caption that adds value. Explain why you loved the Reel. Connect it back to your brand or a larger campaign. Use a mix of your brand's hashtags and relevant ones to expand its reach.

How to Repost Tagged Photos and Carousels to Your Feed

The process for reposting a static image or a carousel post is nearly identical to reposting a Reel to your feed. The principles of permission and proper credit are just as important.

1. Secure Permission in Writing: Just like with Reels, send a DM. Ask for permission to feature their photo on your grid. It’s a good practice to keep a record of these permissions.
2. Request the High-Resolution Image: A screenshot will never look as good as the original. Kindly ask the creator if they would be willing to send you the original, high-res photo(s). This shows that you value quality and respect their work.
3. Create a New Post and Give Proper Credit: When you upload the photo, immediately tag the creator's profile in the photo itself. Then, your first line of the caption should be a credit to them (e.g., "📸: An amazing shot by the talented @[creator’s username]"). Craft a caption around the photo and post.

An extra tip for feed posts is to try and maintain your grid aesthetic. Not every tagged photo will be a good fit, and that's okay. Curate the UGC you repost just as you would your own content to keep your brand's feed looking cohesive and professional.

Best Practices for Reposting: The Dos and Don'ts

To keep your community happy and your brand looking professional, keep these simple guidelines in mind.

The Dos ✅

• Do always ask for permission when reposting content to your feed or Reels.
• Do give clear and immediate credit by tagging the creator in the media itself and mentioning their @username at the very top of the caption.
• Do engage with the original post first. Before asking to reshare, leave a like and a genuine comment on their post.
• Do add your own commentary or context in the caption to seamlessly integrate the post into your brand's narrative.
• Do curate carefully. Choose UGC that aligns with your brand's visual identity and values.

The Don'ts 🚫

• Do not ever repost a post to your permanent feed without permission. It's bad etiquette and can damage your reputation.
• Do not overly edit or alter the creator's original work. If you need to make changes like cropping, ask them first.
• Do not hide the credit. Burying it under hashtags or at the end of a long caption isn't fair to the creator.
• Do not just take any content you find. Stick to reposting users who have actively tagged or mentioned your brand.

Final Thoughts

Reposting tagged posts on Instagram is a fantastic strategy to weave authentic stories from your biggest fans directly into your marketing. By properly sharing content from Stories, Reels, and your feed, you not only get a break from the content creation grind but also build unbreakable trust and community around your brand.

Mastering the art of UGC resharing is one thing, but keeping track of tagged mentions, permission DMs, and scheduling it all can feel like chaos. At Postbase, we designed our platform to put an end to that chaos. We built a unified inbox so you can manage comments and DMs from all your platforms in one place - making it simple to spot awesome UGC, ask for permission, and thank creators without missing a beat. From there, our visual calendar lets you plan and schedule that great content exactly where and when you want it, all from one clean, easy-to-use dashboard.