How to Share and Tag on Instagram

Mastering sharing and tagging on Instagram is one of the fastest ways to boost your reach, give credit where it's due, and build a genuine community. This guide will walk you through exactly how to do it effectively, covering everything from tagging in Reels and Stories to creating powerful collaborative posts.

Why Tagging on Instagram Matters (And How It Works)

Tagging on Instagram might seem like a small action, but it's a powerful tool for growth and connection. When you tag someone in a post or Reel, their account is notified, and your content appears in the "Tagged Photos" section of their profile (a tab represented by a person-in-a-square icon). This is huge for visibility.

Think of it this way:

• It Increases Reach: Your post is now exposed to that person's audience, who might see it in their tagged content and discover your profile.
• It Fosters Community: Tagging people you're with, brands you're using, or creators who inspire you builds relationships. It’s a virtual high-five that shows you're paying attention.
• It Organizes Content: For brands, the tagged photos tab becomes a gallery of user-generated content (UGC), showcasing real people enjoying your products or services.
• It Encourages Shares: Tagging someone in a Story makes it incredibly easy for them to repost it to their own audience with a single tap, amplifying your message instantly.

How to Tag People in Instagram Posts (Feed, Reels, and Stories)

The process for tagging is slightly different depending on the content format, but the principle is the same. Let's break it down step-by-step.

Tagging in a New Instagram Feed Post (Photo or Video)

This is the classic way to tag accounts directly on your image or video post. You can tag up to 20 accounts in a single feed post.

• Step 1: Start a New Post. Tap the '+' icon at the bottom of your screen and select your photo or video. Tap "Next."
• Step 2: Edit Your Content. Apply any filters or edits you want and tap "Next" again.
• Step 3: Access the Tagging Menu. On the final screen where you write your caption, tap the "Tag People" option.
• Step 4: Place Your Tags. Tap anywhere on the photo or video. A search bar will appear. Start typing the username of the person or brand you want to tag and select them from the list. The tag will appear on the image.
• Step 5: Adjust and Repeat. You can drag the tag to a different location on your photo. Tap the photo again to add another tag, repeating the process until you've tagged everyone relevant.
• Step 6: Finish and Share. Once you're done, tap "Done." The "Tag People" section will now show the number of accounts you’ve tagged. Finish your caption and share your post.

Tagging in a New Instagram Reel

Tagging in Reels works exactly like a regular post, bringing the benefit of visibility directly to your short-form video content.

• Step 1: Create Your Reel. Record or upload your clips, add audio, text, and effects. When you're finished editing, tap "Next."
• Step 2: Find the Tagging Option. On the share screen (where you write your caption and choose a cover image), tap "Tag People."
• Step 3: Search and Select Accounts. Just like with a feed post, you'll see a search bar. Find and select the accounts you want to tag. Unlike photo posts, the tags won't appear on the video itself but will be linked to the Reel.
• Step 4: Publish Your Reel. After adding your tags, tap "Done" and share your Reel to the world.

Mentioning (@) vs. Post Tags: What's the Difference?

This is a common point of confusion. Here’s the simple distinction:

• Tagging: You use the "Tag People" feature to link an account directly to the photo, video, or Reel. This makes your content appear in the "Tagged Photos" section on their profile. It’s more permanent.
• Mentioning: You simply type the "@" symbol followed by a username (e.g., @username) directly in your caption or in a comment. This creates a clickable link to their profile and sends them a notification, but it does not add the post to their "Tagged Photos" tab.

Pro-Tip: For best results, do both! Tag the person in the photo and mention them in the caption to maximize the chances they will see it and engage.

Tagging People in Instagram Stories

Tagging in Stories is one of the most effective ways to get more eyes on your content.

• Step 1: Create your Story. Open the Story creator, either by swiping right from your feed or tapping your profile picture. Take a photo, record a video, or upload one from your gallery.
• Step 2: Use the Mention Sticker. Tap the sticker icon (the square smiley face) at the top of the screen. Select the "@MENTION" sticker.
• Step 3: Search and Tag. Start typing the username you want to tag. Select the correct account from the list that appears.
• Step 4: Customize and Place. You can now resize, rotate, and drag the mention sticker anywhere on your screen. Tapping it will cycle through different color variations for better design coordination.

Alternatively, you can just tap the text tool ("Aa") and type the "@" symbol followed by the username. This accomplishes the same thing without the sticker background. The key benefit here is that anyone you tag gets a notification with an "Add to Your Story" button, which lets them share your Story to their followers with just two taps.

Can You Tag Someone After Posting?

Good news: for feed posts, yes you can! If you forgot to tag someone, it's an easy fix.

• Go to the feed post you want to edit.
• Tap the three dots (...) in the top right corner of the post.
• Select "Edit."
• On the bottom left of your photo, you'll see an icon of a person in a circle labeled "Tag People." Tap it.
• You can then add new tags or tap existing ones to remove them.
• Tap "Done" when you're finished.

Important Note: Currently, you cannot edit tags or add collaborators to an Instagram Reel once it has been published. You would have to delete and re-upload it, so it's best to double-check your tags before hitting share.

Sharing Content on Instagram: A Quick Guide

Sharing is how great content gets legs on Instagram. Whether you're amplifying your own posts or highlighting another creator's work, knowing how to share properly is fundamental.

Sharing a Feed Post or Reel to Your Story

This is the most common way to reshare content and is perfect for promoting a new post to ensure more of your followers see it.

• Step 1: Find the Post. Go to the feed post or Reel you want to share (it can be your own or someone else's).
• Step 2: Tap the Share Icon. Tap the paper airplane icon located below the post, next to the comment button.
• Step 3: Add to Your Story. A menu will pop up. Select the first option, "Add to your story."
• Step 4: Customize and Publish. The post will appear as a sticker in your Story editor. You can tap it to switch between two styles: a clean post with the caption preview or just the media itself. You can pinch to resize, rotate, and add your own text, GIFs, or other stickers to provide context before sharing.

Sharing Someone Else’s Story You’re Tagged In

As mentioned earlier, this is one of the easiest and most effective forms of sharing.

• Step 1: Check your DMs. When someone mentions you in their story, you receive a notification in your direct messages.
• Step 2: Find the "Add to Your Story" button. Open the DM and you'll see a preview of the story with a prominent "Add to your story" button right below it.
• Step 3: Share. Tap that button, and it will take you to your Story editor with their Story already loaded as a sticker. Add any additional elements you'd like, then publish. The original creator's username will be automatically visible, providing credit.

Collaboration Posts: The Ultimate Sharing Feature

The "Invite Collaborator" feature is a game-changer. It allows a single feed post or Reel to appear on the profiles of two different accounts simultaneously. The post shares the same like count, analytics, and comment thread, effectively merging your audiences for that piece of content.

Here’s how to set one up:

1. Create a new Feed Post or Reel as you normally would.
2. On the final share screen, tap on "Tag People."
3. At the top of the next screen, you'll see an option to "Invite collaborator." Tap it.
4. Search for the username of the person you want to co-author the post with and select their account. You can only have one collaborator per post.
5. Once selected, share the post. The other user will receive an invitation via their DMs to accept the collaboration. Once they accept, the post will appear on their profile grid as well.

Tagging and Sharing Best Practices

Knowing how to tag and share is one thing, knowing when and why is what takes your strategy from basic to brilliant.

• Tag Only Relevant Accounts: Avoid the temptation to tag celebrities or huge accounts just to get their attention if they have nothing to do with your post. Instagram users can remove tags, and this practice can come off as spammy. Tag people who are in the photo, brands you are wearing, partners you worked with, or the location you're at.
• Always Credit Your Sources: If you're sharing user-generated content (UGC), a photographer's work, or inspiration from another creator, always tag and mention them. It’s proper social media etiquette and builds goodwill within the community.
• Lean into Collaborations: Collab posts are one of the best organic growth tools on the platform. Use them when you partner with another brand, run a giveaway with another creator, or co-host an event. It's mutual promotion at an equal level.
• Use Location Tags (Geotags): Don't forget to tag your location! When you add a geotag to a post or Story, it becomes discoverable to anyone looking at content from that place. Think of it as another free way to get discovered.
• Prompt Your Audience to Tag You: Actively encourage your followers to tag your account when they use your product or visit your location. This fills your "Tagged" tab with authentic social proof and gives you a stream of content you can reshare (with permission and credit, of course).

Final Thoughts

Effectively tagging and sharing on Instagram is about much more than just pushing buttons, it’s a foundational strategy for widening your reach, building genuine community ties, and giving proper credit. By consistently using mentions, post tags, Story reshares, and collaborative posts, you transform your content from a monologue into a conversation that invites others to join in.

Staying on top of every share, mention, and collaborative invitation across multiple platforms can quickly become overwhelming. At Postbase, we designed a unified engagement inbox specifically to solve this problem, bringing all comments and DMs into one clean feed so you never miss an opportunity to connect. We also make it incredibly simple to plan and schedule all of your content - including those powerful Collab posts - from a single visual calendar, taking the chaos out of your workflow so you can focus on creativity.