How to Tag Brands on TikTok

Tagging a brand on TikTok is more than just a quick shout-out, it's a strategic move to get on a brand's radar, build partnerships, and grow your presence on the platform. Whether you’re sharing a product you love or posting officially sponsored content, knowing how to tag correctly is an essential skill for any creator. This guide walks you through every method for tagging brands, the unwritten rules for getting noticed, and the strategy behind turning a simple tag into a real opportunity.

Why Tagging Brands Matters on TikTok

Before jumping into the "how," it's worth understanding the "why." Tagging a brand isn’t just for influencers with massive followings. It’s a powerful tool for creators at every level, and the payoff can be significant. When you tag a brand, you're doing more than just giving them credit - you’re opening a channel of communication and tapping into a larger ecosystem.

1. Boosts Your Visibility and Reach

At the most basic level, tagging a brand in your video's caption puts you directly on their radar. Most businesses have social media managers whose job is to monitor these mentions. If they like what they see, they might engage with a like or a comment, which gives your profile a little credibility boost. Even better, they might re-share your video to their own audience through a Duet, Stitch, or by featuring it on their page. This is a game-changer, as it exposes your content to a potentially massive, highly targeted audience you wouldn't otherwise reach.

2. Builds Authentic Relationships

Think of tagging as the digital version of a professional handshake. It's the first step in building a relationship with a brand you admire. Consistently creating high-quality content that features a brand shows them you’re a genuine fan. This organic support is far more valuable to them than a one-off paid post. Over time, that consistency can transform you from just a customer into a valuable community member, a brand ambassador, and eventually, a trusted partner.

3. Opens the Door to Monetization

Let's be real: for many creators, this is the ultimate goal. Brands are constantly scouting for creators to work with for User-Generated Content (UGC) campaigns, affiliate programs, and sponsored posts. Your tagged videos act as a living portfolio. When a brand is looking for authentic content, they're not just scrolling through applications, they're looking at who is already talking about them positively. A great, organically tagged video could be your direct ticket to getting an inbound email for a paid partnership.

4. Establishes Trust with Your Audience

Tagging the products you genuinely use and love adds a layer of transparency and trust with your followers. It shows you're not just creating random content, you're sharing things that are part of your life. This authenticity resonates deeply with viewers and strengthens the community you're building. When you eventually do have a sponsored post, your audience is more likely to trust your recommendation because you've already built a foundation of genuine endorsements.

The Basics: How to Tag a Brand in Your Caption or Comments

This is the simplest and most common way to mention a brand on TikTok. The @mention makes the brand's name a clickable link in your caption, leading viewers directly to their profile and sending a notification to the brand that they've been tagged. It’s perfect for casual shout-outs, product reviews, or just showing off something you love.

Step-by-Step Guide:

• Step 1: Record or Upload Your Video. Create your video as you normally would within the TikTok app or upload a clip you've already edited.
• Step 2: Proceed to the Posting Screen. After you've finished editing, adding sounds, text, and effects, tap "Next" to move to the screen where you write your caption and adjust settings.
• Step 3: Write Your Caption and Add the Tag. In the caption box, type the "@" symbol. As you begin to type the brand's name, a list of suggested accounts will appear right below your text.
• Step 4: Select the Correct Brand. Scroll through the suggestions and tap the brand's official account. The name will then appear highlighted in your caption, confirming it’s a clickable tag.
• Step 5: Post Your Video. Fill out the rest of your caption with relevant hashtags, then post your video. The brand will now be tagged! You can use the same process to tag brands in a comment on your own video or someone else's.

Pro Tip: Always Double-Check the Handle

This sounds simple, but it’s an easy mistake to make. Brands often have impostor or fan accounts. Make sure you're tagging the brand's primary, verified account (look for the blue checkmark, if they have one). Tagging @nikestorefanpage instead of the official @nike account means the brand's actual social media team will never see your video, defeating the purpose completely.

Going Legit: Using the "Branded Content" Toggle

Once you cross the line from being a fan to having a formal partnership with a brand - meaning you're receiving compensation in any form (money, free products, gift cards, etc.) - you need to disclose it. TikTok’s Branded Content toggle is built specifically for this. It adds a clear "Paid partnership" label to your video, which is essential for transparency with your audience and for complying with advertising guidelines like those from the FTC.

When Should You Use the Branded Content Toggle?

It's better to be safe than sorry, but here are the clearest scenarios when flipping this switch on is non-negotiable:

• You are being paid money to post the video.
• You received the product for free in exchange for a post.
• You are using an affiliate link in your bio and the video is promoting it.
• A brand has any form of creative control or approval over your video.

How to Use the Branded Content Toggle: Step-by-Step

1. On the final posting screen, scroll down and tap on "More options."
2. Look for the section titled "Branded content and ads."
3. Toggle on the "Branded content" switch. The toggle will turn green.
4. Once enabled, you’ll be prompted to officially link your brand partner to the post. TikTok will ask you to select the brand involved in this piece of content.
5. If the brand requires it for promotional purposes, you can also toggle on the "Ad authorization" switch. This allows the brand to use your post in their own advertising campaigns as a Spark Ad, which is a powerful way for them to leverage your authentic content.

Driving Sales: How to Tag Products with TikTok Shop

For creators approved for the TikTok Shop Affiliate program, tagging is directly tied to earning commissions. This feature lets you link specific products from a brand’s TikTok Shop directly to your video. When a viewer taps the link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission. It’s a seamless way to monetize your content without sending users off the platform.

Step-by-Step: Adding a Product Link

1. On the posting screen (before you publish), tap the "Add link" option.
2. From the pop-up menu, select "Product."
3. This will open up your Shoppable Product Showcase, where you can see all the products you've added from different shops.
4. Search for or scroll to find the specific product featured in your video and tap "Add."
5. You can customize the product name that appears on your video. Make it clear and enticing. Once you confirm, you’ll see the product link appear above your caption on the post screen.
6. When you publish, a small shopping bag icon and the product name will be visible on your video.

This is the most direct way to prove your value to a brand. If your tagged videos consistently drive sales, you become an incredibly valuable partner, opening doors for higher commission rates and more exclusive deals.

Smart Tagging Strategy: Best Practices That Get You Noticed

Just knowing how to tag isn't enough. You need a strategy to make sure your tags are actually working for you. Spamming every brand under the sun won't get you anywhere. Here are the unwritten rules for smart, effective tagging.

Be Authentic, Not Spammy

Only tag brands when their products are genuinely and visibly featured in your video. Tagging Nike in a makeup tutorial where you happen to be wearing their socks off-camera is inauthentic. A video showcasing a cool sneaker transition that clearly features their shoes is perfect. The context must be relevant. Brand managers can spot inauthentic tags a mile away, and it's more likely to hurt your reputation than help it.

Make the Brand Look Good

Every piece of content you create is a potential part of your creator portfolio. If you want a brand to notice you, make them look good. This means high-quality visuals, good lighting, clear audio, and creative storytelling. A grainy, low-effort video that happens to have a product in it won't land you a deal. Your video should be something the brand would be proud to re-share on their own page.

Combine @Mentions with Hashtags

Don’t rely on the tag alone. Amplify your visibility by also using the brand's official hashtags and campaign-specific hashtags. For example, alongside tagging @dunkin, you might also use #dunkin, #icedcoffee, or a seasonal hashtag they're promoting. This increases the surface area for their social team to discover your content while they monitor keywords related to their brand.

Aim For Smaller, Engaged Brands

Big names like Amazon or Starbucks are tagged thousands of times a day, making it incredibly difficult to stand out. Instead, shift some of your focus to smaller, up-and-coming brands that you genuinely admire. These brands often have smaller, more agile social teams who are actively looking for great UGC. You have a much higher chance of being seen, featured, and even forming a long-term partnership as they grow. This is a great way to build your portfolio and case studies before pitching larger companies.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to tag brands is a fundamental TikTok skill that separates casual users from strategic creators. By moving beyond simple @mentions and understanding when to use branded content tools and product links, you can unlock visibility, build brand relationships, and create real monetization opportunities. Remember to be authentic, create high-quality content, and engage strategically to turn your tags into partnerships.

As you begin to land more of those partnerships, keeping your content calendar organized across multiple platforms becomes essential. At Postbase, we designed our platform for this exact reality. Our visual calendar lets you plan all your content - including your sponsored posts for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts - in one simple, uncluttered view. Since we integrate with today's most popular platforms, we take the stress out of customizing and scheduling posts for sponsored campaigns, so you can focus on creating great content knowing your scheduled posts will publish reliably. If your workflow feels chaotic, check out Postbase to see how an organized content plan can make your life easier.