How to Tag Someone in an Instagram Bio

Adding a clickable tag to another Instagram account in your bio is a simple but powerful way to network, give credit, or shuttle followers between profiles. It turns a static line of text into an active link, guiding your audience exactly where you want them to go. This guide breaks down exactly how to do it step-by-step, explores smart ways to use a bio tag, and covers a few best practices to keep your profile looking professional.

What's the Purpose of Tagging in a Bio?

Before jumping into the "how," it helps to understand the "why." A bio tag isn't just a random feature, it’s a strategic tool used by creators, brands, and casual users alike to achieve specific goals. Your 150-character bio is prime real estate, and using it for a tag should be a deliberate decision. Think of it as a signpost on your profile page.

Here are the most common reasons to tag someone in your Instagram bio:

• Giving Credit and Associations: The most common use. If you're a founder, you tag your company (@mybrand). If you're an artist, you might tag the gallery that represents you (@galleryname). It instantly creates a verifiable link between you and another entity, building legitimacy.
• Driving Traffic to Other Accounts: Many creators and entrepreneurs manage multiple accounts. A photographer might have a professional profile and a separate one for personal work. Tagging the other account in the bio (@another_account) creates a simple funnel for curious followers to discover more of your work. The same goes for pet accounts, project accounts, or side hustles.
• Highlighting a Team or Founder: A brand account can humanize its image by tagging its founder or key team members. For example, a small business bio might read, "Handmade leather goods by @founder_name." This adds a personal touch and puts a face to the brand, which can build trust with potential customers.
• Collaborations and Partnerships: If you are working closely with another creator or business, a temporary or permanent tag in your bio can signal that partnership. This is common for co-hosts of a podcast (@host_one & @host_two), co-authors of a book, or brand ambassadors who want to showcase their affiliation.
• Personal Relationships: On personal profiles, it’s common to see people tag their spouse, partner, or a family member. While less strategic from a marketing perspective, it’s a popular way to personalize a profile.

How to Tag Someone in Your Instagram Bio: The Step-by-Step Guide

Ready to add a tag? The process is straightforward and takes less than a minute. The most important part is making sure you select the correct username from the list, otherwise, the tag won't be clickable.

Just follow these simple steps:

Step 1: Go to Your Profile

Open the Instagram app and tap on your profile picture icon in the bottom-right corner to navigate to your main profile page.

Step 2: Tap "Edit Profile"

Look for the "Edit Profile" button located directly below your follower count and bio text. Tap it to open up the editing screen for your profile.

Step 3: Find the "Bio" Section

On the "Edit Profile" screen, you will see fields for your name, username, pronouns, and bio. Tap on the "Bio" section to open the text editor.

Step 4: Type the "@" Symbol and Username

Decide where you want the tag to appear in your bio. Once you have the cursor in the right spot, type the at symbol (@) immediately followed by the Instagram username you want to tag. For example, if you wanted to tag the official Instagram account, you would type @instagram.

Important: Do not put a space between the "@" and the username. It must be written as one continuous string.

Step 5: Select the Correct Account from the List

As you start typing the username after the "@" symbol, a list of matching accounts will pop up below the text box. This is the most crucial step. You need to tap the correct account from this list. Doing so officially "tags" them and ensures the text will become a live, clickable link once you save. If you only type out the handle and don't select it, it will just show up as plain text.

Step 6: Save Your Changes

Once you’ve added your tag and finished any other edits to your bio, tap the "Done" button or the blue checkmark in the top-right corner of the screen to save your changes.

And that’s it! Head back to your profile page, and you should now see the username you tagged displayed in blue. Tap it to confirm that it directs you to the correct profile. If it’s not clickable, you likely missed Step 5 - go back and make sure you select the user from the pop-up list.

Profile Tags vs. Hashtags in Your Bio: Understanding the Difference

Sometimes people confuse tagging a profile with using a hashtag in their bio. While both create blue, clickable links, they serve entirely different functions.

Profile Tag (@username)

A profile tag creates a direct link to another specific Instagram account. When someone clicks it, they are taken directly to that user's profile page. It's a one-to-one connection. Use a profile tag when you want to credit an individual, direct traffic to another one of your accounts, or affiliate yourself with a specific person or brand.

Hashtag (#hashtag)

A hashtag creates a link to a hashtag feed, which is a collection of all public posts that have used that same hashtag. When someone clicks #getoutside in your bio, they won't go to a profile, they'll go to a public gallery of content about getting outside. This is useful for associating yourself with a community, a movement, a niche interest, or a branded campaign (e.g., #shareacoke).

Bottom line: Use the "@" tag to link to people or accounts. Use the "#" tag to link to conversations or communities.

Strategic Ways Brands and Creators Use Bio Tags

Once you know how to add a tag, you can start thinking strategically about how to use it. Here are some real-world examples to inspire you.

For Founders and Entrepreneurs

The relationship between a founder's personal brand and their company's brand is deeply intertwined on social media. Bio tags are the perfect way to bridge this gap.

• A Founder's Bio: "CEO at @mycoolstartup | On a mission to build the future of X, Y, and Z. 🚀"
  Why it works: It immediately establishes credibility and funnels anyone interested in the founder's work directly to the business page.
• A Company's Bio: "Sustainable goods for the modern home. A woman-owned business founded by @jane_doe."
  Why it works: It humanizes the brand by putting a face to the name. This builds trust and gives passionate customers a person to connect with.

For Creative Collaborators

For those working in creative fields, giving proper credit is everything. A bio tag streamlines attribution.

• A Podcast's Bio: "The daily tech news show to get you smart, fast. Hosted by @host_alice and @host_brian."
  Why it works: It gives listeners an immediate path to follow the individual personalities behind the show.
• A Photographer's Bio: "Chasing light in the Pacific Northwest🌲 | Co-creator of the photography community @pnw_shooters."
  Why it works: It positions the creator as a community builder and directs followers to a related project, expanding their influence.

For Managing Multiple Accounts

Stop hoping your audience stumbles upon your other accounts. Guide them there directly.

• A Creator's Personal Bio: "Digital marketing tips & tricks ✨ | This is my professional account. For my journey as a new dog owner, follow @adventuresofspot."
  Why it works: It clearly segments content and gives followers the choice to engage with the topics that interest them most.

Things to Keep in Mind: Bio Tagging Best Practices

While easy to implement, there are a few unspoken rules and considerations to keep in mind to make sure your bio tag is effective and professional.

• Don't Be Spammy: Your bio has a 150-character limit, so make every character count. One or two strategic tags look purposeful, five look like spam. Focus on the most important connection you want to highlight.
• Get Permission if Necessary: For casual affiliations (like shouting out your partner or your own business), you don't need anyone's okay. But if you're tagging a big brand or influencer in a way that implies an official partnership you don't have, it can be seen as disingenuous. When in doubt, it’s always better to build a real relationship first.
• Remember Notifications: The account you tag will get a push notification saying you've mentioned them in your bio. This can be a great way to show support or get on their radar, so be thoughtful about it.
• Check for Broken Links: People sometimes change their Instagram usernames. It’s good practice to periodically check the tags in your bio to make sure they still lead to the right account and haven't become a dead link.
• Provide Context: A random tag of `@someuser` without any context is confusing. Briefly explain the relationship. For instance, "Co-founder of @mybusiness" is much clearer than just "@mybusiness."

Final Thoughts

Tagging someone in your Instagram bio transforms static text into a functional pathway, allowing you to give credit, direct followers, and build connections right from your profile. It's a small but highly effective tool for making your Instagram presence more interconnected and strategic, all with a simple "@" symbol.

Keeping your bio updated and aligned with your content calendar is just one of the many small details involved in building a strong social media presence. Here at Postbase, we built our platform to help creators and brands manage all those moving parts without the usual chaos. Our visual calendar helps you plan out posts weeks in advance, so you can easily coordinate campaigns with partners you’ve tagged in your bio. Since we're built for today’s reality of short-form video and multi-platform scheduling, you can be confident your content strategy always tells a cohesive story right from the top of your profile.