How to Tag Someone in a LinkedIn Comment

Want to pull a specific person or company into a LinkedIn conversation? Learning how to tag someone in a LinkedIn comment is a deceptively simple skill that transforms your engagement from passive to active. This guide breaks down exactly how to do it, the strategic reasons you should, and the unwritten rules for using this feature like a networking pro.

Why Tagging is Your LinkedIn Secret Weapon

On the surface, tagging - also known as mentioning or @-ing someone - seems like a tiny feature. But when used correctly, it acts as a powerful lever for visibility, networking, and brand building. It's what separates static comments from dynamic conversations.

It Instantly Boosts Visibility

When you tag an individual or a company, two things happen. First, the person or page you mentioned gets a direct notification, pulling them right into the conversation. This significantly increases the odds they'll see your comment and respond. Second, that interaction can show up in the activity feeds of their network. Suddenly, your thoughtful comment on a post is being seen by a whole new audience of potential connections, extending the reach of your profile and your insights well beyond your immediate network.

It Sparks and Guides Conversations

Tagging is a direct invitation. Instead of hoping the right people stumble across a discussion, you can bring them straight to the heart of it. You can use it to ask an expert for their opinion, bring a colleague into a discussion they might have missed, or flag something for a decision-maker. It's a tool for intentionally curating who shows up in the conversation, making the entire exchange more valuable for everyone involved.

It Builds Social Proof and Recognizes Others

Tagging is the digital equivalent of a public shout-out. When you tag someone to give them credit for an idea, acknowledge their excellent work, or cite their article, you're not just complimenting them - you're building a relationship. This simple act shows you pay attention, value others' contributions, and are a collaborative professional. Over time, these small acts of recognition build trust and goodwill, strengthening your professional network both online and off.

How to Tag People and Companies in a LinkedIn Comment: A Step-by-Step Guide

The mechanics of tagging are straightforward, whether you're using LinkedIn on your desktop or mobile device. Let's get to the specifics so you can start putting it into practice immediately.

Tagging an Individual Connection

Ready to call an individual into the discussion? Follow these simple steps.

1. Navigate to the Comment Box: Find the post where you want to leave a comment and click into the comment field.
2. Type the "@" Symbol: As soon as you type the "@" symbol, LinkedIn knows you intend to tag someone.
3. Start Typing Their Name: Begin typing the first few letters of the person's first or last name. You don't need to type the full name. Immediately, a dropdown menu will appear with suggestions from your network that match what you've typed.
4. Select the Correct Person: Scroll through the list and click on the name of the person you want to tag. LinkedIn will autocomplete their name in the comment field, and it will appear in a bold, blue font. This confirms the tag is active.
5. Finish Your Comment and Post: Write the rest of your thoughtful comment, providing context for the tag. Once you post it, the tagged individual will receive a notification that you've mentioned them.

Pro Tip: The dropdown list prioritizes your 1st-degree connections. If you're trying to tag someone you aren't connected with, you may need to type their full name precisely for them to show up.

Tagging a Company Page

The process for tagging a company is virtually identical to tagging a person.

1. Type the "@" Symbol: Start your tag in the comment box with the "@" sign.
2. Start Typing the Company's Name: Type the first few letters of the company's official LinkedIn Page name. A list of company pages will surface.
3. Select the Company Page: Find the correct company in the list and click it. The company name will appear in bold blue, indicating a successful tag.

This is extremely useful when referencing a company's product, sharing news about an organization, or responding to a brand's post directly.

Troubleshooting: What if Their Name Isn't Appearing?

Sometimes you'll type "@" and a name, but the person you're looking for doesn't pop up. Don't panic. Here are a few common reasons this happens and how to fix it:

• Check the Spelling: The most common culprit is a simple typo. Double-check that you're spelling their name exactly as it appears on their LinkedIn profile.
• Be More Specific: For common names like "John Smith," you might need to type the full name, and sometimes even their company name, to help LinkedIn narrow down the choices.
• They Aren't in Your Network: While you can tag people outside your network, LinkedIn's algorithm heavily favors suggesting people you're already connected with. Try typing out their full name completely.
• Privacy Settings: Some users adjust their privacy settings to prevent others from tagging them. If you've tried everything and they still don't appear, this may be the reason. In this case, you can't tag them.

The Unwritten Rules of LinkedIn Tagging: Best Practices for Pro Marketers

Just because you can tag someone doesn't always mean you should. Using this feature effectively is about etiquette and strategy, not just mechanics. Misusing tags can come across as spammy and hurt your personal brand.

Tag with Purpose, Never for Clicks

The golden rule of tagging is relevance. Before you type that "@" symbol, ask yourself: "Am I adding value to this person or this conversation?" Mass-tagging a list of ten influencers on your latest post just to get their eyeballs on it is a classic sign of digital spam. It's transparent, often ignored, and can even irritate the very people you want to impress.

Don't Do This:
Great new blog post about sales! @GaryVee @SimonSinek @BreneBrown @GrantCardone what do you think?

Do This Instead:
"Super interesting data on cold outreach success rates. It directly supports what @SamanthaLee wrote about last week concerning personalizing the first touchpoint. Samantha, curious if these numbers align with what you've seen?"

The second example is relevant, specific, and opens the door for a meaningful response.

Always Add Context to Your Tag

A "drive-by tag" - where you only mention someone's name without any explanation - is confusing and lazy. It puts the burden on them to figure out why you tagged them and what you want from them. Always frame your tag with context.

Bad:
Great post. @DavidMiller.

Good:
"This is a fantastic roadmap for product launches. We used a similar framework based on insights from @DavidMiller's latest book, and it cut our go-to-market timeline by 20%. Great to see these concepts in action!"

Connect People to Build Community

One of the most powerful ways to use tagging is to act as a community connector. If you see someone in the comments ask a question and you know an expert who can answer it, bring them together! This shows you're not just engaged, but you're also a valuable and helpful hub in your network.

Example:
A user comments, "I'm struggling to implement this for a B2B SaaS company."
Your reply: "That's a common challenge. @MariaGarcia literally specializes in B2B SaaS marketing funnels - she might have a unique perspective on this."

You've just provided value to two people at once and demonstrated your own knowledge of who's who in your industry.

Fewer Tags are Better Than More

When it comes to numbers, less is more. Tagging one to three people in a comment fosters a focused conversation. Once you start tagging five, ten, or even more people, the comment becomes noisy. No one feels personally responsible for replying, and it reads more like an email blast than a personal invitation to chat. Respect people's notification overload and keep your tagging reserved for those who are most relevant.

You've Been Tagged: Now What?

So what happens when the shoe is on the other foot? Being tagged means someone values your opinion enough to bring you into a public discussion - it's a networking opportunity!

Check Your Notifications: LinkedIn will notify you via the "Notifications" tab when someone mentions you in a post or comment. Click the notification to jump straight to the thread.

Respond Thoughtfully: If the tag is relevant, try to respond in a timely manner. Acknowledge the person who tagged you, answer their question, or add your perspective. This action shows you're attentive and willing to engage with your community.

Removing a Tag: If you're tagged in something spammy, unprofessional, or completely irrelevant, you have the option to remove yourself. Simply click the three dots ("...") on the top right of the comment and select "Remove tag" from the menu. The mention of your name will be converted to plain text, and you'll no longer be associated with the comment.

Final Thoughts

Mastering how to tag someone in a LinkedIn comment is a nuanced art. It turns a simple notification into a powerful tool for sparking conversations, building relationships, and organically expanding your professional reach. When you move from tagging for attention to tagging for connection and value, you unlock a whole new dimension of engagement on the platform.

Keeping track of all those conversations and mentions on LinkedIn - not to mention across all your other channels - can quickly become a full-time job. We built Postbase to solve that exact problem. Our unified engagement inbox pulls all your comments, DMs, and mentions into one centralized place. It lets you respond to tags on LinkedIn, comments on Instagram, and messages on Facebook without constantly switching between apps, helping you manage your community and never miss an opportunity to connect.