How to Tag Someone on a LinkedIn Photo After Posting

You’ve just published a fantastic photo on LinkedIn - a team event, a conference highlight, an award - only to realize you forgot to tag a key colleague or a new connection. That sinking feeling is familiar to many, but there's a straightforward fix. This guide will walk you through exactly how to tag someone on a LinkedIn photo after you've already posted it, along with some best practices to boost your post’s engagement.

Can You Actually Edit Photo Tags After Posting on LinkedIn?

Let's address the big question first. Unfortunately, LinkedIn does not allow you to add or edit the built-in photo tags (the ones that appear directly on the image) after a post has been published. Once the image is live, those specific tags are locked in place. It's a platform limitation designed to finalize post data upon publishing.

But don't worry - this isn't a dead end. While you can't change the tags on the photo itself, you have two incredibly effective workarounds that accomplish the same goal: notifying the person you want to tag and making their name visible and clickable on your post. These methods are what nearly everyone does and are just as good at driving visibility and engagement.

The Best Method: Edit Your Post to Add a Mention

The most common and effective way to tag someone retroactively is by editing the caption or text of your existing post. This places their tag directly in the main body of your update, giving it prime visibility. The person you tag will receive a notification, which is the most important outcome for increasing your post's reach.

Here’s how to do it, step-by-step:

Step 1: Locate Your Post

Navigate to your LinkedIn profile and scroll down to your Activity section. You can either click "See all activity" for a full list or just find the post on your profile's main feed.

Step 2: Open the 'More' Menu

In the top-right corner of your post, you'll see a small icon with three dots (…,). Click on this to open a drop-down menu with several options for managing your post.

Step 3: Select 'Edit post'

From the drop-down menu, choose "Edit post." This will open an editing window with your original post text and the attached photo, allowing you to make changes to the caption.

Step 4: Tag the Person or Company

Find the right spot in your caption where you’d like to add the tag. Type the "@" symbol, and then begin typing the person's name or the company name. A list of suggestions will pop up. Select the correct profile from the list to create a clickable tag.

• Example for a person: "It was great brainstorming with the team, including @Maria Garcia on this exciting project."
• Example for a company: "Honored to present our findings at the annual conference hosted by @Example Corp."

Step 5: Save Your Changes

Once you've added the tag (or tags) and are happy with your changes, click the "Save" button. Your post will update immediately, and the person or company you tagged will receive a notification that you mentioned them.

The Alternative Method: Tagging in the Comments Section

If you prefer not to edit the original post text or want to tag someone in a more conversational way, adding a tag in the comments section is another excellent option. This is also useful if you have a follow-up thought or want to loop someone into the conversation after some discussion has already started.

How to Tag in the Comments:

1. Go to the post you want to add a tag to.
2. Click the "Comment" button just below the post.
3. In the comment box, type the "@" symbol and then begin typing the name of the person or company page you want to tag.
4. Select the correct profile from the drop-down menu that appears.
5. You can simply add their tag, but it's often better to add some context. For instance, "cc: @John Smith" or "Thought you'd find this interesting, @InnovateInc!"
6. Click "Post" to submit your comment. The tagged individual or company will be notified.

The main advantage here is speed - it's incredibly quick. The downside is that the tag can get buried if your post gets a lot of other comments, making it less visible than a tag in the actual post description.

Best Practices for Tagging on LinkedIn

Adding a tag is easy, but using tags strategically is what grows your brand and network. Simply knowing how to tag someone isn't enough, you also need to know why and when you should do it. Here are a few tips to make your tagging efforts more effective and professional.

1. Always Tag with Relevance

The golden rule of tagging: only tag people who are genuinely connected to the post. This includes people in the photo, attendees of the event, collaborators on a project, or someone whose work you’re highlighting. Tagging unrelated individuals just to get their attention is considered spammy and can harm your professional reputation. Think "relevant" over "reach."

2. Provide Context for the Tag

Don’t just list a dozen names at the end of your post. Weave the tags naturally into your caption to provide context. It comes across as more authentic and tells a better story for anyone reading your post.

• Instead of this: "Great event. @JaneDoe @JohnSmith @MarketingTeam"
• Try this: "Loved connecting with @JaneDoe and hearing the keynote from @JohnSmith at yesterday's event! A huge thanks to the entire @MarketingTeam for organizing everything."

3. Tag Both Individuals and Companies

Remember that you can tag company pages in addition to individual profiles. This is a great move when you’re celebrating a company-wide achievement, announcing a partnership, or acknowledging a client. Tagging a company page can help your post get seen by employees and followers of that organization, significantly expanding its reach.

4. Don't Overdo It

While LinkedIn allows you to tag multiple people, a post that's cluttered with too many tags can look unprofessional and dilute your message. A good rule of thumb is to limit tags to the most relevant people - typically under 10. If you need to tag a large group, like a full department, consider tagging the department head and the company page instead of every single person.

5. Double-Check Spelling and Profiles

Before saving your edit or posting your comment, make sure you've selected the correct profile from the drop-down list. Many people have similar names on LinkedIn. Tagging the wrong person means the right person won't see your post, and a stranger will get a confusing notification.

Final Thoughts

While you can't go back and add tags directly onto a photo after it's live on LinkedIn, the next best solutions - editing the post description or dropping a tag in the comments - are just as effective. Both methods will notify the person, which is the key action needed to pull them into the conversation and amplify your post's visibility.

Getting your posts right the first time can save a lot of headaches later. That’s why we built our visual calendar in Postbase, so you can easily plan and review all your content - captions, photos, and tags included - before anything goes live. It helps your team stay organized and reduces those "Oops, I forgot to tag someone" moments, allowing you to publish with confidence.