--- title: "What is Tagging? — Social Media Glossary | Postpone" canonical_url: "https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/tagging" last_updated: "2026-10-08T07:18:00.749Z" meta: description: "Tagging is adding another user's or page's name to a post, photo or comment so that they are linked to it and notified." "og:description": "Tagging is adding another user's or page's name to a post, photo or comment so that they are linked to it and notified." "og:title": "What is Tagging? — Social Media Glossary" "twitter:description": "Tagging is adding another user's or page's name to a post, photo or comment so that they are linked to it and notified." "twitter:title": "What is Tagging? — Social Media Glossary" --- **Community & Engagement** # Tagging Tagging is adding another user's or page's name to a post, photo or comment so that they are linked to it and notified. [**Reddit **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/reddit-post-scheduler) [** X **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/twitter-post-scheduler) [** Instagram **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/instagram-post-scheduler) [** Facebook **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/facebook-post-scheduler) [** LinkedIn **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/linkedin-scheduler) [** TikTok **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tiktok-post-scheduler) [** Threads **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/threads-scheduler) [** Pinterest **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/pinterest-scheduler) [** YouTube **Shorts scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/youtube-shorts-scheduler) [** Bluesky **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/bluesky-post-scheduler) [** Tumblr **scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/tumblr-post-scheduler) [** Mastodon **post scheduler](https://www.postpone.app/platforms/mastodon-post-scheduler) Tagging and mentioning overlap, but they're not identical. A mention is typing someone's @handle in text. Tagging usually means attaching a user's profile to an image, video, or post itself — so they're linked in the metadata, not just the caption. Instagram's photo tags, Facebook's post tags, and LinkedIn's article tags all work this way. The practical difference matters. When you tag someone on Instagram, the post appears on their profile's Tagged tab. When you mention them in the caption, it doesn't. On Facebook, tagging someone in a photo puts it on their timeline. These are different distribution mechanisms with different visibility. ## When to Tag **Credit collaborators.** If someone contributed to your content — a photographer, designer, guest speaker, or co-creator — tagging them is both courteous and strategic. They'll likely reshare it, doubling your reach. **Cross-promote partners.** Tagging a brand you collaborated with or a product you featured creates a visible link between your accounts. It's mutual exposure that benefits both sides. **Encourage resharing.** When you tag someone in content that makes them look good, they're far more likely to share it with their own audience. User-generated content strategies rely heavily on this dynamic. ## When Not to Tag Tag-spamming — adding irrelevant accounts to your posts hoping for exposure — is one of the fastest ways to get blocked or flagged. Tagging ten influencers in a product photo they have no connection to doesn't create opportunities. It creates annoyance. On platforms like Instagram, accounts can control who tags them and review tags before they appear on their profile. Repeatedly tagging accounts that remove your tags is a signal you're doing it wrong. LinkedIn has its own tagging culture. Tagging someone in a post about a topic they're known for can spark a genuine conversation. Tagging them just to game the algorithm into showing your post to their network is transparent and ineffective. ## Tags vs. Hashtags Don't confuse the two. Tags link to people and pages. Hashtags link to topics and categories. Both extend reach, but through completely different mechanisms. A tag notifies a specific user. A hashtag places your content in a public feed that anyone searching that topic can find. Use both intentionally, and you'll cover discovery from both angles. **Example** A clothing brand tags the photographer, model, and makeup artist in an Instagram post. Each tagged person's followers see the post in the Tagged tab, expanding the brand's reach to four audiences instead of one — without spending anything on promotion. ## **Why It Matters** Tagging extends your content's reach to other users' audiences and creates visible connections between accounts. Strategic tagging builds relationships with collaborators, credits contributors, and increases the chances your content gets reshared. ## **Related Terms** [Engagement Bait](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/engagement-bait) [Handle](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/handle) [Hashtag](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/hashtag) [Mention](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/mention) [Social Media Etiquette](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary/social-media-etiquette) [**← Back to Social Media Glossary **](https://www.postpone.app/social-media-glossary)