Tag, You’re it! When and How to Leverage Tags and Follow Tagging Etiquette in Instagram

Back in May 2014, Instagram added a tagging feature where you can tag yourself and others in your photos.  This also means that you too can be tagged in pictures.  It can be a great tool on this social media platform so here’s a quick overview about everything you need to know about the Tag feature so you can be an Instagram Pro!

First, a couple basics you will need to know how to use in Instagram:

HOW DO I TAG PEOPLE IN MY PHOTOS?
Tap Tag People from the Share screen and enter their name or user name.  You can also search for a person.

CAN I TAG MYSELF OR SOMEONE ELSE IN OTHER PEOPLE'S PHOTOS?
No.  Only the person who uploaded the photo can tag people.  You can mention someone’s name in the comment section but this will not appear in their feed or photos of themselves.
 

WHERE CAN I SEE PHOTOS OF ME THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TAGGED?
Photos other people tag you in appear on your profile under the  tab icon (note the first red arrow in the picture above). To see that icon, you will need to click the little card icon on the bottom right of your Instagram screen. Then the tab will appear just above the photos.  You can choose to manually or automatically include these photos.

HOW DO I HIDE A PHOTO I'M TAGGED IN FROM MY PROFILE?
Tap the photo. Tap your name. Tap Hide from profile.  You can also select More Options and Remove Me from Photo.
 

IF SOMEONE MENTIONS ME IN A COMMENT OF A PHOTO, WILL THIS APPEAR ON MY FEED OR PHOTOS OF ME?
No.  If your page or handle is mentioned in the comment section of a photo, you will get a notification, but this photo will not appear in your feed or in Photos of Me.  That is why it’s so important to tag brands in photos as well as the comments so that other people are able to look back and search for past photos of your brand.  If someone wants to see who else has posted about your brand, the only way to do so is by viewing Photos of Me and from there they can see what images you have been tagged in.

Now that we have some of the basic Q&As answered, here’s some tips on when and where you would want to tag yourself and other pages in your photos.

WHEN TO TAG YOURSELF IN SOMEONE ELSE'S PHOTO:

• If you took the photo
• If you or your brand was included in press
• If a celebrity wears something from your brand
• If you or your brand are in the photo
   

WHEN TO TAG OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR PHOTO:

• If it’s a “regram” or repost from another account.
• If a celebrity is wearing or using your product and you want to tag that specific person.
• If an editor has featured your brand and you want to tag their byline.
• If a publication or media outlet features your product and you want to recognize it.
• If you are posting a picture that includes items of other brands.
• If you want to give credit to the photographer that took the photo.
• If there’s a sample sale and other brands are included, or a specific location.
• To tag a venue you’re at.

EEEKS! I'VE BEEN TAGGED IN SOMEONE'S PHOTO! NOW WHAT? 
Assuming it’s not spam, and it’s a photo that you want to keep on your photos of you tab (see above if you need to hide or remove) here’s some suggestions on what to do next:

• If it’s a celebrity or an editor tagging your brand, comment on the picture and thank them for tagging you.  You can also repost this picture for added exposure.  Remember, just because someone tags you in a photo does not mean this picture will show up in YOUR feed.  Only in the photos of me tab. 
• If a boutique has tagged your brand in a picture, it’s always nice to comment and sometimes even repost the picture.  In general, a couple of emojis or a quick note to the person who tagged you is always appreciated.  We work with many fashion bloggers on Instagram and instead of each blogger emailing images out to the brands or PR firms that sent them the clothing they are wearing, they will tag each brand (and PR agency) in the specific picture.  This is so helpful because not only do you get the alert the moment the picture is posted (we never want to miss out on press!) but all of the followers of that blogger are just one click away from seeing what brand it is they are wearing and following the brand too. 

So next time you’re posting on Instagram, take a close look at your photos.  Are they other brands or accounts that you should tag?  Have you recently been tagged in photos that you need to comment or repost?  Remember, Instagram is such a wonderful tool to interact with consumers and fans of your brand.  Always be aware of what other people see when viewing your profile and don’t forget that tagging the other brands in your photos can lead to additional likes, and maybe they will even repost your photo to their group of followers too!