How to Tag Someone on Facebook and X(formerly Twitter)？
When you tag someone in a Facebook post or a Tweet, you include their username. This action generates a link to their profile and sends them a notification about the post. In this manner, others who read the post can easily identify the person you are referring to, and the individual you mentioned will be aware when someone is talking about them.
- Author: Shine
- Update: Jun 04, 2025
What is tagging
Imagine you’re at a large gathering with many friends. Tagging on social media is akin to directly pointing at someone in a group photo and saying, “Hey, this is you!” When you tag someone on platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, you’re essentially creating a digital link that connects that individual to a specific post, photo, or comment.
Here’s how it operates:
When you tag someone, their name becomes clickable.
The tagged individual receives a notification about the post.
The post may now appear on their personal profile or feed.
Others can view who was tagged in the post.
Why should you tag someone
There are numerous reasons why you might want to tag someone in your social media posts...
Increase Visibility
Tagging can help your post reach a wider audience. When you tag someone, the post may appear on their profile, meaning their friends can also view it. It’s akin to instantly expanding your post’s reach.
Give Credit
If you’re sharing a photo or moment that involves someone else, tagging is a way to give them direct credit. It’s a respectful manner of acknowledging who was part of the experience.
Connect and Engage
Tagging fosters instant interaction. The person you tag will receive a notification, which can spark conversations, comments, and likes. It’s a quick way to stay connected with friends and family.
Event and Location Sharing
Tagging helps others know where you were and who you were with. It’s particularly useful for group events, trips, or gatherings where you want to highlight the people involved.
How to Mention Other Users on X (formerly Twitter)
Join public conversations, follow interests & monetize content with an engaging digital town square experience.
Here’s how to grab someone’s attention on X/Twitter: include their handle in a tweet, preceded by an @ symbol (hence the terms @reply and @mention). When you drop someone’s handle into your tweet, X notifies them that you’re engaging with them.
The simplest way to see this in action is with an @reply (pronounced “at-reply,” so you don’t embarrass yourself in front of your tech-savvy nieces and nephews at dinner). To @reply to someone else’s post on X:
Find the tweet you want to comment on.
Click the reply arrow at the bottom of the post.
A text box will appear, pre-filled with the @handle of the original poster, where you can compose your reply.
The person you replied to can view your message and respond if they wish. The full conversation remains visible to anyone who clicks on the original tweet, but it won’t clutter others’ feeds unless they follow both you and the person you’re talking to.
You can use the same @handle format to address anyone, even if you’re not replying to a specific tweet. Here’s the key distinction:
When a tweet starts with @: This signals X to keep the conversation public but only visible to users who might be interested—either those who click on the original tweet or those who follow both you and the person mentioned. It’s like having a one-on-one chat in a coffee shop: your conversation is directed at one person, but others in the “room” (i.e., followers) might overhear.
When the @handle appears elsewhere in the tweet: Your update will show up in the feeds of all your followers, just like any other tweet.
Sometimes, you might want to share a reply with a broader audience or mention someone in a public tweet without limiting visibility. To do this, add a character (usually a period) before the @handle. Still confused? Here’s a simple breakdown:
@MeetEdgar Thanks for these amazing Twitter tips!
This is a standard @reply. It notifies @MeetEdgar and is visible to users who follow both of you. It’s public but requires effort for non-followers (like your grandma) to see.
Thanks for the GREAT Twitter tips, @MeetEdgar!
You’re addressing @MeetEdgar, but your followers see it too. The mention notifies @MeetEdgar and appears in your followers’ feeds.
Check out this amazing post by @MeetEdgar [link to this post]
You’ve shared @MeetEdgar’s link with all your followers and ensured they’re notified.
.@MeetEdgar gives the best Twitter tips ever!
The period ensures this tweet goes to all your followers while still notifying @MeetEdgar.
Clear now? We’ve created an X/Twitter Marketing Guide Page packed with more basics to turn you into a pro.
How to Tag Someone on Facebook
Now, let’s shift to Facebook tagging! Tagging people in Facebook status updates is far simpler—amazing how much easier things are when you aren’t limited to 140 characters, right?
Here’s how it works:
When you go to your status bar and start typing a person’s name preceded by an @, Facebook recognizes it and prompts you with a drop-down menu of matching profiles.
Just click on that person’s name in the drop-down, and Facebook automatically formats the tag in your status update.
Super straightforward, isn’t it? Once tagged, the person’s name will become a clickable link in your update, and they’ll receive a notification about the mention (I’m sure Vin would be thrilled to know we’re talking about him).
What if you want to include someone as a core part of the post rather than just a casual mention? When drafting your status, look for the Tag Friends button—usually located near the text box or formatting options. Clicking it lets you select friends directly, embedding their profiles into the post structure. This ensures they’re clearly associated with the content, not just referenced in the text.
Either way, Facebook makes it seamless to connect with others and highlight their role in your updates!
But how do you tag a business on Facebook? The rules differ slightly here. When you type a company’s name normally, Facebook won’t recognize it as a tag, so it won’t autoformat the text into a clickable link.
Thankfully, there’s a simple workaround! To tag a business in your Facebook status update:
Start by typing an @ symbol (just like you would on Twitter). This signals to Facebook that the word following it is a name or page you want to tag.
Immediately type the exact name of the business or company page (e.g., @星巴克 for Starbucks).
As you type, Facebook will display a drop-down menu of matching pages. Select the correct business page from the list.
Once you select the page, the business name will become a clickable tag in your post, just like tagging a person. The business will receive a notification about the mention, and users can click the tag to visit the company’s Facebook page.
Pro Tip: If the business has a unique or official page name (e.g., including special characters or abbreviations), make sure to use the exact name listed on their official page to ensure the tag works correctly. This ensures your post connects properly with the business and increases visibility for both your update and their page!
Click on the drop-down, and Facebook will auto-format the business name as a tag in your status update, and the @ symbol disappears.
BOOM! Now the business has been tagged, they can see that they’ve been mentioned, and your readers can just click on through to the other side.
When You DON’T Have to Bother Tagging
So I told you before that tagging people in your tweets and updates is good etiquette and that you should do it. That doesn’t really mean that you HAVE to do it every time, though – it all just depends on the context.
When you’re referring to an individual or business that isn’t super famous, you should tag them as a courtesy. The president of the United States or Kim Kardashian or whoever probably won’t notice if you tag them, and most people know who they are anyway, so it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t bother doing it.
A small business, a colleague, or an independent entrepreneur, on the other hand, benefits from the exposure and has a LOT more to lose or gain by missing out on mentions. If someone were praising, trashing, or otherwise chit-chatting about your business on the web, you’d want to know, right? Not to mention, it’ll help your own followers understand who you’re talking about when they don’t recognize someone by their name alone.
Got more burning questions about using Facebook effectively? Check out our Facebook Marketing Guide Page for some more killer tips!
Now you can see why proper tagging matters so much and how to do it – and while it may seem like a straightforward thing, it can help you up your social media game!
The more comfortable you are with these everyday little things, the more effectively you can implement a strategy that gets your business noticed – and talked about! If you encourage people to tag your business on social media, it can create a buzz around your brand. This will help potential customers find out about you through their most trusted influencers- their friends.
Did you know that you can tag users with MeetEdgar? That's right! Start your free trial today
