Guide to Tracking @tags in Social Listening

What is an @tag?

An @tag is when someone mentions your brand handle in a post or comment.

Example:

• “Loved my coffee today at @CityCafe!”
• “Just bought new sneakers from @nike.”
  Here, @CityCafe and @nike are direct tags of the brand’s official account. 

When customers mention your brand using @tags on social media, they’re directly talking to you. Tracking these @tags is an important part of social listening—it helps you discover how your brand is being discussed, respond quickly, and engage with your audience in real time. 

However, the way @tags behave isn’t the same across platforms. Each channel has its own rules and limitations, and understanding these differences ensures your listening feeds work effectively.

How @tags work on Instagram

• Where @tags can be tracked
  Currently, @tags can only be tracked on posts.
• The account must be public
  Mentions from private accounts are not supported.
• Only new @tags are tracked
  Once you connect your Instagram account, only mentions created after the feed setup are fetched. Historic @tags cannot be pulled in.
• You can only track @tags for accounts you own
  The Instagram account must be connected to your workspace.
  Example: If your official account is @nike, only mentions of @nike can be tracked.
  Competitor or random @tags cannot be tracked.

Example:
A customer posts a photo of their new sneakers and writes: “Finally got my pair from @nike!”
This will show up in your listening feed (as long as your Instagram account is connected and the post is public).

How @tags work on Facebook

• Where @tags can be tracked
  Currently, @tags can only be tracked on posts.
• The account/page must be public
  Private profiles and restricted pages are not supported.
• Only new @tags are tracked
  Mentions created before the feed setup cannot be fetched.
• You can track @tags for any public page
  Unlike Instagram, it does not have to be your owned page.
  Example: If a public page tags @nike in their post, it can be tracked.

Example:
A local blogger’s public page posts: “Tried the caramel latte at @CityCafe today—delicious!”
This mention will appear in your feed, even though you don’t own the blogger’s page.

How @tags work on X (Twitter)

• You can track any @tag across Twitter.
  Unlike Instagram and Facebook, there are no ownership restrictions — any public mention of your handle will be tracked.

Example:

A customer tweets: “Loving the new features from @YourBrand!”
This will automatically appear in your listening feed.

@tags are a direct line between customers and your brand. But since each platform applies different rules, it’s important to set up your listening feeds with these limitations in mind.

By understanding how @tags behave, you’ll avoid confusion, capture the right mentions, and build more accurate insights.

Need help? Please feel free to reach out to us anytime.