Tag, You’re “It”! LinkedIn Tagging Etiquette

I had a query recently from a friend who has a significant presence on #LinkedIn within the #GovCon community. Her query was about being “#tagged” by people she doesn’t know, or know well, in posts about things with which she is not familiar. It did not sit well with her.

We got on the phone and had a lengthy conversation during which she asked me my thoughts on LinkedIn tagging etiquette.

I had to admit I had not thought deeply about the topic, but I was also occasionally perturbed when someone tagged me in a post regarding something peripheral, or for no obvious reason.

After spending some time thinking about it, here are my thoughts on #tagging.

1)???LinkedIn encourages tagging and hash tagging. You can tag 1st degree connections but not always 2nd degree connections. If you share several connections with a 2nd degree, you have a higher likelihood of being able to “tag” them. LinkedIn also encourages you to connect with certain people, but warns not to connect with those you don’t know. So LinkedIn’s advice is not always consistent.

2)???Think about the context of the post before tagging. I always tag people I write about, or when I repost articles by other people. I also tag reporters and publications when I post articles. Tagging implies some sort of connection to the person posting, the event or the topic. When the link is not obvious, it can infer endorsement, support or involvement. In that case, I do recommend reaching out to people before tagging them to give them a heads-up and even get their permission.

3)???I never have a list of people tagged at the end of my posts. I also don’t try to share posts by typing people’s names in a comments. If I want selected people to see my article, I “Share” it with each separately after I post. It takes a little time but this is the approach I prefer. If I tag someone in a comment, I include some context.

4)???When I post about events, I will tag the speakers, the event, and often the event producer. I will also tag people I saw at the event.

5)???Once you reach a certain level of notoriety, there will be those who “tag” you for multiple reasons. The most obvious reason is they want you to “like” or comment on their post. The less obvious reason is they want your “followers” to see their post so it gains traction. In car racing, this is called slipstreaming. You can also think of it as coat-tailing. Either is leveraging someone more successful to further your reach.

My advice, if you want it, is to think before you tag. Do you know the person well enough? Will they mind being tagged or are you in jeopardy of harming your relationship with them?

Not that I have an opinion…

Your opinions are most welcome!