One of the most frustrating parts of the Facebook user experience for both individuals and business owners is the inconsistency with existing Facebook features and functionality. At the top of that list is the ability to tag another Facebook Business Page in your post. I remember back when you HAD to first “like” a Facebook Business Page either as yourself or as your Page in order to be able to tag that business page in a status update. Even though that requirement went away some time ago, simply having “liked” a Business Page doesn’t guarantee the ability to tag that Business Page when you want to. Here are 5 things to try when you can’t tag a Facebook Business Page in your post.
5 Things to Try when you Can’t Tag a Facebook Business Page in your Facebook Post
- Get off your smart phone It doesn’t matter if you “like” the Business Page you want to tag or not. Tagging another Page on Facebook can be finicky on mobile. When in doubt, get off your phone.
- Check for a Vanity URL/Page Username It can be difficult – although not impossible – to tag a Facebook Business Page that has not set up its Vanity URL (aka username). I recommend visiting the Facebook Page you are having a problem tagging to see what their URL structure is like (this can only be seen on desktop). Alternately, you can see if a username is listed on the Business Page. If there’s a username, you’ll see it beneath the profile photo on desktop, and it will resemble a Twitter handle (@username). At this time, there’s no good way to find a Business Page’s username on the Facebook mobile app. To increase your chances of tagging success, make sure you have liked the Page as the Facebook identity you are trying to tag as, and then type the exact name (in this case, begin with the “The”).
TIP: If the Facebook Page URL contains dashes and ends with a bunch of numbers, it does not have a vanity URL.
- Type the words of the URL and *Not* the Facebook Business Page Name There are several ways to approach the selection of your Facebook Username. You might want it to match the other social media usernames that you have, or you may include important keywords in your Vanity URL/Username in order to aid in search. Reasons like these can mean a Business Page’s URL is different than the display name showing beneath the cover photo. If you aren’t having any luck locating the Business Page you want to tag by typing the Page name, check the Business Page URL and enter those words instead.
- S-l-o-w-l-y type your Page’s username This seems to help locate the proper name for Pages that are new, smaller in size, and/or have a lot of other, larger Pages with the same initial letters in their username. Sometimes it’s a matter of popularity of a word you are typing since Facebook only pre-populates a small number of Pages that match what you’ve entered so far.
- Rearrange the Order of the Words in the Vanity URL This one might seem a bit strange, but this technique is something I’ve had to use repeatedly because of a popular local attraction. I can’t say why this occurs; perhaps it’s a result of a Facebook Page with an existing Vanity URL, having requested a new URL, or the consolidation of multiple Pages into one. No matter the reason, this used to be the case with our local zoo’s Facebook Page. If I want to successfully tag the Memphis Zoo, I need to type, “Zoo Memphis”. The official Memphis Zoo Facebook Page has over 160,000 Likes. You’ll notice that a different Business Page – Memphis Zoo Park – with the zoo’s logo and only 97 Likes shows up when attempting to tag “Memphis Zoo”.
NOTE 1: In early November 2019, many Facebook users began running into problems tagging Facebook Business Pages that they used to be able to tag without issue, or began to hear from their clients and fans that they weren’t able to tag those Business Pages in their own posts anymore. While Facebook has made no official mention of why this is happening to some Pages, this tagging problem began immediately following Facebook’s removal of the grey verification check mark from Business Pages at the very end of October 2019. Since Facebook has a long history of “breaking” existing functionality when making “improvements” + the timing of these 2 things, I have to guess that they are related.
It’s also important to point out that the ability to tag Business Pages has not been removed entirely; it’s just that some Pages are having this issue.
NOTE 2: Facebook introduced the option for Business Pages to disable the ability for other Pages and users to tag their Business Page in a post. If this is the case with a Business Page you are trying to tag, what you’ll experience is successfully tagging the Page when your post is in Draft form – including seeing the Page name highlighted in blue – but once the post is published, the tag disappears. Unfortunately, since this is a feature controlled by Page admins, there’s nothing you can do about it.
Good luck and happy tagging!
Hi there Liz – thanks so much for your helpful suggestions. I was really excited to try them out but unfortunately my problem persists.
I’m unable to tag any business pages. Facebook only offers me a list of friends and friends of friends. Same problem on desktop and mobile app.
A thorough trawl through the Facebook settings and help forums hasn’t shed any further light either. If you have any further tips I’d love to hear them!
Hi Hannah! Are you trying to tag a personal post or a Page post? Are there a specific couple Pages you are trying to tag or have you tried all sorts of Pages? Have you tried with and without starting with the @ sign?
Thank you for this!
Hello I am unable to Tag a Friends Page when I am in a Group but can Tag it just fine when on my Timeline any Suggestions also I am Unable to Like the Page only Follow?
Leo,
A personal Profile has different tagging abilities than a Business Page. When you are in a Group and your Friend is not in the Group, you typically can’t tag their Profile.
Hi there Liz, I just come across your article and I am still having the same issue as Hannah! Could you shed any light on this for me please?
Hey Matilda, Can you tell me a bit more about what you are experiencing? Are you trying to tag a personal (Profile) post or a post on your Business Page? Are there a specific couple of Pages you are trying to tag or have you tried all sorts of Pages and run into the problem repeatedly? Also, have you tried with and without starting with the @ sign?
Hi there, We’re trying to get our customers to tag our business page on their personal page. So they share a photo and tag one specific page. I’ve tried starting it with and without the @ sign and still doesn’t seem to work.
Interesting. I just found your FB Page and walked through tagging it in a personal post and I pulled it up immediately. Are you trying to do this on mobile or desktop? Is this a matter of you not seeing or being notified of tags by personal FB users? You won’t be able to see tags unless those personal posts are marked as ‘public’.
I can do it on a computer/desktop but can’t tag on a mobile phone. We know we won’t be able to see all of our user’s tags, however, we want it in there so their following can easily click through to our own page.
What type of phone do you have? I just tried on my iPhone and I had no problem locating and tagging your Page. I’m wondering if it’s something specific to your phone vs. a wider issue. Also, what country are you located in? That may also be a factor.
Hey, I have the same issue. My customers are unable to tag my business page on their mobile app.
Can you please let me know why this happens only on mobile site or mobile FB app?
My FB User name: @eScanFanPage
Hi Jeba,
I was able to tag your Facebook Page the first time I tried on mobile.
Hi Liz, I have the same problem as well. I couldn’t tag my business page http://www.facebook.com/crespactra be it with or without the @ sign. I’ve tried using the name under the cover page instead but still doesn’t work. Will be glad if you can help!
Hi Aaron,
If I slowly type your Facebook Business Username, it does pull up Crescent Pacific Trading for me. Hopefully it’s working for you now.
Thank you! Had never heard of a vanity URL. My name looked as it should so I deleted & reentered & it’s all fixed & URL is what it should be again.
I tried this fix other day & it worked. Unfortunately my page has gone back to being unable to be tagged again. I’ve tried these steps again to no avail. My other pages work fine, it’s just this one.
I’ve noticed the URL address has “?modal=admin_todo_tour” this added to end of it & no amount of me playing around will get rid of it. Do you have any suggestions please?
Hi Adriana! I just tried to tag your Page. The first time, no luck. But the second time, when I entered your Page as 1 one word (MargateTrainTraders), it pulled up. Is your Page fairly new? I see that FB wants to offer up a different Margate Train page that’s larger.
I have the same issue with a Facebook URL having “?modal=admin_todo_tour” added to the end and cannot find a way to solve this!
Hi Adriana,
Is your Facebook Page published?
i have the same issue – https://www.facebook.com/sportsuniterc/?modal=admin_todo_tour – and I can’t tag it..
Hi Rochelle,
I’m seeing the same as you. What’s interesting is that your upcoming event (logo launch) is what Facebook is suggesting to me when I try to tag your Page. It doesn’t look like you have many posts on your Page in total right now, though, and half of them were from 2018. I’d encourage you to make more Page posts and give it some time, then keep trying to tag the Page. It’s almost like Facebook thinks your Event is more important than your Page right now. Hopefully adding more activity to your Page will help. Good luck!
Hi, I have follow up questions about someone tagging a Facebook business page. Where can I find the tagged photo/status update posts? I can’t seem to find it on the timeline. Does the person have to make the post public? How would they know they have to do that?
When someone writes a post on the timeline, it appears in the Visitor posts section; however, I can’t seem to find the tagged posts. Also, does Facebook provide notifications when someone tags the page?
Thank you.
Hi Lynn! There’s a Posts by Others section on your Page. If you click on the Posts tab on the left sidebar, you’ll then see a Posts by Others section on the right. You would have to share it to your Page, though, if you want it to post to your Page’s timeline.
Yes, Facebook will notify the Page when it’s tagged. If you are looking for posts made by personal users on their own timelines or Shares from your Page to their personal timelines…those would have to be made public by them for you to see those as a Page. Hope that helps!
Hi there, I’ve had my business fb page 4 years and all of a sudden friends and peers can’t tag my company name? Dls tiling and plumbing:( I’ve tried every setting but I have no joy on fixing the problem! People would normally put in @dls tiling and plumbing and it’s pop up to be tagged in but this ain’t working anymore plz can you help!!!! Thanks
Hi David,
I’m not sure what’s happening but I was able to locate and tag your Page with my first attempt. I typed it as this: @DLS Tiling and Plumbing and it autopopulated DLS Tiling and Plumbing as the Page to tag. Is the Profile photo of you sitting on the side of a tub? White marble with black/grey veining?
I am having trouble tagging HP in a post. I’ve done everything you mentioned, but the only options that come up are pages with 20-80 likes.
Hi Molly. When you say, “HP”, do you mean Hewlett-Packard? I’m thinking that you do. I tried to tag HP myself, and saw the same things you did. Interestingly, HP is also blue check verified and has well over 2 million Likes. My only guess here is that having only 2 letters in its name as well as its FB Page URL, is the reason for not being able to tag the Page. Facebook relies on a person typing multiple characters to populate possible Pages to tag, and I think it only having those 2 letters doesn’t give FB enough to work with and therefore, it’s not populating the Page name to be able to tag it.
I’d love to know why people are not able to tag my page. I am a photographer, and people who purchase photos often want to share the photo on Facebook and thank me by tagging the photo. At this point, people are only able to tag me as a person, but not my business. Brent Murphy Photography (@brentmurphyphoto)
I just tested using my wife’s FB account, and couldn’t tag my business page using any method on mobile, but was finally able to tag the page using @brentmurphyphoto on our desktop. Any suggestions on how to make my page more taggable?
Hi Brent! I walked through tagging your Page on mobile, and your Business Page popped up right away. What I’m wondering is if the people who are having trouble are also your Facebook Friends. If they are, it’s likely that FB’s showing your Profile first vs. your Business Page when people begin typing and options auto-populate. I’ve noticed this in my own personal use with real estate agents and photographers who are my FB friends and I also like their Business Pages.
Also, I noticed that when I tried it while typing with spaces (Brent Murphy Photography) it didn’t immediately pull up, but when I typed it as one word (Brentmurphyphotography), it popped up right away.
Hi Liz, having a different kind of problem. I am trying to tag a business on FB with whom I worked an event. I can find their FB page just fine, but when I go to type it in with the “@” on my laptop, it never pops up. The org is CESSE, if that helps…
..and one other issue: was able to tag a local organization on this same post (they pop up right away), but then when I finish editing fb post and save edits, the organization is not actually tagged (just named.) Have you ever seen this? Thx.
Hi Laurie,
I tried on both desktop and mobile, but no luck. I did find the CESSE page (though it was hard to find in FB search) and saw the username is CESSEorg. Even using that, I couldn’t get it to come up. The only (hopeful) thought I have is perhaps this issue will be corrected once Facebook decides what it’s going to do with the new Page Verification feature. Just last week, it removed the grey verification check from Pages while promising to come up with something new. For several years, the ability to tag a Page was directly connected to setting up the Page’s username and verification of the Page. Facebook features can be very quirky. I hope that this resolves itself in time.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! This has been driving me nuts and you’ve solved the problem! THANK YOU!
The tagging in the wrong order tip has saved my day – thank you!
Wonderful! Glad to hear it!
I’m having a very similar problem. My daughter has a business page that I have always been able to tag until four days ago. I can find her page in “Search” at the top of the page but when I try to tag it in a post, I type @onewishprojectus and plenty comes up except her page. Why would this suddenly happen?
Hi Claudia,
It looks like it’s working again. A lot of admins were facing this issue immediately following Facebook’s removal of the grey verification check mark from Business Pages at the very end of October 2019. I can now type @One Wish Project into the update box, and I’m able to locate your daughter’s Page right away.
I am having a difficult time with a Public Figure tagging my business page. I have an important post that they need to tag me in in the coming week or so and I need to figure out how to get it to work. We tried everything imaginable last night for a smaller post. I updated my URL and she tried tagging me a few different ways but no luck. Any advice? (www.facebook.com/danielle.blewitt.photography)
Hello!
It looks like it’s working again, although not in time for your important post. I was able to locate your Page just now when trying to tag it. Hopefully it stays fixed. 🙂
Hello Liz,
I have a page that is called ÏM. My nickname is @IMperchofficial. I use my page so events can tag me in the line-up. But unfortunately they can’t tag me. I also cannot tag myself. If I put ÏM or IMperchofficial in the search bar above. FB finds my page. But nobody is able to tag me in their post or in the description for an event.
I hope you can help me with this. Because I think I tried everything.
side note: I’m also trying to get my page name changed from ÏM to ÏMperch. FB is not letting me do this. FB says I’m misleading my name for my followers…….
Hello!
When I type @ÏM with a tap to the spacebar after the M, your Page is coming up in the suggested Pages for me to tag. So I’m definitely finding your Page for tagging. I’ve been hearing a lot and seen myself, too, the issue of FB recently not allowing Page name changes, even saying that you are being misleading. It seems to be a common problem Page admins are facing right now. Hopefully it passes soon.
Thank you for your answer. Tagging is working now! I don’t know what changed..
For the name change I will have to wait then.
thanks a lot
Hi Liz!
Thanks for this article. I am videographer and am having huge problems tagging other vendors when posting a Wedding Film.
Just recently (early November 2019) it has become increasingly difficult to tag other vendors even after I’ve liked their Page and typed the handle exactly as their profile shows.
Is Facebook doing some kind of updates that is making this glitch.
Most of the time when I search to tag a page, it shows me so many other non related pages.
I can not get local vendors to pop up to save my life.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
-Russell
Hi Russell,
Yes, that’s exactly what I think it is. There has been a huge uptick of this specific problem immediately following Facebook’s removal of the grey verified check mark on Pages, which happened at the very end of October. Facebook is very good about messing up existing functionality when making changes (unfortunately!). Although there is no documentation of this specific tagging issue from Facebook, the timing of it happening with the removal of the grey verification check mark and Facebook’s “promise” that better ways of verifying a business were coming.
Hey, I checked every step above, options on fapage site are allowed to tag but nothing happen and I (and also anyone) can’t tag my fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/krolowczana.smuga (polish name is Królówczana Smuga). From 2017 to october 2019 everything works corretly, I have no idea what happened :(. I would be gratefull If somebody help me.
Hi Adam,
Have you tried recently? It looks like it’s fixed now. I was able to tag you without a problem.
Obrigado, me ajudou bastante. Thanks, it was very helpfull
Having the same problem with both my pages @calumjonesmusic & @thetradproject (spiky hair man logo)
people can’t tag my pages on their posts
Hi Calum,
It looks like Facebook very recently repaired this. I was able to locate your Page by typing @Calum Jones. Hopefully it’ll stay fixed. 🙂
Hi, I’ll be in a post on another FB page and I try and tag Ramrock Records (brightly coloured record label logo) and nothing comes up – even if I add @. Any thoughts?
Hello!
Have you tried it in the past few days? I just gave it a try and was able to do it right away. It seems like Facebook has finally (and very recently) fixed this problem.
Thank you! This was incredibly helpful.
Thanks..Very simple one but worked for me..I.e using Desktop instead of mobile.
hi!! i recently tried tagging a gaming page in a post for a ‘giveaway’ thing going on their page, and when i tried tagging them while typing the post, it highlights in blue nicely. however when i posted it, the page tagged didn’t turn blue, instead it just becomes a part of the caption instead of being a ‘tagged page.’ is there anyway i can fix this?
Hello! I’ve started running into this recently myself. Facebook allows Business Pages to disallow others from tagging their Page in posts. That setting is located under Settings –> General. Unfortunately, since that is something set by the Page admins, there’s no way around it.
Hi there,
I also have the same problem. I recently started a job as an assistant to a realtor. She has a FB Business Page by the name of The Jenica Williams Team – Keller WIlliams Realty. She posts on there quite frequently but for some reason, when I tried tagging the Page in my Workplace Update, it doesn’t populate the page. I can tag it in my posts but not as a workplace. Is there something I could do as an Admin on the Page?
Hi Yana,
Does Jenica have a physical (office) address listed on her Business Page?
Hello, I’m currently running into a similar issue. I recently created a Facebook business page and I’m trying to tag my name in a post. ( I’m trying to post in a group that I manage, different name if that matters. When I type my business name @atadbitknotty (A Tad Bit Knotty) nothing comes up.
The page is currently visible and I made sure all the tagging settings are turned on. Also trying typing in variations of the name and typing really slowly but have had no luck.
I’m totally out of ideas at this point so any help would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Meg,
I took a look and I think your issue is because your Page is so new and only has a few Likes. As more time goes by, you should be able to tag your Page.
Thank you E R Team, I will give it a bit and hope for the best!
Just a comment to say it’s awesome that you actually reply to comments and questions and try to help folks. Kudos to you!
on my phone when I tag the business page it shoes up on the drop down list, I select, but then it does not stay highlighted and doesn’t create the TAG. If I do the exact same thing on my desk top PC it works just fine. I just got the new iphone 14. Any advice??
I’ve noticed this, too. The blue highlighting doesn’t stay visible, but I’ve found that the tagging typically does go through if I visit the post after publishing.