Instagram Tagging Shouldn't Cause Worry, But There Are Some Benefits Worth Considering
I recently shared what I thought would be a controversial opinion on the TCS Facebook group: celebrants shouldn’t stress too much about not being tagged in Instagram posts.
It turned out that a lot of you actually agree. Worrying about social media recognition can be really fatiguing and counterproductive.
But other people made a really excellent point: getting tagged in Instagram isn’t just about validation; it also provides a huge benefit to business. Thanks goes especially to Dee Wild, Jo Booth, Libby Graham and Grace Moriarty for your valuable insights on the topic.
I still stand by my opinion that we shouldn’t pin so much emotional energy on social media tagging, but I’m not going to pretend it’s not awesome when we are. Ever since Facebook was launched in Australian until I started my own celebrant business, I’ve been the social media manager or strategist for every brand I’ve worked for, so I know how valuable it can be. Not only does it help increase our own business’s visibility and celebrate the sweat, heart and soul that we pour into our work, it also elevates our industry as a whole.
And as many of my clever colleagues pointed out, encouraging social media tagging can be a valuable marketing touchpoint for your business.
So how do we find that golden balance between not caring so much that it leaves you feeling deflated when you don’t receive recognition, but caring enough to motivate you to aim for the benefits that a solid social strategy can bring?
A popular tactic to increase tagging for our industry has been to ask “who was the celebrant?” in the comments on wedding posts. But this has never sat right with me. It seems like we’re calling couples out for not remembering to thank all their vendors when all they are trying to do is share pics with friends and family from one of the happiest days of their lives.
But I’m not here to point out problems; I’m here for solutions! And I reckon there are better strategies we can use to increase our chances of being mentioned in a positive and organic way. Best part? While these may help increase your chances of getting tagged, they’ll benefit your celebrant business in other ways, too.
Proactive Ways for Celebrants to Get Tagged More Often on Instagram
- Start the Social Media Conversation Early
Encourage your couples to follow you on Instagram as soon as they book you. Provide them with the direct link to your social media accounts to make it as easy as possible for them to find you. - Engage Actively with Your Couples
Remember to follow your couples back and interact with their posts in the lead-up to the wedding. Regularly liking and commenting can keep you at the front of their minds when it comes time for them to post their wedding photos. - Explicitly Request Permission to Share Their Story
Don’t hide your intentions to make content from a couple’s wedding by burying it deep in your Ts & Cs. Ask them if it would be ok and let them know how excited you are to share their story. This is another really simple way to show the couple how active you are on socials and how much you want to collaborate with them. - Don’t Be Coy; Ask to be Tagged
When you’re sending your post-wedding follow-up email, straight-up ask the couple if they could tag you in any wedding photos they end up sharing. Instagram doesn’t push out all content to all followers, so there’s nothing wrong with saying, “hey, can you tag me, because I want to make sure I don’t miss your gorgeous snaps!” - Network with Other Wedding Vendors
On the wedding day, make an effort to chat with (suck up to) other suppliers such as florists and photographers. Swap Instagram handles and when you get home, send them a DM praising their contribution to the day and letting them know how much you enjoyed working beside them. - Tag as Many Other Vendors As You Can (Where Relevant)
Where possible, get a full list of vendors from your couple sometime before the day. We may only see a few at the ceremony, but the hair and make-up artist, the stylist, the bridal gown and/or suit suppliers, the cake maker, even the caterers have all done their best to add a little magic to the day. Everyone appreciates having their work recognised, so give them some love and they are more likely to love you back. - Reach Out (Privately) to Wedding Publications
If you notice that a particular wedding magazine or blog consistently skip mentioning the celebrant, email them about it! This is particularly effective if you’re already advertising with them or thinking about it. Let’s face it, sole traders like us are never going to have the influence of your MJ Bales or Navarra Venues who can pay for the double-page spread advertisement, so magazines might not see celebrants as a huge priority. But having worked in the magazine industry for years, I can confirm that every advertising dollar is battled for – even in the classifieds. So if before investing in some marketing, you can definitely ask for some quid pro quo and request that your corner of the industry is championed in the editorial. Email will be more effective than a comment on Insta, because that way the message can be forwarded on to the right person to make things happen! - Create Shareable Content
Not gonna lie, this tip requires a lot of work, but posting high-quality, engaging content that your couples and other suppliers want to share will increase your visibility online. This could be behind-the-scenes videos, highlights from the wedding, or even wedding planning tips or fun memes. When your content is good, people are more likely to tag and share it. And if you show you have an engaged following, they’ll tag you in their own content in hopes of being featured on your profile.
Embracing the Unseen Benefits
Even if your efforts don’t always result in a tag, there’s value in the process. These tactics will help build stronger business networks and relationships, engage with clients and vendors, and make you a more active participant in the wedding community. Even if you don’t get that precious @, all this work will still help boost your professional image and can lead to more word-of-mouth referrals.
And ultimately, if a tag doesn’t materialise, remember — it’s not a reflection of your worth or the quality of your service. Just do as Elsa and “let it go.” There’s always the next wedding.
