What is a Mention?

Definition

A mention is a feature on social media for 'tagging' or 'calling out' specific people. It's created by attaching a username after the @ symbol. It's exactly like calling someone's name in real conversation: "Hey, John!" "Hey, Sarah!" For example, writing @friends_name on Instagram sends a notification to that friend saying "Someone mentioned you!"

In a school hallway full of chattering people, when someone calls "Kim Chulsoo!", Kim Chulsoo perks up and turns around. Mentions work the same way. Among countless social media posts, when someone mentions you, you get a notification and can check that post. It's like tapping someone's shoulder in the digital world and saying "look at this."

The core of mentions is 'connection'. It's not simply writing a name, but creating a link that directly connects that person's account to your post. Clicking a mentioned username takes you directly to that person's profile, and the mentioned person can see all posts they've been mentioned in at one place. Like a book index or library card system, it plays the role of connecting information together.

Characteristics

• Sends notifications: When you mention someone, they immediately get a notification. A push notification appears on their smartphone screen or a notification indicator appears in the app. It automatically alerts them, like how you hear when someone calls your name.

• Clickable link: Mentioned names are displayed in blue or underlined and are clickable. Clicking takes you directly to that person's profile page. It's like pressing a name in your contacts to call immediately.

• Visibility status: Mentions are basically public acts. When you mention someone, everyone viewing that post can see the mention. However, if the account is private, only followers can see it.

• No quantity limit: You can mention multiple people in one post. When uploading group photos, you can mention all friends photographed together, or mention multiple people when seeking various experts' opinions.

• Tag management: Mentioned people can view posts they're mentioned in and delete or hide tags if unwanted. They can also restrict who can mention them in settings.

How to Use

Let's look step-by-step at how to use mentions effectively.

Step 1: Enter @ symbol When writing, enter the @ symbol on your keyboard. On computer keyboards, press Shift+2; on smartphones, find it in the special character keyboard. This symbol is called the 'at sign'.

Step 2: Enter username After the @ symbol, enter the username of the person you want to mention. Most social media platforms automatically show a list of matching users after typing just a few letters. It's as convenient as searching names in contacts.

Step 3: Select from list Click or tap the desired person from the automatically appearing user list. Selecting the exact user is important. Multiple people may have the same name, so check profile pictures.

Step 4: Confirm mention completion When the mention works properly, the username displays in a different color or gets underlined. This means it has become a clickable link, not just text. If the color doesn't change, the mention didn't work—try again.

Step 5: Use in appropriate situations Since mentions send notifications to others, use them carefully. Use them when others need to know: photos taken together, thank-you messages, recommendations, questions. Unnecessary mentions can feel like spam.

Step 6: Tag photos On Instagram or Facebook, you can directly tag people in photos. After uploading photos, select the 'tag people' option, touch the person's face location in the photo, then search and select their name.

Step 7: Manage mention settings In your account settings, you can control who can mention you. Options include 'everyone', 'followers only', 'no one', etc. If you get many unwanted mentions, change the settings.

Examples

Instagram friend tag "Met college friends after so long today! Had so much fun @kim_minho @park_soyeon @lee_junho let's meet again!" Photo shows a group photo with three friends. Tags are displayed at each friend's face location. Tagged friends receive notifications, and this photo also appears on their profiles.

Twitter question "My smartphone battery drains so fast lately—does anyone know a solution? @tech_expert I'd appreciate your advice!" Mentions a tech expert account to directly request answers. The mentioned person receives a notification and is more likely to respond.

Facebook thank you "Thanks @choi_youngho @jung_minji for helping with the weekend move! Finished moving safely thanks to you. I'll treat you to something delicious next time!" Mentions friends who helped to express gratitude. Publicly expresses thanks while directly notifying friends.

YouTube comment collaboration proposal "@cooking_master I always enjoy your videos! Would you be interested in collaborating? I'd appreciate it if you'd contact me." Uses mention while proposing collaboration to another YouTuber. It's a public comment, but direct notification goes to the other party so they can check the proposal.

TikTok challenge tag "Diet challenge success! Next up are @bestfriend @gym_buddy it's your turn! Try it!" Mentions friends to encourage challenge participation. This is how challenges go viral and spread.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages

• Direct communication: You can deliver messages directly to specific people among countless users. Like calling someone's name with a megaphone in a crowded plaza, that person can receive your message without missing it.

• Relationship strengthening: You can maintain and strengthen relationships by mentioning friends and acquaintances. It sends the signal "I remember you." Tagging in photos taken together also means sharing memories.

• Networking: You can attempt contact even with experts or influencers you're meeting for the first time through mentions. Less burdensome than DM (direct messages), and being public conversation allows others to participate too.

• Information sharing: When you discover useful information for someone, you can share it via mention. Mentioning a friend saying "I think this will help you" ensures that friend receives the information without missing it.

• Collaboration promotion: When businesses or creators mention each other, they get exposed to both sides' followers. It has the effect of sharing each other's fan bases, useful for marketing too.

Disadvantages

• Notification fatigue: Receiving mentions too frequently creates notification fatigue. Especially unnecessary or spam mentions can be stressful. Celebrities receiving dozens of mentions daily sometimes turn off notifications.

• Unwanted exposure: You can be tagged in posts you don't want. For example, photos you don't like or content you don't want to be associated with creates difficulties. Fortunately, you can delete tags or set up approval systems.

• Privacy invasion: Since mentions are public, privacy can be exposed. Your location, activities, relationships, etc. become public to others. Even with private accounts, some information can leak through mentions.

• Misunderstanding possibility: Mention intentions can be misunderstood. Playful mentions might be taken seriously, or expressions of friendliness might feel rude. Be especially careful when mentioning people you don't know well.

• Spam problems: Some accounts indiscriminately mention many people to advertise or attract attention. Such spam mentions harm user experience and damage that account's reputation.

FAQ

Q: What's the difference between mentions and hashtags? A: Mentions (@) tag people, while hashtags (#) indicate topics. @chulsoo connects to Chulsoo's account, while #restaurant categorizes by the restaurant topic. Mentions send notifications to the other party, but hashtags don't send notifications.

Q: Can I hide or delete posts I'm mentioned in? A: Yes, you can. You can check posts you're tagged in and remove or hide tags if unwanted. For Instagram, turning on 'tag approval' in settings means when someone tags you, it only appears on your profile after your approval. This lets you block unwanted tags in advance.

Q: What happens if I mention a private account? A: You can mention private accounts, but people not following them can't view profiles even after clicking mentions. Mention notifications go normally to private account owners. However, in stories or comments, it may work differently depending on the platform.

Q: Is it a problem to mention too many people? A: Yes, mentioning too many people in one post or frequently mentioning unrelated people can be considered spam. Especially randomly mentioning people for advertising purposes can get accounts sanctioned. It's best to use mentions only for truly related people, only when necessary.

Q: If I mention celebrities, can I get replies? A: The possibility is low but not impossible. Celebrities receive thousands of mentions daily, making it hard to check all. However, interesting questions or creative content might catch their eye. Rather than expecting replies, mention with the mindset of sending supportive messages as a fan.

Q: Do comments send notifications when I mention? A: Yes, you can mention in comments as well as post text, and mentioned people receive notifications. Using mentions when conversing with others in comments increases the likelihood they'll check your comment. Especially useful in posts with many comments when you want to talk with specific people.

Q: Can I use mentions in stories too? A: Yes, you can use mentions in Instagram Stories or Facebook Stories. When entering text, enter @ and search names. Mentioning in stories sends notifications to that person, and mentioned people can reshare it to their own stories. After 24 hours when stories disappear, mentions disappear together.