Repost
Also known as: Reshare, Retweet, Quote post, Regram
Quick definition
A repost is the act of resharing another user's content to your own followers, with optional commentary added. Each platform implements the mechanic slightly differently — retweet on X, repost on Threads and TikTok, share on LinkedIn and Facebook, regram on Instagram (third-party only).
Contents
What is a repost?
A repost is when one user shares another user's existing content to their own audience. The original creator stays credited as the source — the post appears with their handle and avatar — and the reposter's audience sees it in their feed as if the reposter endorsed it. Reposts are the social-media equivalent of a citation: 'I think you should see this'. They drive viral spread because content that resonates gets reshared, which exposes it to networks beyond the original creator's followers.
The repost convention started on Twitter as the 'retweet' (RT) in 2009, was made native in 2010, and spread across every platform with a feed. Today the term varies by platform — repost on X, Threads, and TikTok; share on Facebook and LinkedIn; pin on Pinterest. Instagram is the notable exception: it has Story repost (single-tap forward to your Stories) but no native Feed repost mechanism.
Plain repost vs quote repost
Two distinct mechanics. Plain repost: the original post appears in your followers' feed unchanged, with no added commentary — your audience sees it because you boosted it. Quote repost (or quote retweet): your followers see the original post embedded inside your own commentary; you've added your take, criticism, or context on top. The quote-repost mechanic on X is heavily used for hot takes and 'this you?' callouts; on LinkedIn the equivalent is reposting with comment, which adds your text above the original.
Quote reposts almost always outperform plain reposts on engagement because they add new content (your commentary) to the algorithm's signal pool. Plain reposts ride entirely on the original post's signal.
Repost etiquette and rights
Three rules for reposting other people's content responsibly. (1) Always credit — even when the platform's native mechanic shows the original creator's handle, common practice is to add 'Via @user' or '📸 by @user' in your commentary. (2) Don't crop out watermarks or remove the original creator's branding. (3) Ask before reposting commercial or copyrighted content — fair use covers commentary and criticism, but reposting another brand's product photos for your own brand benefit can trigger DMCA takedowns. For UGC (your customers tagging you), most platforms have a 'reshare to my Stories' tap that handles attribution automatically.
Common pitfalls
- ×Reposting without credit — even when the platform shows the original handle, explicit credit shows good faith
- ×Quote-reposting to dunk on someone — works for clout but burns relationships and invites pile-ons
- ×Reposting copyrighted brand content as if it's your own — DMCA risk and brand reputation damage
- ×Repost-only feed (no original content) — the algorithm de-prioritizes accounts that produce nothing original
Tips
- ✓Quote-repost > plain repost — your commentary adds content the algorithm rewards
- ✓Repost UGC tagging your brand — drives community and rewards customers for posting about you
- ✓Use third-party Regram tools for Instagram (Buffer, CodivUpload) — Instagram has no native Feed repost
- ✓Mix originals + reposts at roughly 80/20 — pure reposting tanks reach over time
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't Instagram have a native Feed repost?+
Instagram's product team historically wanted to encourage original content over redistribution. The result is a workaround economy — third-party tools (CodivUpload, Buffer's regram, Repost for Instagram app) implement Feed reposts by downloading the media, watermarking with the original handle, and reuploading. Instagram does have native Story reposts via the share-to-Story tap.
Does reposting hurt the original creator's reach?+
Generally no — every repost is additional impressions for the original creator's content with credit attached. Some creators argue plain reposts dilute their account-level engagement (since the engagement happens on the reposter's post, not theirs), but most modern platforms attribute engagement back to the original.
Can I schedule reposts via API?+
Limited. Most scheduling APIs let you publish a new post that quotes another's URL, but native 'repost' (the platform's reshare mechanic) requires the original post ID and is often not exposed via the public API. CodivUpload's API supports quote posts (post_type: 'quote' with quoted_post_url) on X, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.
What's the difference between repost and share?+
On most platforms they're synonymous. Share is the broader term (DM share, share to Stories, share to feed) while repost specifically means 'put this on my own feed for my followers'. X uses repost, Facebook and LinkedIn use share, Instagram uses both depending on context.
Quote-post and reshare across X, Threads, LinkedIn
CodivUpload's API supports quote-posting another piece of content with your own commentary. Cross-post the quote to multiple platforms in one call.
Try quote-postingRelated glossary terms