How to create Instagram Collab posts that boost discoverability

What is an Instagram Collab post?

Instagram recently introduced a new feature called Collab posts, which enables two accounts to collaborate and share a feed post or Reel. The original author has the power to invite another account to be a collaborator or co-author, and together, they can publish a single post from both accounts.

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This feature encourages creative collaboration between accounts, while also holding tremendous potential when used by or with businesses, brands, and content creators.

How do Instagram Collabs work?

Here’s what to expect when two accounts collaborate on a post, according to Instagram:

• The names of both accounts will be prominently displayed in the post header, giving credit where it’s due.
• The post will be visible on both feeds and to all the accounts’ followers combined, ensuring that both audiences can see and interact with the content.
• Views, likes, and comments generated by the post will be accumulated from both accounts.

Who can become a collaborator?

Anyone can work together on Instagram from brands and creators to regular people, whether they have a private or public account. You can send an Instagram Collab post invite to up to 20 collaborators. 

What’s the difference between a tag and collaboration?

The main difference between Tag and Collaboration is that the latter is a more mutually beneficial interaction. 

Imagine your company partners with a well-known influencer. The influencer creates a post about your partnership and tags your business. However, only their account’s followers will see the post. For the influencer’s followers to access your content, they have to tap on the post and then follow the tag. This two-step process could be inconvenient for some.  

If you decide to repost the influencer’s post, you’ll duplicate the same content, essentially competing against yourself for user engagement.

On the other hand, if you collaborate through Instagram’s collaboration feature, both your username and the influencer’s will be displayed above the shared post, which means that you’ll both benefit from the engagement and visibility of the content. 

Why use Instagram Collab posts?

You can use the Instagram collab feature to:

• Increase discoverability
• Boost engagement
• Reduce duplicated content
• Provide the ultimate social proof
• Save time on content creation
• Combine forces with other brands
• Increase sales from Instagram shopping

A. Increase discoverability

The Instagram Collab feature allows creators to tap into each other’s audiences, introducing their respective followers to new content. This boosted exposure can lead to increased followers, engagement, and, ultimately, an enhanced ability to be discovered by a wider audience of like-minded people.

For businesses, tapping into another user’s followers helps them present their products and services to potential buyers they would not be able to reach otherwise.

B. Boost engagement

More users coming in contact with your content means more people that are likely to interact with it. Even if you and your collaborator share a similar target audience, chances are there’s a significant amount of their followers that are different from yours. 

C. Reduce duplicated content

Co-authored content helps brands and creators to effortlessly distribute the same post, without the need for redundant reposts. 

What’s even better is that the shared analytics feature lets you assess the performance of the post or Instagram Reel without having to bother your collaborator for screenshots of insights. 

D. Provide the ultimate social proof

A trend that’s gaining a lot of traction is UGC (user-generated content), with millennials and gen Z trusting UGC much more than the content generated by the brands. 

Genuine testimonials from real customers who vouch for your products and services hold great value in the eyes of potential clients. Moreover, UGC content is important for building a strong foundation of trust and promoting brand transparency between you and your followers.

E. Save time on content creation

Creating content is always a good idea, but it can also be refreshing to let someone else contribute to your social media calendar. 

Collaborations on Instagram alleviate the pressure of constantly having to brainstorm and create new posts from scratch. Your collaborator can provide creative ideas that might not have crossed your mind otherwise, which can lead to more fresh and diverse content.

F. Combine forces with other brands

Brands have been partnering up in the physical realm for a long time, but with Instagram Collabs, they can accomplish even greater results in the digital world. 

When brands, especially smaller ones, pour their resources into creating joint promotional campaigns, they generate higher exposure levels, which can spark more engagement from their audiences.

G. Increase sales from Instagram Shopping

If you’ve already started using shoppable posts, imagine the possibilities of combining that feature with a collaborative post. Not only can you take advantage of the benefits mentioned earlier but you also have a higher chance of converting those who stumble upon your posts into actual buyers.

How to create a Collab post on Instagram

To create a Collab post on Instagram, you’ll need to log in to your Instagram account, create a new post, and invite another brand or influencer as a collaborator before publishing.

Here is what you need to know before creating an Instagram collaboration post:

• You can only invite collaborators before you publish the post.
• The original author’s account settings will apply to the post since they’re the post’s primary author. 
• The person who initially created the post can make edits, but the collaborator cannot.
• Collaborators need to accept the invitation to share the post on their own feed.
• Collaborators can choose to stop sharing the post whenever they want.

Let’s break down the process of creating an Instagram Collab even further.

How to create an Instagram Collab feed post:

1. To start, launch the Instagram app and click on the plus sign located at the bottom of your screen. From there, select the Post option from the bottom right corner.
2. Next, pick what type of content you want to share on your post: a single picture, a collection of photos, or a video.
3. Once you have your content ready, add a caption to go along with it and tap on the Tag People option on the post details menu.
4. Now, it’s time to invite a collaborator to join your post. Simply tap on the Invite Collaborator button.
5. Type in the username of the person you want to collaborate with, and once their account pops up in the list, tap on it.
6. To ensure the collab tag is in the right spot, you can adjust its placement on the post by dragging it around. When you’re happy with it, hit Done.
7. Lastly, take a moment to make any additional settings for your post and when you’re done, tap on the Share button to make it go live.

How to create an Instagram Collab in Reels:

1. Open the Instagram app and either tap on the + sign and select Reel, or go to the Reels feed and tap the camera icon on the top right.
2. You can either create a new Reel or select a pre-existing video from your library to add to the collaboration.
3. Be sure to include a catchy caption to engage your audience. To tag collaborators, tap on Tag People, enter their username in the search bar, and select their account.
4. Once you’re satisfied with everything, tap on Done.
5. Complete any additional settings or edits you wish to make to your Reel, and then press Share.

As soon as you hit the Share button, your collaborator will receive an invite notification. If the account accepts, the post or Reel will be visible in their feed, and their username will be prominently displayed next to yours.

How to accept invitations to a Collab Instagram post

Here’s how to accept an Instagram collaboration invitation from another user:

1. Click on the notification you receive in your Activity Page. This will take you to the post, where you’ll see a message saying: “@user invited you to be a collaborator on their post.”
2. Look for the blue Review button next to the message and tap on it. A window with the option to either accept or decline the invitation will pop up.
3.  Choose Accept and you’re all set. You’ve successfully accepted the Instagram Collab request. From now on, you’ll be listed as a post-author. The post will also be visible on your profile and to your followers.