Although the feature has been enabled since 2021, you may have spotted more collaboration posts on Instagram lately as users are tapping into it to get more eyes on their content. We’re going to break down what Instagram collabs are, when to use them and how you can maximise their impact. By the end, you’ll have some tips and tricks up your sleeve to improve your presence and grow your followers with Instagram collaborations.

What is an Instagram collaboration?

Instagram collabs are feed posts that can be co-authored and shared by multiple accounts. The original author can invite up to five other accounts to collaborate when posting. If the recipient accepts, the post will be shared onto their feeds to their own followers.

You can make a collab post for anything in the feed, including reels, photos or carousel posts. The only feature you can’t use this on is Instagram Stories.

It’s also worth noting that all collaborators share the post and engagement. However, the original poster still “owns” the post. So, if they decide to delete the post or even deactivate their account, the post will disappear from all feeds. Co-collaborators can also hide the post from their grid – it’ll just appear on their audiences’ timelines.

How are Instagram collabs different from tagging?

Instagram collabs are different to tags and mentions. When you use tags and mentions, your post is only visible to your followers and appears in your own feed. But Instagram collaborations mean the post will appear in both your feed and your collaborator’s feed, allowing you to reach their audience as well. So if there are two additional collaborators, that’s potentially triple the amount of exposure on a post.

Also, Insta collabs require acceptance from each additional person. Only when accepted, the post will appear on both profiles’ main timelines, giving it more visibility and engagement potential.

Examples of Instagram collaborations we have created for our clients

 

Completed projects

Have you worked with other businesses on a project? Invite them all to collaborate on your post! If you’re within the same industry, it’s likely that you’ll have crossover in your target audience, therefore it’s going to give you fantastic exposure to appear on their timelines. This collaborative approach strengthens networks, promotes teamwork and helps more people see what your business, all while potentially leading to new opportunities.

Sharing completed projects is a great way to use this tool for anyone in the trades industry, like the example below.

Working with influencers and content creators

Instagram’s collaboration feature is another way for brands and influencers to team up. The influencer can share a post or reel that also shows up on the business’s profile, helping both sides reach more people. For influencers, it’s a chance to highlight their work with different brands. For businesses, it’s an opportunity to showcase their products to new audiences. You can even tag up to five collaborators if others have been involved in the project. It’s a straightforward way to work together and share the results.

Working with influencers, no matter their audience size, can be a helpful way to use this tool and introduce your brand to more people.

Giveaways

Giveaways are always popular, especially when they feature products from top brands. Multi-brand giveaways have become more common lately, bringing several brands together in a single campaign. This approach helps attract a wider audience and makes it easier to keep track of engagement, like comments and likes, without needing to monitor multiple posts. Plus it means giving away a bigger prize!

If you’re planning to team up with another brand or content creator, using the Instagram collaboration tool is a great way to share the giveaway across all involved accounts, doing the work of creating the giveaway post only once.

 

The Instagram collaboration tool is a handy resource for businesses and is effective in growing your audience organically. By choosing the right moments to collaborate, you can create more organic engagement and potentially attract new followers and leads. This tool helps build partnerships and extends your reach, allowing your brand to connect with a broader audience.