As Instagram evolves, new features allow different parts of its ecosystem—brands, influencers, and everyday users—to interact in new ways. The Instagram Collab feature is part of the evolution, allowing for new levels of cooperative creativity. It enables multiple accounts to coauthor a single post, reaching a wider audience.
Here, we’ll talk about how to create an Instagram collaboration post, and why ecommerce brands use them. By adding Instagram collabs to your usual feed posts, you’ll set up your social media marketing strategy for maximum success.
What is an Instagram Collab post?
An Instagram Collab post is any in-feed post or Reel shared by two or more coauthor accounts, whose handles appear on the post. It’s a feature meant to inspire partnership or collaboration between Instagram accounts.
With Collabs, up to six accounts can join forces on a single post or Reel. Instead of just tagging someone in your content, you can share a “byline” with your collaborators. While you might be used to seeing couples use it to post their wedding pictures, the Collab feature is also a valuable marketing strategy.
Why do ecommerce businesses use Collab posts?
There are a litany of reasons why a brand might use Instagram Collab posts. Here are just a few reasons why they can set you up for success:
Audience expansion
The primary benefit of Instagram Collabs is added reach. As opposed to tags and mentions, which only allow you to mention other accounts on your own posts, a Collab post is visible to each account’s followers and appears on both feeds.
For example, to celebrate the New York marathon, Allbirds and Zappos published a Collab post announcing a giveaway event, which went to both accounts’ followers:
Collab posts immediately increase the potential audience an Instagram post reaches by however many followers aren’t shared between the two accounts. If the additional reach results in higher engagement—more likes, shares, comments, and saves—it also adds to the post’s discoverability by appealing to the Instagram algorithm.
Influencer marketing
Collab posts are a new tool in the influencer marketing toolkit. Rather than simply having an influencer tag your brand in a sponsored post, you can arrange a collaboration post. A Collab post goes on your partner’s feed, putting your brand in front of their followers, and the same post goes on your own feed, putting the partnership on your followers’ radars.
Here’s an example from Lunchskins, an eco-friendly food storage company, working with an influencer to show off its product in action.
Cookware brand Our Place took influencer marketing one step further—by actually developing a product in collaboration with influencer Radhi Devlukia-Shetty. The brand launched the limited edition collection with a Collab post, which went to millions of users:
Brand collaborations
A Collab Instagram post is a natural fit for brand collaborations, especially when two companies join forces to launch a new product or campaign. Both brands can announce the collaboration together with a Collab post, putting the partnership in front of two separate audiences. Brand loyalty is a powerful thing. Why not share it?
Here’s an example from the minifridge brand Rocco, which partnered with the winemaker Wölffer Estate to promote a limited-edition Rocco fridge full of Wölffer rosé.
How to create an Instagram Collab post
Get your content out in the world. Once your content is all prepped, start with the same process as any other Instagram post:
1. Select the content you’re using.2. Input your caption.
3. Tap “Tag people.”
4. Tap “Invite collaborator.”
5. Search for your collaborator’s handle, then tap their account.
6. Tap “Done.”
7. Post the content.
Once you press “Post,” your post will go live with your byline and Instagram will send a DM to your collaborator’s account to let them know you’ve invited them. The Collab feature won’t take effect until they accept your invitation. Remember, you can’t invite a collaborator to your post after the fact, so make sure they’re included before you post it.
How to accept an Instagram Collab invite
Follow these simple steps to accept an invite from someone who wants to collaborate with you:
Check your notifications
Instagram makes it very easy to accept an invite. You’ll receive a direct message from your coauthor’s account, letting you know they’ve sent you an invitation to collaborate on their post.
Review the post
Clicking on that message will take you to the post itself, where you can review the Collab post before accepting the invitation and posting it to your feed. Know that you won’t be able to edit it—so make sure you give your notes to the author before they post.
Accept the invite
Once you’ve checked everything out, press “Review” in the bottom right corner. That triggers a pop-up that gives you the option to accept or decline the invite. When you press “Accept,” the post will then be shared to your account as if you just posted it yourself.
Note: You’ll share these posts according to each account’s settings. If a public account collaborates with a private account, then the private “half” of the post would be shared to only their followers, but the post would appear as public on the public account’s end.
How to Collab post on Instagram FAQ
Why can’t I do a Collab post on Instagram?
If you're unable to invite someone to a Collab post, the most common issues are:
How do you make a Collab post on Instagram?
Start a Collab post just like any other post or Reel. Then, before you publish your post, tap “Tag people” and “Invite collaborator.” Type in the account you want to collaborate with. They’ll receive an invite as soon as your post is live. Once they accept it, you’ll both see the post on your feeds.
Can you add a collaborator on Instagram after posting?
Collab posts must have all collaborators added to the post before it goes live. If you accidentally post something before you invite your collaborator, then your only option is to delete the post and post it again with their name attached.
