How to use Instagram Collab posts to boost engagement

Instagram collaborations have transformed how brands amplify their reach. When 90% of Instagram users follow at least one brand, the platform’s collaboration features offer unprecedented opportunities to multiply your engagement and connect with new audiences.

When using Instagram for your business, maximizing Instagram’s Collab feature can revolutionize your content strategy. This co-authoring capability enables you to partner with creators and other brands to exponentially increase your reach and engagement.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how Instagram Collab posts fit into your social media strategy and drive measurable business results.

What is an Instagram Collab post

An Instagram Collab post is a single, co-created Feed Post or Reel that shows up on at least two and up to three profiles at the same time. One person makes the post and invites a second or third person to collaborate. Once they accept, the post and its comments, likes and shares are shared by all accounts.

Keep in mind that you can have up to two collaborators (besides yourself) in each post. Lives has a co-host option using Live Rooms that you can share with up to three people whom you follow, but Stories have not yet been incorporated into this new feature.

How do Instagram Collab posts benefit brands?

This Instagram feature has transformed how influencers and creators collaborate. Brands are adopting this strategy because collaborations deliver measurable results for both parties.

Instagram Collab posts deliver four key benefits for brands:

• Expanded reach: Break through the Instagram algorithm by appearing in your collaborator’s followers’ feeds
• Higher engagement: Access new audiences who are more likely to engage with your posts through trusted recommendations
• Follower growth: Gain credibility through endorsements, making people more likely to follow your account
• Increased sales: Combine shoppable posts with collaborations to boost conversion rates

Remember that posting your Instagram content at the right times amplifies these benefits even further.

How to collab posts on Instagram

There are two phases to getting an Instagram Collab post created and live. The first requires the post creator to make the Post or Reel as they normally would, and the second requires them to invite the collaborator to share it.

1. Create a Feed Post or Reel like you normally would
2. Add any customizations and details you’d like
3. Select Tag People from the post details menu
4. Select Invite Collaborator from the menu
5. Use the search bar to find the user you want to collaborate with and tap Done
6. Finish detailing the post before you tap Share

How to accept an Instagram Collab post

Now that the post has been created, it’s time for the collaborator to go in and accept the invitation.

1. Go to your activity page
2. Click on the invite notification
3. Tap Review
4. Select Accept

How to Collab Instagram posts using Sprout Social

If you’re using Sprout Social as your social media management platform, follow these steps when creating an Instagram Collab post through Sprout:

Step 1. Open Compose from the main navigation in Sprout.
Step 2. Select the Instagram profile you want to publish the collab post.
Step 3. Upload your assets and create your Feed or Reel post.
Step 4. Under the Instagram Options section, select Invite Collaborators.

Step 5. Enter up to three handles for collaboration. Make sure these are public, not private, profiles.
Step 6. Publish or schedule the post.

You can view your scheduled post in Sprout in the Publishing Calendar. Posts marked with a + symbol represent the additional profiles.

Collab post invitations scheduled through Sprout will be sent to collaborators when the post is published, not when it’s saved or scheduled in Compose. View the response status of your collaborator posts after it’s published by hovering over the + symbols on the post.

Troubleshooting common Instagram collab issues

Technical hiccups happen. Here are the most common Instagram Collab problems and their solutions:

The ‘Invite Collaborator’ option is missing

Check these requirements: your account must be public, updated to the latest Instagram version, and set to Business or Creator (not Personal).

Your collaborator didn’t receive the invite

Invitations appear in activity feeds and direct messages. Verify the username spelling and ask your collaborator to check both locations.

You can’t accept a collaboration invite

Instagram limits posts to three collaborators maximum. Confirm the post hasn’t reached this limit with the creator.

Measuring Instagram collab post performance

Successful collaborations drive measurable results. Instagram Collab posts share metrics across all collaborator accounts, giving you unified performance data.

Track these key metrics through Instagram Insights:

• Shared engagement: Combined likes, comments, shares and saves across all accounts
• Reach expansion: Total unique accounts reached through all collaborator profiles
• Performance comparison: How collab posts perform versus solo content

Sprout Social’s reporting tools take analysis further by comparing Collab post ROI against your broader campaigns, delivering the intelligence needed to refine your strategy and prove social media value to leadership.

6 Instagram Collab post ideas for brands

Transform your collaboration strategy with these six proven approaches:

Partner with other brands

Brands with complementary audiences create the strongest collaborations. Focus on cross-promoting content or running joint sales campaigns that deliver value to both follower bases.

Work with Influencers

Influencers deliver highly engaged audiences that amplify your brand reach. Use influencer marketing software to coordinate series of Instagram influencer collaborations and leverage their credibility to expand your audience.

Promote your other accounts

Brands often have more than one account per platform. Maybe you’ve got one for a specific product. Or maybe your CEO has a really popular personal account. An Instagram Collab Post allows you to put the same content in front of your audience at the same time. Plus, if someone is already following one of your accounts, there’s a high likelihood they’ll be interested in following the others too.

 

Support a nonprofit or charity

Consumers expect brands to align with their values, as evidenced by data from The 2023 Sprout Social Index™ that shows 21% of consumers follow a brand on social because their values or mission aligns with their own. To build engagement and loyalty, whenever possible, brands should showcase values that their customers also care about. An Instagram Collab lets you share your beliefs in action and bring awareness to an important cause. Win-win.

New product launch

Get the combined power of two audiences for your next launch by working with another brand or influencer to promote your new service or product. For all the same reasons as an everyday Instagram Collab Post, joining forces with another account leverages and maximizes the efforts you are already making. Plus, it’s a relatively low lift to add a collaborative element to content that’s already being produced.

Promote a giveaway or a discount

A giveaway or discount campaign can also benefit from the combined influence of two accounts. When the goal is engagement and conversion, having double the amount of followers participate can exponentially expand the footprint of your campaign.

Best practices for successful Instagram collaborations

Strategic collaboration goes beyond posting. Follow these proven practices:

• Partner strategically: Choose collaborators with aligned audiences and brand values over follower count
• Define clear goals: Establish specific objectives like brand awareness, follower growth or sales before creating content
• Respect creative freedom: Provide clear briefs while allowing collaborators to maintain their authentic voice
• Amplify across channels: Promote collab posts through Instagram Stories and other social platforms

Integrating Instagram collabs into your social media strategy

Instagram collaborations have evolved from creator experiments to essential brand strategy. Smart marketers integrate collabs into comprehensive Instagram marketing strategies that drive sustainable growth.

Sprout Social transforms collaboration management with intuitive tools that handle everything from planning and publishing to measuring performance and proving ROI. Start a free trial or request a demo to explore the platform’s features.