Think about the last time you saw an Instagram post featuring your favorite athlete or influencer partnering with a brand. It could be a limited-edition product drop or a new collaboration collection.
Instagram has become the top platform for brands and creators to partner up, and for good reason: collaborations on Instagram are one of the most effective ways to expand reach, build credibility, and drive sales.
Brands use Instagram’s collaboration feature to connect with fresh audiences, partnering with influencers or creators who have already earned the trust of their followers. Influencer marketing is a proven strategy.
A survey reveals that 83.8% of marketers believe influencer marketing attracts higher-quality customers. This is why major brands continue to partner with influencers to enhance their products and message.
In this blog, I’ll show you how to add collaborators on Instagram. Using this feature is a powerful way to tap into the platform’s strengths, helping you grow your brand and connect with new audiences more effectively.
What Is a Collaboration Post on Instagram?
Instagram’s “Collabs” feature, launched in 2021, enables two users to co-create a post or reel that appears on both profiles simultaneously, helping expand their reach by sharing content with combined audiences. Here’s a quick breakdown of how it enhances your Instagram presence:
1. Broader Audience: The post is visible to both your and your collaborator’s followers, significantly increasing reach.
2. More Engagement: The combined follower base can interact with the post, boosting likes, comments, and shares.
3. Higher Visibility: Increased engagement enhances your profile’s visibility on Instagram feeds and the explore page due to favorable algorithm signals.
4. Stronger Connections: Collaborating fosters meaningful relationships with other creators or brands.
5. Increased Credibility: Teaming up with well-regarded influencers or brands elevates your reputation and builds trust with new audiences.
This feature is currently available only for feed posts and reels, supporting up to six collaborators per post (one original poster plus five others).
Instagram Collabs vs Tagging: What’s the Difference?
People often mix up tagging and adding collaborators on Instagram. While both can boost your visibility, they work differently. Tagging someone only shows the post on your profile and their tagged feed. However, when you add collaborators on Instagram, the post appears on both profiles, reaching a wider audience. Here’s a quick look at how they differ:
| Feature | Instagram Collabs | Tags |
| Appears On | Both your and your collaborator’s feed | Only the tagged person’s profile feed |
| Requires Approval | Yes, the collaborator needs to accept the collaboration | No, tags are added automatically |
| Content-Type | Feed posts (photos, carousels, reels) but not available for stories | Available for both feed posts and stories |
| Visibility | Shared with both audiences | Visible only on the tagged person’s profile |
Things You Should Know Before Posting an Instagram Collaboration
Before you hit that “post” button on an Instagram collab, there are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Follow Instagram’s Guidelines: Your content must adhere to Instagram’s privacy and content rules. Violations lead to the post being taken down or accounts being restricted.
2. Eligibility and Privacy: Not every account is eligible to collaborate. Double-check both your and your collaborator’s privacy settings to ensure the feature is available.
3. Choose the Right Partner: Select collaborators who align with your brand values. A poor partnership harms your reputation, so make sure their audience and content match your goals.
4. Set Clear Expectations: Establish guidelines for content style, post timing, and engagement strategies. Clear communication prevents confusion and ensures both parties are on the same page.
5. Approval and Control: Remember, the collaborator must accept your invite before the post can go live, and they can remove themselves at any time.
Now that you’re all set, I’ll explain the tidbits about adding a collaborator on Instagram and making the most of this feature.
How to Add Collaborators on Instagram?
To maximize the collaboration feature’s benefits for your accounts, consider switching to a public account if you’re currently using a private one—this will help you reach a much broader audience. Additionally, keep in mind that you can only add collaborators through the Instagram app on your Android or iPhone; this feature isn’t available on a desktop just yet.
To make things easier for you, I’ve broken this section into three simple subsections:
I. How to add collaborators on Instagram before posting?
II. How to add collaborators on Instagram after posting?
III. How to add collaborators to Instagram reels?
I. How to Add Collaborators on Instagram Before Posting?
One of the easiest ways to add a collaborator on Instagram is during the post creation. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to do it before publishing:
i) Create Your Post: Upload your photo, video, or carousel post as you normally would.
ii) Tap “Tag People”: Once your content is selected, tap “Tag People” on the final screen.
iii) Select “Invite Collaborator”: In the tagging options, tap “Invite Collaborator.”
iv) Search for Your Collaborator: Type in the username of the person you want to collaborate with and select their profile.
v) Go Back to the Editing Screen: Tap the checkmark to return to the post-editing screen.
vi) Review and Share: Once satisfied with your post, click “Share” to publish.
vii) Collaborator Acceptance: The post will go live, but your collaborator won’t appear until they accept the invite. Once accepted, the post will appear on both of your feeds.
Now, your and your collaborator’s followers can see and interact with the post.
II. How to Add Collaborators on Instagram After Posting?
What if you forgot to add a collaborator before hitting that “share” button? Don’t worry—you can still add one after the live post. Here’s how you can do it:
i) Go to Your Post: Open the post where you want to add a collaborator.
ii) Tap the Three Dots in the Top Right Corner: Once viewing your post, click the three dots (more options) in the top right corner.
iii) Select “Edit”: Choose “Edit” from the menu to start making changes to your post.
iv) Tap “Tag People”: Choose “Tag People” and then select the “Invite Collaborator.”
v) Add Your Collaborator: Search for and select the collaborator’s Instagram handle, then tap “Done” to save your changes.
vi) Save Changes: Once done, your collaborator will receive the invite, and the post will appear on their feed.
Manually Tagging a Collaborator After Posting
If you’ve already published the post and don’t want to edit it, you can still acknowledge your collaborator by manually tagging them in the caption and comments. Here’s how to do that:
i) Edit the Caption: Open your post and tap “Edit.” In the caption, add @theirusername so it links to their profile directly.
ii) Tag in the Comments: Add @theirusername in the comment section. Feel free to add multiple comment tags to increase visibility.
iii) Boost Engagement: This manual tagging method encourages engagement from your followers and theirs.
While this doesn’t technically add them as an official collaborator, it still directs traffic to their profile and increases visibility, especially if both accounts have a solid following.
III. How to Add Collaborators to Instagram Reels?
Reels will likely appear on the explore page and drive engagement with their short, interactive format. Here’s how to add collaborators on Instagram reels:
i) Create or Upload Your Reel: Start by recording a new reel or uploading an existing one.
ii) Select “Invite Collaborator”: While setting up your reel, tap on the “Invite Collaborator”
iii) Search for Your Collaborator: Enter the username of the person you want to collaborate with and select their profile.
iv) Send the Invitation: Once your collaborator accepts the invitation, the reel will appear on both your feed and theirs, giving it maximum exposure.
| Note:
Once you add collaborators on Instagram, you cannot boost the post as a paid promotion. The collaboration feature helps increase organic reach by showing the post on both profiles, but if you want to boost the post, you’ll need to create a separate promotional post. |
How to Remove a Collaborator from an Instagram Post?
Sometimes, things change, and you might need to remove a collaborator from your Instagram post. Here’s how to do it easily:
i) Edit the Post: Go to the post and tap on the three dots in the top right corner. Choose “Edit.”
ii) Remove the Tag: Tap “Tag People” and remove the collaborator from the post.
iii) Save Changes: After removing the collaborator, tap “Done” to save the changes.
Elevate Your Content: Creative Tips to Add Collaborators on Instagram
Sure, adding a collaborator on Instagram brings in a good amount of likes and views, but if you want maximum engagement on the post (commenting and sharing), you’ve got to mix in some creativity. That’s the magic ingredient that makes your collaboration stand out and get noticed by the algorithm. Here are a few ideas to help you make the most out of this feature:
1. Feature Guest Posts
Invite a collaborator to share a post on your feed. This adds fresh perspectives and helps broaden your reach by connecting with your followers. It’s a smart way to add collaborators on Instagram and grow your community.
2. Host Giveaways Together
Partnering for a giveaway encourages audience interaction. Ask followers to follow both accounts and tag friends to enter, helping you grow your follower base.
3. Behind-the-Scenes Content
Collaborating with another creator allows you to share behind-the-scenes moments. This offers an inside look at your work, humanizes your brand, and provides value to your audience.
4. Collaborative Stories
Create an interactive Instagram story where both accounts contribute. This dynamic content keeps followers engaged and offers more variety to your stories.
5. Cross-Promote Products or Services
Collaborating with a complementary brand to showcase products or services is an effective marketing strategy. It helps you reach new customers and expand your audience.
6. Start a Trend or Challenge
Launch a fun challenge or trend with a collaborator. This encourages engagement from both audiences and drives viral participation, boosting visibility for both accounts.
Tips to Maximize Engagement and Track Your Instagram Collaborations
Focus on creating quality content and tracking its success to get the most value from your collaborations. Here are some easy-to-follow tips:
i) Create High-Quality, Relevant Content
Focus on creating visually appealing content that speaks to both audiences. Quality matters more than quantity, so ensure your content is engaging and aligned with your brand and collaborator’s messaging. If you want to add collaborators on Instagram, ensure the content resonates with your follower bases.
ii) Create Engaging Captions and Use Hashtags Wisely
Write captions that encourage comments and interaction. Include relevant hashtags to increase discoverability and attract the right audience. When you add collaborators on Instagram, your content’s reach amplifies.
iii) Tag Collaborators Properly
Proper tagging ensures your post appears on both profiles and reaches a broader audience. Double-check to avoid any errors when tagging collaborators.
iv) Monitor Engagement with Instagram Insights
Use Instagram insights to monitor likes, comments, shares, and other metrics. This data helps you evaluate the success of your collaboration.
v) Use Third-Party Analytics Tools
For a deeper understanding of audience demographics and engagement, third-party tools offer more detailed analytics than Instagram’s native features.
Collab and Conquer: Make Your Instagram Posts Go Viral!
Besides racking up likes, Instagram collaborations are a smart way to boost engagement and make your content stand out. But to get the ball rolling, you need more than just a simple collaboration post. Creativity is the name of the game, which gets your content noticed. When you add collaborators on Instagram, your posts catch the algorithm’s attention, pushing them to a broader audience. It’s a powerful way to make your content go viral.
At INSIDEA, we know exactly how to make Instagram’s collaboration feature work in your favor. Whether you want to add collaborators on Instagram or explore other features, we’re helping brands like yours turn these tools into tangible growth. Want to make the most of Instagram’s features? Let’s talk and show you how we can help you reach new heights with creative, engagement-driven methods.
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