For many of 2024, I used to be obsessive about the band Shinedown. I listened to their music daily, fell in love with deep cuts, and went down an Instagram rabbit gap pics and movies from previous live shows.
That’s how I discovered their live performance photographer, Sanjay Parikh. Shinedown and Parikh collaborated on some posts — and it seems Parikh is a musician too!
Parikh’s band, Reckless Eden, makes precisely the form of music I really like. And I’ll not have simply discovered them with out these Instagram collab posts.
Because the identify suggests, Instagram collab posts allow you to share content material in collaboration with as much as 5 different Instagram accounts. Your content material — whether or not an Instagram Reel, photograph, or carousel — shall be shared from all these accounts fairly than simply your individual.
This implies it’ll attain customers who comply with all these accounts too, making it a superb method to attain a wider viewers and develop your account. Neat, proper?
Right here’s every thing you must find out about tips on how to collaborate on Instagram, plus some concepts that will help you profit from this highly effective characteristic.
⚡
What’s an Instagram collab publish?
An Instagram collab publish is a characteristic that lets two or extra customers crew up and share the identical publish throughout their profiles.
One account creates the publish and invitations different accounts on the social media platform to share it too. If the collaborators settle for, it goes dwell on everybody’s feeds.
You may create collab posts for something shared to the feed — reels, single photos, or carousels — however not Instagram Tales.
Instagram launched the nifty characteristic in late 2021 for as much as two accounts, updating it in 2023 to permit as much as six accounts to collaborate on a publish (the unique poster plus 5 collaborators).
Collab posts might be extra highly effective than simply tagging or mentioning one other account for an enormous cause — they spotlight a real connection between the manufacturers, small companies, or content material creators straight away.
👀
How do Instagram Collab posts work?
Once you create a collab publish on Instagram, it will get revealed to the platform from a number of accounts.
Based on Instagram, this implies:
All account names present up within the publish header, so followers can see who created the content material collectively.The publish is shared with followers of all collaborators.The publish seems on each collaborator’s profile grid.The engagement will get shared too — views, likes, and feedback depend for all of the accounts concerned within the collaboration.
Right here’s an instance of how collab posts look on the Instagram feed. Buffer “and others” seem as creators of the reel, and collaborator Kirstie Wang’s Instagram profiles seem when tapping on ‘different.’ Kirstie’s deal with would have appeared there if we would solely collaborated with one profile.
The reel seems on all of the collaborators’ feeds in the identical method, despite the fact that Buffer was the unique poster.
Deleting an Instagram collaboration publish
Instagram considers the unique writer the first creator or main writer, and this account decides whether or not the publish stays revealed. In the event that they delete the publish or deactivate their account, it disappears from all feeds and profiles — even the collaborators’.
The first creator may take away a collaborator at any level.
This doesn’t imply collaborators haven’t any say. They’ll’t delete the publish, however they will take away themselves from it at any time.
Collab posts and privateness settings
Each private and non-private profiles can create a publish or be collaborators. Who can see the publish — and who can be a part of as collaborator — will depend on the privateness settings of all of the accounts concerned.
Collaborator: Personal
Collaborator: Public
Authentic poster: Personal
The collaborator should comply with the unique poster as a way to be invited to the collab.
Authentic poster: Public
The publish shall be seen publicly.
The publish shall be seen publicly.
This modifications a bit if the unique poster has a public account after which switches to a personal account. After the change, solely their followers will be capable of see the publish, even when different collaborators have public accounts.
The advantages of Instagram collab posts
Collab posts work a bit of in another way from common Instagram content material — and that distinction can open up some fairly cool alternatives you won’t get when you all the time publish solo.
Attain new audiences
As an alternative of reaching solely your followers’ feeds, a collab publish lets you additionally attain new Instagram customers who comply with your co-authors. This implies extra eyes in your posts, which might increase metrics like impressions and attain, and helps extra individuals find out about your model.
Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri shared some perception on enhancing your attain with collab posts: they have an inclination to achieve extra individuals when the Instagram account with a bigger following kicks off the collaboration or creates the publish.
This may occasionally not give you the results you want in each scenario (extra on this to return), but when it really works along with your Instagram technique, have the larger account provoke the collab publish.
Enhance your followers
Reaching extra individuals offers you an opportunity to develop your Instagram account. Collab posts might be seen as an endorsement from the model or creator that you simply co-author content material with — and if their followers like your shared content material, they might be inspired to comply with your account too.
To enhance your possibilities of reaching not only a new viewers, however the best viewers on your account, attempt to collab with Instagram accounts which have related objectives or audiences. These customers usually tend to comply with your account in case your common content material appeals to them too.
Increase engagement
An everyday publish on Instagram will attain simply your followers. However collab posts attain followers of another account at minimal, and as much as 5 if it’s a much bigger partnership.
This implies collab posts can deliver in additional likes, feedback, and shares than a publish or reel that solely your followers get an opportunity to see — one thing the Instagram algorithm loves!
How you can create an Instagram collab publish
To create a collab publish with one other account, you must invite that consumer to be a collaborator. As soon as they settle for the invite, the publish shall be shared from their account in addition to yours.
For those who’re a model partnering with a creator, it may very well be extra genuine to let the creator share and personal the content material, even in case you have the larger following. It feels extra private when creators publish in their very own voice and magnificence, and it might land extra naturally with their viewers
For those who’re a creator partnering with one other creator or influencer, it’s actually as much as you who kicks off the publish. Based mostly on Mosseri’s perception, it may very well be price creating the publish from the profile with extra followers to extend attain.
There are a number of other ways to create a collaboration publish:
From the Instagram cellular or net apps when creating or scheduling the publish.By enhancing posts which can be already revealed so as to add collaborators.Whereas scheduling an Instagram feed publish utilizing a device like Buffer.
Right here’s a step-by-step information for every methodology.
Publish from the Instagram platform
Right here’s tips on how to create a collab publish from the cellular app.
To start, click on the + signal to create a brand new publish and add your picture or reel. Fill out the caption, and add a location, hashtags, or some other options you wish to use with this publish.Faucet on Tag individuals.
For those who’re importing a photograph, you’ll see a button that claims Invite Collaborators. For those who’re importing a reel, you’ll see two buttons: Add Tag and Invite Collaborators. Select Invite Collaborators. (Make sure to not go along with Add Tag — the publish will not seem within the different account’s feed this manner!)Seek for the account and click on on their profile. Repeat this step so as to add as much as 5 different accounts to the publish. Faucet Performed.Once you’re prepared, faucet Share.
Your collaborators will get a notification inviting them to collaborate with you on the publish. Your content material will seem to return simply from you till they settle for. As soon as they’ve accepted the invitation, the publish will dwell on their grids too.
Right here’s tips on how to share Instagram collabs from the net app.
Click on the + signal within the left sidebar to create a brand new publish and add your picture or reel. Identical to the cellular app, fill out the caption, and add some other options you wish to use with this publish.Click on on Add collaborators and begin typing within the collaborator’s profile identify.Once you’re prepared, faucet Share.
Invite a collaborator to a printed publish
Go to the publish in your profile, faucet on the menu, after which click on on Edit.Faucet on + Tag, then Tag individuals, and Invite Collaborators.
On the Instagram net app, you’ll be able to click on on the menu, then Edit, and Add collaborators.
Use a scheduling device
It’s also possible to create an Instagram collab utilizing a device that lets you schedule posts upfront, like Buffer.
Add your picture or reel as a feed publish and add a caption to the Buffer scheduler.Faucet on Computerized, and alter the posting settings to Notify Me.
Schedule the publish utilizing your most popular possibility: Add to Queue, Schedule, Share Subsequent, or Share Now.On the scheduled time, the Buffer cellular app will ship a notification and immediate you to open Instagram. (Don’t neglect to repeat the caption so you’ll be able to simply add it to your publish!)Choose Feed, then comply with the steps shared above to share the publish from the Instagram app.
🥳
How you can settle for an Instagram collab publish invite
For those who’ve been invited to collaborate on a publish, you will obtain a notification within the app’s messages and the notifications tab. This is tips on how to settle for the request:
Faucet on the messages icon within the prime proper of the feed in your Instagram app.Faucet the dialog along with your collab associate to see the request.Faucet the collaboration invite.Faucet Assessment.Faucet Settle for.
To reject a collab request, comply with the method above and faucet Decline.
How are Instagram collabs completely different from tagging?
Collaborations on Instagram are completely different from tags in a number of methods.
Collab posts
Tags
The place the publish seems
Seems on the profile grids of all collaborators.
Seems on the unique poster’s profile grid. For the particular person tagged, it might seem of their tagged feed (to the best of their profile grid, subsequent to the reels view), relying on their privateness settings.
Viewers attain
Shared with followers of all collaborators.
Solely shared with the unique poster’s followers. For those who tag somebody, they need to manually reshare it to their very own tales for his or her followers to see it.
Writer credit score
All collaborators are proven as authors within the publish header.
Solely the unique poster is listed because the writer.
Accessible codecs
Solely obtainable for feed posts (images, carousels, reels). You may’t add collaborators to tales.
You may tag different accounts in each tales and feed posts.
8 concepts to profit from Instagram’s collab options
Instagram collab posts have opened up every kind of artistic prospects. Right here’s how small companies and creators are placing them to work.
1. Model partnerships
Instagram collab posts are good for 2 manufacturers which can be collaborating on particular promotions and wish to get the phrase out to each of their communities — a social media advertising and marketing tactic the place the advantages go each methods.
Right here, forged iron cookware model Smithey Ironware shares a collaboration with soul meals restaurant Burdell Oak that celebrates the late chef Edna Lewis.
2. Working with influencers and content material creators
It is no shock Instagram collaboration posts are an ideal influencer advertising and marketing tactic. Collab posts are perfect for manufacturers working with content material creators (or vice versa) as a result of they permit each events to share the posts collectively. In a method, it showcases the power of the partnership.
Having each names featured on the prime of an Instagram reel or feed publish is a weightier endorsement than a easy tag or point out (or a number of names, if there’s multiple collaborator).
Content material creator Victor Fellbrink collaborated with the Rock im Park Pageant for a t-shirt to commemorate the three-day music competition’s thirtieth anniversary. Fellbrink teamed up with tattoo artist Marcel Ustowski to design the t-shirt, and he introduced the collaboration with a publish co-authored by all three accounts.
For those who’re a creator who’s partnering with a model, mark your collab publish as branded content material with a “paid partnership” label, like content material creator Erin McGoff did on this collab with Adobe Acrobat.
It is best to use the paid partnership label even when the model lent or gifted you the services or products. Instagram considers this an “change of worth” beneath its branded content material insurance policies, even when you did not receives a commission for the collaboration.
Influencers or content material creators who’re working collectively can use Instagram collab posts as nicely.
Cooks and buddies Minoli DeSilva and Justin Narayan usually share Instagram collabs. They teamed as much as promote her pop-up at his former restaurant in October 2024, and once more in April 2025 to advertise his cookbook.
3. Giveaways
For those who’re posting a giveaway alongside one other model or creator, a collab publish is an effective way to get the phrase out.
Right here, content material creator Meghan Yuri Younger shares her giveaway with the nonprofit Twentytwenty Arts to help a fundraiser for Toronto youth psychological well being applications.
4. Product launches
Once you’re launching one thing new with one other model, a collab publish helps inform a extra full story. It places each the unique writer and the collaborator on the publish, displaying that each manufacturers are equally concerned in creating one thing new.
The Pastry Challenge used a collab publish to announce their partnership with Kola Goodies — a pastry equipment with the substances to bake Sri Lankan milk tea-glazed tea scones.
5. Publish-launch promotions
A collab publish isn’t only for launch day. It will probably additionally assist hold the power going after one thing goes dwell.
Writer Taylor Jenkins Reid used one to advertise her novel Environment after its launch, teaming up with Random Home and Ballantine Books to share a reel from all three accounts.
You don’t want a ebook deal (or a ebook tour) to do the identical. A podcaster might collab with a visitor after an episode drops to share a clip or behind-the-scenes second. An enamel pin store might crew up with the artist who illustrated the design to speak about how the thought got here collectively.
It is an opportunity to maintain the dialog going and produce new eyes to what you’ve launched.
6. Elevate your crew
Collab posts assist you to highlight your crew and their experience. When your crew shares firm information or content material by means of a collab publish, it helps Instagram customers join with different individuals, not firm logos.
The Buffer crew frequently shares content material from their very own profiles, and it’s usually posted as a collaboration with the Buffer Instagram account.
Amanda Marochko, Martin García, Maya Uribe, and Kirsti Lang are just some of the crew members who shared behind-the-scenes posts from Buffer’s 2025 retreat in Antalya, Türkiye.
In additional “official” posts round new options or releases, product supervisor Nathan Nannenga shared the story behind the template library, whereas senior content material author Tami Oladipo kicked off Creator Camp for the neighborhood.
Sharing content material along with your crew does two issues: it helps construct crew members’ private manufacturers and it places a face to your corporation.
7. Promote your different initiatives or manufacturers
Creators generally juggle a great deal of initiatives, and a few manufacturers run sub-brands with separate social media methods however overlapping audiences. Phew!
For those who’re working a number of Instagram accounts for these completely different initiatives or sub-brands, collab posts are a easy method to join the dots on your viewers.
Thursday Boot Firm takes this strategy with their product strains. They’ve devoted Instagram profiles for his or her boots, jackets, and sneakers, and so they usually create collab posts that characteristic merchandise from two or three of those profiles directly.
This lets followers of 1 model uncover their different product strains with out feeling like they’re being pushed into following a number of accounts.
Collab posts may help you construct neighborhood and hold your content material recent, particularly once you spotlight the individuals who already love what you do.
Barre studio Physique 57 India usually shares collab posts with their members, giving followers an actual have a look at what it is prefer to work out with them. It’s extra private than polished advertising and marketing supplies and extra relatable than a brand-only publish.
If this strategy suits your model, let your neighborhood know you’d like to collab to share their content material, and inform them tips on how to make that doable.
Add a line to your Instagram bio or pinned publish that claims you’re glad to be tagged as a collaborator. Point out it in your tales or publication the place you characteristic buyer content material. Spotlight a number of examples of previous collaborations to indicate individuals what sort of posts you’re keen on. If somebody tags you in one thing that matches, ship a fast message encouraging them to ask you as a collaborator.
These small prompts make it simple to indicate your neighborhood that you simply’re open to Instagram collabs.
For those who’re prepared to provide collab posts a spin, Buffer may help. You may plan your content material upfront and schedule it to publish by yourself feed — then invite collaborators to hitch in earlier than it goes dwell.
Ceaselessly requested questions
Are you able to add a collaborator on Instagram after posting?
Sure! To ask a collaborator to a publish that’s already been revealed, faucet on the menu within the prime proper nook of the publish on Instagram. Faucet on edit, tag individuals, and invite collaborators.
What number of followers do you must use Instagram’s collab characteristic?
There’s no minimal follower depend required from any of the collaborating accounts. You may share collab posts whether or not you will have one follower or tens of millions.
Are you able to schedule an Instagram collab publish?
Sure, it is easy to schedule a collab publish utilizing a device like Buffer. Set the posting methodology to “notify me” when scheduling the feed publish, and the Buffer cellular app will ship you a notification and stroll you thru the method with clear directions.
What number of collaborators can you will have on an Instagram publish?
A single publish (whether or not that’s a photograph, reel, or carousel) can have as much as six collaborators. This implies the unique poster plus as much as 5 different accounts that they will add as collaborators to the publish.
Are you able to share collab posts in case you have a personal account?
Sure, each private and non-private Instagram profiles can create collab posts or be added as collaborators. Who can see the publish will rely on the privateness settings of the completely different profiles within the collaboration.
