Instagram Collabs – A New Way to Partner With Influencers and Brands

As a social platform, Instagram is constantly finding new ways for influencers, brands, and creators to team up. Recently, it unveiled Instagram Collabs, which might be the most exciting feature yet. It’s rolling it out to more accounts by the day, so don’t worry if you don’t have the feature quite yet. It’s coming, so it won’t be long before you can enjoy the benefits.

First, learn more about Instagram Collabs, so you’ll be ready to expand your reach and engagement through strategic partnerships. 
 

How Instagram Collabs Works

Instagram Collabs allows brands, influencers, and creators to collaborate on Reels and feed posts. Once the collaboration is accepted, the Reel or post shows up on both accounts, allowing you to double your exposure. That means the influencer’s followers will see the post as well, increasing your likes, follows, and clicks.

The process is surprisingly simple. You’ll begin by uploading a feed post or Reel. Then, you’ll need to click “Tag People.” Next, select “Invite Collaborator” and choose the partner. Then, share the feed post or Reel.

Instagram will send the person a DM, giving them the chance to accept or reject the collaboration. Once the collaborator accepts the invitation, it will appear on both accounts. However, if the collaborator rejects it, the post won’t appear on either account. 

Additionally, people can send you collaboration requests. If you find a request in your inbox, review it and hit “Accept” if you want it to appear on your feed or Reels. 

Now, let’s dig in a little deeper so you’ll be ready to partner with others. 
 

Choosing Collaborators

First, you need to choose influencers to collaborate with on Instagram. If you are currently running an influencer marketing campaign, you can send requests to your current partners. However, if not, you’ll need to do some homework to find collaborators. 

You want a person who has a target audience that’s similar to yours. Additionally, check the influencer’s image and reputation. Is it someone you’d want to be associated with, or is the person controversial? Also, does the influencer have high engagement levels? You want to choose a partner who will get results, so this is vital.

Additionally, you might choose to collaborate with other brands. If that’s the case, make sure the other company offers similar products but isn’t a direct competitor.

Also, you should check the follower count and engagement levels. The brand needs to have enough followers to make it worth your while and a high engagement level so you’ll get results from the campaign. Otherwise, the brand might simply be trying to ride on your coattails. While it’s good to help others out, this is business, and you want a solid return from the partnership. 
 

Contacting Collaborators

While Instagram will send the prospect a DM if you tag them in a collaboration, you don’t want that to be the first they’ve heard of you or the partnership. Instead, you should reach out ahead of time to see if they’re interested in collaborating. If they are, you can discuss your strategy for the collaboration, such as the type of Reels or feed messages you want to share. 

Keep in mind that influencers will expect to be paid to collaborate. Some micro-influencers will collaborate for free products, but most of them expect monetary compensation. You should iron out all of those details as well before creating your posts or videos. 

Then, you can set the schedule so the collaborator will know to watch for the DM. You’ll want your partner to open the DM and accept the collaboration immediately so you can stick to your schedule. 
 

Ideas for Collaborations

You have so many options when collaborating with others. A double Instagram takeover is one such option. The influencer can handle your feed posts while you manage the other feed. Then, you can get massive amounts of exposure on both accounts. 

Giveaways are also a popular option. You can team up with an influencer to announce a giveaway. Be sure to include detailed information about how to sign up for it. Then, you can create a post and tag the collaborator to expand the reach. 

You can also use collaborations to announce product launches, discuss your product lineup, or even promote virtual events. Get as creative as you want with these collaborations. There really isn’t anything off-limits, as long as you don’t violate Instagram’s terms of service. 
 

Include Disclosures When Partnering With Influencers 

If you use Instagram Collabs for marketing purposes, you need to disclose that. This is the same as disclosing partnerships on sponsored posts. You can disclose it by including the #ad hashtag on your collaborations. Make sure that the hashtag is prominently displayed. People should see it at first glance, without clicking “More.” If it isn’t visible without clicking “More,” you could get in trouble with Instagram.   
 

Review the Analytics

You should set goals before starting a collaboration. Then, review your analytics to see if you’ve reached those goals. For instance, if your goal is to increase your follower count by 20 percent, you can review your analytics to see how many followers you attracted from the campaign. 

If you don’t reach your goals, go over the campaign to see where it fell short. Maybe the audiences weren’t a solid match, or the messaging missed the mark. You can make adjustments before continuing the collaboration or finding a new partner.  
 

Vet Collaborators and Start a Partnership

Now, you’re ready to take the next step and vet collaborators. You can begin by searching for influencers who are in your market. Then, check their engagement levels and follower counts, and spend some time reading the posts. If the influencer is a good fit, reach out and begin planning your collaboration.

Once you start the collaboration, consider buying real Instagram likes. This will help the collaboration get instant traction. Then, the feed post or Reel can reach even more people.