Did you know that 90% of Instagram users follow at least one brand? This makes it a great platform to grow your audience and get in front of the right people.
When using Instagram for your business, it’s important to understand how to optimize your efforts by taking advantage of Instagram’s unique features. One of the newest of these features is Instagram Collabs, which enables you to co-author content with a collaborator to increase engagement and reach.
In this article, we’ll explain how Instagram Collab posts can fit into your social media strategy.
What is Instagram Collab Post
An Instagram Collab post is a single, co-created feed post or reel that appears on two profiles at the same time. One person creates a post and invites another person to collaborate. Once they accept, the post and its comments, likes and shares are shared by both accounts.
Keep in mind that you can only have one collaborator (besides yourself) per post. And Lives & Stories has not yet been included in this new feature.
How do brands benefit from Instagram Collab posts?
This Instagram feature has been readily and eagerly adopted by Influencers and capital-C creators. Brands are joining the mix and testing the waters, which is a smart move because often what’s good for the manufacturer is also good for the brand.
expand your reach
Perhaps the lowest-hanging fruit of all is capitalizing on the increased reach for your brand account. If it seems like you’re always fighting the Instagram algorithm, Collabs can help you reach a feed of people through the accounts they’re already following and connecting with on a regular basis.
improve engagement
Likewise, more people finding your content means more opportunities for them to comment or otherwise engage with your posts. Even if you and your affiliates share the same audience, chances are high that a healthy portion of their followers will be outside of your regular crowd. This means a larger pool of people who can interact with your content.
get more followers
We all know that having the support of someone you already know, like, and trust can go a long way toward helping you trust someone new. When you show up in people’s feeds with that tacit seal of approval from a brand or creator they’re already following, you’re more likely to click on your profile than if you randomly showed up on their Explore You’re more likely to follow and hit the “follow” button. Page.
Drive sales with Instagram Shopping
If your brand is already using shoppable posts, why not add that sales-friendly feature to collaboration? By combining Collabs with Instagram Shopping, you can benefit from the above as well as increase your chance of converting visitors to your posts into buyers.
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How to post Collab on Instagram
There are two steps to creating an Instagram Collab post and making it live. The former requires the post creator to create a post or reel as they normally would, and the latter requires them to invite affiliates to share it.
Step 1. Build a feed post or reel like you normally would.
Step 2. Add any customization and details you want.
Step 3. Select tag people From the Post Details menu.
Step 4. Select invite collaborator from the menu.
Step 5. Use the search bar to find the user you want to collaborate with and tap Complete,
Step 6. Complete the post details before tapping share,
How to accept Instagram Collab posts
Now that the post has been created, it’s time to go to Associates and accept the invitation.
Step 1. Go to your Activity page.
Step 2. Click on Invite Notification.
Step 3. Tap review,
Step 4. Select Accept,
6 Instagram Collab posts ideas for brands
The next question likely running through your mind is: when and how exactly should I be using Instagram collabs? We’ve gathered some ideas and examples to get you started.
partner with other brands
Do you have a good working relationship with any other brands with a similar audience? That business could be an ideal candidate for Collab. Think of opportunities to cross-promote each other’s content or even run sales together. Consider what type of content both of your audiences would be interested in and find valuable. Then make a plan to develop it and share it together.
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Work with Influencers
Influencers have highly engaged followers. Working with an influencer to develop a series of Instagram Collab posts can help spread the word around your brand. Borrow from their enthusiastic audience and take advantage of the influence that their name shows on your account’s posts or reels.
Promote your other accounts
Brands often have multiple accounts per platform. Maybe you have 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 chance that they’ll be interested in following others as well.
Support a Nonprofit or Charity
Consumers expect brands to align with their values, as evidenced by data from The Sprout Social Index™, which shows a 74% increase in a company’s alignment with an individual’s own values from 2021 to 2022 happened. To build engagement and loyalty, brands must, whenever possible, demonstrate values that their customers care about as well. An Instagram Collab lets you put your beliefs into action and bring awareness to an important cause. Win-win.
new product launch
Harness the combined power of the 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 a daily Instagram Collab post, getting involved with another account leverages and maximizes the effort you’re already putting in. Plus, it’s relatively low lift to add collaborative elements to content that’s already being produced.
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Promote a gift or discount
A giveaway or discount campaign can also benefit from the combined effect of the two accounts. When the goal is engagement and conversion, doubling the number of participating followers can significantly expand your campaign’s footprint.
Make Instagram Collab posts part of your ongoing strategy
Collab Post is a key element of the growing creator economy. These collaborations are becoming a more central part of social strategy, which means brands need to rethink how they approach social. If you could use a little help with that, we have an article that will guide you through developing a strong Instagram marketing strategy that covers all the bases and sets your brand up for sustainable growth and success.
The post How to Use Instagram Collab Posts to Boost Engagement appeared first on Sprout Social.
