Instagram’s collab feature is a content creator’s dream: Here’s how to use it
Instagram has been in our lives for over a decade, and there’s a reason for that particularly if you’re a content creator.
In times when brand awareness requires more strategy than ever before to secure growth, Instagram offers a wide range of useful features to boost engagement and get in front of new audiences in a natural, organic way.
And that’s when the collaboration feature comes in handy.
We’ll explore what this collaboration feature is, how to use it, and how you can make the most out of it to monetize your content in an original, seamless, and measured way.
What is the Instagram collaboration feature?
It was late 2021, and Instagram woke up, choosing to shake the Internet and power up creators. Nothing has been the same since.
Jokes aside, this feature changed the game for most content creators and how engagement is measured or used as part of a growth strategy.
According to Later, “Instagram Collabs allow you to invite someone to collaborate on a Feed post or Reel, so they can share the content with their followers. Essentially, you can co-author content with a fellow Instagram user, and the post will show up on both of your profiles.”
It means that Instagram values content creators and recognizes their importance as part of their growth journey. Without you, it just wouldn’t be them.
In that sense, this collaboration feature enables you, a content creator, to reach new audiences and scale your engagement metrics in a way that’s both creative and effective — using both profiles (yours and your collab partner’s) to post relatable content in front of targeted audiences.
Why does this matter, though?
Instagram’s collaboration feature delivers a clear, strong message: Content creators are here to stay, and they have the platforms’ support to keep growing.
Taking ClipChamp’s words on this subject, “with the rollout of Instagram’s Collab feature, content creators are seen to be more discoverable than past traditional tagged Feed posts and Stories. The username is in prime viewing position in the header, so you’ll never forget to add a Collab tag ever again. The Feed post or Reel will also appear on both users’ profile grids and will have a shared view count, like count, and comment thread.”
Which means, this is a fantastic feature to privilege and boost engagement rates for both involved parties while also delivering value and relevant content to their audiences.
How to use Instagram’s collaboration feature?
There are some steps to take before enjoying this revolutionary feature’s benefits for strategy and growth.
- Log into your Instagram account, and create a post as usual.
- Then, go to the ‘Tag’ section of your New Post, as seen below:
- Once you’re there, you’ll be able to invite a Collaborator, as you can see below too:
This will send a notification to your collaborator’s DMs, asking them to approve or decline the request.
On top of that, this will unlock multiple opportunities for future collaborations once you’ve mastered the art of finding the right collab to support your brand awareness journey and take your analytics to new heights.
What opportunities does the collaboration feature open up for creators?
Opportunities are endless, but there are 5 key benefits of using Instagram’s collaboration feature, particularly as a content creator.
According to Analisa.io, these 5 benefits are…
- It makes collabs simpler and easier.
- It gives you the power to decide whether to accept or reject a request.
- Improves brand awareness and transparency.
- Collab feature allows creators to expand their reach.
- Could potentially boost engagement rate, done the right way.
The first thing to note is that this collaboration feature takes the burden from executing what has already been negotiated — in terms of creative planning and deploying.
This means you won’t need a third-party application, screenshotting, or content re-sharing. It’s the fastest route to get to your desired destination without compromising your valuable information or Instagram account.
Second benefit is taking ownership of your content. This feature gives power to creators to decide when to accept or reject a collaboration request, so there’s no space for guessing — whatever goes out, must be approved first. No room for mistakes.
The third and fourth benefit go hand in hand, as they tackle the same problem in different ways — by improving brand awareness and transparency with relatable and coherent collaboration, your authority and credibility improve as well. Considering that both collaborators will share their following and audience, the journey is even better. Collabs became a no-brainer, essentially.
And, for benefit number 5, we have engagement rates. Yes, the key metric for social media. Engagement rates could be boosted.
Just like Analisa.io says in their post: “Posting your collaboration content using the Instagram Collabs feature, all the likes, shares, and comments will appear on the same post on both accounts, allowing you to engage with each other’s followers and double your reach instantly. In short, using the Instagram Collabs feature gives you access to two sets of audiences, which means that you are doubling your impressions and enhancing your chance to interact with more audiences which will help you boost your Instagram engagement.”
Which insights does it help improve?
Following on engagement, we’d say this is the central insight that Instagram’s collaboration feature benefits. However, it’s not the only insight that could be potentially enhanced by using this feature right.
Reaching new audiences is another crucial aspect — using this feature enables creators to grow and gain new followers. More targeted than done the original, ‘solo’ way.
This will get new pairs of eyeballs interested in your content or offer, as you get exactly what you are hoping for by partnering up with your collaborators.
Another important side of this is sales. Just like Influence4You says…
“Let’s say you’re about to launch a new product. You certainly want to promote it to your existing followers, who might be your most loyal customers. But you’re also looking for creative ideas to reach a new audience. That’s when you need to explore a collaboration on Instagram.”
Use the collab feature tagging the account you created for your merch or other newly launched lines to promote your products and/or services accurately.
Best practices for Instagram collaboration feature:
We keep saying that Instagram’s collaboration feature boosts engagement, brand awareness, and analytics in general… Done the right way.
But, what does that mean anyway? It means that there are best practices to apply to find success with little to no hold backs.
First, you need to have a (somehow) established presence and relevance in your niche target audience. You, as a creator, must be perceived as someone who provides value and is worth listening to. Otherwise, collaborations will feel like a draining task.
Second, you need to understand where you want to position your creator brand, as a way to support your brand awareness journey with coherent steps.
Let’s say you want to reach more people interested in soccer tips and tricks. Cool. But, is your content related to their needs and wants? Something to think about.
This takes us to the third thing to consider, like Imaginated says in their article “What is collaborating on Instagram?”, is finding your target audience:
“After figuring out a rough idea of what you want your brand to be it’s time to hone in on your target audience.
For example, if you are starting a photography Instagram page, your target audience will most likely be other photographers, models, and perhaps makeup artists.If you are starting a woman’s fitness Instagram page, your target audience will most likely be women looking to get into fitness. But, you can even get further than that.
For example, do you want to target Gen Z with that fitness Instagram page? Is this a fitness page tailored to at-home workouts? Gym workouts? Powerlifting Routines? Yoga workouts? Etc.”
And, finally, perhaps the most critical aspect of Instagram collaboration is to research who you want to partner with.
Yes, you can’t just go shooting in the dark trying to make something work if you don’t know your collaborator’s goals and if they are somehow related to something you can offer.
What’s their engagement rate? How many followers do they have? Are they considered authority figures in their niche? And, overall, are they someone you’d like to work with and relate to?
But pairing up with Curastory is even easier than just saying it.
At Curastory, we make creators and brands seamlessly connect, securing both of their interests with integrity and purpose.
Got questions about how Curastory works or how to take your Instagram collaboration journey to take off?
Then, reach out! We’d be happy to talk analytics and answer any questions you might have.
Take care, and see you next time!
– The Curastory Team
