“Individually we are one drop but together we are an ocean” – Ryunosoke Satoro
Just when you thought Instagram couldn't get any cooler, they just go on to exceed our expectations with Instagram 'Collabs'. The possibilities really are endless when it comes to this innovative platform, but new features in Instagram (they just keep ‘em coming) have been encouraging us to engage, expand and build a community. In this article we'll be covering:
So get your flippers on as we dive into what Instagram Collabs is, and how you can use it to leverage your content to reach new audiences!
What in the seven seas is Instagram Collabs?
Instagram Collabs is pretty much what it says on the tin. The new feature allows you to co-author a post or reel with another user. When the publisher tags the collaborator and they accept the Collab request, the post is instantly visible on both users’ feeds.
The post will appear in front of two sets of followers (great if your collaborator has more than you and they have an audience you want to tap into 😉), therefore boosting reach and engagement in just a few clicks!
By sharing likes, views and comments, you can engage with each other’s communities and therefore grow your own. Your communities can also interact with each other, creating one super community that you can swim over to.
Plus, it’s so much less effort than having to share the post twice, add various effects, tag the location and copy and paste the caption. In a coconut shell, say goodbye to screenshots and reposting via third-party apps and instead, say Aloha to total transparency and greater trust.
The great thing about Collabs is that by displaying both handles at the top of the post, full credit is given and audiences have easy access to find out more about each collaborator!
Sounds great… how does it work?
It’s super simple to use this shell-rific new tool.
👉 Upload a post or reel as usual.
👉 When you get to the caption/settings page, click ‘Tag People’.
👉 Click ‘Invite Collaborator’ and choose the user or brand profile:
👉 When you tap ‘Share’, the collaborator will get a notification asking them to accept the Collab. Once it’s accepted, it will appear on both of your profiles. Easy as that!
There are heaps of turtley awesome ways that Instagram Collabs can be used but for now, here is some inspo to get you started right away...
Note that any paid partnership posts must still be in line with Instagram's best practices for paid partnerships.
Ways to use Instagram Collabs
Giveaways!
Collabs offer a quick and simple way to partner with brands or influencers on a giveaway or competition. For example, the prize could be a hamper that includes both your and your collaborator’s products. You won’t need to coordinate when to share the giveaway because all it takes is for one account to hit ‘Share’ and the other to hit ‘Accept’ on the Collab request; just like sailing on calm, crystal clear waters - aaaaaah.
Influencer marketing campaigns
Instagram is the first port of call when it comes to influencer marketing. In fact, for 80% of influencers, it’s their preferred platform. Collabs remove the need for brands to manually repost partnership content and you don’t need to ask your collaborator to share insights with you.
By partnering with influencers in a Collab, brands can leverage the community of the influencer to boost brand awareness and improve campaign results in a transparent way. If it’s an influencer with a large following, brands should see a very welcome wave of new followers as a sweet bonus.
Collaborate with an expert in your industry
Do you often have guests sharing their knowledge on your podcast or live videos? Why not do a Collab instead? You could even do joint teasers in the lead-up to the final post.
Partner with a charity for a fun fundraising challenge
What an amazing way to raise money for a good cause, increase awareness and possibly start a new trend!
In a coconut shell Instagram Collabs are a fab way to work harmoniously with others, building and nurturing active communities or as I like to say multiple (thriving) business 'ecosystems'. They also provide the ideal platform for influencers and brands to partner up to produce effective campaigns.
We hope you enjoyed this little snorkel into this insta-cool feature and that it has inspired you to think and utilise the power of 'community' to organically build your Instagram presence.
Happy collaborating Islanders 🌺
