How To Add Collaborator on Instagram (Even After You Post)

Instagram is among the most popular social media networks worldwide, where people post millions of videos and photos daily. 

With abundant content on the platform, it’s increasingly difficult for brands and influencers to expand their reach to new audiences.

This is where the Instagram Collab feature can come in handy. It allows you to co-author posts with other users to increase engagement rates and reach. 

Do you want to know how to add collaborator on Instagram? This article will walk you through everything about the IG Collab feature. 

So, read on!

What Is a Collaborator on Instagram?

If you’re a regular Instagram user, you must have encountered the terms Instagram Collab or collaborators. But what is a collaborator on Instagram and collaborative posts?

Instagram Collab is an IG feature that allows users to team up. With this feature, you (a collaborator) can co-author reels or feed posts with another person. 

The post will appear on each collaborator’s profile and handle, enabling more Instagram users to view it. 

You’ll get collective and better engagement rates, such as shared likes, comments, and views from one another’s communities. 

Why Use an Instagram Collab Post?

Both content creators and influencers use this Instagram feature. However, they’re not alone; brands are jumping on this bandwagon, too. 

This is typically because what’s good for creators also proves good for the brands. 

In addition to creating single posts (and preventing duplicate content), here’s why you should leverage IG Collab posts:

• Expand Your Reach: You can easily tap into a broader audience by collaborating with accounts your target audience already follows. This can help you effectively fight the Instagram algorithm to increase reach and followers. For brands, collaborating will introduce their products/services to new potential customers. 
• Improves Engagement: More eyes on your content means more opportunities for engagement, such as more likes, comments, shares, etc. Collaborating with others brings in their audience and diversifies your interactions. However, post at optimal times to skyrocket your engagement further.
• Gain More Followers: Endorsement from a familiar and trusted source goes a long way. This makes them more likely to follow you than if they see you on the Explore page. Trust and credibility are one of several ways to gain more Instagram followers. 
• Boost Sales Through Instagram Shopping: If your business already uses shoppable posts, it’s best to integrate this sales-friendly feature with collaborations. This provides the benefits above and increases your chances of converting post viewers into buyers.

5 Things You Should Know Before Making an IG Collab

Are you thinking about collaborating with someone on Instagram? Make sure you go through these key points for a smooth partnership:

• Privacy Check: Not every account can join collaborations. Ensure you have public accounts, as you can’t tag a collaborator with private profiles. In addition, collaboration features might be region-specific. 
• Align Business Values: Find Instagram accounts and collaborate with brands or influencers that share your values, mission, and style. A mismatch can confuse or alienate your audience. So, it’s best to research your collaborator’s posts and feeds before sealing the deal.
• Prioritize Engagement Rates: Besides follower count, you should check the engagement rates of your prospective collaborators. High engagement signals a dedicated audience, which is often more valuable than just having a lot of followers. Remember, quality is more important than quantity!
• Set Clear, SMART Expectations: Communicate clearly about content, tags, mentions, post timings, and other promotional strategies before finalizing your collaboration. This prevents misunderstandings and ensures both parties benefit.
• Know Instagram’s Rules: Instagram has guidelines for paid partnerships or ads. Make sure your IG collab posts follow these rules. If required, you can use appropriate tags such as #sponsored or #ad to keep things transparent with your audience.

How To Collab on Instagram

Now you know how to make a successful Instagram collab, you must be wondering how to collab on Instagram. Creating an IG collab post involves a few easy steps. Although a large part follows a similar posting process, there are some extra steps you need to take for collaboration. 

You should know that you can only invite collaborators before publishing a post. The post’s creator, not the collaborator, can make the necessary edits. Also, a collaborator can delete or stop sharing posts at any time. 

Here’s a breakdown of the required steps for various post types:

How To Make Instagram Collab Feed Posts

Follow the steps to collab a post on Instagram and invite collaborators:

1. Open your IG app and tap the  ‘+ ‘ sign on the bottom of your screen. Now, choose the ‘New Post‘ option.
2. Choose the content you wish to share: a solo picture, a collage of pictures, or a video. Then, click the ‘->‘ arrow key.
3. Select filter options. You can also edit the post if required. 
4. Once your post is ready, include a caption and hit the  ‘Tag People‘ option.
5. Tap ‘Invite Collaborator.’
6. Enter the individual’s username you intend to do a collab with and tap on their account in the list.
7. Adjust the collab tag’s placement on your post by dragging. When satisfied, tap ‘Done.’
8. Make additional settings for the post and then tap ‘Share‘ to make it go live.

How To Make Instagram Collab Posts for Reels

Here’s how to create a collab post for Instagram reels:

1. Open Instagram and click the  ‘Create ‘ button at the top right. Choose Reel from the options.
2. You can make a new Instagram Reel or pick a video from your phone gallery for collaboration.
3. Tap the  ‘Next‘ option to preview your Reel.
4. Add a captivating caption and tap ‘Tag People.’ Enter the person’s username and select their account.
5. Now, tap ‘Done.’
6. Make any extra edits, then press ‘Share.’

Your collab post is now live. Once you tap share, your collaborator gets an invite. If they accept it, the post appears in their feed with their username alongside yours.

How To Add Collaborator on Instagram After Posting

Are you wondering how to add a collaborator on Instagram after posting?

The Instagram Collab feature lets you showcase posts on collaborating pages, visible to followers on both accounts. Unfortunately, you can’t add collaborators to your IG posts, reels, and videos after posting. You can only invite them before hitting the Share button.

Do not fret if you missed the pre-post collaboration invite! Here are some effective workarounds that can help get similar engagement and reach like collab posts:

1. Ask for a Repost

One effective way to get more reach to your photo, Reel, or video after posting is to ask for reposts. You should request the collaborator to repost your content on their account and tag you.

This workaround is handy if you forget to send the invite before posting, especially when collaborating through Instagram paid partnerships.

2. Tag in Post and Caption

You can also tag collaborators in your posts—feed posts or reels—and captions. 

This method helps direct some of your audience to your collaborator’s page, which is especially useful for a large following.

3. Encourage Collaborators To Share Posts on IG Stories

Ask collaborators to share your posts on their Instagram stories. This will help redirect their audience’s attention to your posts, reels, or videos and get more reach. 

If none of the above solutions fit your needs, the last thing you can do is delete your old post. Now, create a new post or Reel and invite the person you wish to collaborate with before posting.

While Instagram currently doesn’t allow adding collaborators after posting, this might change. So, you should always check for new Instagram updates.

How To Accept Collaborator’s Invitation on Instagram

Do you often receive an IG collaboration request but don’t know how to respond? Follow these three simple steps to either accept or decline the invite:

1. Open ‘Direct Messages‘ and select ‘View Request‘ to see the collab request.
2. A pop-up with ‘Accept‘ and ‘Decline‘ options will appear on the screen.
3. Click Accept.

If you decline, the post stays on the original poster’s profile and won’t appear on yours.

6 Ways To Employ Instagram Collab Posts

Do you want to know how and when to use IG collab posts? We’ve created six ideas to help you get started and reach more people and followers. 

Partner With Other Brands

If you have working relationships with other brands with similar audiences, consider them for collaboration. Look for ways to promote each other’s content or host a joint sale. 

Think about what content would interest both your audiences. Then, make a plan to develop and share it.

Promote a Discount or Giveaway

A discount or giveaway campaign can work even better when two accounts combine. If you want more engagements and conversions, having twice as many followers partake can significantly expand your campaign’s footprint. 

Collaborate With Influencers

Influencers usually have highly engaged followers. Collaborating with an IG influencer for a series of Collab Posts can help build excitement for your brand. 

You can use influencer marketing software to partner with them and leverage their enthusiastic audience. 

New Product Launches

Boost your next launch by partnering with another influencer or brand to promote your new product or service. 

Like your everyday IG Collab Post, partnering with other accounts helps amplify your efforts. It’s an easy way to add a collaborative touch to your existing content without much extra effort. 

Promote Other Accounts

Many brands have multiple accounts per platform. You may have one for a product or a highly popular personal account. 

Instagram Collab Posts enable you to share similar content with your audience simultaneously. Moreover, if someone already follows one of your accounts, they’ll likely follow the others.

Support a Charity or Nonprofit

Consumers want brands or influencers to share their values. According to a report from Sprout Social, 21% of people follow a business on social media due to shared values. 

Influencers and brands should share the values people care about to increase loyalty and engagement. 

You can demonstrate your beliefs through an Instagram Collab and raise awareness for important causes. It’s a win-win situation.

Leverage Path Social for How To Collab Post on Instagram

The Instagram Collab feature is a great tool to enhance your brand’s visibility on Instagram. Whether you share feed posts or Reels, this tool can double your reach and increase engagement.

We recommend influencers and brands try this strategy and see how beneficial it can be for IG growth. 

Do you want to know how to add collaborators on Instagram and get increased followers and likes? Choose Path Social.

We can help you identify the most efficient method to engage and interact with followers who respond. 

Our experts use tailored strategies and tools to help influencers or brands connect with their target audience. We guarantee consistent and long-term growth. So, sign up today to start growing and gaining Instagram followers!