Social Media 101: Instagram Collaborations
When it comes to social media, there is A LOT to discuss, whether it be about platforms, new updates, trends, viral content, videos vs. photos, or why we’re all talking about cottage cheese or corn on a given week. Our “Social Media 101” series aims to discuss topics like this in detail to help answer all the many social media questions you may encounter.
This post is all about Instagram collaborations, so let’s get started on the “what,” the “how,” and the “why!”
What is an Instagram collaboration?
An Instagram collaboration, or an Instagram collab, is a post created by an account that is posted on the two or three separate accounts tagged as collaborators in the collab post, whether it be a static post or a Reel, like this. All the accounts can see likes, comments, impressions, and other analytics in a collab post. And the followers of all the collaborators will see the content on their feeds, regardless of whether you follow the other collaborator(s).
How do you create an Instagram collab?
It’s simpler than you think! Here are the steps:
Create a post just as you normally would
Click “Tag people or add collaborators” and click “Invite collaborators”
Type out the account(s) you are collaborating with
Lastly, the accounts you are collaborating with need to “accept” the request
Why should you consider using Instagram collabs?
First, they are highly beneficial to all accounts in the collab. By having content live on both accounts, different audiences see the content, allowing the viewers to click on the account. By reaching larger audiences, each brand could gain followers and increase both reach and brand awareness.
Second, both engagement and engagement rate percentages will be higher. Since the collab is present on multiple accounts, more people can see the content, allowing for higher engagement, which is what matters on social media nowadays. The higher the engagement, the better! Many benefits and opportunities arise from Instagram collaborations; testing it out on your own (if it makes sense) doesn’t hurt!
What are the limitations?
There are many “pros” when it comes to Instagram collaborations, however, there are limitations to take note of when it comes to these collaborations. For example, once the post is live, it can no longer be edited by either of the accounts.
Another factor to think of, which should be spoken about before the post goes live, is the audio that goes along with it, if it’s a Reel. The audio must be available to all accounts in the collaboration. On Instagram, there are different types of accounts. There are personal accounts, business accounts, and creator accounts, and not all have access to certain audios on the platform. We’ve encountered this issue at Foodie Tribe when our influencers try to add a brand’s account as a collaborator on their post, but they’ve chosen an audio that business accounts don’t have the rights to. So it is important to make a note of that and discuss it before you run into this issue.
Another common factor people don’t think about before creating the content is certain Instagram guidelines to follow before making that content. For example, there are certain rules about alcohol being in content on Instagram for certain accounts. So again, do your research and make sure all accounts are on the same page before creating the content and running into a problem before going live.
Foodie Tribe is here to help you with all things social media and influencer marketing! If you have any questions regarding social media, influencer marketing, or marketing in general, feel free to contact us! If you want to learn more or work with us, visit foodietribe.com!