In 2021 Instagram rolled out Collabs, a new feature allowing users to share credit for a post. Collabs work similarly to tagging someone in an image, but it lets them share the post to their own feed. For some people it’s another feature they won’t use; for others, it’s a game-changer.
If you’re the kind of person who loves to try out new features, you’ll want to get your hands on this immediately. But how can you make the most of Collabs?
Credit a joint project
If you’ve got a multi-team project, whether internally or externally, how do you decide where it’s posted? Does it go on multiple accounts for others to share, or do you spread it out across multiple channels?
This problem can be resolved with the Collabs feature. Not only do you share the same likes and comments, but there’s also a good chance your analytics will be higher than usual.
BBC Three frequently Collab with their shows’ Instagram accounts, highlighting their programming and expanding their potential audience. Recently, they promoted behind-the-scenes videos from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 3 as well as coverage of the season finale.
Promote another account
Let’s say you’re a big organisation with social media accounts for various departments. For instance, you may have a careers-related account for attracting new talent to your company. These accounts may get a decent following, but there’s always room for more growth.
An Instagram Collab is one of the easiest ways to put these accounts in the spotlight. Not only do you share the engagement on the post, but your audience are immediately exposed to the newer account.
This kind of collaboration doesn’t require a huge campaign or hours of work; it could be as simple as a team photo or a video from an event.
Host a competition
Competitions are an easy way to get people interested in your brand. After all, you’re giving away free stuff, and who doesn’t love that?!
Competitions have a secondary purpose; you’re building stronger relationships with both your current audience and brand-new audiences. Collabs take this to the next level by introducing your followers to their potential new favourite brand, or vice versa.
Craft beer company Firebrand recently teamed up with outdoor equipment company Poler to give away a travel mug, poncho, and beer. Are you picturing an evening sat around a campfire drinking beers with your friends? It’s the exact vision both companies want you to see, and it’s a match made in heaven.
Avoid duplicating posts
Organisations with many Instagram accounts may find that messages are repeated across accounts. This can cause several problems, such as confusing audiences if the copy differs between posts.
Collabs make this process easier by using a single caption between both accounts. Whether two teams work together on the copy, or one person writes it alone, the result is much clearer. As a bonus, it also saves time to make one post rather than two!
Showcase your ambassadors
Influencer marketing has grown rapidly over the last five years, and nowadays it’s a common sight to see luxury trips and new gadgets promoted by individuals on social media. Influencers must indicate their post is a promotion (usually with a hashtag like #ad), but the Collab feature makes these advertisements far more transparent.
For businesses, this transparency can lead to an increase in followers and further brand awareness. For influencers, it exposes their work to a wider audience and makes the partnership more of a collaboration. It’s a win-win situation for both parties!
This isn’t just limited to paid influencers, but your general audience too. Cat-loving Instagram account Chonksdoingthings ask their followers to submit photos of their fat felines and shares them on their account as an Instagram Collab. Not only does it showcase people’s pudgy pets to the world, it helps connect cat lovers worldwide.