How to Allow Collaborations on Instagram

Collaborating on an Instagram post pulls double duty, placing your content in front of your own audience and your partner's audience simultaneously. It's one of the platform's most powerful native tools for organic growth, and this guide will walk you through exactly how to set up collaborations, make them successful, and troubleshoot any issues along the way.

What Exactly Is an Instagram Collab Post?

The Instagram Collab feature lets two (or more) different accounts be co-authors of a single Feed post or Reel. When you create a Collab post, it appears on the profile grid of every collaborator, shares the same likes and comment thread, and combines the engagement analytics. Instead of two separate posts telling the same story, you have one unified post that represents a joint effort and splits the creative credit right at the top, where both usernames appear.

Think of it as the social media equivalent of a joint press release or a song featuring two artists. Both parties get credited, and both benefit from the shared exposure. The power comes from this shared real estate, your content isn't just mentioned or tagged by a partner - it's living directly on their profile, presented to their followers as their own content.

This is extremely effective for:

• Brand Partnerships: A brand and an influencer can co-author a Reel, giving the post the official stamp of approval from both sides.
• Creator Collaborations: Two creators in the same niche can film a video together and publish it as a single piece of content on both their accounts.
• Business-to-Business Highlights: A coffee shop and a local bakery could create a Collab post showcasing a new pastry and coffee pairing.

How to Set Up an Instagram Collab: The Step-by-Step Guide for the Original Poster

Creating a Collab post is straightforward, but the process has to be initiated by one person - the one who builds and uploads the post. Don't worry, the other person gets to review and approve everything before it goes live. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1: Create a New Post or Reel

The process starts just like any other post. Open the Instagram app and tap the "+" icon at the bottom center of your screen. Select either "Post" (for a photo or carousel) or "Reel" from the options.

Choose your media from your camera roll, edit it as you normally would, and add your filters, captions, and any relevant audio.

Step 2: Navigate to "Tag People"

On the final screen before you share - where you write your caption, add hashtags, and tag a location - you’ll look for the "Tag people" option. Tap it.

Step 3: Invite Your Collaborator

Normally, this is where you’d just tag an account in a photo. But for a Collab, you'll see a button labeled "Invite collaborator." Tap this option. This tells Instagram you want to add a co-author, not just a tag.

A search bar will appear. Type in the Instagram handle of the person you want to collaborate with. It’s important to select the correct account, as many creators have backup or fan accounts with similar names.

Note: You can invite up to three collaborators for a single Feed post or Reel (for a total of four authors, including yourself).

Step 4: Place the Tag and Share

Just like a regular tag, you might be asked to place the collaborator tag on the photo or video frame. Once you've selected your collaborator(s), you'll see them listed under the "Invite collaborator" section. Now you can tap "Done."

Finish writing your caption and adding any other information, then hit the "Share" button. The post will instantly go live on your own profile grid. For your collaborator, a request will be sent.

How to Accept an Instagram Collab Invitation

If you're on the receiving end of a Collab request, you hold the keys to making the partnership official. Your partner has done the work of creating the post, but it won't appear on your profile until you accept it.

1. Find the Invitation

You'll receive a notification in two places:

• Through a Tag Notification: You'll get a standard notification that says "[Username] tagged you in a post."
• In Your DMs: You’ll receive a direct message request from the creator with the Collab invitation and options to accept or decline.

When you open the post from the notification, a banner will appear at the bottom that says, "[Username] has invited you to be a collaborator."

2. Review and Accept the Post

Click "Review." You'll be shown the complete post - the visuals, the caption, and the tags. This is your chance to make sure everything looks right and aligns with your brand. Once you're satisfied, tap the blue "Accept" button. You also have the option to "Decline" if something isn't right.

3. The Post Goes Live on Your Profile

The moment you accept, the post will instantly appear on your own profile grid and in the feeds of your followers. Your username will be added to the header of the post, and all existing and future likes and comments will be shared between both accounts. Congratulations, your collaboration is officially live!

Best Practices for a Successful Instagram Collaboration

Knowing how to use the feature is only half the battle. Making your collaborations effective requires a bit of strategy. Following some best practices will make your efforts more impactful and seamless every time.

Choose the Right Partners

The best collaborations are with accounts that share a similar target audience but maybe don't offer the exact same thing. Instead of thinking about follower counts, focus on alignment. Ask yourself:

• Do our brand values align?
• Is their audience likely to be interested in my content or product?
• Do our aesthetics and content styles complement each other?

A partnership with a smaller, highly engaged creator in your exact niche is often far more valuable than a collaboration with a huge account that has a broad, generic audience.

Plan the Content Together

Don't just create a post and surprise someone with a Collab invitation. The magic happens when you brainstorm and create a concept together. This ensures the final product feels authentic to both brands and provides balanced value. Discuss:

• The Goal: Is it to entertain, educate, or drive sales?
• The Format: Is it a tutorial Reel, an aesthetic carousel, a humorous skit?
• The Narrative: How can both of your strengths be highlighted?

Set Clear Expectations (Before Posting)

Clarity is kindness. Before anyone hits record or uploads a photo, agree on the key details. One partner might create the asset, but both should agree on:

• The Caption: Who's writing it? It should reflect both of your voices. Will you use specific hashtags?
• Posting Time: Agree on a date and time to publish. When your co-author accepts an invitation, a post immediately goes live, so aligning your preferred posting times is handy to hit your respective audience at the optimal times.
• The Call to Action: What do you want people to do after seeing your post? (e.g., "Check out the link in bio!", "Comment below with your thoughts!", etc.)

Promote After Publishing

The job isn't done just because the post is live. An excellent collaboration deserves extra promotion to maximize its reach. Both of you should:

• Share the post to your Stories. You can add stickers or behind-the-scenes context to make it more engaging.
• Reply to comments together. When users see both creators actively engaging below the post, it reinforces your partnership and builds community.

Troubleshooting: What to Do When Things Aren't Working

Like any social feature, you might run into a snafu. Here are solutions to the most common issues:

"I Don't See the 'Invite Collaborator' Button"

This is the most common problem. Here is your checklist:

• Check Your Account Type: The collaboration feature is only available for Professional, Business, and Creator accounts. If you have a Personal account, go to your settings to switch to a Business or Creator account.
• Your Account Must Be Public: The feature does not work for private accounts. Ensure your account is set to public.
• Update Your App: Older versions of the Instagram app might not have the latest features. Go to your app store, find Instagram, and install any available updates.

"My Collaborator Didn't Receive the Invite"

Here are a few reasons why an invitation might not come through and what to do about it:

• The Invite is in Their DM Requests: If you don't follow each other, the invitation will land in their Direct Message requests folder, which is easy to miss. Ask them to check there.
• Their Settings Limit Tags: Your partner may have privacy settings enabled that only allow tags or mentions from people they follow. Ask them to temporarily change this setting to allow tags from "Everyone."
• It's a Platform Glitch: Occasionally, the platform just has a bug. If all else fails, try deleting the pending invitation and sending a new one.

Final Thoughts

Collaborations aren't just about splitting the effort, they are a smart strategy for building relationships with another brand and reaching audiences you otherwise wouldn't have. Once you get familiar with how to invite and approve collaborators, it becomes a powerful, go-to tool to add to your marketing and creative toolkit.

Organizing a collaboration requires careful planning. At Postbase, we help teams and partners plan their campaigns using a shared visual calendar. This ensures everyone on the team knows exactly what is being posted and when. Our approval workflows make it easy for both partners to coordinate, saving time on logistics so you can focus on building stronger relationships with both of your audiences.