Social Media

How to use Instagram collab posts

Q: What if one collaborator has a private account?

If the main publisher has a private account, they can still participate in collab posts, although if they add a collaborator with a public account to their collab post, the post will be publicly visible from the collaborator’s page for all to see.

Q: Can you add a collaborator after publishing your post?

Yes. To add a collaborator to a published post, tap on the menu in the top right corner of the post on Instagram, tap Edit , Tag people , and Invite collaborators .

Q: Can anyone create a collab post?

Yes. There are no limitations on who can or cannot create a collab post. There is no minimum follower restriction, nor do you need a particular account type to participate.

Q: How do I decide which of the collaborators should publish the post?

A comment from Instagram CEO, Adam Mosseri, indicates that there could be greater benefit to having the largest account act as the publisher of the collab post to ensure the maximum reach. However, if you’re a brand partnering with a creator or influencer, it may look more authentic and personal if the creator is the main publisher.

The benefits of Instagram collab posts and how to get started

Adobe Express

August 29, 2025

Summary

Instagram collab posts allow users to mutually share a post with up to five collaborators — with the post appearing as if it had been posted from any of the collaborator’s pages. This can be a photo post, a carousel, or a Reel. Not only do collab posts let you be transparent with your audience about who worked with you on your latest post, but it also gives all involved collaborators exposure to each other’s followers — allowing them to increase their own following and reach.

Neat right? If you’re a keen collaborator and are looking to grow your audience, here’s everything you need to know to make the most of Instagram collab posts.

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About Instagram collab posts

Instagram collab posts were introduced in 2021 so that two users could collaborate on a post together. Today you can add up to five collaborators to one post (for a total of six collaborators). Instagram collab posts are a great way to highlight the relationship between a business, a creator or influencer, and multiple brands who are working together. It also allows accounts to reap the benefits of any mutually created social media content, without needing to duplicate the content across multiple accounts or create a version for each user to post. It’s the perfect feature to use when you’re partnering with a brand or influencer or looking to highlight your other projects or brands.

Instagram collab posts, when created, will appear with all collaborators in the post header. The post will appear on the grid of every collaborator, and any engagement will be shared between all collaborators.

Two woman sit outside. They both have their phones in their hands but are smiling at each other.

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3 main benefits of Instagram collab posts

Reach new audiences

Instagram collab posts share your content with your audience as well as with the audiences of your collaborators. This opens you up to easy discovery from a whole new audience, doing wonders for your brand awareness and follower growth.

Grow your following

With exposure to the followers of your fellow collaborators, chances are they’ll like what they see and start following you, too. Participating in an Instagram collab posts could really help you gain followers as well as have more direct benefits to your brand outside of social media.

Get more engagement

With collab posts, any engagement received (likes, comments, shares, saves, etc.) by one will be received by all collaborators of the post. This means that if your post gets a lot of online attention, all of the engagement will count towards your profile and may give your profile a boost in terms of Instagram’s algorithm.

Further reading: Tested tips to boost your Instagram engagement

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How to create an Instagram collab post in the mobile app

Select the + icon to create a new post. Upload your image or video, fill in the caption and any other post details.
Select the Tag people option.
If you’re posting a photo, you’ll see a button that says Invite collaborators. If you’re publishing a Reel, you’ll see two buttons: Add Tag and Invite collaborators. In both instances, you’ll want to select the option for Invite collaborators.
Search for the account(s) you want to add as a collaborator and click on their profiles to add them. Tap Done.
When ready, press Share.
Collaborators will receive a notification inviting them as collaborators for your post. Until they accept the invite, the post will appear as if only you have published it.

Further reading: Guide to Instagram Reels and how to use them

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Instagram collab posts FAQs

How do you delete an Instagram collab post?

In the creation of collab posts, there is one main account that publishes the post, and the rest are simply added as creators. It is this main account that is able to delete the post, although other collaborators are able to remove themselves from the post as a collaborator at any time.