In this article, you’ll learn how to use the collaborator feature and also create, schedule, and publish Instagram collaborative posts using SocialBee.

What are Instagram collaborative posts?

Instagram collaborative posts (often called Instagram Collab posts) let up to five collaborators co-author a single post or Reel. Instead of being published by just one account, the post appears on the profiles and in the feeds of all collaborators once they accept the invite.

Instagram collaboration posts are supported for feed posts, carousels, and Reels.

How do Instagram collaborations work?

Collaborative posts are created and published by one account, collaborators are invited, and once they accept, the same post appears on all collaborators’ profiles with shared engagement metrics.

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how Instagram collabs work on the platform:

1. The original creator starts a feed post, carousel, or Reel from their Instagram account.
2. During post setup, the creator searches for the Instagram account(s) they want to collaborate with and sends a collaboration invitation.
3. The post is published from the original creator’s account.
4. Each invited account receives a notification from Instagram asking them to accept or decline the collaboration.
5. Once a collaborator accepts, the same post appears on their profile grid and may be shown to their followers in the feed.
6. The post has one shared set of engagement metrics, including likes, comments, views, and saves. Engagement from any collaborator’s audience contributes to the same post.
7. The original creator controls edits, captions, and deletions. Collaborators can remove the post from their own profile without affecting others.

How are Instagram collab posts different from tagging?

Tagging and collaborating may look similar on the surface, but they work very differently in terms of visibility, ownership, and reach.

Instagram collab feature vs tagging:

• While collab posts appear on the profiles and in the feeds of all collaborators, tagged posts appear only on the original creator’s profile.
• While collab posts list all participants as co-authors at the top of the post, tagged posts only mention another account without author credit.
• While collab posts are shared with the followers of every collaborator, tagged posts are not distributed to the tagged account’s followers.
• While collab posts combine likes, comments, views, and saves into a single shared set of metrics, tagged posts keep all engagement tied to the original post only.
• While collab posts require collaborators to accept an invitation before the post appears on their profile, tagged posts may be added automatically depending on account settings.
• While tagged posts can appear in Instagram Stories, collab posts are not supported for Stories.

Instagram collaborative posts requirements: size, aspect ratio, and formats

Instagram collaboration posts follow the same technical requirements as standard posts. Since the Instagram collab feature supports feed posts, carousels, and Reels, the same format rules apply when collaborating with other accounts.

Note: Publishing via Reminders means you’ll receive a notification to manually post the Reel using the SocialBee mobile app. When you tap the notification, SocialBee copies the caption and downloads the media to your phone so you can complete the post in just a few steps.

Collaborators cannot be transferred automatically when publishing via reminders. However, once you start creating the post in the Instagram mobile app, you can manually add collaborators before publishing.

→ Read this article to learn how to post using Reminders.

Can you schedule a collab post on Instagram?

Instagram does not currently let you schedule collab posts directly from the Instagram app or Meta Business Suite.

Instagram’s native scheduling tools only support regular posts from Business or Creator accounts. While you can draft a post in advance, you can’t invite collaborators until the post is published manually. That means scheduling a collab post natively still requires you to be online at posting time to send the collaboration invite.

Using a third-party tool like SocialBee, you can schedule Instagram collaboration posts in advance and include collaborators as part of the publishing flow. SocialBee supports scheduling Instagram Reels, carousels, feed posts, and Stories, so you can plan different content formats in one place without switching tools.

Using SocialBee not only helps you improve how you share Instagram content with collaborators. It also automates your social media marketing because it allows you to manage multiple accounts, collaborate with your team, engage with your audience, and analyze your performance from one tab.

Connect your Instagram account to SocialBee

To publish or schedule Instagram collaboration posts, your Instagram account must first be linked to SocialBee. Follow these steps to connect your Instagram account:

1. Open your SocialBee dashboard and find the option to “Connect a new account.”
2. Click on “Connect” from under the Instagram logo to start the setup process.
3. Choose how you want to connect your account:
   • A professional Instagram account linked to a Facebook Page
   • A professional Instagram account connected via Instagram login
   • A personal Instagram account
4. Complete the authorization steps and return to SocialBee.
5. Select the Instagram profile you want to add, then click “Connect account.”

Once connected, the Instagram account will appear in your SocialBee workspace and be available for creating, scheduling, and publishing posts, including collaborative posts.

How to schedule Instagram collab posts

Now that your Instagram account is connected, you can start scheduling Instagram collaboration posts directly from SocialBee by following these steps:

1. Click “Create post” at the top of your SocialBee dashboard.

2. Select your Instagram account from the left-side menu.

3. Turn on “Customize each” if you want to tailor the post specifically for Instagram or adjust it for multiple social media platforms.

4. Choose the post type you want to publish. Instagram collaboration posts are supported for feed posts, carousels, and Reels.

5. Write your caption in the text editor, or click “AI” to generate a caption automatically.

6. Upload your media using the image or video upload icon.

7. To tag collaborators:
   • Click the “Tag” icon on the post preview below the text editor.

• Enter your collaborator’s Instagram handle, then click “Add collaborator.” You can add up to 3 collaborators to a single post.
• Click “I’m done tagging” to save your collaborators.

8. You can further optimize your post before scheduling:
   • Upload a custom thumbnail for Reels by clicking the thumbnail icon on the video preview.

• Get hashtag ideas based on your content using the Hashtag Generator (wand + # icon) or insert saved hashtag collections by clicking on the # icon.

• Format your caption using bold, italic, or strikethrough text.

• Mention Instagram profiles directly in the caption by typing @username.
• Schedule a first comment by clicking the first comment icon.

• Add a location using the location icon.

9. Assign the new post to a category to keep your content organized in folders based on topics, post types, campaigns, and more.
10. Choose when to publish the post:
    • Select “Post now” to publish immediately.
    • Select “Post at a specific time” to schedule it for later. SocialBee will also suggest optimal posting times based on your previous Instagram performance.
11. Optional scheduling settings:
    • Turn on “Re-queue after posting” to reshare the post later.
    • Enable “Expire post” to remove the post after a set date.

12. Review the real-time preview on the right side of the editor.

12. Set the post status:
    • Enable “This is approved” to schedule or publish.
    • Select “This is a draft” if the post still needs review.

14. Click “Create post” to save your content. Next, SocialBee will automatically publish your post at the scheduled time.

15. Once the post is published, Instagram will notify your collaborators. Each collaborator can then choose to accept or decline the collaboration request. The post will appear on their profile only after they accept.

Post ideas for Instagram collab posts

Instagram collab posts work best when both audiences get clear value and when the collaboration fits into a broader marketing strategy rather than feeling random. The goal isn’t just shared post visibility, but creative content that feels genuinely co-created and aligned in content style, showing that you’ve chosen the right partner. 

For example, look at how Monopoly collaborated with McDonald’s. Instead of making a plain announcement, they turned it into a game. The post is a carousel that explains how to play and win prizes. The design blends both brands’ styles while keeping each one instantly recognizable, and their audiences align really well.

This approach helps introduce new ideas, strengthens credibility, and takes your Instagram presence to a higher level while truly increasing reach.

Ideas for how to collaborate on Instagram:

• Run a joint giveaway or contest where participants must follow both accounts to enter.
• Create collab posts that focus on how-to or educational content that combine expertise from both collaborators.
• Show a shared workflow that highlights how both products or services are used together.
• Tease an upcoming launch or announcement to build anticipation across both audiences.
• Create a split-screen or handoff Reel, where each collaborator contributes a short clip.
• Do a brand or role swap, temporarily adopting each other’s tone or point of view.
• Post a countdown leading up to a collaboration reveal or release.
• Compare approaches by showing how each collaborator solves the same problem differently.
• Share behind-the-scenes content from working together on the collaboration.
• Create a joint Q&A using questions collected from both audiences.
• Show the collaboration timeline, from idea to execution.

Now that you know how to post with someone on Instagram, let’s also explore some questions you might have.

Frequently asked questions

Do Instagram collab posts show up on both profiles?

Yes, once all collaborators accept the invitation, the collab post appears on each collaborator's profile and in their feeds. The post shares the same likes, comments, views, and other engagement metrics across all accounts.

Do Instagram collab posts get more views?

Often, yes, because collab posts are shown to the combined audiences of all collaborators, they tend to reach new audiences than standard posts and increase engagement. The interaction from one audience can help the post gain visibility with other users, especially when the collaborators’ audiences are relevant to each other.

Can you remove a collaborator after publishing a post?

Yes. If you’re the original creator, you can remove a collaborator after the post is published by following these steps:

1. Open the post you want to edit.
2. Tap “Options” in the top-right corner.
3. Tap “Edit,” then select “Tag people.”
4. Tap “Remove” next to the collaborator’s name.
5. Tap “Done” and follow the on-screen prompts.

Removing a collaborator takes the post off their profile, but does not delete the post for other collaborators.

What happens if a collaborator declines the invite?

If a collaborator declines the invitation, the post remains published only on the original creator’s profile. Shared engagement and distribution apply only to collaborators who accept the request.

Can collaborators edit or delete a collab post?

No, only the original publishers can edit the caption, media, or delete Instagram collaborator posts. Collaborators can remove the post from their own profile, but this does not affect how the post appears for other collaborators.

Can you create an Instagram collaboration post if you have a private account?

Yes, you can use the Instagram collaboration feature with a private account, but it comes with important limitations to understand. 

A joint post can be created where both accounts are credited, and the content appears in each account’s own feed, but if one of the collaborators is a private account, the post will only be visible to that account’s followers. This means the post won’t be fully distributed across the Instagram feed of a public account, which limits reach and reduces the potential mutual benefit of the collaboration. 

While both accounts still retain their own content and shared credit, collaborations work best when both profiles are public, especially if the goal is exposure or audience growth.