Here's How to Post With A Friend On Instagram

It’s no secret that Instagram is the perfect place to collaborate with friends and fellow content creators. From connecting with like-minded creators on DMs, to remixing one another’s Reels, sharing projects in posts, and tagging co-creators in story announcements, Instagram can be used as both a networking and sharing platform. Now, with today’s release of the new Instagram “Collab” feature, your social media synergy is about to level up.

Collab is kind of what it sounds like: the feature offers users the ability to co-author posts and Reels. When a user invites someone to be a collaborator on their post, the content can be shared on both users’ timelines. The post’s engagement statistics will also be streamlined with a shared like count, view count, and comments section. That not only means that you and your co-creator won’t have to worry about inundating your timelines with the same content in separate posts — but also that your likes and view counts are likely to become exponentially higher when consolidated.

The best update of all? Collab is open for all public accounts to use — whether you’re Lil Nas X and the Teletubbies announcing their upcoming collab, an influencer posting brand partnerships, or just want to show off a hilarious Reel that you and your bestie made together.

How To Use Collab On Instagram

Inviting someone to be a collaborator on your post is a lot like the process of tagging someone. For a regular post, go about your regular process of posting, but, when you get to the final “Share” screen, hit “Tag People.” Then, hit “Invite Collaborator,” and type in your co-creator’s username. You can also invite multiple creators, with a max of up to 20 combined tags and collaborators. If you accidentally invite the wrong person, you can delete them by clicking the “X” next to their name. Once you’re done, hit the check mark, and share the post as you wish. Your co-author will be listed as a collaborator once they accept your invitation from their own account.

To invite a collaborator on Reels, the process is pretty much the same. Record and edit the reel as you wish, and, when you get to the “Share” screen, hit “Tag people.” Then, hit “Invite Collaborator, and search for the usernames of the public accounts that you want to list as co-authors. Likewise, you’ll have the option to edit or delete any collaborators before posting. Once you’re all set, hit the check mark and post your Reel.

If you’ve been invited to be a collaborator, your notification will look the same as when you get tagged in a post. Open your app, and click on your notifications tab. There should be a notification that your collaborator tagged you in a post. Click on this notification, and, under the picture, there will be text stating that you’ve been invited to be a collaborator on this post. Click the blue “Review” button next to the text, and click “Accept” or “Decline.” If you accept, the post will be shared to your followers with both of your usernames attached to it.

Why Don’t I Have Collab on Instagram?

Until its global release, Collab had only been available in India, Ireland, and the UK as a test. If you’re in a country where Collab is now available (like the U.S.) and it hasn’t shown up for you yet, no need to worry — you’re probably just due for an app update. Head to the App Store or Google Play Store on your phone and search, “Instagram,” and there should be an update option.

Updating your Instagram app this week is a smart move in general, since the company is planning to roll out multiple new features for its “Product Week.” So, get that IG up-to-date and unlock a whole new level to your ‘gram game.