Staying connected and reaching a broader social audience is essential for universities and schools. Instagram’s latest feature, Instagram Collabs, offers a fun and innovative way to boost your institution’s presence, engage with your community, and encourage collaboration across different departments. And it’s available in the Social News Desk (SND) Dashboard too!
What Are Instagram Collabs?
Instagram Collabs is a feature that enables two accounts to co-author a post or Reel. When you create a Collab, the content appears on both the publishing account’s and the collaborator’s profile grids. This means that the post is shared with the followers of both accounts, significantly expanding its reach and visibility.
How Do Instagram Collabs Work?
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- The creator of the original post invites another account (or multiple in SND!) as a collaborator
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- If the account accepts the invite, their username will be added to the post
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- The post, once published, is then visible to both account’s followers and shown on both profiles
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- Accounts that accept a collaboration invite can see all likes and comments on the post
Since the post appears in two different accounts’ Feeds or Reels, IG Collabs get even more exposure than “usual” posts (and yes, you can track how these posts do in SND).
Using in SND
Adding and inviting collaborators on your Instagram posts in SND couldn’t be easier! Just enter the username (or multiple usernames) you’re looking for, and they’ll be asked to accept the invite.
Benefits of Using Instagram Collabs in Universities and Schools
Cross-Promotion of Internal Accounts: Use Instagram Collabs to tag other departments, student organizations, or faculty accounts. For example, a collaboration between the university’s main account and the science department can highlight a new research project, reaching followers of both accounts.
Enhanced Engagement: By sharing the post with a wider audience, you increase the likelihood of engagement from followers of both accounts. This can lead to higher likes, comments, and shares.
Strengthened Community: Showcasing collaborative efforts within your institution fosters a sense of unity and community. Highlight joint events, interdisciplinary projects, emergency alerts, or student-faculty collaborations.
Streamlined Content Creation: Pooling resources from multiple departments or groups can lead to richer and more diverse content. This not only eases the content creation process but also ensures a variety of perspectives and expertise.
Practical Examples of Instagram Collabs
Event Promotion: Collaborate with different student organizations to promote campus events. For example, the university’s main account can co-author a post with the student government to announce an upcoming festival.
Academic Highlights: Feature notable academic achievements by collaborating with the relevant department. A post celebrating a new grant awarded to the engineering department can be co-authored by the main university account and the engineering department’s account.
Faculty Spotlights: Collaborate with faculty members to highlight their research, publications, or achievements. This not only showcases the faculty’s work but also personalizes the institution’s account.
By leveraging Instagram Collabs, universities and schools can effectively broaden their reach, enhance engagement, and foster a stronger sense of community. Start exploring the power of collaboration today in the SND Dashboard and watch your institution’s social media presence thrive. Have questions on how it works? Get in touch: support@socialnewsdesk.com.
