How do I create Instagram collab posts?
Table of Contents
With Instagram collaborator posts, you can schedule & publish posts with up to 5 Instagram users directly from Sprout.
Full publishing permissions for Instagram are needed.
How it works
- Open Compose from the main navigation.
- Select an Instagram profile.
- Select Invite Collaborators under Instagram Options.
4. Input the handles of up to 5 collaborators to tag them.
Use the dropdown to verify the profile exists and isn't set to private.
5. Complete your post and schedule it.
6. View the pending post on your calendar. You can view your post in list, week or month view.
Instagram posts with collaborators will show the original author's profile with a + representing other profiles.
Adding collaborators on Instagram native is only available on mobile.
Collab posts in reporting
Collaboration posts — both posts you authored and posts you were invited to as a collaborator — now appear in Sprout reporting:
Post Performance Report — collab posts appear alongside your standard posts
Tag Report — tagged collab posts surface here
My Reports (post-level widgets) — collab posts are included
Filtering options:
Include or exclude collab posts from your view
Show only authored collabs (posts you created) vs. joined collabs (posts you were invited to)
Filter by specific collaborator
Premium Analytics: break down performance by collab vs. standard posts using the Post Analysis widget
Available metrics for collab posts: Likes, comments, shares, saves, reposts, and views.
Note: Deeper metrics available through Meta's
/insightsendpoint (e.g., reach, impressions) are not currently available for collab posts due to API limitations.
FAQs
Will the invitation be sent to the collaborator upon saving in Compose?
No. The invitation is sent at the time of publish, not when the post is saved or scheduled.
How do I know if the collaborator was added?
Once published, check your Sprout Calendar. Hover over the post to see collaborator names and their status (accepted, rejected, or pending). Allow up to 24 hours for the status to update.
Why did my collab post fail?
Common reasons:
The collaborator's account is private
The collaborator has an age-restricted account
The collaborator is an Instagram personal profile (only Business/Creator accounts are supported)
Why can't my collaborator find the request?
First, confirm the post didn't fail due to the collaborator's profile settings. Then tell the collaborator to check:
Their Instagram inbox for a message from you
Their notifications section on Instagram
The post itself (they can accept directly from the post)
I added a collaborator but don't see it on the sent post. Where is it?
If the collaborator declined or rejected the request, it won't be displayed on the sent post.
Can I cancel a pending collaborator invitation?
No. Once a post is published with a collaborator invitation, the invitation cannot be cancelled from Sprout. The collaborator must accept or decline on Instagram.
Do comments from collab posts appear in Sprout's Inbox?
If the collab post was published by Profile A in collaboration with Profile B, comments will only appear in Sprout's Inbox for Profile A (the author/creator of the post).
Can I add collaborators from Sprout's mobile app?
No. Collab post creation is only available on web. On native Instagram, adding collaborators is available on mobile.
Can I see metrics on posts I was invited to collaborate on?
Yes — collab posts you joined now appear in Post Performance, Tag Report, and My Reports post-level widgets. Available metrics include likes, comments, shares, saves, reposts, and views.
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