Instagram peer collaborations can help you more than you know! Arguably one of the best parts about Instagram is its ability to connect like minded individuals across all categories, fields of business, interests, etc. Instagram has become much more than a photo sharing app, in that way. No one can deny that Instagram has become equal parts photo sharing app and hub of connectivity. In a lot of ways, it acts as an online meet-up location for millions of people across the globe. Because Instagram is so limitless in its ability to connect you with your peers, the app has seen a wave of collaborations. I’m sure no one is a stranger to the mass of influencers and social media stars connecting with and contracting advertising work from brands. However, what’s been trending in recent times is peer-to-peer collaborations.
Let’s be clear on what we mean by Instagram peer collaborations. A great example of this is when you see bloggers sharing other blogger accounts on their Instagram stories. Yes, lots of times these posts are just people being nice and sharing inspirational accounts. However, lots of these “profile shares” are pre-arranged collaborations between a group of bloggers. This differs from brand-to-influencer collaborations in the sense that peer-to-peer collaborations are typically not paid and are a friendly effort to share followers, share exposure and grow.
We’ll highlight different types of Instagram peer collaborations in the article below and will outline our tips for seeking out and securing collaborations.
Instagram Peer Collaborations Types
Group Giveaways
I’m sure you’re all familiar with group giveaways and what those look like. Lots of times, groups of similar bloggers with similar followings will come together to do a giveaway with the goal of sharing followers. In this instance, the bloggers will either combine gifted items (like beauty products) or all pay into a prize together to gift to the winner. This is a great and easy way to start Instagram peer collaborations.
In other situations, bloggers of all follower counts will come together and pay into a loop giveaway in order to pay a blogger with a substantially larger following to participate, as well as to purchase the gift. In this situation, there tends to be a significant increase in followers, being pulled in by the paid sponsor. However, there also tends to be way more of a drop off of followers after the giveaway closes.
Group Account Shares on IG Stories
As mentioned in our example above, group account shares on IG stories is also another super popular way to collaborate with your peers. Typically, one or two bloggers will start a group direct message on Instagram with similar bloggers, asking if there’s interest in sharing each other’s accounts in an effort to share followers and exposure. I’ve seen these types of Instagram collaborations stem from already-existing engagement groups, as well.
Group Trips
This specific type of peer collaboration is more involved and more complex to carry out than a simple post to your Instagram story, but out of all the Instagram peer collaborations, has a lot of rewards. Lots of times, bloggers will team up with each other to secure sponsored trips/vacations. The total pool of followers is attractive to brands, hotel chains, etc., allowing for bloggers to travel together and create content in a sponsored environment. This type of collaboration requires a ton of intricate outreach, planning and contracts. But in the long run, you gain networking, exposure and content for your Instagram!
Group Photo Meet Ups
Lastly, another easy way to gain exposure and collaborate with your peers is arranging a photo meet-up. I’m sure you’ve seen bloggers tagged in a photo they aren’t actually in. This typically happens because Blogger B took the photo that Blogger A posted, so it’s a way of giving photography credits and lending exposure to the person who took the photo. It’s a similar process when photographers request to be tagged in the blogger photos. This type of collaboration is especially beneficial because on top of gaining more followers and exposure from being tagged in the photo you took, you’ll also get photos taken of you by the blogger you’re meeting up with. Mutually beneficial!
Tips for Getting Instagram Peer Collaborations
Turn to Your Existing Engagement Groups
We’ve had personal success in securing peer collaborations through leveraging contacts in our existing engagement groups. To be clear, we don’t, in any way, shape or form encourage you to turn to our Wolf Engagement Groups and post a message about collaborating. Just so we can make sure we’re on the same page, that type of post is against the rules of our engagement groups. However, you can use the member list to seek out similar accounts to yours and start a contact list to establish your own network of like-minded bloggers who you can collaborate with. Similarly, if you’re a part of any DM engagement groups, those are great contacts to reach out to about collaborating.
Be Kind, Be Genuine, Be Convincing
When reaching out to other influencers, or peers, for a collaboration, be sure to be kind and genuine. Someone once told us that their biggest trick to securing peer photography collaborations was by asking if they could take that person out for coffee and shoot around after. The whole “I’ll tag you if you tag me” bit came naturally when they met up for coffee and photos. Because you’re going to be the one who is actively seeking out collaborations, it’s always best to offer the person you’re reaching out to something in return, even if it’s as small as coffee. Along this same note, don’t be afraid to make your case and note that it’s mutually beneficial for peers to collaborate. In a way, reaching out for peer collaborations is like pitching a business. You’re asking someone for something, and telling them why they should invest their time in it. Just remember to always be kind, genuine and convincing in your pursuits.
Be Prepared to be the Organizer
When reaching out for more complicated peer collaborations like sponsored trips or group giveaways, be prepared to be in the organizer role and be able to answer any questions your peers might have regarding the collaboration. When heading into any collaboration, it’s important to keep in mind that everyone is their own business when it comes to blogging. The trip, photo meet up or giveaway needs to be mutually beneficial for every party’s time, personal brand and business. Being able to provide a certain level of organization and leadership in collaborations is key to not only a successful collaboration, but building a lasting relationship with an industry contact.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask
When it comes to peer collaborations, never be afraid to ask. That phrase is far-reaching. When we say “never be afraid to ask,” we’re not just talking about asking your peers to meet up. We encourage you to never be afraid to use the follower count of a peer collaboration to joint-pitch a brand that might’ve been previously out of reach. Never be afraid to try to put together a giveaway or put yourself out there. Those who take the risks and put in the extra work are the ones who are rewarded the most.
Know Your “Peers”
One of the most important parts of outreach for peer collaborations is knowing who to reach out to. If you’re a photographer, reach out to other photographers with a similar style. If you’re a food blogger, reach out to other foodies. An important aspect of this also involves paying close attention to follower count. If your reach is somewhere around 10k, then sure, reach out to peers who have similar counts, but don’t expect someone with 10x your reach to participate. You’ll see much more success if you conduct outreach within your means and take risks that make sense for you and for the other party involved.
If you’re looking for more tips on Instagram peer collaborations, or any other general Instagram advice, checkout the Wolf Blog for more great reads!
