Are you an influencer? Or a brand looking to collaborate with other brands on Instagram? Then this article is for you!

Instagram has emerged as a powerful platform connecting individuals and businesses on a personal level. Collaborating on Instagram with brands has become a successful strategy to increase growth and gain fresh customers. 

Studies show that about 61% of people trust recommendations from influencers rather than brands. 

Realising these statistics, many brands on Instagram seek great influencers and accounts to collaborate with and benefit mutually.

Now you may ask, “This sounds all exciting, but how to go about this?”

We got you covered!

Let us understand everything you need to know about collaborating with brands.

Bonus! You get 5 amazing collaboration DM templates to get replies from your favourite collaborators.

## What is an Instagram Collaboration?

An Instagram collaboration is a strategic partnership between an influencer and a brand to create content that mutually benefits both parties. Brands leverage the influencer's engaged following to reach a wider audience, while influencers gain exposure, credibility, and often compensation.

For brands, these collaborations provide a direct line to engaged and receptive consumers, while influencers gain exposure, credibility, and often financial compensation. 

## Benefits of Collaborating with Brands

Before we tell you the process, it is worth counting some of the direct benefits that an influencer/ brand account gets by collaborating with other brands.

![Benefits of collaborating with brands.png](https://strapi.cloudsocial.io/uploads/Benefits_of_collaborating_with_brands_c22fea887d.png)

1. **More exposure to a new set of audinece**

Upon collaborating, the followers of separate accounts discover each other and expose your content to a broader audience, increasing your reach and visibility.

2. **It builds trust in people**

Associating with reputable brands can enhance your credibility and authority within your niche.

3. **Chance to generate revenue**

Many collaborations offer financial compensation, allowing you to turn your business account into a profitable venture.


4. **Untapped Creative Opportunities**

Collaborations often push you to experiment with new content styles and concepts, fostering creativity.


5. **Bonding with a new set of like-minded individuals**

Building relationships with brands can open doors to more opportunities and partnerships in the future.

Since you realise the high-value good collaborations bring to account and how it benefits both parties mutually, we are all ready to dive into learning the types of collaboration and the process to take the collaboration ahead.


## Diverse Types of Collaboration

Understanding the different types of collaborations will help you choose the best approach with the brand and audience. Here are some prominent types:

![Diverse types of collaboration.png](https://strapi.cloudsocial.io/uploads/Diverse_types_of_collaboration_1afc37387f.png)


### Brand-to-Brand Collaboration

In this scenario, two brands come together to co-create content. This type of collaboration amplifies the marketing efforts of both brands, showcasing mutual support and camaraderie. For instance, a sportswear brand and a healthy snack company might collaborate to promote an active lifestyle and balanced nutrition.

##### Influencer-to-Brand Collaboration
This is the most common type of collaboration, where influencers partner with a brand to promote their products or services. For instance, a beauty influencer might collaborate with a skincare brand to review and endorse their new product line.

##### Influencer-to-Influencer Collaboration

Influencers with similar target audiences collaborate to create unique content that resonates with both sets of followers. For example, a travel influencer and a food blogger might collaborate to create a travel itinerary highlighting the best local eateries.


##### Brand-to-Influencer Collaboration
Brands utilise influencers to showcase their products or services. For instance, a fashion brand might collaborate with a lifestyle influencer to create stylish outfits featuring their latest collection.


### How to collaborate with brands on Instagram?

### Stage 1: Research Phase**

For example, a travel blogger who loves to experience local cultures while travelling can best partners with @airbnb, which offers a more authentic travel experience than traditional hotels.

This collaboration not only introduced the influencer's followers to a brand that aligned with their values but also allowed the influencer to showcase their commitment to experiential travel.


**Things to consider when looking for brands to collaborate**

1. **Niche :** Choose brands that align with your content and resonate with your audience.
2. **Targeted Audience :** Collaborate with brands that cater to your audience's needs and preferences.
3. **Content Relativity :** Ensure the brand's products or services seamlessly fit into your content.



### Stage 2: Reaching Out Phase

Before reaching out, engage with the brand's content genuinely. Leave thoughtful comments, share their posts, and build a connection. Many brands include collaboration information in their Instagram bio or website. This can be a potential entry point for collaboration.

- **Craft a Personalized Pitch**
When reaching out, highlight your unique value proposition. What can you bring to the table? Be clear, concise, and creative in your pitch.

**For example**, a food blogger passionate about healthy cooking crafted a personalised pitch for a health food brand. In the pitch, they highlighted their love for creating nutritious recipes and explained how their approach aligned perfectly with the brand's products.
The influencer's creativity and enthusiasm led to a collaboration that included recipe tutorials and ingredient spotlights.

- **Negotiate Terms Transparently**

Discuss compensation, deliverables, deadlines, and expectations. Transparency is crucial to avoid misunderstandings later on. 

**Here are some tips for negotiating well.**

- Clearly outline your deliverables, ensuring they align with your content style and the brand's objectives in the email. 
- Be transparent about your compensation expectations, considering factors like your follower count, engagement rate, and the effort required for the collaboration. 
- Flexibility is key; be open to discussing different compensation structures, such as monetary payment, free products, affiliate commissions, or a combination. 
- Emphasise the long-term benefits of the collaboration, including the potential for increased brand exposure and positive audience engagement. 
- Throughout the negotiation process, maintain professionalism and a collaborative attitude to foster a mutually beneficial partnership that goes beyond the initial deal.

### Stage 3: Content Creation Stage

Create exceptional content and stay true to your style while incorporating the brand's message. Understand their expectations clearly so that the content merges seamlessly with both accounts.

**For example,** a tech enthusiast collaborated with a gadget brand to showcase their latest smartphone. The influencer integrated the phone into a day-in-the-life vlog, demonstrating its features and benefits in a natural, relatable way. 


By seamlessly integrating the brand's message into its content, the influencer maintained its authenticity while providing valuable insights to its audience.

Ultimately, focus on delivering what you're promised by creating high-quality, engaging content. Keep open communication and discuss changes mutually until both parties are satisfied with the content.




### Stage 4: Promotional Stage

Once the content is live, promote it across your platforms. Encourage the brand to share it, too, maximising the reach.

For example, after a successful collaboration with a sustainable fashion brand, a lifestyle influencer promoted the content across their Instagram, YouTube, and blog platforms. They encouraged their followers to collaborate by sharing stories about sustainable fashion choices. 

The influencer also encouraged the brand to share the content on its official channels, resulting in a wider reach and increased engagement.




### Templates of DMs you can send for collaboration

**_Sample 1:_**

Hey [Brand's Name], I've been following your brand for a while and absolutely love your [specific product/service]. I have an exciting collaboration idea that would resonate with my followers and your audience. Could we connect to discuss this further? Looking forward to the possibility of working together!

**_Sample 2:_**

Hello [Brand's Name], I hope this message finds you well. I'm a passionate influencer in the [your niche] niche, and I'm genuinely impressed by your [product/service]. I'd love to explore a collaboration that brings value to both our audiences. Could we chat about this?


**_Sample 3:_**

Hi [Brand's Name], Your brand's commitment to [a specific value] aligns perfectly with my content. I envision a collaboration that showcases your [product/service] in an authentic and engaging way. Let's connect to discuss the details and potential mutual benefits.

**_Sample 4:_**

Hey [Brand's Name], I've been a fan of your brand's innovation in [industry] for some time now. I'm excited about the prospect of collaborating to create content that highlights your [product/service]. Would you be open to discussing how we can make this collaboration a reality?

**_Sample 5_**

Hello [Brand's Name], I'm reaching out because I see a fantastic opportunity for us to collaborate. Your [product/service] is a perfect fit for my audience, and I have creative ideas on how we can feature it in my content. Can we connect to explore this collaboration further?

**Well, collaborations are not just for profits!**
<u>collaborations</u>

Collaborating with brands on Instagram isn't just about boosting profits; it's about building meaningful relationships that contribute to the growth of both parties. You can create a win-win situation beyond monetary gains by carefully selecting your collaborations, focusing on audience alignment, and delivering outstanding content. 

Use the provided templates to kickstart your collaborations and embark on a journey of creativity, authenticity, and partnership.



![How-to-collaborate-with-brands.webp](https://strapi.cloudsocial.io/uploads/How_to_collaborate_with_brands_1153fc0d75.webp)

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&emsp;

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Elevate your Instagram presence with brand collaborations. Learn the proven strategies, from reaching out to negotiating terms, that empower influencers and content creators to build successful partnerships with brands on the dynamic platform

Mastering Instagram Collaboration: A Step-by-Step Guide to Partnering with Brands

How-to-collaborate-with-brands.webp

How to collaborate with brands on Instagram?

Want to play a treasure hunt game? (Well, you already are!)

Everyone putting informative and engaging content on social media is in the game of finding more audience (obviously, their attention is the real treasure). Hashtags for Instagram reels are solid cue cards that increase the chance of finding the right audience to engage with your content.

Using some of the best hashtags for Instagram reels helps you achieve the goal of being discovered by the right set of audience. 

In this blog, we will discuss hashtags' power and list some trending ones for your specific niches.


## How do hashtags for Instagram reels work?

We have been using hashtags for a long time but may still fail to understand their purpose and importance. Let us quickly look at what hashtags are.

Imagine you have a vast collection of your photographs and want to organise them. To do this, you start by putting travel tags on your travel images, childhood memories tags on your childhood images, and gym tags on your gym photographs. 


Similarly, Instagram uses hashtags to group similar images. For example, #travel for all the images about travel and so on. 

Now that you know exactly what hashtags do, it is time we understand how using them can tremendously increase reach and engagement.

## What can the right Hashtags do for Instagram reels?

![what can the right hashtags do for instagram reels.png](https://strapi.cloudsocial.io/uploads/what_can_the_right_hashtags_do_for_instagram_reels_4e149f1afe.png)

**1. Increased Discoverability** 
>Hashtags help make your Instagram reels discoverable by those with similar interests. When users search or follow a hashtag, your reels with that hashtag become part of their feed even when they are not following your account.

**2. Find Targeted Audience**
>You can target specific communities or interest groups on Instagram using relevant and niche hashtags. This allows you to reach users genuinely interested in the content you share through your reels, increasing the chances of engagement and gaining new followers.

**3. Trend Participation**
>Using trending hashtags can increase your reach by 30-40%. Trends are the way to join conversations and connect with the broader audience. These audiences are already engaging with those trends and interact with yours actively.

>How to find the conversations trending around your niche?
The “Listen” feature on your social media management tool Cloudsocial tells you everything happening online for each keyword you ask for. Try the tool today!


**4. Brand Exposure**
>Creating and consistently using a unique branded hashtag that aligns with your business or personal brand can encourage users to associate your content with that hashtag. It facilitates brand recognition and allows users to find more of your Reels by searching for that specific hashtag.


**5. Community Engagement**
>When you use industry-specific or niche hashtags, you can connect with like-minded users, potential customers, or enthusiasts who share similar interests. This engagement can lead to increased comments, likes, and shares on your Reels, ultimately strengthening your community.


**6. Analytics and Insights**
>By using hashtags, you can track the reach and engagement of your Reels through these analytics. This data helps you evaluate the effectiveness of your hashtag strategy and make informed decisions on future content and hashtag selection.


**7. Cross-Platform Visibility**
>Instagram hashtags are not limited to the Instagram platform alone. When you share your Reels to other social media platforms, such as Facebook or Twitter, the hashtags associated with your Reels can carry over. This cross-platform visibility expands your reach beyond Instagram and introduces your content to new audiences.

## List of Best Hashtags for Instagram Reels
### Best Hashtags for Instagram Reels

1. #reels (514M posts)
2. #reelsinstagram (290M posts)
3. #reelsvideo (87M posts)
4. #reelkarofeelkaro (74.8M posts)    
5. #reel (65.4M posts)
6. #reelsindia (49.9M posts)
7. #reelvideo (13.9M posts)
8. #reelinstagram (11.5M posts)    
9. #réel (10.9M posts) 
10. #reelindia (9.9M posts) 
11. #reelitfeelit (9.2M posts)
12. #reelit (8.5M posts )

### Fashion Hashtags for Instagram Reels

1. #fashion (1.1B posts)
2. #fashionblogger (165M posts) 
3. #fashionista (136M posts)  
4. #fashionstyle (111M posts) 
5. #fashionable (41.2M posts) 
6. #fashiongram (38.6M posts)
7. #fashionphotography (31.6M posts)  
8. #fashiondesigner (29.9M posts)
9. #fashionblog (29M posts)  
10. #fashionweek (29M posts) 
11. #fashionaddict (27.3M posts)
12. #fashionpost (22.5M posts)
13. #fashionlover (20.1M posts)
14. #fashionshow (14.3M posts)  
15. #fashionnova (10.7M posts)

### Lifestyle hashtags for Instagram Reels

### Travel Hashtags for Instagram Reels
### Photography Hashtags for Instagram Reels
### Fitness Hashtags for Instagram Reels
### Food Hashtags for Instagram Reels



Everyone putting informative and engaging content on social media is in the game of finding more audience (obviously, their attention is the real treasure). Hashtags for Instagram reels are solid cue cards that increase the chance of finding the right audience to engage with your content.


Elevate your Instagram Reels game with the latest and most effective hashtags for 2023. Discover trending hashtags to increase your visibility and engagement on this popular platform. 

Boost Your Instagram Reels with Trendy Hashtags | Top Hashtags for Instagram Reels 2023

BEST HASTAGS FOR INSTAGRAM REELS.webp

100x Instagram Reach and Engagement: Best Hashtags for Instagram Reels

Imagine this!
An exclusive circle of your most devoted followers, engaged and eager to hear from you. 

This becomes a reality through the ‘close friends’ Instagram feature, allowing you to build a closer relationship with your audience. Share behind-the-scenes peeks, special promotions, and captivating content that makes them feel truly valued.

But it doesn't end there. This select group holds untapped potential for your business. They become a valuable focus group, providing invaluable feedback on your new products and services. By involving them in your decision-making process, you can refine your offerings to perfection.

Lastly, this exclusive experience creates a sense of privilege, inspiring your close friends to take action. From visiting your website to making purchases, they respond enthusiastically to your calls to action.

In this guide, we will show you how to use Instagram's close friends feature for your business. We'll walk you through setting up your close friends list, editing it, and using it to create a buzz among your followers. Get ready to take your business to new heights with this game-changing feature!

### Step-by-Step Process to Set Up Instagram close friends List

![Step by step process to set up instagram close friend list.png](https://strapi.cloudsocial.io/uploads/Step_by_step_process_to_set_up_instagram_close_friend_list_e92b8e6a4f.png)

Setting up your Instagram close friends list is quite straightforward. Let's walk through each step in detail:

#### Step 1: Navigate to Your Profile
>To begin, open your Instagram app on your smartphone. Look for a small profile icon at the bottom right of your screen – it will be your profile picture. The profile icon will appear like a person's silhouette if you don't have a profile picture. Tap on this icon to direct you to your profile page.

#### Step 2: Access the Options Menu
>In the top right corner, you'll see three horizontal lines or dots on your profile page This is your menu button, giving you access to various options and settings. Tap this button to open a sidebar menu with different choices, like 'Settings,' 'Archive,' 'Your Activity,' and more. This menu is like your control panel, where you can manage different aspects of your Instagram account.

#### Step 3: Select 'close friends'
>Within the sidebar menu, you'll find an option labelled 'close friends.' Tap on this option to manage your Instagram close friends list. When you tap on 'close friends,' a new page will appear, showing a list of your followers. 
At the top, you'll see a search bar where you can look for specific followers. This is your chance to create your Instagram close friends list, selecting the followers you want to share exclusive content with.

#### Step 4: Add or Remove People from Your List
>On the close friends page, you can easily add or remove people from your list. Tap the 'Add' button next to their name to add someone. To remove someone, tap on the 'Remove' button. Rest assured, the people you add as your close friends will be able to see your exclusive stories, but they won't be notified when you add or remove them from the list.

#### Step 5: Managing Your close friends List

>Once you've set up your Instagram close friends list, you can manage it anytime by following the same steps. You can add new followers to the list as you gain them or remove people at your convenience. 
The close friends feature is a powerful tool for targeted marketing and engagement. You can share exclusive content with this select group of followers, fostering a sense of community and loyalty.

## How Can Businesses Leverage Their Close Friends List?

**1. Exclusive Content:** 
>Businesses can share exclusive content with their loyal customers through their close friends list. For instance, a fashion brand can share a few sneak peaks of the latest products they’ll be launching on their website. And while their close friends list can get early bird access to the products, ordinary customers can’t avail of the same.

**2. Personalized Offers and Promotions:** 
>Personalized offers are a great tactic to keep loyal customers engaging with your brand and products constantly. Businesses can promote the latest features of their product/service to their loyal customers on their close friends list on Instagram. They can also share personalized packages per their customer's demands, thus making them feel like VIPs.

**3. Market Research and Feedback:** 
>Let's say you manage a skincare brand and are about to launch a new line of skincare products for a specific customer group. You can add these customers to your Instagram close friends list and conduct a poll to get their insightful feedback. You can collect feedback regarding your product's [packaging design](https://cloudsocial.io/blog/Instagram-close-friends), scent and other aspects.

**4. Driving Traffic to Your Website:** 
>Driving Traffic to Your Website: Have you ever been part of a treasure hunt?. The thrill, the chase, and the joy of finding the hidden prizes hit on another level. Imagine creating that same buzz to your Instagram close friends.

>As a business, you can create a digital scavenger hunt using your Instagram close friends list. You can drop clues that scatter your followers to various parts of your website. This way, you could increase your website traffic organically while your customers discover unique aspects of your brand.

**5. Building Anticipation for Upcoming Events:** 
>Businesses can leverage Instagram stories to share creative countdowns for upcoming events. And to keep the viewers on their toes, you could leverage compelling content revealing new details about the event each day. Additionally, you can also conduct Q&A sessions. Additionally, they can also conduct Q&A sessions.

**6. Product Testing:** 
>Tech and SaaS businesses can handpick a group of their most interactive followers and invite them to become beta testers for their product. By offering them an exclusive opportunity to experience your product before its official release, you can gather invaluable insights and feedback.

>This way you can spot and rectify any potential glitches and refine the product's features. You'll be paving the way for a more seamless launch when it's time to introduce the product to the broader market. This strategy revolves around leveraging the power of Instagram's intimate sharing feature for product trial purposes.

>By using Instagram's close friends list in these various ways, businesses can create a more personalized and engaging experience for their most devoted followers, leading to increased brand loyalty, word-of-mouth promotion, and, ultimately, business growth.

### Tips for using Instagram's close friends list for business

If you're running a business, Instagram's 'Close Friends' feature can be your secret weapon. It's like having a VIP room where you can hang out with your most loyal fans. Here's how you can make the most of it:

![tips for using instagram close friends list for business.png](https://strapi.cloudsocial.io/uploads/tips_for_using_instagram_close_friends_list_for_business_b298b65d67.png)


1. Create an Exclusive List: Refrain from adding every ordinary customer to your close friends' list. As a business, you must treat your loyal customers differently to make them feel special and valued. This sets an example for other customers as well.


2. Share Relevant Content: You must ensure the content you post to your Instagram close friends' stories aligns with your customer's interests. You can boost customer experience by sharing sneak peeks, exclusive discounts and other exciting offers.


3. Include active users: There's no point in adding people who aren't active on Instagram because they wouldn't engage with your stories or posts. 


4. Be Consistent with Posting: Regularly post content to foster a stronger connection, making your audience more likely to interact with your Instagram handle.


5. Foster Relationships: Use the close friends list to build relationships with your audience. You can do this by responding to their comments and DMs and requesting feedback. Don't forget to show genuine interest in their opinions.


## Bottom Line

It’s clear how Instagram's close friends feature can benefit businesses. It allows you to connect with your most engaged followers, share content just for them, and build stronger relationships.

In your journey to growing your Instagram, and engaging your followers, be very conscious about replying to every DMs and comments. This can be hectic if you manage multiple social media channels. 

This is where social media management tools come handy. You can respond to all the comments/DMs/emails, for multiple accounts at one place. 

One such amazing tool is, Cloudsocial - your social media partner!


Cloudsocial is a comprehensive social media management tool that provides all the features required for seamless social media management in a small and medium enterprise. It provides features like Scheduling, Listening, Sentimental Analysis, Detailed Analytics, and Omnibox. 

And the best part about Cloudsocial is; it’s more cost-effective than any other social media management tool. 

[Cloudsocial](https://cloudsocial.io/) is providing a 1-month FREE trial. 
Sign up and embark on the successful journey of your business with Cloudsocial. 

### FAQs

#### 1. How do you monetize close friends on Instagram?
Monetizing your close friends list on Instagram can be done by offering exclusive content or experiences your followers are willing to pay for. This could be early product access, exclusive discounts, or premium content. 

#### 2. What do people use close friends on Instagram for?
The close friends feature on Instagram is used to share more personal or exclusive content with a select group of followers. This could be behind-the-scenes content, early product releases, or personal updates. Our service can help you strategize what content to share with your close friends.

#### 3. How much does Instagram close friends cost?
The close friends feature on Instagram is free to use. However, if you're looking to maximize its potential for your business, investing in a social media management tool like ours can be beneficial. Visit CloudSocial to learn more about our services.

#### 4. Can you post anything on Instagram close friends?
Yes, you can post any content that adheres to Instagram's community guidelines on your close friends list. However, to keep your audience engaged, it's best to post relevant and valuable content for them.  Our team of social media specialists is available to assist you in crafting a compelling content strategy for your close friends list.


Imagine this!
An exclusive circle of your most devoted followers, engaged and eager to hear from you. 

This becomes a reality through the ‘close friends’ Instagram feature, allowing you to build a closer relationship with your audience. Share behind-the-scenes peeks, special promotions, and captivating content that makes them feel truly valued.


Discover the exclusive world of Instagram Close Friends feature! Learn how to create a more personal and private experience on Instagram by sharing special moments, updates, and content with a select group of people

Our Blog

How to collaborate with brands on Instagram?

100x Instagram Reach and Engagement: Best Hashtags for Instagram Reels

How To Use Instagram’s Close Friends For Your Business

Subscribe now to Our Newsletter
and E-Book.

Our Blog

How to collaborate with brands on Instagram?

100x Instagram Reach and Engagement: Best Hashtags for Instagram Reels

How To Use Instagram’s Close Friends For Your Business

Subscribe now to Our Newsletter and E-Book.

Subscribe now to Our Newsletter
and E-Book.