Do Collab Posts Count as Duplicate Content?

Collab Posts are a popular feature on social media platforms, which allow two or more users to co-author a single post. Brands can use Instagram Collab Posts to significantly enhance reach and engagement by tapping into the combined audiences of all collaborators. A common concern is if these posts are seen as duplicates — fortunately, Collab Posts are designed to appear as a single, unified piece of content across all participating accounts, ensuring a seamless experience for followers without the risking penalty from posting Reels and photos that are too similar.

What Happens When a Brand and Creator Share the Same Post

When a brand and creator share the same post on Instagram, the platform currently treats it as duplicate content if they upload separately and then collaborate. This means the post will appear on both the brand’s and creator’s grids and in their follower feeds, with unified statistics and data visible across both profiles. Therefore, it’s more efficient to share a single Collab Post for a specific image to avoid redundancy in your feed and followers’ feeds — ultimately, it ensures the best reach and engagement possible.

However, a brand, creator or influencer can diversify their content by sharing different images from the same campaign. Using more than one image is a great way to maximize the content gathered from photoshoots and your design team — especially if two options catch your team’s eye. A great way to determine which visual each party should use is to upload your chosen posts to your Content Library, and let Visual IQ, Dash Hudson's visual research tool, determine which visuals have the best chance to perform. If Visual IQ predicts that the same image will perform best on two different accounts, you can use your discretion to determine which fits best with your feed’s creative identity. What's more, Dash Hudson's Visual IQ also identifies visual trends from your owned and earned media, discerns which imagery your competitors are using and more.

Do Collab Post Hurt Engagement?

Collab posts can be a great way to increase engagement by reaching new audiences and bringing fresh perspectives. They allow you to tap into your partner's followers, expanding your visibility. If the collaboration feels natural and provides value to both audiences, it can foster increased interaction and credibility, too.

However, if the audience overlap is minimal or the collaboration comes off as inauthentic, it could lead to lower engagement. For example, if the content doesn’t resonate with the new audience or feels forced, both parties might see less interaction.

To make the most of collaborative posts, ensure that your partner's audience aligns with yours and that the content genuinely benefits both of your followers. A well-executed collaboration can be an excellent way to grow your engagement.

Explore Collab Post Impact With Dash Hudson

Brands can leverage Dash Hudson to precisely analyze the impact of their Instagram Collab Posts. With Dash Hudson’s Social Analytics Monitoring and Reporting features, brands can gain insight into their performance including engagement rate, reach and audience demographics. Social teams can understand how well collaborations resonate with their audience and what content drives the most interaction. 

Dashboards offer a complete view of your social media metrics — you can customize dashboards to track specific KPIs pertaining to your Collab Post, like reach, post sentiment, engagement rate and more. This lets you monitor performance in real-time, giving your team the opportunity to pivot and adjust your strategy accordingly. 

Additionally, Content Segmentation lets you categorize and analyze different content types like Collab Posts. By segmenting Collab content, brands can compare performance against their other posts to determine if they work well. By segmenting your content, brands can get deeper insight into how collaboration contributes to overall social media success. 

FAQs

What determines the order of usernames in Instagram Collab Posts? 

The order of usernames in Instagram Collab Posts is determined by the sequence in which collaborators are added during the post creation process. The first username listed is typically the account that initiated the collaboration, followed by the usernames of the accounts that were invited and accepted the collaboration.

Can Instagram remove the ‘Collab’ option? 

Yes, Instagram can remove the ‘Collab’ option at any time. Social media platforms often update their features and policies based on user feedback, technical improvements, or changes in their strategic direction. However, Instagram typically provides users with advance notice regarding significant changes to its features.

Can you post a Collab from a private account? 

Yes, you can post a Collab from a private account. However, the collaboration will only be visible to the followers of the private account and the public or private followers of the collaborating accounts, depending on their privacy settings. If a private account collaborates with a public account, the post will only be visible to the private account's followers unless the post is shared by the public account, in which case it can reach a wider audience.