A collab post is a specific Instagram feature that lets two accounts share a single post. When a brand is added as a collaborator, their name appears on the post alongside yours — and the content shows up in both of your feeds, reaching both audiences at once.
It looks like a joint creation. And to the audience, that's exactly what it is.
That appearance — the brand name sitting next to yours — is worth more than a standard sponsored post, and it should be priced accordingly. Brands know this. The reason the ask arrives casually is because a casual framing makes it easy for you to treat it as a free extension of the original deal. It isn't.
What Makes a Collab Post Different
In a standard sponsored post, you create content and tag or mention the brand. Your audience sees it. The brand gets exposure through your reach.
In a collab post:
- The brand's handle appears alongside yours as a co-author
- The post lives on both your profile and the brand's profile
- The engagement (likes, comments, shares) is shared between both accounts
- Your content functions as organic brand content on their page — simultaneously
That last point is the key one. The brand isn't just getting exposure through your audience. They're getting a piece of content that lives natively on their own profile, appears in their followers' feeds, and carries your credibility with it.
That's more than a tag. That's co-branding.
How to Price a Collab Post
A collab post fee is an add-on to your base content creation fee — not a replacement for it. The content still has to be created, shot, edited, and captioned. The collab arrangement adds a layer on top of that.
A reasonable starting point: a collab post typically adds 20–40% to your standard deliverable rate for that content type, depending on the brand's audience size and how actively they plan to promote it.
| Brand Audience Size | Typical Add-On |
|---|---|
| Under 50K followers | ~20% of deliverable rate |
| 50K–500K followers | ~25–35% of deliverable rate |
| 500K+ followers | ~35–40%+ of deliverable rate |
The larger the brand's audience, the more impressions your content is going to receive through their channel. More reach = more value = higher fee.
Bonus Tip: Before agreeing, check the brand's follower count. If they have 500K followers and you have 80K, your content will appear in their much larger audience's feed with your name on it — that's significant additional exposure for the brand at your credibility's expense. Price toward the top of the range, or above it.
Selah prices collab posts as a named line item in your quote →
What to Look for in Brand Messages
The collab request usually arrives as an afterthought, or phrased as if it's simply the default:
- "We'll want to collab the post from our brand account" — this is the ask; price it
- "Can you add us as a collaborator on the post?" — same thing, more casual phrasing
- "We'd love for it to live on our feed too" — they're describing a collab post
- "We'll share the post from our side" — verify whether this means a standard share (free) or a collab post (paid)
If their name appears on your post and it lives on their feed, it's a collab post. Name it and add the line item.
A collab post gives a brand your content, your credibility, and a permanent place in your profile grid — while also living on theirs. That's a co-branding arrangement, and the fee should reflect it.
For the full framework on how collab post fees fit alongside other deliverable add-ons, see How to Price a Brand Deal →
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a collab post fee? A collab post fee is the additional charge you add when a brand wants to be listed as a co-author on your post using Instagram's Collab feature. When they are added as a collaborator, their name appears alongside yours, the post lives on both profiles, and engagement is shared between accounts. That is co-branding — not a standard sponsored post — and it is priced as an add-on to your base content fee.
How much should I charge for a collab post? A collab post typically adds 20–40% to your standard deliverable rate for that content type. Smaller brands (under 50K followers) are toward the lower end; brands with 500K+ followers command the top of that range or higher, because their audience is seeing your content in their feed at scale. The larger the brand's reach, the more value they extract from the arrangement.
Is a collab post the same as a tag or mention? No. A tag or mention gives the brand exposure through your post. A collab post puts the brand's name on your post and distributes the content to both audiences simultaneously. The brand's followers see the content as if it originated from both accounts. That is a fundamentally different reach arrangement — and the fee reflects it.
Why do brands ask for collab posts instead of standard sponsored posts? Because a collab post gives the brand a piece of content that lives natively on their own Instagram profile, appears in their followers' feed, and carries your credibility with it. They get organic distribution to your audience and theirs in a single post, without paying for separate content creation. The request often arrives casually — "can you just add us as a collaborator?" — but the value it provides is not casual.
Should a collab post replace or be added to the content creation fee? Added. The content still needs to be created, shot, edited, and captioned. The collab arrangement is a layer on top of that production. Quote your base content fee for the deliverable type, then add the collab post premium separately as a line item on your rate.