Co-creation: Double your reach with just one post

• #Influencer Marketing
• #Marketing
• #Social Media

Have you ever wondered how to take your Instagram posts to the next level? What if you could not only inspire your own community, but also reach a partner’s audience? All in a single post or video? Co-Creation does just that. The feature combines creative collaboration with double the reach, giving you the power to create content that authentically and effectively represents your brand.

For brands and influencers looking for sustainable growth and real connections, co-creation is a real game changer. With co-created content, you can not only increase your reach, but also build trust and tell stories that are truly memorable. But what exactly is co-creation? Why is it so effective? And how can you use co-creation to your advantage on Instagram?

Using an exciting real-life example, such as the collaboration between @mrs_ermerson and Costa Seafood, we’ll show you what successful co-creation looks like and the opportunities this feature offers. Find out how you can use co-creation to stand out on Instagram.

What is co-creation?

Co-creation is a collaborative concept. It involves creating and publishing content together with a partner, be it an influencer, a brand or another creative. Unlike traditional collaborations, where partners create and distribute content separately, co-creation creates a joint contribution. The aim is to combine reach, bring audiences together and create credible, authentic content.

This principle makes co-creation particularly effective. It not only creates synergies between the partners, but also strengthens the bond with the community. Audiences on both sides experience the content as the result of a genuine collaboration, building trust and engagement.

What can you achieve through co-creation?

Co-creation is not just a collaboration, it is an effective strategy to present your brand authentically and successfully.

1. Increasing brand awareness

One of the biggest advantages of co-creation is the massive increase in visibility. Thanks to the combined reach of your partners, you can reach potential customers who were previously unaware of your brand. At the same time, your brand is perceived positively through collaboration with trustworthy creators, which not only generates attention but also interest.

2. Achieve higher engagement

A shared post makes both communities curious. Comments, likes and shares flow together, creating an interaction that would often not be possible on its own. It motivates the target audience to get actively involved, whether through discussions, their own contributions or sharing content. This strengthens the bond with the brand and ensures organic reach.

3. Building trust and credibility

The combination of two authentic voices is very effective. When an influencer or partner that the target group already knows and appreciates recommends your brand, trust is automatically created. Your message is perceived as credible and your brand benefits from the credibility of the co-creator.

4. Bringing creativity to a new level

Co-creation combines different perspectives and creative approaches. Working with a co-operation partner not only inspires your content, but also offers your target group something new and fresh. The diversity of ideas creates stories that are memorable and emotionally moving.

5. Effective use of resources

By sharing the work on a contribution, you can utilise your resources more efficiently. Both sides benefit from the collaboration, be it through joint planning, shared production costs or the synergy between the two communities. You can achieve a much greater impact with a post or reel.

6. Create long-lasting brand loyalty

It goes beyond a one-off collaboration. By working closely together, you not only strengthen the relationship with your partner, but also the connection to your target group. Jointly created content shows your community that you are focussing on genuine partnerships and authentic messages.

How does co-creation work?

Collaboration through co-creation is as simple as it is effective:

1. Planning the collaboration: Define a clear message and a common goal together with your partner.
2. Content creation: Develop content that speaks to the values and interests of both communities, be it an inspirational post, an informative carousel or a creative reel.
3. Publication: The content created is shared on both Instagram profiles. This allows the content to reach the target groups of both partners.

Collab posts on Instagram

Instagram’s ‘Collab Partner’ feature makes the realisation of co-creation particularly easy. With this user-friendly tool, posts and reels can be shared directly with partners and simultaneously published on up to three other profiles. It offers an efficient way to combine content, maximise reach and connect multiple communities.

How do I create a Collab Partner post?

1. Erstellung des Inhalts: Du erstellst wie gewohnt einen Instagram-Beitrag, ein Karussell oder ein Reel.
2. Add partners: Before you publish the post, you can invite your co-authors by selecting mark someone.
3. Share: As soon as all partners have accepted the invitation, the content is automatically published on all profiles. Captions, likes, comments and shares are aggregated to multiply engagement.
4. Publish: The post appears on all feeds and reaches the audiences of all accounts.

A perfect example of co-creation

The collaboration between food influencer @mrs_ermerson and Costa Seafood is an impressive example of how Co-Creation can be successfully implemented. The example illustrates how brands and influencers can work together to create authentic content and increase both reach and engagement.

The idea behind this cooperation

Costa wanted to position its high-quality fish and seafood specialities more strongly with this campaign. The aim was to showcase the versatility of the products and inspire customers to incorporate them into their daily recipes. The collaboration with @mrs_ermerson, known for their outstanding food ideas and recipe creations, perfectly complemented the brand’s target group. For the family and interior creator, the collaboration offered the opportunity to introduce her community to new, high-quality products that match her brand and the expectations of her followers.

Implementation of the co-creation reel

The campaign was more than just a product presentation. It combined inspiration, authenticity and a clear message.

1. Focus on storytelling: The main focus of the collab post was on preparing a light summer dish that put Costa products centre stage. The post took followers step by step, from selecting the ingredients to the finished dish.
2. Joint publication: The post was published simultaneously on the profiles of @mrs_ermerson and Costa Seafood. This allowed the reach of both communities to be combined and maximised.
3. Visual design: The images and videos were high-quality, bright and inviting. Close-ups of the products and their preparation created an appealing aesthetic that piqued the viewers’ interest.
4. Call-to-action: The post contained a clear call to action: followers were invited to try out the recipe for themselves and share their results in the comments. The post also referred to the Costa website, where the products are available directly.

Results of the collaboration

The campaign was a great success.

• Multiplied reach: By publishing the post together, it reached a significantly larger target group. The followers of both accounts interacted intensively with the post.
• High engagement: Likes, comments and shares showed that the post was well received. The recipe idea in particular motivated many followers to share their own creations.
• Brand awareness: Costa Seafood was able to position its products with a new target group and at the same time strengthen the trust of existing customers.

Why was the campaign such a success?

1. Perfect choice of partner: The target groups of Julia the mum of three and Costa Sea Specialities complemented each other perfectly. Both communities were interested in creative, high-quality food ideas.
2. Authenticity: The co-creation post came across as an honest recommendation and not a typical advert.
3. Clear objective: The campaign had a clear message: fresh, versatile products that are perfect for everyday use.
4. Visual storytelling: The high-quality, aesthetic design attracted attention and made people want to cook the recipe.

Conclusion

The example of Julia and Costa shows that co-creation is more than just a trend, it is a real opportunity to emphasise your own brand or yourself as a creator. Working with collaboration partners makes it possible to multiply reach, build trust and create content that is authentic. With Instagram’s Collab feature, you can easily publish posts and reels together to share your message with an even wider audience.