Instagram collaboration message: 5 templates to copy and adapt

Before you reach out: 3 things to check

1. They complement your business, rather than compete with it: a template creator for your Canva course, or a nutritionist for your meal planner.
2. Their audience is active: look for recent comments, not just followers.
3. You know their content: you’ve commented on two or three posts before reaching out. A familiar name gets read. A stranger gets skimmed.

How to ask for a collaboration on Instagram: what to include

• One sentence about them: mention a specific post you liked, not a generic compliment.
• One line about you: what you sell and who it’s for.
• A specific offer: what you’re proposing, for how long, and what’s in it for them.
• An easy question: “Would you be interested?” rather than “Can we hop on a call?”

Aim for fewer than 80 words. A long message gets saved for later, then forgotten. Still choosing a format? See Instagram collaboration: 5 ways to reach new people.

Template 1: Pitch a Story swap

“Hi Leah! Your weekly meal planning post saved me an entire evening 😄 I sell a printable meal planner for families. Want to do a Story swap? I’ll share your guide, and you’ll share my planner on the same day. Interested?”

Template 2: Pitch a collab post

“Hi Marcus, I’ve been following your Excel tips for months. I sell a course for admin assistants who want to automate their spreadsheets. How about a collab post on five essential formulas? You cover the first three, and I’ll cover the last two.”

Template 3: Pitch a joint live

“Hi Sarah! I love your career-change series. I coach professionals who are switching careers. How about a 30-minute live session on questions to ask before quitting your job, on your account or mine? Do you have a date open in November?”

To go live, Instagram requires a public account with at least 1,000 followers, so host it on whichever of you qualifies.

Template 4: Pitch a joint offer

“Hi Emma, your illustrations would be a great fit for my journal templates. How about a holiday bundle with your prints and my journals? We each sell it in our own shop and share the page. Want me to send you a mockup?”

Template 5: Ask for a spot on their page, free or paid

“Hi Julie, your audience of new parents is exactly who my baby sleep guide is for. I’d love to feature it on your page for a month, as a free or paid spot, whichever you prefer. We’ll be able to track the views and clicks it gets. Interested?”

The terms are clear: a set period, something in return, and results to track. Your product stays on the page for the agreed period instead of relying on a post’s reach.

Mistakes that get your request ignored

• Obvious copy-and-paste messages: “Hi! I love your content!” sent to 50 accounts.
• Asking without offering: “Can you share my product?” gives them no reason to say yes.
• Reaching out on day one: get to know their content before asking for something.
• Following up three times: send one polite follow-up after a week, then move on.

Frequently asked questions