Instagram takeovers can be a great tool for both brands and creators. Here’s how to make sure your takeover goes off without a hitch.
Josiah Hughes June 21, 2022 11 min readWhether you’re trying to cross-promote content, grow your follower base, get the message out about a product or idea, engage a specific community, or just have a little fun with your feed, an Instagram takeover is never a bad idea.
But running a successful takeover requires a bit of planning and a whole lot of coordination. In this guide, we’ll cover everything brands and creators need to know to make sure your next collaboration is a hit.
Bonus: Get the Instagram advertising cheat sheet for 2022. The free resource includes key audience insights, recommended ad types, and tips for success.
An Instagram takeover is when someone temporarily takes over another account to create and share content—usually on behalf of a brand. The takeover host might be a celebrity, an influencer, or even a team member.
It’s kind of like when your friend uses your phone to post a silly selfie while you’re in the bathroom. Instagram takeovers just require much more planning and intentionality. (Oh, and your permission!)
View this post on InstagramThe MS Association had actress Selma Blair take over its Instagram to promote its 52nd anniversary.
An Instagram takeover is one of the best organic marketing tools for your account. As long as you approach it strategically, it’s almost impossible to see a downside to the practice.
Whether you’re a social media marketer or an influencer, it’s the ultimate win-win scenario. In an Instagram takeover, both parties can benefit from one another in expected (and surprising) ways.
Read on to learn why an Instagram takeover is the right decision for you.
Here are a few ways an Instagram takeover can help your business.
Think of an Instagram takeover as a bridge that connects similar (but not identical) groups of people. If you invite someone to guest post on your account, many of their fans will likely follow along to see what happens. It’s a great way to gain high-quality followers.
If you have an important milestone approaching, a takeover makes perfect sense. An Instagram takeover is a great hype machine. Consider it a chance to drum up attention before launching a new product or service. It’s like a social media version of Kanye West’s Yeezy collabs with Adidas and the Gap or Travis Scott’s McDonald’s meal.
An Instagram takeover is a tacit endorsement of your account. This is especially valuable if you cater to a specific niche. For example, a meal kit company might work well with a family-oriented influencer. A takeover is a way both parties can vouch for each other.
No one wants to flood the feed, but keeping up with consistent, timely, relevant posts is also important. Even the greatest marketing managers can occasionally feel stuck in a rut. Takeovers can be a great way to freshen up your marketing strategy and think outside the box (or, er, grid).
We know takeovers can be a great way for businesses to breathe new life into their Instagram feeds, but what’s in it for creators? Here’s how successful Instagram takeovers can be helpful for influencers.
If you’ve been invited to host an Instagram takeover, it’s a chance to share your voice with a brand new audience and showcase what you have to offer. Takeovers are a rare opportunity to connect with a group of people who have a proven interest in your niche.
When you partner with a brand, you tell their audience (and your own) that you’re a trusted voice in that space. Plus, you can add every successful brand partnership to your pitch deck and use those wins to generate even more deals.
You can (and should!) promote the takeover on your Instagram, too. If you’re taking over a brand’s account, you’ll likely have exclusive Stories and posts you can share with your followers.
Despite their high-profile nature, Instagram takeovers are relatively low-stakes. The posts can be as polished or rough-around-the-edges as you want, and the audience will roll with the punches. In fact, a change in tone or look might even garner more attention as your viewers poke around to figure out what’s going on. As long as you’re serious about strategy, there’s a lot of room to have some fun.
View this post on Instagram
Broadway Plus shares an engaging video and poster to advertise that Hadestown star Kimberly Marable will be taking over their Instagram Story to share a day in the life on tour.
Start by asking yourself the big-picture questions. What are you hoping to accomplish with this Instagram takeover? Having a clear purpose will help you plan out every step of your strategy, from who will host to the measurable metrics for success.
Here are a few goals you could consider when planning an Instagram takeover:
An Instagram takeover is inherently collaborative, so you’ll want to choose someone who is the exact right fit for you. Let’s break down the dos and don’ts of booking an Instagram takeover partner.
DO partner with someone who is aligned with your brand.
You’ll want to pick a creator who understands the product or service you have on offer. You should also make sure they fit the demographic of your target audience.
For example, a slang-heavy Gen Z influencer won’t make waves with a target audience of baby boomers. A super-polished millennial creator isn’t likely to connect with TikTok teens, either. Make sure a potential partner’s tone works for your audience.
DO partner with someone whose content you enjoy.
If you enjoy someone’s content, your followers probably will too. Take a look at your potential partner’s IG grid, stories and tagged page to get a feel for their personality and posting style. This is a fairly personal collaboration, so getting a feel for who you’re working with is important.
DON’T book someone just because they have lots of followers.
Your potential takeover partner might have a large follower count, but don’t go on numbers alone. Their engagement rate is also important. Do their followers seem interested in what they’re posting?
You can calculate engagement yourself, but your partner should also be able to supply these stats in their media kit.
DON’T book someone who only does sponsored posts.
Ideally, you want to partner with someone whose page has a healthy ratio of organic content to sponsored ads. If someone only participates in branded content, chances are they’re not going to do much for your business.
DO pick a partner that you authentically enjoy.
Your followers trust that they’re getting the most authentic version of you, and this is even more critical when marketing a product. If you’re not fully sold on something but agree to participate, you could hurt your personal brand in the long run. Being strategic about who you partner with can ensure your decisions are best for you.
DO research the brand to make sure you align with them.
Once you’ve decided you’d like to work with a brand, spend some time researching them. Even a quick Google will tell you if there are any controversies with their brand or product. The last thing you want is to be blind-sided by negative questions or comments during a takeover.
DON’T work with someone for the wrong reasons.
We know it’s tempting, but make sure you’re not working with someone just because they’ve offered you payment or a free product. Social media users can sniff out inauthenticity a mile away. If your takeover feels off, it will hurt your online reputation, too.
DON’T overextend your reach.
Instagram takeovers can be great for building your brand. But that doesn’t mean you should do them constantly. The point is to drum up hype with exciting events, but if you overextend yourself, you’ll hurt your overall influence in the long run.
There are many different kinds of Instagram posts, and each could serve a different purpose in your Instagram takeover. For example, you might be okay with your collaborator posting all over the feed or prefer they stick to Stories.
These Instagram formats are perfect for takeovers:
Instagram Stories
While it depends on the style of the takeover, you’ll likely want to plan your content around Instagram Story posts. After all, users know and love IG Stories as a place for both slick and rough-around-the-edges content. They’re great for trying out fun experiments.
Stories can also be customized with links and calls to action. Plus, you can save Stories in your highlights, so they don’t need to disappear forever when the takeover ends.
Team Canada invited different athletes to take over their Instagram Story to share a day in their lives.
Instagram Feed
The main Instagram feed, also known as the grid, is a more permanent home for your takeover content.
Generally, the grid isn’t best for tons of quick posts in quick succession (a.k.a. “flooding the feed”), but it can still work well for takeovers. Guest content will stand out on your feed, which means it can continue attracting attention long after your takeover. It’s also a great place to include Reels.