Published by the Zolyp team ·
Why partner, and who to choose
Every local business has a group of people who already trust it. A partnership lets you be introduced to another business's group by someone they trust, and you do the same in return. It costs little, it's genuinely useful to customers, and it makes both businesses look like part of the neighbourhood rather than strangers advertising to it.
It also solves the most common local social media problem: running out of things to post. A partner brings new faces, new places and new stories into your feed.
The best partner serves the same kind of customer at a different moment. A florist and a wedding venue, a gym and a juice bar, a bookshop and a café, a dog groomer and a pet shop. Use this quick test before approaching anyone.
- Same area: their customers can reach you easily
- Same kind of customer: similar age, budget and interests
- No competition: you don't sell the same thing
- Similar standards: you'd happily recommend them to a friend
- Active on social: they post regularly and reply to comments
- Reliable: they'll do their share on time
- Good fit in tone: their posts wouldn't look odd in your feed
How to approach a partner
Approach in person if you can. Local business owners get plenty of sales messages, and a friendly chat at the counter is harder to ignore. If you message instead, keep it short, specific and about what's in it for them.
A hypothetical first message might read: 'Hi Sam, I run the yoga studio three doors down. Lots of our members come to you for brunch after class. Would you be up for a joint post introducing each other to our followers next month? We'd do the photos and write it; you'd just check it and accept the Collab invite. Happy to pop in for a chat.' It names the shared customer, a single small idea, the work you'll take on and an easy next step.
If they say no, or don't reply, leave it there. A business that isn't keen now may come back after seeing a collaboration you've run with someone else.
Eight collaboration formats
Start small. One shared post tells you more about a partner than a long planning meeting.
Pick the format that suits what you both sell. Food, drink and beauty businesses tend to suit visual formats such as shared posts and takeovers. Services such as accountants, physios or tutors often do better with a joint event or a useful guide, because the value is in what they know rather than what you can photograph. If one partner has a venue and the other doesn't, an event is the natural fit.
| Format | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Shared post | One post co-authored by both accounts | A first, low-effort test |
| Joint giveaway | A prize from both businesses, entered on both accounts | Growing both audiences |
| Takeover | One business runs the other's stories for a day | Introducing faces and personality |
| Bundle offer | A product or service from each, sold together | Turning attention into sales |
| Joint event | A workshop, tasting or evening at one venue | Meeting customers in person |
| Local guide | A post or carousel of favourite local spots, including each other | Being seen as part of the area |
| Behind the scenes swap | Each films a visit to the other | Short video content |
| Supplier story | Showing where your ingredients or materials come from locally | Trust and provenance |
Use Instagram Collabs to reach both audiences
On Instagram, Collabs let two or more accounts co-author a post. The creator invites another account as a collaborator, and if they accept, their username is added, the post is shared with their followers and it shows on their profile. Instagram says you can add up to 5 collaborators, and accounts that accept can see all likes and comments on the post.
The account that creates the post stays its owner. Only the original creator can delete it, and if they do, it's removed from collaborators' profiles too. So agree in advance who creates the post, and make sure both sides are happy with the caption before it goes out. Our Instagram Collab posts guide has the step-by-step.
Source: Instagram Help Centre: Create collaborative posts on Instagram, checked 15 October 2026
Agree the details on one page
Most collaboration problems are about expectations, not the idea. A one-page note, even an email both sides reply 'agreed' to, prevents most of them.
- Write the goal in one sentence, for example 'introduce each other to our followers before Christmas'.
- List what each side provides: prizes, photos, venue, staff time, posts.
- Agree the dates: draft, approval, posting and end date.
- Decide who creates each post and who approves the caption.
- Agree the rules for any giveaway, including how the winner is picked and contacted.
- Agree how you'll handle comments and complaints on the shared post.
- Agree what you'll share afterwards: follower changes, enquiries or redemptions.
- Agree how either side can end the arrangement politely if it isn't working, for example after the first post.
Disclose the relationship honestly
If money, free products or another benefit changes hands, your audience should know. The US Federal Trade Commission's guidance for influencers says to disclose any financial, employment, personal or family relationship with a brand, and that free or discounted products count. It says the disclosure should sit with the endorsement itself, in plain words such as 'ad' or 'sponsored', and that vague terms such as 'collab' or 'spon' aren't clear enough.
A Collab post that names both businesses as authors is already fairly clear. But if one business is paying the other to promote it, say so in the caption, and use the platform's paid partnership tools where they apply. Our guides on Instagram's paid partnership label and Facebook branded content explain those tools. Rules differ by country, so check your local advertising rules too.
Source: FTC: Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers, checked 15 October 2026
A worked example (hypothetical), and how to measure it
Imagine a small yoga studio and a plant-based café on the same street. They agree a four-week trial. Week one: an Instagram Collab post introducing the two owners. Week two: a story takeover where the café owner tries a beginner class. Week three: a joint giveaway of a class pass and a brunch for two, entered on both accounts. Week four: a Saturday 'stretch and brunch' event, created as a Facebook event by the studio and shared by the café.
Afterwards, they compare notes: new followers on each account, giveaway entries, event sign-ups and how many brunch vouchers were used. Because the event sold out, they plan a monthly version and repeat the giveaway each season with different prizes.
Whatever you try, judge a partnership by what it brought each business, not by likes on the shared post. Check these before deciding whether to repeat it.
- New followers during the collaboration compared with a normal week
- Enquiries, bookings or messages that mention the partner
- Redemptions of any shared code or voucher
- Event sign-ups and attendance
- Whether the partner did their share on time
- Whether the posts fitted your brand and got positive comments
Where Zolyp fits (disclosed: it's our product)
Zolyp, which we make, can write and design the posts for a collaboration in your own voice from Brand Brain, plan them in the calendar around your other content, and publish to Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads once you approve. Your partner still posts from their own accounts. Plans that create the posts start at $29 a month, Lite is $9 a month per brand if you only need scheduling, and there's a 3-day free trial.
Common questions
How do I find local businesses to partner with?
Look for nearby businesses that serve the same kind of customer without selling what you sell. Check who your customers mention, who you buy from locally, and who's active in local groups and events.
How many accounts can I add to an Instagram Collab post?
Instagram says you can add up to 5 collaborators to a post. Each has to accept the invite before the post appears on their profile.
Do I need to disclose a partnership with another business?
If one business pays the other or gives free products in return for promotion, disclose it clearly in the post. The FTC says to place the disclosure with the endorsement and use plain words such as 'ad' or 'sponsored'.
What's the easiest first collaboration?
A single shared post, such as an Instagram Collab introducing each other. It takes little time and shows whether you work well together before planning anything bigger.
Who owns an Instagram Collab post?
The account that created it. Instagram says only the original creator can delete the post, and if they do, it's removed from collaborators' profiles too.