How to Schedule Instagram Posts: The Ultimate Guide for Creators

Being consistent can be one of the most difficult components of successfully growing your Instagram account. That feeling of having to constantly think up and produce fresh content on the daily can be so challenging - we've all been there. 

So what's the key? Scheduling Instagram posts! It's a real game-changer that can save you time, free up your creativity, boost engagement, and help your account grow. Check out the whys and hows of Instagram scheduling, Instagram business accounts, third-party Instagram scheduling tools, and Instagram analytics (plus some helpful pro tips), and let's do this!

Why Schedule Your Instagram Posts? 

Scheduling your Instagram posts is a superpower for content creators, and takes advantage of the power of planning ahead. Here are the reasons why you should lean into the scheduling approach:

Saves Time and Maintains Consistency

Batch creating is one of the most efficient methods to making Instagram scheduling work well. If you create a purposeful backlog of Instagram posts in batches, it will be easier to keep your style consistent, and for most people it's also easier to create multiple pieces of content once all of your gear, lights, and props are set up and the camera's already rolling.

Maximizes Strategy and Smooths Planning

Planning your Instagram posts ahead also helps you keep a cohesive flow throughout your Instagram account posts, keeping your brand on point. Scheduling Instagram posts also lets you take advantage of upcoming events, themes, campaigns, or product launches without having to be rushed or stressed - which means your content will be better thought-out and better executed.

Helps with Targeting and Engagement

Consistent posting - as Instagram scheduling can help you achieve - makes it far easier for you to identify the times that your audience is most active, so you can schedule posts accordingly. The consistent posts will also become something your fans will look forward to, which helps increase your engagement and keep growing your Instagram account.

Improves Post Analysis

With regularly scheduled Instagram posts, you'll have more room to experiment; so you can try out different content formats, visuals, aesthetics, captions, and posting times. By digging into your analytics for your Instagram posts, you can refine down to the ones that get the most likes and comments, and increase your production of the most popular types.

3 Ways to Schedule Instagram Posts

1. Using Instagram's Built-in Scheduler

Scheduling posts and reels on the Instagram app using their built-in scheduler can only be done if you've established an Instagram business account on the platform. You're limited to 25 posts to Instagram per day, but you can schedule content up to a whopping 75 days in advance.

• Create and prep your photo or video post, write your caption, and collect the relevant hashtags that you want to include
• Open the Instagram app, tap the plus sign, and tap Post or Reel
• Either upload your prepared Instagram post, or start creating a new Instagram post from scratch
• Tap Advanced Settings
• Everything else from this point will be done in Schedule, so go there next and select a date and time for your post. Once you've done that, tap Done, hit the back button, and tap Schedule to finalize your scheduled post.
• You can manage your scheduled content later by going to the hamburger (menu) button in the top right, tapping Scheduled Content, finding the Instagram post you'd like to edit, and opting to reschedule, post immediately ("Share Now"), or delete it.

2. Third-Party Instagram Schedulers

External Instagram schedulers and social media management tools generally offer a wider range of features than the "regular" Instagram app, which is especially great for creators managing multiple accounts or seeking advanced features. But keep in mind that most of the non-native Instagram schedulers are subscription-based and can be pricey, so compare carefully before you choose one.

• Decide upon your Instagram scheduling tool! Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Post Planner, Buffer, and SocialPilot are a few examples, and each have their own strengths and weaknesses 
• Connect your Instagram account to your platform of choice 
• Upload your content, craft your caption and hashtags, and schedule your Instagram post for the desired date and time.
• External Instagram schedulers also often allow bulk scheduling, plus extra features like carousel post and first comment scheduling and analytics. So make sure to investigate all of the features of your Instagram scheduler of choice so you're getting all you can out of it!

3. Facebook Creator Studio

If you're on Facebook, you can link your Instagram account to Facebook Creator Studio to schedule your Instagram posts. 

• Open Facebook Creator Studio and navigate to the Instagram section.
• Choose "Create Post" and do the thing!
• Craft your caption and add hashtags
• Then schedule your Instagram post for the desired date and time by selecting Schedule Post from the drop-down menu; once you review that information, click on the Schedule Post button to confirm.
• You can schedule as many Instagram posts as you want on Facebook as of press time.

Scheduling Extras 

Let's talk about a trio of the extra features that third-party Instagram schedulers and social media management tools offer - consider them bonus ways to fine-tune your content scheduling!

First Comment Scheduling 

This feature lets you schedule the first comment on your Instagram post, allowing you to pin important information or CTAs (calls to action) at the top. This is a great way to direct users to a relevant link in your bio, highlight a special event, or run a giveaway via your posts on Instagram.

Carousel Post Scheduling 

With this feature, you can schedule carousel posts (multiple images or videos in one swipe-through format) to showcase your content in a visually engaging way. Instagram carousel posts can be used to take your viewers step-by-step through a process or a day trip; tell a story in "chapters"; introduce guests; showcase product details; or offer a behind-the-scenes look into your creative process.

Social Listening

Some of the available Instagram schedulers offer social listening analytics features that "mine" for keywords, letting you track brand mentions, real-time reactions, industry trends, and competitor activity. You can use this data to refine your Instagram scheduling strategy, and to identify new content ideas and opportunities. 

Pro Tips for Scheduling Instagram Posts 

Now that you're equipped with all of these Instagram scheduling superpowers, let's go over some pro tips to take your Instagram posts and your brand to the next level!

Create a Content Calendar

Keeping a content calendar helps you map out themes, keep track of post scheduling, and schedule Instagram posts to coordinate with special events, so your social media management stays on point. Your content calendar will help you keep a steady flow of content on your Instagram account, and avoids last-minute panics, too! Consider incorporating holidays, seasonal trends, or industry events into your content calendar to keep things current, relevant, and on-trend.

Batch Create! 

This is a big one - batch creating is a great way to both save time and get really immersed in your content creation process. The way it works is that you'll schedule dedicated shoot days (video or stills) and editing sessions, so you can spend those days creating content in batches. Completing multiple videos/photos all at once and prepping your posts ahead keeps you from feeling like a hamster on a wheel, and ensures that you've got folders of content ready to go well ahead of time. 

You can also pre-plan collaborations or guest posts, making sure you always have something exciting happening on the 'gram! Another bonus of batch creating and scheduling Instagram posts is that you can repurpose the content within for other platforms, too - your Instagram content can be easily adapted for TikTok or YouTube shorts, maximizing your content creation efforts and reaching an even wider audience.

Be Cohesive

Featuring your own unique blend of types of posts, filters, editing styles, and templates helps you create a cohesive aesthetic that will help your audience instantly recognize your Instagram posts and your brand. As you're scheduling Instagram posts and planning your content calendar, you can craft your own aesthetic using a range of pre-made components in an editing program like CapCut, or you could even design your presets or templates in design software for a truly unique look.

Understand Your Audience

Understanding your audience demographics is key! Analytics tools within the Instagram app (or third-party scheduling platforms) can provide valuable insights into your audience behavior. Research the times they're most active on the Instagram app (which can inform your posting times!), watch for trends in your comments section, see which Instagram posts really spark conversation, and let your fans help dictate what type of content you create more of, to keep those numbers growing as you continue posting to Instagram. 

Bonus Tip: Get Engaged! While schedulers are definitely a time-saver and creativity booster, authentic interaction is also vital for building a loyal community. Make sure you're responding to comments, participating in conversations, and even hosting live streams to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Schedule some time each day (in addition to posting on Instagram) to actually engage with your followers on the Instagram app, show them you appreciate their support, and watch your Instagram grow!

From Instagram to Fourthwall

Now that you're built up your scheduling skills and are taking your new Instagram superpowers to the next level, consider using Fourthwall to give your fans another place to gather 'round you and your content! 

You can use your Fourthwall account to establish your own website, offer memberships, sell custom merchandise in your own shop, post clips and exclusive video and photo content, and unlock another revenue stream for your creative endeavors. Fourthwall can be part of your socials strategy, too, with links connecting everything together - including a link right back to your Instagram account! Get started today and put Fourthwall to work for you!