As a business owner, you have a lot on your plate—from running day-to-day operations on your ecommerce site to handling supply chain logistics and customer service. You recognize the importance of having an Instagram marketing strategy. But with everything else you have going on, it can be difficult to find the time to post Instagram content when customers are online.
Luckily, Instagram offers an option to schedule posts from a business account. Scheduling content allows you to build content when you have free time and post it when the time is right—potentially enabling greater reach, engagement, and sales conversions. This guide shares how to do it.
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Why should you schedule your Instagram posts?
With all it takes to run a business, there are likely a host of reasons why you want to consider creating a schedule for Instagram posts. Here are just a few common reasons you may want to consider scheduling as you plan your social media strategy:
Time savings
Rather than pausing whatever else you’re doing in order to post, creating and scheduling multiple posts simultaneously can streamline your content creation process, help you avoid interruptions, and leave you with more time to focus on other aspects of your business.
Consistency
Audiences like to know what to expect when it comes to company and brand behavior on social media. Having a predictable posting pattern, which you can develop through Instagram post scheduling and a content calendar, can keep your customers engaged and help build brand loyalty as people return to your posts.
Increased reach
Using Instagram Insights through your Instagram business account, you can figure out what days and times your followers are viewing your content. With this information, you can schedule content for those peak days and hours, potentially increasing impressions, reach, and engagement.
Improved planning
Posting content off the cuff, when you’re hurried or distracted, can lead to more errors. Instagram scheduling lets you carefully craft your captions ahead of time. With proper planning, you can craft messages around holidays, promotions, and other events as well.
How to schedule Instagram posts
While it might seem intimidating if you’re not social media savvy, Instagram has made scheduling posts quick and painless. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.
1. Make a professional Instagram account
If you haven’t already, convert your personal Instagram account to an Instagram business profile. To do this from the Instagram app, tap the menu button in the top right-hand corner, then tap “Settings.” From there, tap the “Account types and tools” option. At the top, select the option to “Switch to a professional account.”
Follow the remaining prompts about your industry and contact information, and you’re ready to schedule social media posts.
2. Create and edit your content
To start creating content, go to your Instagram mobile app, tap the + button, then tap Post or Reel. You can record photos or videos directly from the app, or upload pre-made media from your phone.
Once you have your choice selected, you can write Instagram captions, add effects, filters, music, text overlay, or even augmented reality elements.
3. Schedule your content
Once your post is polished and ready to publish, tap the arrow (Android) or the Next button (iPhone). Then tap “Advanced settings” followed by “Schedule this post.” From there, you can choose a date and time up to 75 days away. Tap Done, tap the back button, then tap Schedule to finish scheduling your post or Reel.
How to manage scheduled Instagram posts
It’s a common scenario: You scheduled an Instagram post to go live on the day of a big company promotion, but things have changed and you need to make edits to the post. Here are the two ways you can manage Instagram posts that have already been scheduled.
Manage scheduled posts from your Instagram profile
To manage scheduled Instagram posts from your profile, start by navigating to your profile in the app. Then tap the menu button in the top right-hand corner, followed by the “Scheduled content” button. Next, tap the three dots button beside the post or Reel you want to edit. This will give you the options to “Reschedule,” “Share now,” or “Delete” the post.
Manage scheduled posts from the Create menu
To manage scheduled Instagram posts from the Create menu, start by tapping the + button in the app. Then tap Post or Reel, followed by Scheduled to see a list of your scheduled content. Tap on the content you want to change, then tap Reschedule, Share now, or Delete.
5 best Instagram scheduling tools
The in-app Instagram scheduler is a good starting point, but it doesn’t offer the advanced features that other social media scheduling apps do. There’s a limited calendar view of upcoming content and you can’t click and drag content to change the publishing date.
Social media management tools exist to solve these problems and make it easier to schedule Instagram posts in advance. Popular options amongst social media managers include:
All of these tools also sync with different social media platforms. If you want to schedule Instagram posts alongside content you’re posting to your Facebook page and TikTok profile, choose a third-party social media post scheduler.
Best practices to schedule Instagram posts
Being able to schedule Instagram content shouldn’t necessarily change your social media marketing strategy. Strong content marketing includes thoughtful planning, creative language, and the use of analytics for maximum reach and impact. Here are a few other best practices for Instagram scheduling.
Engage with your followers
If you know exactly when your scheduled posts are set to go live, you can block off time to respond to comments and questions. Engaging with your followers is a great way to build your brand voice and keep users returning to your Instagram page.
Sync up with other social channels
Other social media platforms (such as Meta Business Suite) also offer the option to schedule posts for the future. Crossposting—or coordinating your content to go live on multiple platforms simultaneously—through a social media management tool can help ensure the greatest reach and demonstrate a high level of professionalism. It’ll help you post content consistently across every social media channel your audience uses.
Develop quality content
Since you can schedule content over a month in advance, you can take ample time to plan and build high-quality content. Extra lead time also means you can test your posts internally with employees or leadership to fine-tune them for your final target audience.
Avoid overposting
While it may be tempting to think that more is better, content fatigue is real. Posting too much may overwhelm your Instagram followers, prompting them to tune out or unfollow your brand. Research shows that in order to grow your engagement, it’s best to create four posts per week.
Scheduling Instagram posts FAQ
Is scheduling Instagram posts a free feature?
Yes. The only requirement to schedule Instagram posts ahead of time is that you have a professional (creator or business) account, both of which are free.
Are there any potential drawbacks to scheduling Instagram posts?
Scheduling Instagram posts means you will be less able to react to immediate changes or live events. If you schedule too far in advance, your posts may not reflect changes in customer preference, trends, or even logistics such as inventory.
How do you choose the best time to schedule Instagram posts?
Instagram Insights offers a look into what days and times your followers are the most active and the most likely to engage with your content. Use this data to inform your Instagram marketing strategy when scheduling your posts for the most possible engagement.