If you are a small business owner looking to optimize your social media strategy, you need to learn how to schedule your Instagram posts and Reels to save precious time in your day.
Since Instagram helps you promote your brand and engage your followers, the link in the bio is the only way to bring them to external sites and continue the customer journey.
At the moment, scheduling Instagram posts and linking to your website or product checkout pages is not easy.
So keep on reading as we cover three main methods for planning Instagram posts, from using the native app options to utilizing a third-party scheduling tool to make the entire publishing and linking process autonomous.
Why is Instagram post scheduling important for businesses?
Why should you schedule Instagram posts ahead?
Well, Instagram scheduling is your behind-the-scenes magic wand that makes your social media life a breeze and keeps your posts flowing like clockwork.
Imagine brewing your morning coffee or wrapping up for the day, knowing your Instagram is buzzing with activity, hitting the sweet spot when your followers are scrolling.
Here’s what happens when you schedule content on Instagram:
- You save tons of time – plan and prep your posts when it suits you, then let them fly when your followers are wide-eyed and bushy-tailed;
- You get insights – most scheduling tools also peek into what interests your audience so can adjust in real time and keep that engagement sparkling;
- You prevent social media burnout – wave goodbye to social media fatigue since scheduling means your brand’s always on, even when you’re off.
- You are consistent – when you have a planned content calendar ahead, you will appeal consistently and be relevant to your audience without stressing about doing the posting schedule every day.
- You avoid errors when posting on multiple platforms – this is a crucial benefit when using a tool to publish the same or slightly edited content on multiple platforms. It avoids the need to log in to each account and also the possibility of making an error when posting again and again on each platform.
Remember that running a business is a marathon, not a sprint. Let’s see how to schedule Instagram posts.
Your new tool to publish and schedule Instagram posts for free!
Scheduling Instagram posts via the app: Official method
Instagram has introduced a very handy scheduling feature in recent years to offer the same functionality as most social media management apps. However, only Instagram Business and Creator accounts currently have access to this feature.
Scheduling posts via the Instagram app requires you to log in to your personal Instagram account and follow a few steps:
Step 1: Open the Instagram app, tap on the ‘+’ button and choose a post or a Reel; Here make all the edits you want, tap ‘Next,’
Step 3: In the end screen where you add the post caption scroll down, tap Advanced settings; in the next screen, switch ON the ‘Schedule this post’ option, and in the popover at the bottom, simply choose the date and time when you want the post to go live.
Step 4: Finally, tap ‘Done’ and go back to tap ‘Schedule’ to list the post as scheduled.
Congrats! You’ve just taken one task off your hands by scheduling your next post.
Note that this method works for both Instagram posts and Reels. So, if you have any Instagram post ideas, why not schedule them all and free up time for other tasks?
How to manage your scheduled Instagram posts in advance?
Once you schedule Instagram posts, you can revise them at any point via the main hamburger menu found in the top-right corner of your Instagram profile page:
- Go to your Instagram profile page, tap the top-right hamburger menu and tap ‘Scheduled content’;
- Find the post you want to edit or reschedule and tap the three dots next to it;
- Choose to ‘Edit post,’ ‘Reschedule,’ or ‘Share now.’ You can also tap ‘Delete‘ in case you don’t want to publish it at all.
Now, you can choose a new time and date, add extra details, or share the post immediately. If you do that, the post will disappear from your ‘Scheduled content’ list.
Utilizing Meta Business Suite to schedule your Instagram posts
If you use a desktop computer instead of your mobile device to manage your social media, you can schedule posts and reschedule them via Meta Business Suite, the official social media management platform for Facebook and Instagram.
This method of scheduling posts includes a few straightforward steps:
Step 1: Log in with the Facebook account, which is connected to the business Instagram account you use to manage your brand’s Instagram profile.
Step 2: Open your Facebook page, go to your Meta Business Suite, and tap ‘Create post’;
Step 3: Tap on ‘Add photo’ or ‘Add video’ and choose your media; Find and upload the file in question and fill in the post details;
Step 4: Toggle ‘Set date and time’ and choose when you want the post to go live.
After you click ‘Publish’, your post will be added to your Planner, where you can view all your scheduled posts and adjust the post settings and schedule times.
Note: None of the above methods provide the option to add a link and have this link in the bio page. This is mostly because the tools are strictly for scheduling and do not provide a tool for building links on the bio page. To tackle this problem, read below how Feedlink solves it and helps you schedule Instagram posts and add links at the same time.
Streamlining your Instagram post scheduling via Feedlink
If you are looking for a more streamlined solution to schedule Instagram posts, you can always utilize a social media management tool like Feedlink.
Once you sign up for Feedlink, do the following:
Step 1: Go to the ‘Posts’ tab from the left-side ribbon and tap ‘Create post’;
Step 2: Choose your Instagram business account or tap ‘Connect account’. In the same screen, upload the photo and add the post caption;
Step 3: Tap ‘Schedule post’, choose the time and date, and click ‘Schedule’.
Congratulations! Now your post has been successfully scheduled and will go live on your Instagram business or creator account at the set time and date.
How to schedule Instagram posts and add links in bio?
Finally, using Feedlink will help you to not just schedule the Isntagrma posted but also build a link in the bio page and show the schedule, then publish Instagram content with an external link.
This way, you get a simple tool that solves a full circle of major brand activities, which will save you money and time on managing different tools.
Why do you need to auto-publish Instagram posts with pre-defined links?
Currently, most social media managers use Instagram scheduling tools that don’t have the ability to add links to a bio page.
That is why when publishing content with ‘go to my link in bio for more’ in the Instagram captions, they immediately go to the link in the bio tool to add the link to the published Instagram posts and make the images clickable.
This is not the case with Feedlink. It will publish the scheduled posts, show them immediately on your page, and add the link.
It is very beneficial to have an active campaign and add information in the caption that people need to visit the link in the bio in order to continue with the purchase, get a discount, or sign up for an event mentioned in the post.
Scheduling Instagram posts in advance with links
Feedlink is designed to help businesses convert their Instagram feed into a clickable, shoppable page, which can be linked directly from the Instagram bio. Here’s a step-by-step guide to schedule Instagram posts and update your bio link with Feedlink:
- Register for Feedlink.
- Go to Posts and click Create Post.
- In the post creation screen, upload an image, choose the time, and write the Instagram caption.
- Also, here, add the link that will appear on the link in the bio page by Feedlink.
- Choose ‘Schedule post.’
- Once it is published, the link will be automatically.
Please note that at the moment you will be able to schedule Instagram Reels too but not to schedule Instagram stories.
Here is an example of the scheduled Instagram post with an included link on the link in the bio page of our Instagram account:
Feedlink is more than an Instagram scheduler
If you’ve just started a small business, you know that you must establish and maintain a consistent online presence to boost your brand and reach an audience.
That’s what Feedlink does for you! It equips entrepreneurs, influencers, and small business owners with everything they might need to grow their business venture:
- Custom .link website—get a branded .link domain to stand out from the competition in style by creating your own unique small business website;
- Link-in-bio tool—offer all your important online destinations and social media handles through a single page accessible by your followers at all times;
- Instagram publisher and scheduler—this is what you are here for, and it does an excellent job as it streamlines the process to help you save even more time;
- Social media aggregator—helps you show off your engaging and gorgeous social media feeds to your followers straight on your Feedlink site;
- Blogging platform—you’d be hard-pressed to find a simpler yet powerful blogging platform like Feedlink as it makes it easier than ever to start your own blog;
- Automatic newsletter—the platform also collects all your latest social media posts, creates a newsletter out of them, and sends it out automatically to your followers;
- NFC digital business card—get one of the best digital business card products to show off your work and connect with potential leads with a single tap.
Do you honestly need anything else to promote your brand and grow your business? If so, do get in touch with us by tapping the contact assistant in the bottom-right corner.
Your new tool to publish and schedule Instagram posts for free!
10 best practices for scheduling posts on Instagram
As a social media manager, if you are looking to improve your Instagram marketing strategy, check out the following ten tips and tricks designed to elevate your social media strategy:
Post when your audience is online
You must know when your audience is most active on Instagram. Use insights and analytics to determine the peak times for engagement and schedule your posts accordingly to maximize visibility.
Be mindful of time zones
That said, if your audience is global, be aware of different time zones. You should always post during Instagram’s peak hours in the region where most of your followers are located.
Engage in real-time
Once your post is live, be ready to engage with your audience. Responding to comments and messages promptly can foster community and encourage further engagement.
Content quality & relevance
Ensure that your content is high quality, relevant, and engaging to your audience, that mostly complies with the Instagram algorithm. It should reflect your brand’s voice, include user-generated content, and align with your followers’ interests and needs.
Adjust your schedule as needed
You shouldn’t really schedule posts more than two weeks in advance. Unexpected events may cause you to post something insensitive. Plus, trends may change overnight and you must keep up.
Consistent posting & diversification of content
Maintain a consistent posting schedule to keep your audience engaged and your brand top-of-mind. Plus, mix different types of posts (images, videos, stories, reels, IGTV) to keep your feed interesting.
Plan your feed with aesthetics in mind
Your Instagram feed is like your brand’s visual portfolio. Ensure that your scheduled posts contribute to an aesthetically pleasing and cohesive feed that reflects your brand identity.
Use hashtags & captions wisely
Prepare engaging captions and use relevant hashtags to improve the discoverability of your posts. This can also encourage interactions and increase engagement.
Implement the proper SEO
Instagram has been adding new search functionality so users can search by keywords instead of just hashtags, so you have to know which keywords to use in your Instagram posts.
Monitor & adapt to performance
You must stay on top of your Instagram posts and review their performance regularly. Use these insights to adapt and refine your content strategy and scheduling patterns over time.
How do marketers schedule Instagram posts: 9 case studies
Diving into the world of Instagram marketing, we’ve gathered practical advice from founders and marketing executives on how to effectively schedule posts. From planning and batch-creating content to optimizing schedules with audience insights, here are the top nine strategies these professionals use to stay ahead on one of the world’s most engaging social platforms.
- Plan and batch-create content
- Collaborate and schedule with clients
- Schedule posts directly on Instagram
- Use a tool for time-saving scheduling
- Leverage tools for strategic planning
- Choose tools for effective scheduling
- Align posts with business strategy
- Consistent posting
- Optimize schedule with audience Insights
Plan and batch-create content
Absolutely, scheduling Instagram posts is essential for maintaining an active, engaging presence online. It starts with content planning. Lay out a visual calendar—key for consistency and aesthetics. Use tools like Later or Hootsuite; they’re lifesavers for time management and cross-platform integration.
Before scheduling, craft compelling captions and find quality images or videos. Then, batch-create content—a huge timesaver. Upload to your tool of choice; arrange posts to fit your feed’s look and feel. Use analytics to determine the best posting times for your audience.
Casey Jones, Founder, Head of Marketing, CJ&CO
Always, and I mean always, include a clear call-to-action (CTA). Engage followers; turn them into customers. Lastly, don’t forget to monitor and tweak. What works today might change tomorrow. Stay flexible and always ready to adapt.
Collaborate and schedule with clients
As a B2B marketing agency, we produce and schedule social media content for our clients. The most practical method that we have devised so far involves the following steps.
- First, our client briefs us a month before the content is due, with the features of their brand that they’d like to have social media focus on in the coming weeks. We come to an agreement on the number of posts we will create for the client.
- Then, using a shared spreadsheet, accessed by both ourselves and the client, we outline the text and visual content that will be produced, as well as the date of publication. Often, these calendars will be sent across with just rough outlines of the content, though on occasion, the work will be nearly complete—but we always communicate with the client before completely populating the plan.
- Once the client has agreed with the plan we have created, we spend time creating imagery, assets, text, and relevant links for each post, effectively creating a ‘social media bible’. This allows for a client to take one look at the shared calendar and quickly assess the content that we will be sending out.
- Upon completion, we send the client a “finished” version of the calendar and request any amendments. This allows us one final opportunity to liaise with the client over the quality and suitability of the content, as well as changing small features that may not be to the client’s liking.
Once signed off, we use a social media scheduler—in our case, Sendible—to schedule the content in advance. This tool allows us to schedule content months in advance, as well as edit the content up until the second it is published. This helps to cover us for any last-minute changes of plan!
Jordan Dennison, Marketing Executive, Growth Labs
Schedule posts directly on Instagram
For optimal Instagram marketing, I prefer scheduling posts directly on the platform. Instagram isn’t just about posting content; it’s about boosting posts with collaborations with up to five users, adding trending music, and setting custom thumbnails.
To my knowledge, scheduling platforms lack these interactive elements.
Disha Girdhar, Content Marketing Specialist, CredFino
Use Hootsuite for Time-Saving Scheduling
As a marketer, I schedule Instagram posts by first planning content with a visual calendar to ensure our brand looks consistent and interesting. I use Hootsuite because it allows me to schedule multiple posts at once, saving me a lot of time.
The analytics show that the best times to post on Instagram are typically around 10 AM to 1 PM CST on weekdays, with Wednesday being the best day for engagement.
By using these insights, I try to post during high-activity periods for maximum reach. I also prepare captions and hashtags in advance—especially hashtags since they can really boost a post’s visibility.
Tom Jauncey, Head at Nautilus Marketing, Nautilus Marketing
Before anything goes live, I make sure it matches our visual style—accounts with a consistent look can see follower growth rates. This organized approach makes my work easier and helps build stronger connections with our audience.
Leverage Agorapulse for Strategic Planning
From my foundation in sales and management to launching and nurturing startups in the digital marketing realm, I’ve learned the importance of leveraging technology to enhance marketing effectiveness. Scheduling Instagram posts is one area where this lesson has been vividly apparent, demonstrating the power of strategic planning combined with analytical insight.
In my experience, the use of comprehensive tools like Agorapulse has been transformative. Agorapulse not only enables the scheduling of Instagram posts but also offers detailed reporting features that provide a wealth of data on post performance. This includes the best times for engagement specific to your audience, a critical component for optimizing content delivery. The ability to queue content adjusts dynamically to audience engagement patterns, making Agorapulse a flexible and powerful tool in the digital marketer’s arsenal.
A tip that has consistently paid off is to incorporate a mix of content types in your scheduling plan. Utilizing a variety of formats—carousels, videos, stories, and standard posts—can enrich the audience’s experience and engagement with your brand. Pairing this approach with the data insights from your scheduling tool about which content types perform best and when adds an extra layer of precision to your strategy.
Joe Amaral, Founder & COO, Anthem Software
Additionally, don’t overlook the importance of human engagement; scheduling your posts is only the first step. Make sure to allocate time to actively engage with comments and direct messages to foster a lively and interactive community around your brand. By blending thoughtful scheduling with real-time interaction, you can significantly amplify your brand’s presence on Instagram.
Choose tools for effective scheduling
First, I choose a scheduling tool. There are several third-party tools available that allow me to schedule Instagram posts. Some popular options include Later, Hootsuite, Buffer, and Sprout Social.
Second, I set up an Instagram business account. To use scheduling tools, you’ll need an Instagram business account. If you don’t have one already, convert your personal account to a business account or create a new one specifically for your business.
Next, I connect the Instagram account to the scheduling tool. Once you’ve chosen a scheduling tool, sign up for an account and connect your Instagram business account to the tool.
Next, I upload and prepare my content. I use the scheduling tool’s interface to upload the photos or videos I want to post on Instagram. I edit and enhance my content as necessary, including adding captions, hashtags, and location tags.
Then I schedule my posts. I set the date and time I want my posts to be published. Most scheduling tools offer a calendar or grid view where you can drag and drop your content into the desired time slots.
The next step is to review and finalize. Before scheduling, I review my posts to ensure everything looks correct. I double-check my captions, hashtags, and tags for accuracy and relevance.
Lastly, I monitor engagement and respond: Scheduling posts doesn’t mean you should be hands-off. Once your posts are live, actively monitor your Instagram account for comments, likes, and messages. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages in a timely manner.
My advice to you is that you should monitor and analyze performance. Use the analytics provided by the scheduling tool or Instagram Insights to track the performance of your posts. Monitor metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and follower growth to gauge the effectiveness of your content and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Scott Evans, Director, Gorilla360
Align Posts with Business Strategy
Good marketers approach Instagram scheduling with a strategic mindset, ensuring each post aligns with overarching business objectives. It’s about more than just posting content—it’s about orchestrating meaningful connections that contribute to the bottom line.
Understanding the target audience and crafting content that resonates with their needs and preferences is crucial. Leveraging scheduling tools that offer insights into performance allows for data-driven decision-making aligned with business goals.
Andrea Novella, Global Innovation Leader and Social Entrepreneur
By infusing each step with strategic intent, from content creation to scheduling, marketers transform Instagram into a powerful business tool. This approach underscores the importance of having a business strategy at the core of digital efforts. In today’s digital landscape, success hinges on integrating digital tools to drive meaningful impact and build brand equity through connection with consumers. By adopting a strategic approach to Instagram scheduling, marketers position themselves as experts who harness technology for business success.
Consistent posting
As a marketer, scheduling Instagram posts efficiently is crucial for maintaining a consistent and engaging presence on the platform. One practical approach I use involves leveraging social media management tools such as Buffer or Hootsuite. These platforms allow me to plan and schedule Instagram posts in advance, saving time and ensuring a steady stream of content for my audience.
First, I start by creating a content calendar to outline the types of posts I want to share and when. Then, I use the scheduling tool to upload images or videos, write captions, and select the optimal posting times based on audience engagement data. Additionally, I make sure to preview how each post will appear in the Instagram feed to ensure visual coherence and alignment with my brand aesthetic.
Finally, I set the scheduled posts to publish automatically at the designated times, freeing up my time to focus on other marketing tasks. My practical advice for fellow marketers is to experiment with different posting times, monitor performance metrics, and adjust your scheduling strategy accordingly to maximize reach and engagement on Instagram.
Mike Womack, Digital Operations and Merchandising Manager, Premier Safety
Optimize schedule with audience Insights
Sharing content on Instagram is the need of the hour for any marketing plan, but what holds more weight is when to post, the frequency you must maintain, and so on. Particularly if you post too much with the expectation of making your audience remember you, it’s a smart move. However, your Instagram posting schedule also must not look like you’re on a spamming spree concerning your audience.
The question that commonly arises here is when to schedule. If you ask me, using various metrics related to your niche, your audience, and the nature of your business matters much. If you’re involved in capturing leads through video marketing, your schedule would differ from that of someone who uses a lot of infographics. For this purpose, using various tools can effectively help you manage all of it. This not only provides you with the best timeline to post (based on your viewers’ data) but also offers insights about the performance that can be used to improve and boost performance.
Bobby Lawson, Technology editor/publisher, Earth Web
We’ve been using SocialPilot for this, and trust me, it works great. Because your tasks are streamlined, you get an added advantage of your precious time that can be used elsewhere. Perhaps, as advice, if you’re a beginner and just want to acquaint yourself with scheduling, using Meta Business Suite, exploring all the integrated tools within, and using the insights can be of great use, and pocket-friendly as well!
Start scheduling your Instagram feed posts today!
Want to prevent social media burnout, save time, and keep an organized content calendar for your Instagram account so you can focus on growing your small business?
With scheduled Instagram posts, you will maintain consistent quality and constantly engage your audience.
There are three main methods to schedule Instagram posts, which work great but some are more flexible than others. For instance, a social media post scheduler like Feedlink helps you streamline scheduling your Instagram posts alongside external links, which allows you to focus on your most important tasks.
Just remember: being smart about when and what you post means you can take a breather while your Instagram dazzles your followers. So follow our scheduling tips and explore these fantastic Instagram post ideas for small businesses right away!
Your new tool to publish and schedule Instagram posts for free!
FAQs
Is it possible to schedule Instagram posts?
Yes, you can schedule Instagram posts and there are a couple of methods to do so. Namely, you can either use the native option via the Instagram app or Meta Business Suite or you can rely on a third-party option like Feedlink.
Is there a free Instagram scheduler?
Well, the native scheduling option is free to use. Other than that, various social media aggregators with a scheduling option also offer a free trial. You can always check out Feedlink’s prices and sign up for free or try the premium trial options.
Why can’t I schedule posts on Instagram anymore?
There are several reasons why you may be unable to schedule Instagram posts. For instance, you might not have an Instagram business account since the option is unavailable to standard accounts. Also, your Facebook page might not be connected to your Instagram account.
After checking these connections, you should also update the app, grant the corresponding permissions, and check if it’s temporarily blocked or suspended.
