Timing is an important factor in your Instagram posts.
You want your posts to go up when your audience is most active.
But that might not always be the best time for you.
If your audience is ready to scroll at the same time you are putting the kids to bed then you need to schedule your posts!
Scheduling reduces stress and it allows you to be more intentional with your content too.
Instead of wondering what you are going to post from one day to another, scheduling will train you to plan out your content.
Let's take a look at your options.
Option 1: Facebook's Creator Studio
If your Instagram account is linked into your Facebook Business page, you can schedule your posts using the Facebook Creator Studio.
To access this, just go to your Facebook Business Page and tap:
- Publishing tools
- Creator Studio
- Instagram Tab
Then you will get to the area pictured below, where you can start typing your post, adding your image etc and schedule it!
Simple and straight forward enough, but I personally prefer to use an external scheduling tool.
Option 2: A Third Party Scheduling App
There are a lot of scheduling apps out there and I have tried them all!
I have settled on using Later.com for all my Instagram posts.
Why Later? I like how it looks and personally, I think it's the easiest one to use. You can create an easy and quick content system using Later.
You can also preview your feed to see how it looks which is great for staying on brand and creating the feed you want.
You can use later to schedule posts for Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Later also provide you with some really in-depth insights and analytics, including a full and detailed feedback on how individual hashtags are performing, post performance, story performance and an analysis of your audience too.
Just remember that in order for your posts to auto publish with Later, your Instagram profile needs to be a business one.
Later Pricing Options
You have a number of pricing options with Later, from free to advanced.
Let's break them down and see which one is for you.
FREE - €0
- You get one social set (that's Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest) and up to 30 posts a month for one user.
Pros
- You won't ever be charged.
- It's a great way to test out Later and see how you feel about it.
Cons
- If you want to auto schedule your posts and access loads of cool analytics, you won't be able to on the free plan.
- You can still schedule your posts, but you will get a notification to manually publish them yourself on the free plan.
Starter - €7.50 p/month, billed yearly
You get 1+ social set (that's Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest) and up to 60 posts a month for 1+ user and it will cost you €7.50 a month (billed yearly).
Pros
- You can auto schedule your posts. That means they go live on your account without you having to do anything.
- You get access to a load of in-depth analytics that even breakdown how individual hashtags are preforming.
Cons
- I don't have any issues with this plan. I think it's perfect for most people starting out, who want that flexibility in their time by scheduling their posts. I think 60 posts a month is more than enough for someone running one account.
Growth - €12.50 p/month, billed yearly
The newly released Growth package gives you 1+ social sets (that's Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest) and up to 150 posts per month for 3+ users.
Pros
Same as the starter plan but you can post more!
Cons
I don't have any issues with this plan, I think it's a welcomed addition for those who might have been struggling with the 60 post limit, if they are running two accounts for example.
Who's it for?
If you post a couple of times a day or you have more than one account this is the plan for you. This plan is an affordable way for you to automate daily posts across more than one account.
Advanced - €25 p/month, billed yearly
The most expensive package with later is the Advanced option.
It gives you 1+ social sets (that's Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest) and unlimited posts per month for 6+ users.
Pros
Same as the previous packs but you have no limits to your posting now. This is the pack I am on and it is ideal for someone like me who is running multiple accounts.
Cons
I don't have any issues with this plan and I have been on it for a couple of years now. If you run more than two Instagram accounts, this plan will act like a trusty assistant for you and save you a lot of time and headaches.
Who's it for?
Well, me! I use this plan because I currently manage three accounts and need the unlimited post options. Most of you won't need this level, unless you have fallen so in love with social media that you have set up multiple accounts! Or if you have decided to use Later to post across all platforms too.
To Recap (screenshot this to reming yourself!
Tag me on Instagram Stories here)
Scheduling your posts can save you time (and sanity).
You have two options when it comes to scheduling on Instagram:
-Facebook Creator Studio
-Third Part Scheduling apps
Later.com - the one I use!
Later Options: Free, paid (€7.50. €12.50 or €25 a month)
Try it out for free and go from there!
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