Posted by What is an Instagram scheduler?
An Instagram scheduler allows you to plan your Instagram posts ahead of time. The app will automatically publish the content on the date and time you’ve set it to go out.
This direct posting feature allows you to schedule posts in a smart way without you having to publish posts manually.
Some tools also suggest the best time to publish your posts. It also helps you with hashtag suggestions and analytics.
Using a scheduler allows you to plan content, have a content calendar and remain consistent.
6 free tools for scheduling Instagram posts
Before we go ahead to the list of tools, here’s a little thing to note – Currently, Instagram’s API allows third-party apps (tools I’ve listed) to publish automatically to Instagram only if the Instagram account is a business account with a Facebook page connected.
Before you try these please ensure your Instagram account is a business account.
If yours is a personal or creator account, you can follow these steps to convert it to a business account.
Also, while connecting your social accounts to the apps below, please ensure you have a Facebook page connected to your Instagram.
1. Crowdfire
Crowdfire is a social media management tool that allows you to add your social accounts and manage them under one roof.
You can schedule posts to your business Instagram accounts by following these steps —
- Fire the app and tap the “Compose” option.
- Select Instagram as a social account.
- Now, tap the Photos/ Camera icon and select the images, videos, or both from your gallery you’d like to publish.
- Add your caption and hashtags.
- Select the date and time you’d like to publish.
You can also choose the best time option to schedule the posts.
If your posts meet the criteria Instagram allows, the post will be published directly.
If the images or videos are not as per what Instagram allows, you will receive a notification from Crowdfire to publish the posts manually or modify the post.
Also, you can use the hashtag manager feature to make folders with the most used hashtags as per the niche. This makes the process of adding hashtags to your Instagram posts more seamless.
You can also explore other features like content curation, mentions, Analytics, Report builder, RSS feeds, Social listening, Sentimental analysis, etc.
It’s super helpful to manage your customers and grow your social accounts organically too.
2. Agorapulse
You can use Agorapulse to schedule posts on Instagram by following these steps-
1. Once you log in, add your social accounts
2. Then, Tap the calendar tab on the left.
3. You can now add content you would like to publish.
4. Choose the Instagram profile you’d like to publish to (You can pick this from your list of added social media accounts)
4. Once done, you will now see a calendar view where you can add the content and also view previously published content + all your new scheduled posts.
While you use Agorapulse for scheduling Instagram posts, all you have to do is pick the date and time, write your caption, and upload your image or video to the app.
The app allows you to add emojis and hashtags before scheduling these posts.
You can also explore the preview feature within the app that allows you to see how your post will look on the platform before you publish it.
Through Agorapulse you’d be able to publish, schedule, or queue high-resolution videos to your Instagram feed.
3. Zoho Social
Currently, Instagram business accounts allow you to access all the features on a third-party app.
If you’ve connected your Instagram business or professional account with Zoho Social, you will need the Zoho Social mobile app along with your web app to publish posts on Instagram. All your posts, regardless of the number of media files you choose to share — single or multiple images and videos, will be published with Zoho Social’s mobile app and the Instagram app.
Some things to know —
- First, ensure you have the Zoho as well as the Instagram app installed on a mobile device.
- The Instagram account must be well connected to your Zoho social account.
- You must ensure your notifications are turned on for both Zoho social as well as Instagram’s native app.
Let’s look at how we’d be able to use Zoho social to schedule posts.
- To access the Compose screen, all you have to do is tap on it in the right corner.
- You can select the Instagram Profile you’d like to publish to.
- Craft your post, upload images/videos, and click on the “Next” option you see on your screen.
4. You can publish posts via Zoho using one of these options — Publish Now, Custom Schedule, SmartQ, CustomQ, and Save as Draft.
5. To publish a post immediately, click Publish Now.
6. You’ll receive a notification to publish. Now, tap and continue publishing via Zoho Social’s mobile app.
7. Click the Open Instagram button that appears at the bottom of the screen. The images will automatically be downloaded within Zoho and the caption will also be saved as a clipboard.
8. Now, tap the Feed icon and select the images you’d like to post by clicking them in the order of your choice.
10. Paste the Caption and publish!
Keep in mind that you cannot delete posts published on Instagram directly from Zoho Social. You have to use the Instagram app to do that. Once a post is published, you cannot edit the content of the post using Zoho Social.
4. Preview
The way your Instagram feed looks and interests someone who lands on your profile plays an important factor in deciding to hit the follow button or not.
When you have your feed planned, it automatigically keeps you thrilled to create + add more content to the grid and motivates you to maintain it.
Using an Instagram planner like Preview makes it easier to place images, pick and rearrange, plan and publish posts to your Instagram feed.
Preview allows you to schedule Instagram posts and auto-post too.
As you know, you can already plan unlimited posts for free for one of your Instagram accounts.
Let’s look at how to automate Instagram posts.
- Once you fire the Preview app, tap on the + button
- Now tap the “Library/ Gallery” to choose photos/videos from your camera roll
- If you’d like to upload content from your Google Drive, Dropbox or other apps you can tap on the “more” option
- Once you’ve uploaded new posts, they will appear in your Preview feed.
- Press on a post you want to schedule and open the caption.
- Type your caption and add hashtags if needed.
- If you’re uploading videos, you can also change the thumbnail of your video.
- Once done, it’s time to schedule. You must tap on the “Schedule Post” button and also turn on the “Auto post” button.
- And, you’re done.
5. Buffer
BufferApp is a multi-purpose social media marketing software tool.
It helps you to seamlessly draft and schedule posts across multiple social networks including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. They have other additional features like social media reporting and monitoring functionality.
Lets’s look at how to schedule a post to Instagram via Buffer?
1. When you log in, you’d be able to view your Buffer dashboard.
2. Choose the Instagram account you’d like to publish to by selecting it on the left-hand side of your dashboard.
3. Under the “Publish” tab, you’ll see the “Queue.” Here’s where you can upload photos/ videos.
4. Once done, add your caption and include hashtags if any.
5. Now you add content, you can decide whether you want to: Add the post to your Buffer queue or schedule the post for a custom date and time
6. You can also tap the “Share Now” button to post immediately.
6. Publer
Publer is an all-in-one social scheduling tool that allows you to manage your social accounts under one roof.
You can use Publer to schedule posts directly to Instagram.
Let’s see how?
1. Once you log in, tap the “Create” option to add images or videos from your computer or gallery.
It’s easier to drag and drop media too.
2. Now, you can select the Instagram account you’d like to publish.
3. Add caption, hashtags, and mentions if any
4. You can also use the bulk upload option to add multiple images.
5. Once done, you can either save it as a draft, schedule or publish it immediately.
6. Publer also has an option to AutoSchedule, Recycle posts and schedule recurring posts too.
Wrapping up!
The 6 tools we’ve seen in this post are super helpful for your Instagram business account.
but, if yours is not a business account, you can also use these tools to add and manage your personal profile.
The only difference would be that you would have to schedule posts at a time and date you’d prefer.
And when it’s time to post, the app will send you a notification on your mobile device.
This process is slightly manual but still helpful to plan content ahead of time.
That’s it, folks! 🙌
With Crowdfire, you can find curated content, schedule your posts, engage with your audience, deep-dive into analytics and create custom reports. Try it for free.