Yeah you CAN post manually on Instagram using the app or the desktop service, but there are problems.

1. On mobile, it's hard to type. You want to write good captions. It takes time.

2. Even if you use the desktop app, you have to be online at an exact time every day. It's tiresome.

3. Batching is more effective.

What is batching?

Let me explain.

One way you can post your content is: Create 1 piece of content, write a Search Engine friendly engaging caption, put in hashtags, post.

However, when you batch, you spend one day of the week creating content, another day writing captions and hashtags and scheduling them. 

When you batch, you get work done faster because you get in the rhythm of things. You're in 'flow state'. 

Also it's hard to think of good captions on the spot. 

Therefore, you need a scheduling app. Many are paid, but many are free too. Let's talk about the FREE ones, because I don't like spending money.

1. Facebook Creator Studio

You need a Facebook account to access this, but if you have one, this is definitely the best option.

You can schedule videos, photos and carousels.

You can't schedule stories or Reels.

This is completely free, and the predictive typing speeds up writing hashtags. It also has a calender which shows you the days that you posted and the days you didn't.

Facebook Creator Studio (which totally isn't a ripoff of Youtube Creator Studio) also shows analytics- you can access  these analytics from Instagram too though. I just prefer using computers to phones.

I wish it allowed you to schedule stories too but NOTHING allows you to schedule stories.  Also it isn't visual, which would have been great...

2. Later

Later is a VISUAL scheduler, which means you can see what your Instagram Feed will look like when your scheduled posts go live. If you like keeping an aesthetic feed, this is helpful. (But do you NEED an aesthetic feed? Look out for the 'pretty feed' chapter to find out!)

The pros are that you can schedule videos and photos. You can even resize videos with this. But these are only if you have a BUSINESS account.

The cons are that you can't schedule carousels, you have to pay for that. Also you can only post 10 times per month through Later....

With Later's Premium service you can also schedule stories- BUT IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK. 

You see, if you 'schedule' stories (or posts without a BUSINESS Instagram account), you just 'create' the content and 'save' it in Later. Let's say I 'scheduled' a meme for 14nth February at 5 pm this way.

On 14nth February, 5pm, I will get a notification on my phone saying that 'We're going to publish your post now!' And you have to confirm it. If you don't confirm it, it won't post. So you actually have to be there when your content goes live. I don't really like this method... Also I have to use mobile for this.

BUT if you use an Instagram BUSINESS account, you can schedule photos and videos from your DESKTOP. You also have a feed planner.

One big bonus of Later is it's Link In Bio service, which is also visual (basically if people click your bio link they'll be taken to a page that looks exactly like your Feed. If they click on a 'post' in that 'feed' they will be redirected to the link attached to that post)

(Other Link in Bio services you can use are Lnk.Bio, Direct.me, Milkshake  and LinkTree. I have personally only used Later's LinkInBio so can't give feedback on any of the others). 

Another cool thing Later has is analytics- which personally are easier to navigate than Facebook Creator Studio. Some analytics in Later are also unavailable in Creator Studio.

3. Canva

Okay I lied I am talking about some paid services.

So Canva is really a simple graphic design app (Psst Pixlr E is much better for graphic design). BUUUT Canva also has scheduling tools, you need to pay for it though.

I personally have not tried Canva Pro because you get most Canva Pro materials free on Pixlr E.

But thought I'd mention Canva just in case.

Now that you know your posting time and which scheduling app to use, it's time to work out a Content strategy.