Struggling to keep your feed fresh and engaging? Schedule Instagram Reels to streamline your creative process and enhance audience engagement. As a creator or business, you understand the pressure to post quality content regularly.
This blog dives into the significance of scheduling as a strategy to maintain consistent engagement, allowing you to concentrate more on quality and innovation.
Embrace scheduling to stay ahead in the competitive world of digital content and ensure your audience always has something exciting to look forward to on your feed.
Checklist to see if you are eligible to schedule Instagram reels
- Should have a creator or business account.
- Instagram account should be connected to a Facebook page.
- The account should not be a fresh one.
- Aspect ratio should be between 1.91:1 and 9:16.
- Frame rate should be 30 FPS and have a resolution of 720P.
Preparation Before Scheduling Your Instagram Reels
Maximizing the impact of your Instagram Reels requires thoughtful preparation, including understanding how to use Instagram Reels effectively. Here’s how to lay the groundwork for effective scheduling:
- Identify Objectives: Clearly define what you aim to achieve with your Reels. Whether it’s increasing followers, boosting brand awareness, or driving sales.
- Understand Your Audience: Dive deep into knowing who your audience is. Research their preferences, when they’re most active on Instagram, and the types of content they engage with most.
- Content Calendar: Organize your posting schedule with a content calendar. Outline what themes and topics you’ll cover and when each Reel will go live. This helps maintain a consistent posting rhythm and ensures your content strategy is cohesive and well-planned.
- Batch Production: To save time and maintain consistent quality across your Reels, consider batch-producing them. This means creating multiple Reels in one production session. It’s an efficient way to have a steady stream of content ready for scheduling.
- Variety and Creativity: Keep your audience interested by creating a variety of content. Mix in tutorials, behind-the-scenes looks, and user-generated content to keep your feed fresh and engaging. Don’t forget you can also create and schedule carousel Instagram posts to keep your feed engaging.
How to schedule Instagram reels: A Step-by-Step Guide
Scheduling your Instagram Reels can greatly enhance your content strategy, similar to how you might schedule Instagram posts to maintain a consistent and lively feed.
There are three main methods to schedule your Instagram Reels:
- The native Instagram app
- Meta Business Suite.
- Third-party schedulers.
Let’s explore these methods so you can choose the one that best suits your needs and start saving time for your content creation process.
Through the Native App:
Efficiently managing your social media content is crucial, and scheduling your Instagram Reels can be done directly through the native app on both iOS and Android devices.
Follow these simple steps to schedule your posts:
- Open Instagram: Launch the Instagram mobile app on your device.
- Add a Post: Tap on the “+” icon to create a new post.
- Select Your Video: Choose the video you wish to schedule as a Reel.
- Proceed to Settings: Tap on “Next” and scroll down to find the “Advanced Settings” option.
- Schedule Your Post: Tap on the “Schedule this reel,” toggle and then choose the “Date and Time” for when you want your Reel to go live.
- Go back: Tap the back button to return to the previous screen.
- Confirm Scheduling: If prompted, tap on “Continue Scheduling.”
- Ready to Go: Tap on “Share” or “Schedule” to finalize your scheduled post.
Once scheduled, your post will go live at the specified time. You can manage all your scheduled content through the Instagram mobile app by accessing the hamburger menu, selecting “Scheduled Content,” and then choosing to edit, reschedule, share, or delete as needed.
Now, with your Instagram Reel scheduled, you can relax and focus on creating more engaging content, knowing that your post will automatically go live at the best time for your audience.
Note: According to the guidelines given by Instagram, a user can schedule a maximum of 25 posts per day and up to 75 days in advance.
Through the Meta Suite
Meta Business Suite (previously known as Creator Studio) offers a more nuanced approach to scheduling your Instagram Reels, providing an array of options for customization and a user-friendly interface to manage your content across both Facebook and Instagram.
All you need is a Facebook account with a page linked to the Instagram account you wish to manage. Here’s how you can begin:
- Link Your Accounts: Ensure your Instagram account is properly linked to your Facebook page. This connection is vital for accessing the full range of scheduling features available in Meta Business Suite.
- Explore Customization Options: Meta Business Suite allows you to dive deep into customization, offering the ability to add descriptions, tags, and more to your scheduled Reels. You can tailor your posts to fit your brand’s voice and audience’s preferences.
- Access More Features: Apart from scheduling, you’ll find a wealth of features to enhance your social media strategy, including insights, messaging management, and content creation tools.
To get a detailed, step-by-step process you can visit the how to schedule your Instagram Reels with Meta Business Suite guide.
This guide will walk you through the process, ensuring you’re well-equipped to make the most of Meta Business Suite’s powerful scheduling capabilities.
Through Third-Party Schedulers
While the Instagram native app and Meta Business Suite are great tools for scheduling your content, sometimes you might need something more robust for your social media strategy.
This is where powerful social media management tools like Recurpost, Buffer, and Hootsuite come into play. These tools offer not just the ability to schedule Instagram Reels but also a suite of features that can supercharge your social media presence.
My favorite among these three is Recurpost, as it offers pocket-friendly pricing, has this super easy-to-understand interface, and schedules my Instagram reels at the best time available to increase my engagement.
Now that you’ve seen the potential benefits of using Recurpost for scheduling your Instagram Reels, let’s walk through the process step by step:
Download the App: Get the Recurpost mobile app from the Play Store or App Store.
Sign Up: Create your account and choose a plan that fits your needs.
Add Social Accounts: Tap on “Add Social Accounts.”
Add Instagram: Select “Instagram” to add your Instagram Account. You’ll be redirected to the Facebook app.
Link to Facebook: Log in to your Facebook and connect your page to your Instagram account following the prompts.
Create a Post: Select the “Share a Post” option.
Select Accounts: Tap on the “+” to pick your Instagram account and confirm by tapping “Done.”
Upload Reel: Tap the “Camera” icon and upload your reel from your local media library.
Craft Your Caption: Write a compelling caption and include relevant hashtags.
Customize for Instagram: Tap “Customize,” select “Instagram,” and then choose “Reel” format. Add a personalized thumbnail by tapping on “Upload Thumbnail.”
Schedule Your Reel: Activate the “Schedule Post” toggle and set the “Date and Time.”
Best time scheduling (Optional): Alternatively, you can also select “Auto-schedule for best time within next 24 hours” for optimal posting. Tap on “Done.”
Confirm Schedule: Tap on “Schedule” to finalize.
Congratulations! Your Reel is now set to go live at your specified time. Sit back, relax, and let Recurpost handle the timely posting of your engaging content.
Similarly, you can also use the Recurpost desktop app to schedule Instagram posts from your desktop.
Some troubleshooting errors that users may encounter
1. Connectivity Issues:
Your reel may fail to post at the scheduled time if there is an unstable internet connection.
So, ensure a stable and strong internet connection, especially close to the scheduled posting time. Consider scheduling posts when you know the connection is reliable.
2. Platform Limitations or Bugs:
Sometimes, scheduling tools or platforms may have bugs or limitations that prevent Reels from posting.
Solution? Regularly update your scheduling app to the latest version and check forums or support for any known bugs. If issues persist, contact the app’s customer support or consider using a different scheduling tool.
3. Access and Permission Issues:
If permissions are not properly set or if the account credentials have changed, scheduled posts may not go live.
Hence, regularly check and update access permissions for all linked accounts. Ensure that the scheduling platform has the necessary permissions to post on your behalf. If you change any passwords or account settings, update these in the scheduling tool as well.
Conclusion
Ready to make your Instagram life easier? Scheduling your Reels is like setting up a smart plan for your posts. It helps you keep up the fun and engaging content without the last-minute rush.
So, grab these tools, set your schedule, and watch as your Instagram page comes alive with less stress and more success. Get started today and see the difference it makes!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes, Instagram does support direct scheduling of Reels within the app. However, you can also use third-party tools like Recurpost or the Meta Business Suite for a more enhanced experience.
Some popular tools for scheduling Instagram Reels include Meta Business Suite, Later, Buffer, Hootsuite, and Recurpost. Each offers different features, so choose one that fits your needs and preferences.
The timeframe for scheduling your Instagram reels in advance can vary depending on the tool you are using. Typically, Instagram natively allows it up to 75 days in advance, while most scheduling tools allow you to schedule posts weeks or even months ahead. Check the specific capabilities of your chosen scheduling tool for precise details.
There could be several reasons, including internet connectivity issues, errors in scheduling time or date, or limitations with the scheduling tool. Ensure your tool is updated, double-check the scheduled time and date, and verify that your account has the necessary permissions.
Most scheduling tools allow you to edit your scheduled content before it goes live. However, once the Reel is posted on Instagram, you will need to edit it directly through the Instagram app, which may have some limitations compared to the original editing options.
Debbie Moran is a Digital marketing strategist with 5+ years of experience producing advertising for brands and helping leaders showcase their brand to the correct audience. She has been a part of RecurPost since 2019 and handles all the activities required to grow our brand’s online presence.