How to post on Instagram: A step-by-step guide

Without a doubt, Instagram is a top contender for the best social media platform for both marketers and influencers. Well, it's no surprise. Currently, nearly 1.4 billion people are active on Instagram, and that number is only growing!

However, there are some easy ways to take each one of your posts to the next level. Luckily, we're here to tell you how. Let's talk about how to post on Instagram, the importance of scheduling Instagram posts, and more to help boost your strategy!

Create Content

First, you need to create the content you want to post.

To stay consistent with your branding and avoid confusion among your followers, try to keep a dedicated niche, aesthetic, and tone of voice with your content. Over time, this will help establish brand recognition among your target audience.

Most importantly, you need to create quality content. The more engaging your content is, the more free, organic traffic you will build on your profile.

Think about it, every time someone with 500 followers shares your content, that's 500 more potential followers your content will reach. If you need some help, you can always use Instagram templates to help you generate ideas and create quality content.

From there, all you have to do is drag and drop your photo or video onto the template and let the AI work its magic!

Don't Forget About Scheduling Instagram Posts

We always recommend creating content in advance so you can post at the right times. The more you have on hand, the further ahead you'll be on your social media strategy.

Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of times throughout the week when users are most active, and posting at these times is a free and easy way to earn some extra engagement.

Generally, starting at 9 am and ending your posting at 8 pm throughout the week is a good rule of thumb. However, you can use far more precision than that by looking at each day.

On Mondays, the peak time is between 11 am and 3 pm. Tuesdays, 10 am to 4 pm and 5 pm to 9 pm are the best times to post on Instagram.

Wednesdays, engagement is highest at 11 am, but peak runs from 9 am to 6 pm. Thursdays, aim for 10 am to 5 pm or 6 pm to 9 pm.

On Fridays, you can call it an early day. Start at 9 am and end by 3 pm for the peak with the highest engagement coming before noon!

Again, it's best to have content prepared and schedule these ahead of time for the best results!

Drag and Drop to Edit Your Image

When you're ready to post, drag and drop your image or video into our photo editing app and make your content stand out. By now, everybody is used to the traditional Instagram filters, so it's important to go above and beyond.

For carousel posts with multiple images, get all of the images ready ahead of time before posting content. Once you've selected your images, simply log in to your Instagram account to get ready for sharing content. However, don't hit "post" just yet.

Get Ready to Post on Instagram From Your Computer

Now that you have the content prepared, there are only a few loose ends to tie up. Here's how to share a post on Instagram.

Click "Post"

In the top right corner, click on the "plus sign" and hit "post" from the drop-down menu. It will also give you the option to choose a story, reel, or live video, which you will also find in the bottom right corner while choosing an image.

Then, choose the image or video you want to share and hit "next" in the top right corner. Images continue to be the most popular type of post, but videos can help you stand out!

Write a Caption

When writing captions for Instagram posts, you want to tread a fine line between overdoing and underdoing it. Wordy captions won't receive as much engagement, but captions that are too short may not offer enough information, especially for promotional material.

Try to keep things as relevant, informative, and concise as possible, especially if you're using hashtags or tagging other people in your posts.

When using hashtags, don't overdo it. Try to keep them relevant and limit each post to around 5.

Also, don't overuse trending hashtags either. Trends are a great way to build some organic traffic, but you should only use them when they are relevant to your niche or don't come off as spammy.

Tag People

Once you have your caption, edited content, and the scheduled time, don't forget to tag any relevant users. Tagging followers who engaged with your content, friends, or affiliates is often a great way to boost your strategy.

To do this, simply tap "Edit", then "Tag people", and then tap on someone in the photo. From there, all you have to do is enter their handle or username and tap on their name from the pop-up menu. Then, tap "Save" and you're good to go!

Add Location

Finally, once you've completed all of these steps, it's helpful to add a location. For local businesses, influencers, and more, this is an easy way to help optimize your content for the right target audience or to simply give some context to your followers.

To add your location, just look under the area where you typed your caption, then tap "add location". If you're using Instagram from your computer, it may look a little different from on the Instagram mobile app, but the buttons will be the same.

If you're using it from a mobile device, the app may be able to recognize your location, and you can use your current location if applicable. Otherwise, type in the location of your choice and click on it from the menu when it appears.

Once that's all set, your post is ready to share. Hit the button at the bottom of your screen, and you're good to go!

Share Your Post With the World

Now that you know how to post and how to start scheduling Instagram posts, take your Instagram marketing strategy to the next level by adopting these techniques. The sooner you do, the sooner you'll see results in your social media strategy!

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