Can you schedule Instagram stories?

How To Schedule Instagram Stories For Maximum Impact?

Are you looking to take your Instagram presence to the next level? As a leading social media strategy firm, Social Think knows that consistently posting engaging Instagram Stories is key to capturing your audience’s attention and driving business results.

However, creating and posting Stories on the fly can be time-consuming and disruptive to your workflow. That’s where scheduling comes in.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about scheduling Instagram Stories. From the benefits of planning to step-by-step instructions for using Meta Business Suite and other popular scheduling tools, Social Think has you covered.

Plus, we’ll share our expert tips and tricks for creating Stories that resonate with your followers and support your Instagram marketing goals. Let’s dive in!

Can You Schedule Instagram Stories?

Can You Schedule Instagram Stories?

Yes, you can schedule Instagram Stories!

While the Instagram app itself doesn’t have a built-in scheduling feature, there are several ways to plan and schedule your Stories in advance. You can use Meta Business Suite (formerly known as Facebook Business Suite) or third-party Instagram Stories scheduler like Later, Hootsuite, and more.

If you have a Business account on Instagram, you can also use Facebook’s native Business Suite to schedule your Stories and manage all your social media channels from one convenient dashboard.

Learn more about the differences between Instagram Business vs Creator Accounts.

Why Schedule Instagram Stories Ahead Of Time?

Why Schedule Instagram Stories Ahead Of Time?

Scheduling your Instagram Stories ahead of time offers a range of benefits for your social media strategy.

Batching your content creation and using a scheduling tool can help you:

  • Save time and streamline your workflow
  • Ensure a consistent posting cadence
  • Align your Stories with your overall content calendar
  • Optimize your posting times for maximum reach and engagement
  • Make it easier to create cohesive, multi-part Story sequences

How to Schedule Instagram Stories?

How to Schedule Instagram Stories?

Now that you know the advantages of scheduling your Instagram Stories, let’s look at how to do it.

We’ll cover two main methods: using Meta Business Suite or a third-party Instagram Story scheduler.

How to Schedule Instagram Stories With Meta Business Suite?

Meta Business Suite is a free tool that allows you to manage your Facebook and Instagram presence, including scheduling Stories. Here’s how:

  1. Access the Meta Business Suite: Log in to your Facebook account and navigate to Meta Business Suite. If your Instagram account is connected, you should see it in the dashboard.
  2. Create an Instagram Story: Click the “Create Story” button in the top right corner of the Business Suite interface. Make sure your Instagram account is selected. Keep in mind that you can’t schedule Instagram Reels on Meta Business Suite at this time.
  3. Upload Your Content: Upload the images or videos you want to include in your Story. You can add up to 10 media files. Keep in mind that Meta Business Suite doesn’t support interactive Story features like polls, questions, or links.
  4. Schedule Your Story: Instead of clicking the “Share Now” button, select the “Schedule” option. Choose your desired date and time for the Story to go live.
  5. Review and Confirm: Double-check that your Story looks the way you want it to. When you’re ready, click “Schedule” to queue up the Story.

That’s it! Your Instagram Story will automatically be published to your profile at the scheduled time.

How to Schedule Instagram Stories on Desktop?

In addition to Meta Business Suite, you can use third-party social media management tools to schedule content and Instagram Stories from your desktop computer.

Popular options include:

  • Later
  • Hootsuite
  • Buffer
  • Storrito
  • Sked Social

While the specifics may vary slightly, most Instagram Story schedulers follow a similar process:

  • Connect your Instagram account to the scheduling platform.
  • Upload your Story content to the media library or story editor.
  • Use the storyboard tool to arrange your media files in the right order.
  • Add captions, links, and other text as needed. Some schedulers may not support interactive features.
  • Choose your desired posting time and date.
  • Confirm and schedule the Story.

Depending on the tool, your scheduled Story will either auto-post at the designated time or send you a push notification to manually publish via the Instagram app.

How to Schedule Instagram Stories on Mobile?

Several Instagram Story schedulers also offer mobile apps for scheduling on the go. Later, Hootsuite, for example, lets you upload media, create Stories, and schedule them right from your phone.

Scheduling from mobile can be especially handy for creating Stories that require photos or videos from your camera roll. Simply upload the content to the scheduling app, compose your Story, and choose your posting time.

How Scheduling Instagram Stories Can Help?

How Scheduling Instagram Stories Can Help?

As a social media manager or marketer, you know how much work goes into maintaining a strong Instagram presence. Scheduling your Stories can help you work smarter, not harder, and frees you up to focus on other high-impact tasks.

  1. Plan Stories On the Web or Mobile: Instagram Story schedulers give you the flexibility to plan and create post content from your desktop computer or mobile device. You can work on Stories whenever and wherever it’s convenient for you.
  2. Bulk Upload Images and Video: Instead of manually uploading Story content one piece at a time, most scheduling tools allow you to bulk upload multiple images and video clips at once. This is a huge time-saver, especially if you’re planning longer, multi-part Stories.
  3. Drag and Drop Storyboarding: Scheduling apps like Later feature intuitive storyboard tools that allow you to arrange your Story slides just by dragging and dropping. You can quickly experiment with different orders to create seamless, engaging Story sequences.
  4. Schedule Your Stories at the Right Time: To maximize views and engagement metrics, you need to post your Stories when your audience is most active on Instagram. Instagram Story schedulers allow you to choose the optimal posting times based on your analytics. Some even offer suggested time slots based on your account data. This can help you get more views on Instagram.
  5. Next-Level Story Analytics: Speaking of analytics, Instagram Story schedulers often provide more robust insights than you’ll find in the native Instagram app. For example, Later’s Instagram Stories analytics track up to 3 months’ worth of data, so you can see exactly what’s performing best and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them?

While scheduling Instagram Stories offers many advantages, there are a few things to watch out for:

  • Scheduled Stories won’t automatically include interactive features like polls, questions, countdowns, or links. If these elements are important to your strategy, add them manually before the Story goes live or posted in real-time.
  • Avoid scheduling Stories too far in advance. Part of the appeal of Stories is their in-the-moment, timely feel. If you schedule weeks ahead, your content might feel stale or irrelevant.
  • Don’t “set it and forget it.” Check-in on your scheduled Stories to make sure they’re still accurate and appropriate based on current events, holidays, etc.

Tips and Tricks For Story Scheduling

To get the most out of scheduling your Instagram Stories, keep these tips in mind:

Know Your Audience: Use your Instagram analytics to understand your followers’ demographics, interests, and behaviors. This will help you create Stories that resonate and add value. Schedule your content with your audience in mind.

Test With Different Posting Times: Experiment with scheduling Stories at different times of day to see what generates the most views, replies, and reactions. Every audience is unique, so it’s worth testing to find your brand’s sweet spot.

Stay Relevant and Timely: While it’s great to schedule foundational Story content in advance, make sure you’re also posting timely, reactive Stories. Scheduling shouldn’t make your presence feel rigid or robotic. Stay on top of the latest Instagram Trends to keep your content fresh.

FAQ’s:

Still have questions about scheduling Instagram Stories? We’ve got you covered.

Can We Schedule a Story on Instagram and Facebook?

Yes, Meta Business Suite allows you to schedule Stories for both Instagram and Facebook from a single dashboard. You can even share your Instagram Reel to Facebook to maximize your content’s reach.

Can I Schedule Instagram Stories Directly From the App?

No, the Instagram app does not have a built-in scheduling feature. You’ll need to use Meta Business Suite or a third-party scheduling tool.

Will People Know If I Schedule an Instagram Story?

No, scheduled Stories are published just like Stories posted in real-time. Your followers won’t be able to tell that you scheduled the Story in advance.

Does Auto-Posting Work For Instagram Stories?

It depends on the scheduling tool you use. Some apps, like Later, support auto-publishing for Instagram Stories. Others may require you to manually post the Story via a push notification.

How Far in Advance Can I Schedule Instagram Stories?

This varies by scheduling tool, but in general, it’s best not to schedule Stories more than a few days in advance to maintain that timely feel.

Is it Possible to Edit Scheduled Instagram Stories?

Yes, most Instagram Story schedulers allow you to modify your scheduled content before it goes live. Just make sure to review before the posting time.

Conclusion

Scheduling Instagram Stories is a game-changer for busy social media marketers. By planning and scheduling content in advance, you can save time, post consistently, and make sure your Stories are fully aligned with your overall Instagram strategy.

Whether you use Meta Business Suite or a third-party scheduling app, Social Think is here to help you make the most of your Instagram Stories, and reels hashtags amongst your other social channels like Pinterest, X (Twitter), Google, etc.

Try scheduling your next batch of Stories and see the impact it can have on your workflow and results. And if you need support developing a robust Instagram strategy to increase your reach organically, our team of experts is just a click away.

Happy scheduling!

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