Instagram ranks as the second-highest ROI (Return on Investment) among all social platforms. In two years time, Instagram is projected to reach 120.3 million monthly active users in the U.S., up from 107.2 million users two years ago. If you want to grow your company’s online presence, you should definitely consider using Instagram as part of your digital marketing plan.

Posting on Instagram is the first step to connecting your business with your target audience and establishing a brand reputation. If you’re new to Instagram, there’s no need to fret! We are here to level out the digital playing field for business owners like you. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to post on Instagram.

Posting on Instagram

1. Open the app

The first step is to open the Instagram app on your mobile device. Then tap on the “+” icon at the top right corner of your screen. If you’re using an older Instagram version, the icon would be on the bottom of your screen. 

2. Upload a photo/video

Next, select the photo or video you wish to post. You can access the photos and videos saved in your photo library through Instagram. Simply tap on the photo or video that you want to upload and tap “Next” on the top right corner. 

Alternatively, you also have the option to take a photo or video directly through the app. To do this, tap on the camera icon on the right side. Snap a photo like you normally would on the camera app. Press and hold on to the round button to record a video.

3. Crop the photo/video

When you upload a photo/video on Instagram, you will realize that Instagram automatically crops your post into a square. You can change this by pinching the photo/video on your screen. This allows your photo/video to resize vertically or horizontally — like how it is originally displayed in your photo library. 

You might have to crop out certain parts of your content to fit as Instagram only allows the following image dimensions:

Square: 1080 x 1080px

Landscape: 1080 x 608px

Portrait: 1080 x 1350px

4. Uploading more than one photo/video — a carousel post

Can’t make your mind up on which photo to post? No problem. Carousel posts are handy when you wish to share multiple photos and videos all at once. Your audience just needs to swipe to view the content. You can select up to 10 photos and videos to upload in a carousel post. 

All you have to do is tap on the carousel icon that looks like stacked squares. Once you’re in carousel mode, you will see a number on every photo or video you select. The numbers represent the arrangement of the content in your post. Number one being the cover image that your audience will see first. 

5. Add a filter

Instagram provides up to 24 built-in filters. From deeply saturated filters to monochrome filters, you can add any filter to spice up your photos or videos. These filters are displayed below the photo/video you’ve uploaded. Scroll to the right to explore the filters. When you tap on a filter, it will be applied to your photo/video and will show you a preview. 

To decrease the intensity of a filter, simply tap on the same filter you have chosen and adjust accordingly. Tap “Done” to save your changes. 

6. Editing

On top of filters, there are even more ways to edit your photos. Tap "Edit" at the bottom right of your screen and you will find an array of editing tools. Instagram editing features include contrast, brightness, saturation, highlights, shadows, and sharpen. You can even adjust the angle of your photo. 

Once you’re done editing, tap "Next" in the top right corner.

7. Write a caption

Your photo/video isn’t the only content that speaks to your audience. People love reading captions too. Now’s your chance to think of a captivating and engaging caption to go with your post.

A quick tip: If you want to insert a new line break in your caption, switch to your number keyboard and tap on “Return”. Or, you can just type out your caption on your Notes app and copy and paste it onto Instagram. 

8. Emojis

Emojis are the universal language of social media. They are eye-catching, witty, and relatable. Spice up your caption by playing with emojis. Don’t be afraid to throw in some appropriate emojis here and there. 

Just be sure not to go overboard and add emojis that are irrelevant to your post. Too much of anything can come off as annoying. 

9. Make use of #hashtags

Adding hashtags is a fun yet strategic way to optimize your post. Similar to SEO (Search Engine Optimization), Instagram has its own search functions to increase your discoverability and reach. Since Instagram users can search for posts by hashtags, you can reach a wider target audience by using the relevant hashtags. 

To add hashtags to your caption, tap on the “#” symbol on the bottom right corner of your keyboard. Instagram generates a list of similar hashtags along with the number of posts that use the specific hashtag. You can use this number to gauge the popularity of a hashtag. 

10. Tag other accounts

If you feature a friend or brand on your post, tag them to let them know. The benefit of tagging others is that they get notified when you post. Your post will also be saved in their profile under the tagged section. 

You can tag other accounts in your caption as well as your photos. To tag someone in your caption, tap on the “@” symbol and type in their username. To tag someone in your photo, tap “Tag People”. Tap on the photo to search for their username. Press and drag the tag to move it in place.

11. Add your location

Adding your location is another method of optimizing your post. This is because Instagram users can search for posts based on location. It is also a great way to share the place you have visited. 

Tap “Add Location” and type in the location where you took the photo/video. 

12. Share your post

The benefit of social media platforms is that they are mostly connected. If you want to share your post on your Facebook or Twitter, you can activate it on your posting page. 

After all these steps, you are finally ready to share your post. Tap “Share” on the top right corner of your screen and you’ve officially made your first post on Instagram!

13. Not ready to post?

There’s no rush in posting on Instagram. You can always save your post, including all the edits and the caption that you’ve added. Just go back to the filtering and editing step, tap the back arrow in the top left, and select “Save Draft.” 

When you’re ready to post, repeat step one and you will find your post under “Saved Drafts”. Click on the post and add any touch-ups if necessary. Then, tap “Share” to upload your post.

When to post on Instagram

Now that you know how to post on Instagram, the next big step is to find out when is the best time to post. Finding out the best time to post on Instagram is important because you’ll ensure that your post is seen by your target audience. 

The timeline is where your followers will see your post. However, the new Instagram algorithm controls the type of content that is displayed. It prioritizes the newest content on the user's timeline. So the best way to achieve optimal reach is by posting when most of your followers are online.

Recent studies recommend that the following are the best times to post on Instagram based on Eastern Standard Time.

Monday: 6am, 10am, and 10pm 

Tuesday: 2am, 4am, and  9am 

Wednesday: 7am, 8am, and 11pm 

Thursday: 9am, 12pm, and 7pm 

Friday: 5am, 1pm, and 3pm 

Saturday: 11am, 7pm, and 8pm 

Sunday: 7am, 8am, and 4pm 

Find your best time to post

While these are the best times to post on average, you might find that there are better times to post according to other variables. The most important question to address is the location of your followers. Are they residing locally? Or are they scattered across the globe? The difference in time-zones will affect followers who live in a separate region. 

Other factors that affect your best time to post on Instagram are your follower’s age, gender, and occupation. For example, an adult that works a day job is more likely to be on Instagram during their break or after their shift ends. Whereas a stay-at-home parent is most probably on Instagram when their children are in school. 

The main point is, every Instagram account has a unique audience. To grow your Instagram engagement, you need to truly know the demographics of your target audience. As such, it is important to identify the best time to post according to your personalization.  

This is where you learn to test-run and track the performances of each time. By doing this, you can overcome the Instagram algorithm. Essentially, increasing your reach, likes, and followers!

FAQs

How do I find out my brand’s “best” time to post on Instagram?

Keep in mind the majority of your followers — their location, age, gender, employment status, and when they’re most active on Instagram.

Instagram Insights is an amazing tool to help business accounts analyze the performance of each post. It provides data including the demographics of followers who interacted with your post. 

Another way to track progress is to create a spreadsheet and key in your findings manually. This method usually takes a few weeks or months to spot a trend. If you wish to skip the chore of experimenting and analyzing, a digital marketing specialist can do the work for you!

Is it a good idea to post multiple times a day?

While there is no limit to the number of posts you can share on Instagram, we highly discourage posting multiple times a day on your timeline. This is because your followers might perceive you as spam and ignore your message. 

Instead, you can compile your content into a single carousel post, share it on your Instagram Story, or save it for the following days to post. 

What should I post on my business Instagram account?

You want to post content that promotes your business, but at the same time captures the interests of your audience. An easy way to gauge what type of content to post is by researching your competitors' profiles. While this is a good starting point for gaining ideas, always maintain a sense of authenticity. 

Remember, how you present yourself on social media establishes your brand image. Coming up with fresh content to liven up your business socials can be a challenging feat. However, by doing your research and reviewing photo ideas for social media, you’ll be able to create unique content that keeps your audience engaged. Don’t be afraid to take time to determine what type of content resonates most with your target audience. 

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