Are you using an app to schedule your posts on Instagram? If so, you may want to rethink that decision.
While it may seem like a great way to ensure that all of your posts go out on time, using an app to schedule your posts can have some negative consequences.
Not only can these apps make it look like you’re not engaged with your account, they diminish post reach and engagement. So if you’re looking to build a strong community on Instagram, it’s best to avoid exclusively using apps to schedule your posts.
But here me out first!
Organic vs. Scheduled Instagram Publishing
Many social media apps have features that allow you to schedule Instagram posts in advance. Apps like this take away the opportunity for your followers to interact with your posts in real-time and the more time you give people to interact with your content, the better!
Let’s look at the difference between organic and scheduled Instagram publishing.
Organic Posting
- This is any posting you do in the Instagram app itself.
- Requires more time to do.
- Allows for immediate engagement back with your followers
- Gives the opportunity to share the post to your story.
Scheduled Posting
- This uses a third-party application to post for you.
- Doesn’t require you to be available at the scheduled post time
- Less reach/engagement
- You may not be available to engage back with your audience.
Do Scheduled Instagram Posts Get Less Views?
I want to be clear here. I’m not saying NEVER use an app to schedule your posts. Posted is better than NOT posted. I’m just saying rethink HOW you use these apps.
Here’s what happens when you have them publish posts for you.
When you use a third-party scheduler (yes, even Facebook’s Creator Studio), it tells Instagram, “Hey, this person isn’t available right now to engage with their audience.”
Because social media is all about being social, the algorithm doesn’t favor that post as much, and therefore it doesn’t get pushed as far as it would if you posted organically. So yes, it gets fewer views.
Not only does it get fewer views, but it gets less engagement as well. The less engagement you get in the first few hours, the lower the reach will be.
PLUS, when you automatically schedule, you lose access to some fantastic features like product tags, locations, or tagging other users.
The Best Way to Build a Strong Community on Instagram
If you’re looking to build a strong community on Instagram, it’s best to avoid using apps that schedule posts.
The best way to build a community on Instagram is by posting organically-that is, not scheduling your posts in advance. By posting organically, you’ll be able to interact with followers in real-time, which is vital for building relationships (engagement) which in turn increases post reach!
Engagement is key to Instagram growth! 🙌 So if you’re looking to grow your Instagram account, avoid using apps that schedule posts and focus on posting organically!
How To Use Apps That Schedule Instagram Posts in an Organic Way
Don’t be sad. You can still use apps to schedule Instagram posts and plan out your content.
Scheduling tools like Hootsuite, Agorapulse (our favorite), Later, and others allow you to schedule your posts, but instead of publishing it manually, they have an option to send a notification to your phone allowing you to post organically!
This is the method we follow for ourselves and our clients.
We use Agorapulse to plan our content, add captions, hashtags, etc., and then we set the desired date and time for it to be published.
At the scheduled post time we get a push notification reminding us that it’s time to post. All we have to do is open the account (the image and text are already added), add any additional tags (location, people, product), and voila!
This lets us still use the benefits of Instagram scheduling apps without losing reach, engagement, or tags.
Plus, these apps help to visualize your content schedule and offer better insights than Instagram Insights.
Avoid Using Apps to Schedule Instagram Posts!
The best way to build a strong community on Instagram is by posting organically, not scheduling posts. Apps that auto-publish your posts might seem like they’re helping you stay organized and get more done in less time, but the truth of the matter is that these apps can do more harm than good.
Using an app to post content for you lowers your reach and engagement and denies you access to features (tags) that are vital to growing a strong Instagram community.
They’re not all bad though! You can still use them to schedule your content and send you a notification when it’s time to post. Plus, let’s not forget their more in-depth insights. 😎
Just remember – posted is better than NOT posted!
