How to Batch and Schedule Your Content for Instagram

I used to spend hours per week just trying to find the perfect photo and trying to come up with the perfect, witty caption on the spot.

Hello?! What was I thinking?! In every other facet of my business, I plan nearly everything in advance, why should my social media be any different?

It took me a while to learn how to batch your content for Instagram, but now I can say that I can dream up an entire month’s worth of Instagram content in just a handful of hours. That’s right- no digging, searching, or feeling rushed to post. Every single day I wake up knowing exactly what photo is going up, what the caption is going to read, and when I am posting it. Are you ready to hear my fool-proof system and save yourself hours every week? Let’s dig in!

STYLE PHOTOS IN ADVANCE!

Alright kids, ya ready? First step: Build your ammo! That’s right, it’s amazing how easy planning your Instagram is when you have a bank of photos you love! Now, if you’ve been around the Insta world for a while, you know what an aesthetic is… Basically, an aesthetic is your Instagram “vibe” and style: Are you woodsy and rustic, fresh and bright, black and white? There are so many directions you can go, and it’s time to figure out YOURS!

For me, I love bright lighting and vibrant colors! I often share photos of the skyline sunsets, local attractions, food, and local businesses. These are my go-to Instagram posts so therefore I want to ensure that I have many options to mix and match on my feed. Therefore, I have amassed a GIANT collection of images that fit these requirements over the years. Having this consistency ensures that my photo collection is on brand, cohesive, and recognizable.

So how do you build this bank of photos?

It’s simple, you commit to it and own it! Dedicate an afternoon or couple of days to getting photos of different products, your shop, scroll through your camera roll (you may have some gems in there!). These photos will become the foundation of your Instagram, and having them all in one place (just waiting to be mixed and matched!) is what makes planning an Instagram ahead so easy!

So, to summarize

Step 1: Think about your main categories we talked about. What are your main topics? Whatever it is, make sure you have a plethora of choices to share in each domain! This may take some planning ahead, but it sets the stage for a stress-free Instagram planning!

PREPARE YOUR GRID IN ADVANCE

Okay, onto the next step! Once you have a general topic in mind for business purposes, build your “grid”! PSSST: Your grid is what your Instagram feed looks like!

It can be hard to picture what your feed will look like without seeing it beforehand and when you’re posting one photo at a time without a greater plan. To ensure I love the way my photos look by one another, I love to use the Later to mix and match different photos to find the order of posting I want to do! When I lay it out in advance I can see if I am going overboard on any certain type of photo, if my color scheme aligns, and if the picture makes sense for my content needs! 

This is yet another benefit of planning your Instagram account ahead of time– it allows your feed to be beautiful, cohesive, and attract new followers and grow your impact! 

While planning your grid, go into your super amazing photo library that you’ve created, upload the photos you need based on predetermined content needs and upload! Rearrange and change them out until you love what you see! And boom, you have a beautiful feed WITH strategy behind it!

CAPTION TIME!

Once you are satisfied with the grid, it’s time for captions! 

Planning your Instagram in advance allows you to be MEGA strategic when it comes to your business.

• If you have a event in a month, you can cater your captions towards that events for the weeks prior and remind customers that it’s coming up.
• If a new product launching soon, do a fun countdown!
• If there is a big announcement coming up- change your messaging to take your followers on a ride with you!

While planning ahead seems daunting, it makes being strategic SO much easier because you have a clear map of what topic you should be posting and when!

Once you have your topics mapped out, write out your captions week by week! Breaking it up into week long chunks is super manageable and does not take long at all. It’s amazing how easy this is when you know what facet of your business you should be focusing on any given day!

THE FINAL STEPS!

Okay, a beautiful picture, a predetermined message, and a perfect caption! You’re ready, right? … Not quite! 

There are a few last minute steps that ensure you are getting maximum likes, comments, and exposure on your post. You want as many eyes as possible on the post you worked so hard on, don’t you? I thought so! 

Call to action

One small thing that makes a world of difference in your posts is a “call to action!” What do I mean by this? I simply mean, I am asking my audience something small in each post… It could be a “double tap if…”, “tag a friend who this reminded you of…”, “comment your top recommendations for…” Not only does this boost engagement to your post and allows more eyes to see it, but it organically allows you to connect with your audience, hear their thoughts, and create a true community! 

There you have it! My personal method of ensuring that my Instagram game is as strong as possible. While it does take a little work on the back end and takes some getting used to, this method undoubtedly saves me HOURS every week compared to posting one photo at a time without a plan!

Forget the days of rushing to post, scrambling for a caption, or not knowing what to say. Because with this method, you now know exactly what photo you are picking, who you are reaching, and what your caption is! All that’s left to do is press post! I hope this helps you batch your content for Instagram, see you on the ‘gram!