Welcome to the exciting world of Instagram Stories - a powerful marketing tool that allows you to captivate your audience with engaging visuals and snippets of your brand's story.
We understand just how important it is for social media managers and agencies to maximise this dynamic channel.
That's why we're thrilled to introduce you to a game-changing feature: scheduling and auto-posting Instagram Stories using Sendible.
In this guide, we'll take you through the ins and outs of scheduling Stories and publishing them, revealing the numerous benefits that come with it.
From saving time and boosting efficiency to expanding your audience reach, Sendible's scheduling tool is a must-have for any social media pro.
- Why use Instagram Stories?
- About auto-posting Instagram Stories with Sendible
- Other Instagram features that you'll love
- Quick how-to schedule guide
- Three actionable exercises
- Crush the 'Gram: Free resources to amp up your marketing mojo
Before we get started with exploring how you can up your Instagram Stories game with Sendible, don't forget to grab our useful Instagram Audit Checklist.
Why use Instagram Stories for your business account?
Social media is all about authentic connection, and Instagram Stories are a great way to capture the immediate attention of your viewers.
Instagram Stories are sequences of images and videos designed to disappear after 24 hours unless you turn them into a highlight or send them to your feed.
Since Instagram Stories were built to be temporary compared to photos and videos shared to your main feed, they create urgency and allow for more variety in the types of content shared by brands and creators on their business accounts.
It’s a powerful way to showcase your personality, gain instant interest, and build relationships with your followers by showing them behind-the-scenes content.
About auto-posting Instagram Stories with Sendible
Benefits of scheduling Instagram Stories
Who doesn't love a good Story? They're one of the most consumed content formats on Instagram.
Unfortunately, posting Stories can be a daunting task.
But fear not, because that's all in the past now!
We at Sendible believe in empowering social media managers and agencies with tools that simplify their workflows and drive results.
Plus, why waste time on going to the app to publish a Story when you can have some extra free time to scroll through your Instagram feed, engage with your community, and find new inspo?
So, why is scheduling Instagram Stories with Sendible a game-changer? Let's break it down even further.
- Plan ahead and take control: With Sendible, you can plan your Instagram Stories in advance, seamlessly integrating them into your larger campaigns. No more last-minute rushes or missed opportunities. You're in complete control of when your Stories go live.
- Never miss a beat: Say goodbye to relying on reminders or push notifications that you might accidentally overlook. By scheduling your Stories with Sendible, you can publish them exactly when you want, ensuring you make the most impact without missing a single beat.
- Repurpose with ease: Why reinvent the wheel? With Sendible, you can effortlessly repurpose your short-form videos and other media used across other social channels and publish them as Instagram Stories.
It's a time-saving hack that helps you maximize your content reach without breaking a sweat. - Engage like never before: Instagram Stories are known for their engagement potential. By scheduling Stories in advance, you have a unique opportunity to connect with your followers on a deeper level. Spark their curiosity, share behind-the-scenes moments, and keep them coming back for more!
- Streamline your social media management: At Sendible, we understand the importance of having all your social content in one place. With our scheduling tool, you don't have to switch between platforms. Schedule and post all your social content, including Instagram Stories, without ever leaving Sendible.
Sendible Smart Compose Box.
Tailor posts to match every platform by customising copy, adding tags, using our built-in image editor, and more.
Comparison with other tools
When it comes to scheduling Instagram Stories, not all tools are created equal. Here's why Sendible stands out from the crowd:
- Schedule a month's worth of content in minutes: Be the master of efficiency! With Sendible, bulk uploading from a CSV file, adding recurring posts to queues, and the dashboard's calendar featuring over 300 social media holidays, you'll schedule content at scale in a blink. No more wasting time, get ahead effortlessly!
Bulk uploads and visual calendar
Make scheduling a breeze by uploading or composing months’ worth of content in one go and visually managing your calendar.
- Make every post pop: Stand out from the crowd! Dive into a treasure trove of millions of royalty-free images in Sendible. Not only that, take advantage of our built-in image editor and Canva integration to add that extra oomph to your Stories. Prepare for greatness!
- Creative inspiration: Unleash your inner genius! Sendible's calendar auto-populates with hundreds of topical social media holidays, making it a breeze to share relevant content in just a few clicks. But wait, there's more! Get even more inspiration with automated RSS feeds and Google alerts. Fuel your creativity and watch it soar!
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"I loaded an entire month of content across four platforms for one client the other day, each one with an image and a web link. It took me 35 minutes."
Anna Rump, founder of Amelia Rose Media
Who can benefit from this feature
If you're a social media manager or part of a social media agency, scheduling Instagram Stories with Sendible is a game-changer for you. Here are the key beneficiaries:
- Social Media Managers: Juggling multiple client accounts? Sendible's scheduling feature ensures you stay on top of your Instagram Stories game, delivering consistent and timely content for each client.
- Businesses and Influencers: Want to maintain an active presence on Instagram without the hassle? Sendible simplifies the process, allowing you to schedule Stories and focus on engaging with your followers.
- Social Media Agencies: Streamline your social media workflows by utilizing Sendible's comprehensive scheduling tool. From planning and getting clients' approval to publishing, it's a one-stop solution for managing multiple clients efficiently.
Meet Approval Workflows.
Get approval from clients and steer clear of typos by setting up approval workflows for every post.
Highlights for agencies
If you haven’t been using Stories as a part of your client strategy, here’s a quick overview of just how impactful Stories can be:
- According to Facebook, over 500 million users use and consume Stories daily
- 200 million businesses are on Instagram with 90% of people following at least one business
- 58% of people became more interested in a product after viewing Stories posted by a business
- 50% of people then went on to purchase the product
No matter your clients' industry, your agency can take advantage of this engaging feature!
Other Instagram features that you'll love
While scheduling Instagram Stories with Sendible is a game-changer, there's a plethora of other Instagram features that will make your life easy. 👇
- Auto-posting Reels
- Instagram Grid preview
- Schedule instagram carousels
- Visually planning your posts
- Getting the client’s approval
- Maximising your reach with Instagram geotags
- Adding predefined tags right through the Sendible scheduling system.
- Targeting the right audience with our hashtag selector
- Keeping your captions clutter-free with the first-comment feature
- Creating a thumb-stopping feed for Instagram with our Canva integration
Power up your Instagram marketing with Sendible.
Manage brands easily with a platform you can rely on. Automatically publish posts to Instagram Business profiles, monitor your audience activity, and track your growth in one place.
Quick how-to schedule Instagram stories guide
Now that you're eager to start scheduling Instagram Stories using Sendible, let's walk through the process step-by-step.
Follow these simple instructions to unlock the power of seamless Story scheduling:
Step 1: Access the Sendible Dashboard
- Log in to your Sendible account and navigate to the dashboard.
Step 2: Connect your Instagram Account
- If you haven't already, connect your Instagram account to Sendible. This will enable you to schedule and publish Stories seamlessly.
Step 3: Create a New Story
- In the Compose Box, under the Instagram tab, the option to toggle between publishing a "Post", "Reel" or "Story" will be displayed. Select "Story".
Step 4: Design your Story
- Unleash your creativity! Design your Story by adding engaging visuals, text, stickers, and more. Customise it to align with your brand's voice and style with our powerful Canva integration!
Step 5: Schedule your Story
- Once you're satisfied with your Story, select the desired date and time for it to go live. Sendible's intuitive scheduling interface makes it easy to choose the perfect timing for maximum impact.
Step 6: Review and Confirm
- Before scheduling, review your Story to ensure everything looks great. Double-check the date, time, and content to avoid any surprises. Then assign it to the client to get the approval.
Step 7: Sit Back and Relax
- Congratulations! You've successfully scheduled your Instagram Story using Sendible. Now, sit back and let Sendible take care of publishing it at the scheduled time.
Remember, Sendible offers a comprehensive support article with detailed instructions and visuals to assist you further.
If you prefer visual guidance, check out our video tutorial below.
Use Instagram Reminders to add stickers and links
We know that stickers, links, polls, and other interactive elements play a significant role in enhancing your Instagram Stories.
Due to limitations in the Instagram API, these features are not currently available for auto-posting on any third-party tools.
Instead, we recommend leveraging our Instagram Reminders feature to incorporate stickers, links, and other interactive elements into your Stories.
Learn How to Schedule Instagram Carousel Posts
Find your inner Insta: Create & Schedule Instagram Carousel Posts with Sendible
Besides using Sendible to schedule Instagram stories, you can also use the tool to schedule Instagram carousel posts.
Instagram carousel posts are Instagram posts that contain up to 10 images or videos in a single post.
This is essentially used by social media managers when they want to share multiple photos that are closely connected to each other in some way.
Users can go through them by swiping left on the posts. It visually looks like a mini slide show with the first image representing a metaphorical first slide.
Just make sure the first image is enough to intrigue your viewers enough for them to swipe left to see the rest!
And always remember most users are on mobile even though you might be posting and scheduling from a desktop so make sure you are optimising for mobile users.
Using Sendible to auto post the carousel posts is helpful in tons of ways.
The generic saving your time reason is obviously one of them but it also allows you to stay consistent with your posting and use Sendible's advanced analytics to help refine your strategy.
Instagram carousel posts are also great at increasing engagement when coupled with Sendible.
The tool allows you to tag users, add geotags to your posts, and enhance your posts through simple tweaks you can make right there in the dashboard of the tool.
Learn How to Schedule Single Image Instagram Posts
Single image posts are your classic Instagram posts that are posted to the Instagram app.
They contain only one image. Sendible's story scheduling feature goes hand-in-hand with its feature of letting your auto publish posts.
The tool allows you to select the right hashtags, find optimal posting times through analytics, and manage multiple Instagram accounts from your Sendible dash.
Speak with an Expert.
Need some extra help? Let our team of experts show you some tips & tricks!
Three actionable exercises for scheduling stories on Instagram
To fully harness the power of scheduling Instagram Stories with Sendible, here are some practical exercises to help you explore and utilize this feature effectively:
Exercise #1 | Showcase your Agency's Behind-the-Scenes Magic!
Captivate your audience with an exclusive peek behind the curtain by sharing some behind-the-scenes moments that highlight the magic at your agency!
Instructions:
- Gather Captivating Visuals: Create a captivating slideshow of behind-the-scenes photos or videos that showcase the inner workings of your agency.
From brainstorming sessions to team collaboration, give your audience an insider view. - Schedule and approve: With Sendible's powerful scheduling features, effortlessly plan and organise new posts.
For an extra layer of quality control, consider sending the selected images for approval from social media managers.
Getting a second pair of eyes on your content can provide valuable insights and ensure that your behind-the-scenes showcase meets your agency's standards. - Choose the Optimal Time: Sendible determines when your audience is most active and engaged on social media, select this time to grab their attention by posting on your Instagram profile.
- Build Relationships: By sharing these behind-the-scenes moments, be that in the form of videos or images, you're inviting your audience to connect with your agency on a more personal level.
They get a glimpse of the people, processes, and creativity that drive your success.
Pro Tip: To maximise engagement, add interactive stickers to your stories with our reminder feature, engage your audience and let them be a part of your agency's journey!
Exercise #2 | Create FOMO with Event Highlights!
Capture all the exciting moments, and get ready to create buzz and FOMO for your upcoming events!
Instructions:
- Record Event Videos: During your events, make sure to capture engaging videos that showcase the energy, atmosphere, and highlights.
- Content Gathering: Instead of trying to post and edit videos or photos in real-time, focus on gathering all the content you need during the event.
This allows you to fully immerse yourself in the experience while ensuring you have plenty of material to work with afterward. - Post or Schedule Content through Sendible: After the event, schedule those amazing videos, one at a time, as throwbacks to create FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) for your next event.
- Build Anticipation: By sharing event highlights, you generate anticipation and interest among your audience for future events.
This fosters engagement and increases attendance at your upcoming gatherings.
Exercise #3 | Edit and Schedule Stories with Ease!
Say goodbye to app-hopping and embrace a seamless storytelling experience.
With our Canva integration and Sendible's scheduling capabilities, you can now effortlessly edit your stories and schedule them for posting.
Instructions:
- Edit Stories with Canva: Customise your story's visuals, add engaging graphics or text overlays, and bring your brand's unique style to life.
- Schedule with Sendible: Take advantage of Sendible's scheduling feature to effortlessly plan and organise your story posts. Schedule them at the optimal times for maximum audience reach and engagement and make sure you include engaging captions!
- Ensure Brand Consistency: With the Canva integration, you can maintain brand consistency by using pre-designed templates or creating your own branded visuals.
Pro Tip: Experiment with different story elements, such as stickers, interactive features, or swipe-up links, to make your stories more engaging and interactive with Sendible reminders.
These exercises will not only familiarise you with the scheduling feature but also allow you to unleash your creativity and explore the various possibilities of Instagram Stories within Sendible.
Schedule your first Instagram Story.
Time to flex those social media muscles and schedule your very first Instagram Story! Use our exercises to start reaping this awesome feature's benefits.
Crush the 'Gram: Free resources to amp up your marketing mojo
To further enhance your Instagram Stories strategy and maximise your social media management capabilities with Sendible, here are some valuable resources to explore:
Free editable template:
Blogs and Articles:
Wrapping it up
Congratulations! You've now mastered the art of scheduling Instagram Stories using Sendible.
By leveraging this powerful feature, you can take your social media management to new heights, captivating your audience, and driving meaningful results.
With Sendible's user-friendly interface, comprehensive analytics, and the ability to plan ahead, you can seamlessly integrate Instagram Stories into your larger campaigns. No more missed opportunities or last-minute rushes.
Take control of your content and engage your followers like never before.
Remember, as social media managers and agencies, your time is valuable.
By streamlining your social media workflows within Sendible, you can focus on what matters most—building meaningful connections with your audience and achieving your business goals.
So, what are you waiting for?
Dive into Sendible, explore the scheduling feature, and unleash your creativity. Let your Instagram Stories shine and leave a lasting impression on your followers.
Ready to take the next step? Start your Sendible journey today by signing up for a 14-day free trial and experiencing the full potential of our scheduling and social media management tools.
Remember, with Sendible, your Instagram Stories are not just stories—they're opportunities to captivate, engage, and convert. Elevate your social media game and let Sendible be your trusted partner in success.
