How To Post Automatically On Instagram

Just like any social media platform, Instagram has its pros and cons, but one of the BIG cons has just been eliminated for businesses using the popular app - automatic publishing capabilities.  Let's all take a moment to pause, cheer, and do a happy dance!  

Instagram has long been a favorite of mine and currently brings in over 30% of my blog traffic.  Other top sources for blog traffic are Google searches and Pinterest.

If you have one Instagram account, this new ability to publish posts automatically is HUGE in and of itself, yet some of us have multiple accounts and it can be a lot to juggle posting manually at optimal times for each account.

>>>Follow me on Instagram: @coastalinteriors, @annekemcconnell, @diypaintedfurniture

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Here's what you need to know:

1. The ability to post automatically on Instagram is a recent update in partnership with a handful of platforms and is only available to business accounts on Instagram.  If any online business mentor has ever told you NOT to switch your account from personal to private, they are steering you in the wrong direction.  If you are using Instagram to promote your business, you need to switch to a business profile. The benefits far outweigh any frustrations with algorithms, plus, it's actually required. ;-)

2. This update and partnership will likely continue to be developed and expand. Some of the platforms to look into in order to utilize automatic publishing include:

• Tailwind
• Iconosquare
• Hootsuite
• Later
• Sendible

Each of these platforms operate differently, but are essentially pretty user friendly. If anything seems in the least bit confusing, there are countless resources within each platform to help you with a specific problem.

I personally prefer Sendible, with Tailwind and Iconosquare as close seconds.

3. Just like with other social media platforms, the ability to automatically publish Instagram posts will instantly allow you more freedom in your evenings when it is peak posting time (and engagement) for most people.

The biggest struggle for small business owners and bloggers in regards to Instagram has been balancing what is typically family time with the desire to post their content at a time when most people will see it and therefore, more people will benefit from what you are sharing.

Depending on your time zone, the benefits will vary.  Have you ever felt:

 >Guilty for posting and engaging during your kiddo's bath time?

>The need to excuse yourself from a visit with friends to "post really quick"?

 >Conflicted about having that glass of wine with your spouse interrupted in the "name of business", aka "I'm going to post on Instagram for just awhile, ok?" 

Overall, this update will allow small business owners a greater sense of control and the ability to reclaim precious moments of their lives in the evenings. 

But what about engagement and being there "LIVE" for people when posting?  Of course you can still do this! No one is saying you can't.  Automatic posting simply expands your capabilities, and gives you the freedom to take an essential break from social media at times.

Want to plan a week-long getaway with the fam where wifi is non-existent? You can do that now and not worry about "going dark".

Sure, business owners who have more of a personal connection can be upfront with their instafriends about their availability, and in my experience, most people cheer on your decision to focus on family and taking some time away. :-)

Here are some current boundaries to stay within when scheduling your posts automatically to Instagram from one of these platforms:

• Single Images only at this time (videos are not currently supported, but stay on the look-out!)

• Automatic posts can be uploaded in the form of JPEG, PNG, BMP, and non-animated GIFs

• Check your platform of choice for minimum and maximum resolution requirements

• Check your platform of choice for file size maximums (for example: 8GB)

• At this time, the following features are not supported with automatic posting to Instagram:
  -Hashtags in the captions, user tags, branded content tags, geotagging (sharing locations), shopping tags, filters, and posting to stories.

Thankfully Instagram offers the ability to edit your content after posting, so if you choose to schedule your content for automatic posting, you can go back into the app manually and update any of your tags. 

Also, remember that these limitations are for automatic posting ONLY!

You can still schedule your other content in advance that has larger file sizes, are videos, etc.  These type of Instagram posts will still have a scheduler send you a push notification when it's time to post. This is the advantage of being on a social media scheduler like Sendible, so you can batch process your content and save TONS of time. All platforms do this.

I imagine that this is just the beginning of the capabilities being rolled out for Instagram Business users, and they will continue to expand over time. 

If this info. has helped you today, please share!

From the Beach,

Anneke

P.S. Need some help with Instagram? Download my FREE 10+ Page Cheat Sheet by clicking below!

Make It Happen: 3 Instagram Essentials For Your Business

Hey friends! Instagram can be a tricky social media platform to tackle as a business owner and/or blogger, and it is admittedly my fave platform so I'm here to help you out.  A few years back when I had to drop my blogging dramatically, Instagram really became my go-to and I've been hooked ever since, even through all the changes.

I promise you though......when all the pieces come together, it's really quite simple.

1.  Make The Process of Working with You EASY.

I have worked with many businesses and bloggers who focus SO MUCH on what their Instagram feeds looks like, that they neglect the next steps for a potential client. I love sharing how I found my current hairstylist through Instagram because after I saw her pretty work, I wanted to move forward with booking her for a hair consultation. She had a clear call to action in her profile (i.e. click below for our services and schedule) and a link to get the ball rolling on an appt. I LOVE HER, and I'm so happy I found her through Instagram.  Make the process as easy as possible.  Answers frequent questions so your potential customer doesn't have to, or worse, just leaves.

2. Speaking of Being Found, you guessed it........HASHTAGS ARE HUGE!

Love 'em or hate 'em, I don't thing they are going away anytime soon.  You are currently able to attach 30 hashtags to your photo or video on Instagram and this is a huge part of Instagram strategy.  It's a brilliant way to categorize your work, connect with your ideal client or blog follower, be found through the search feature, etc.

With that said, I don't believe it to be the best advice to use all popular hashtags, because the goal for your business is likely to be profitable and not popular.  It's unreal the number of people that are popular on Instagram that don't make nearly as much income as a business on Instagram that is purposeful, well connected, and intentional about what they are putting out there!

Here's a bit of homework for you.

Set some time aside to create 3-5 blocks of 30 hashtags that are a mix of a few different elements to save on your phone, mobile device, or laptop. This will save you HOURS of time in the long run!  It’s important to mix up the hashtags you use and share a variety. Some examples include:

• Broad topics (i.e. #interiordesign)
• Focused topics (i.e. #plankedwall)
• Hashtags conveying brand values (i.e. #familyfirst)
• Hashtags relating to customer pain points or needs (i.e. #seattleinteriordesigner)
• As well as avoid banned hashtags (some are obvious, some are not - Google it folks).

3. Start From the End and Work Backwards, then Focus on Optimizing Your Post Time.

This should go without saying, but so many well intentioned business owners and bloggers get so sucked into numbers, and likes, follows, comments, shares, etc. Those elements all have there place, but they are not the end goal. I'm guessing it's your goal to make a profit along the way while inspiring, encouraging, entertaining, educating, etc.

Once you know your end goals and work backwards, take all the elements you know about hashtags, great captions, call to actions, etc. and use an app/service like Iconosquare to post at an optimized time.  The fee for a Pro account is nominal and dare I say essential, because posting once a day at an optimized time is a way better use of your time than posting 2-3 times a day when no one will ever see what you post.

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If you're looking for some more in depth tips for Instagram, I created an easy to implement 10+ page PDF to help you out.  Click below to grab yours now!

I hope these tips help you be more efficient and productive when it comes to using Instagram for your business or blog.  

Speaking of, I'd love to have you follow along on my Instagram accounts if they look like the kind of thing you're into!

Click on any photo below to follow along!

From the beach,

Anneke

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Blog Talk: What Every Potential Blogger Must Ask Themselves FIRST

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Hello beautiful friends! As someone who has been blogging for 4-5 years, I'm certainly an advocate because I think it's AMAZING!

BUT........

It wasn't always like that for me.

I started my blog on a complete whim without any prior knowledge of blogging or even following other blogs. I just wanted to share what I knew about painting furniture to help other people! Looking back I can't believe I've made it this far, but tenacity has a way of getting you places, right?!

On this week's Blog Talk via Facebook LIVE, I shared briefly about the one question every potential blogger must ask themselves before starting a blog. The question I never asked myself until years into it, and a question that made all the difference.

Because of my negative experiences (because of my lack of knowledge) in my first years of blogging, and the process I went through to turn it around, I'm happy to help others get started on the right foot with a good foundation to their blog.

Now, anyone who has an interest in starting a blog typically has a mix of fears and excitement about the process and possibilities and this is completely NORMAL.

I do believe that no matter what dreams and goals you are pursuing, asking this ONE QUESTION before creating and launching your blog will give you greater clarity into how you actually want to do "this whole blogging thing".

It's simple, but profound.

The question simply is.........

 

"What do I want?"

What do I want in life?

What am I hoping to gain by starting this blog?

Why does this matter to me?

Does pursuing the launch of this kind of blog support the life I want to live?

How do I want to structure and operate my blog in order to support what I want in life? 

Listen. The great thing about owning and running your own blog is that you call the shots.  You set your hours. You work where you want to work.  You choose the people you work with. It's amazing!

At the same time it's easy to get sucked into the "what everyone else is doing" trap. You may start to get bogged down because you "have" to post so many times per week. You "have" to have these certain things on your website.  

You can literally make a job for yourself taking care of all the "have to's" and forgetting the heart of why you ever even began.

I know because that used to be me.

Late late nights. Overwhelmed with emails and social media comments. Grumpy at my kiddos for lack of sleep. Not prioritizing work outs and time with friends. Waiting for that next big break.

Addressing this one questions will help you begin your blog on a solid foundation from the get-go.

Here is an example of what I want in life is, and that I've created my blog to support this:

• Time with my family.
• To be well rested.
• To feel strong and healthy.
• To earn an income from work I enjoy.
• To help others with problems and saving them time and money.
• To have fun with design and style - things I enjoy!
• To talk about deeper topics occasionally.
• To create and savor the process of creating - not feeling rushed.
• To be able to listen to my kids, look them in the eye, and be completely focused on what they're saying to me, without thinking of a million "to-dos" in my head.
• To take time off and completely unplug from technology and not feel stressed out about it.

This list will look different for every single person who goes through this simple exercise.

What would your list look like?  Are your current goals supporting that list? I'd love to know in the comments below.

xo,

Anneke

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P.S. Interested in starting a blog of your own. Grab my FREE Guide below!

Blog Talk: 5 Reasons Why You SHOULD Start a Blog

Hi friends! It's been a while since I've done a Blog Talk around these parts, but after several requests, I'm reinstating it as a weekly topic. 

When people hear the word "blog" or "blogging", they may have a very specific idea about what it is or it can sound extremely vague.

The truth is there are ALL different kinds of blogs, bloggers, and niches out there and getting a blog up and running can be a little intimidating. Another truth is that it is NOT for everyone.

Tackling this weekly topic is an opportunity for me to pay it forward and help you learn from my experiences and mistakes - and possibly some awesome blogging friends of mine!

So today's topic is focusing on reasons why you SHOULD start a blog. If you have a question (or two) for future posts, I'd love to know!

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1. You have ideas and information that you want to share with people.

Mind blown I'm sure, but really......a blog is simply a place to share information with other people to inspire, motivate, teach, encourage, entertain, or save them time and money.  If you were to start a blog, what ideas do you want to share?  Do you truly believe in them??  Then a blog is a great place to "put it out there"! Plus, it's YOUR website that you own!

2. A blog is a catalyst for future growth.

We have no way of knowing what the future holds and how things will change, but one thing is certain, change will be a part of a blog.  As your blog grows and evolves, it can be what leads you to opportunities you made not have had otherwise.  Blogging has the potential to be a stellar resume of sorts and a stepping stone to that next big thing.

3. You want to work from home and have a flexible schedule.

Not everyone has the discipline and ability to schedule and manage themselves to run a blog, but if you do, blogging provides an amazing degree of flexibility. You are literally in charge of your schedule!  If you are a natural planner or willing to learn and set systems in place, you'll be successful in blogging.

4. You own a business and want to use your website to bring in more clients or customers.

The majority of businesses who utilize a blog gain more traffic than those that don't.  Whether you're a small business owner who creates handmade goods or offer services such as a photographer, florist, or designer, it's a great way to help your potential client or customer get to know you and build a trusting relationship.

5. The earning potential is HUGE.

Now I'm not going to lie and say that blogging is a way to "get rich quick".  In fact, for most it takes months of hard work and dedication to build a foundation and grow their audience and influence. That CAN be you with a plan and patience!

Building a business online has the potential to reach like-minded people all over the world, people who love you, what you have to share, and want to buy from you.  Connecting and making a positive impact on people who "get you" are the fringe benefits! 

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I hope you guys find this "new" series helpful!  If you haven't grabbed my FREE ebook on starting a blog, you can download it by clicking below.  

I wrote this after realizing how I was blogging "all wrong" and wanted to share what I learned to turn it around. :-)

xo,

Anneke

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