How to Post on Instagram

Once you have set up an Instagram account, the next step is beginning to post your content. What type of…

Once you have set up an Instagram account, the next step is beginning to post your content. What type of content you post, and how regularly you post, is up to you. 

If you use Instagram for personal reasons alone, then there’s no need to have a strategy. However, if you want to become an influencer, or you are using Instagram for your business, knowing what kind of posts you can make and which are most likely to garner solid engagement is important. 

Here’s how to post to Instagram. Whether you want to post pictures or videos, this guide will help you upload your content. 

The Types of Instagram Post

To put it simply, there are three kinds of Instagram post: picture, reel, and story. However, there are other kinds that fall within these categories. For example, you can use up to ten pictures or short videos to make a carousel post, which is the most likely to gain engagement, and you can post both videos and pictures to your Instagram story. Any video you upload, however, is best made into a reel. 

While videos used to be posted in the same way as pictures, reels are categorized differently by Instagram now. While they’re added to the regular Instagram feed, reels can also be browsed in a separate function that mirrors the format used by TikTok. If you are looking to become a content creator or influencer, reels will be very useful to you. 

If you want to know how to add a post to Instagram, keep reading! 

How to Post a Picture on Instagram

The first step in uploading a picture is to press the “+” sign, which you can find either at the top right-hand side of the screen, or at the bottom in the very middle. Once you press this button, your camera roll will open and you will be prompted to choose what you want to upload. The options will be: 

  • Post
  • Story
  • Reel
  • Live

These options are at the bottom of the screen; post is the default option. To create a basic single picture post for your Instagram profile and feed, all you have to do is choose an image. You can either choose an image from your phone, or hit the camera icon on the screen to take a photo to upload directly. This is not always a great choice, because pictures taken in-app tend to be of lower quality. 

If you want to create a carousel and upload more than one image, simply press on a picture and hold it for a few seconds. Small, circular icons will then appear on the images in your camera roll. You can tap them to add up to ten to a single post. 

Once you choose your images, press “next.” You will be given the option to add a filter or manually edit the tone, brightness, saturation, and contrast of the images you have chosen. 

Now you know how to post photos on Instagram, but what about reels? 

How to Post a Reel on Instagram 

When creating a reel, simply hit the “Reel” option at the bottom of your phone screen. The display will change and activate your camera. You can record a short-form video directly through the Instagram app; however, the image quality will once again be lower. For this reason, it is generally better to choose a video you have already recorded with your phone’s camera and upload it. 

How to Post on Instagram

To add a video to a reel, hit the small blue “+” in the bottom-left corner of your phone’s screen. This will open your phone’s camera reel and let you choose either pictures or videos to add to your reel. 

How to Add Music and Effects to a Reel

Now you know how to add posts on Instagram and how to set up reels, but you can personalize your videos further. On the left side of your screen, you will see a few icons in this order: 

  • A music note 
  • Small shapes that look like stars or sparkles
  • A partially dotted circle with the number 15 in the center
  • A number one and an x (1x)
  • A square made up of differently shaped boxes
  • A stopwatch
  • A hand

Each of these icons represents an editing function. 

  • The music note lets you browse sounds in the Instagram library and add music to your reels
  • The sparkles let you add visual effects
  • The “15” symbol lets you change the length of your reel between 15, 30, 60, and 90 seconds in length
  • The segmented square allows you to change your video layout
  • The stop watch lets you set a delayed timer for recording, so if you press that and select “3 seconds,” the camera will begin recording three seconds after you hit the button. 
  • The hand icon lets you begin recording by raising your hand. 

Music and visual effects are the most common forms of video editing used by Instagrammers. To choose a song, press the music note, and either search for a specific song or browse the categories provided by Instagram. Once you have a reel you are happy with, hit the “next” button to finalize your reel. 

How to Post to Instagram Story 

There are two ways to post to your Instagram story. First, if you do not already have a story up, you can press on your profile picture icon at the top of the screen and hold it. When you do this, an option to add to your story will pop up. You can also hit the “+” icon and press the “story” option. 

In any case, you will have the option to either record or take a picture directly within the app, or choose a video or picture to upload from your camera reel. 

Like reels, Instagram stories have more editing options. You can add music and effects to enhance your content. You can even add interactive features, such as polls, buttons, and links to external sites when you swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up Instagram “stickers.” 

Unlike posts and reels that go on your feed, however, Instagram stories are time limited and you cannot add hashtags or a description. Any text you want to add must be on-screen. 

You can also add posts on Instagram to your story by hitting the “share” button. You can do this with your own posts or other people’s posts. When you hit the share button, it will prompt you to choose whether to DM the post to someone, share it off-site, or add it to your story. Simply choose the store option. Once you have done this, you can add text or stickers to personalize it.

How to Add Posts on Instagram That Get Attention

Once you have created the content you want to upload, whether it is a reel, a post, or a carousel, you will be taken to a final page. Here, you can add a descriptive text and hastags.

While you are on this screen, you will also find options such as “add a location,” “tag someone,” and the option to share your post to other linked social media accounts. Visually striking or engaging content is most likely to get a positive reaction on Instagram, but the hashtags you choose can also help you to reach a wider range of people – if this is your goal. If you are using Instagram for your business, it pays to understand the algorithm and hashtag system. 

Once you have added the description and your chosen hashtags, all you have to do is hit “share” and your post will be automatically uploaded to Instagram. Now you know exactly how to make a post on Instagram and boost your engagement! 

FAQs

What is the Instagram “feed?”

The Instagram “feed” is the main screen on the Instagram app. It displays content from people you follow, from your own account, and from accounts that are similar to content that you have engaged with in the past. However, you also have a personal feed or profile. This is the page that shows all of your content in one place.

Which kind of post is best for social media marketing?

There is no single kind of post that guarantees engagement and leads for a small business engaging in social media marketing. However, 51% of Instagram users prefer funny content, so if you want to catch people’s eye quickly, focusing on relevant, humorous posts, reels, and stories can be incredibly helpful. 

What is Instagram Live? 

Instagram Live is a feature that allows you to broadcast in real time and engage with people who choose to watch. This is accessible through the “stories” section and has a number of features that are unique to it. For example, people can comment in real time, allowing you to have a conversation with them, or send you gifts if they like your content.

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