The Instagram app’s fastest-growing feature is now Instagram Reels. In actuality, the typical Instagram user watches Reels for 30 minutes every day. A fresh video to capture and edit every day can be challenging, even if Reels are a great way to share a fast video update with your audience.
We have good news if you’re seeking for a solution to plan your Reels so you can keep posting new content without feeling dependent on your phone. Although there are certain restrictions on how you can schedule Reels due to Instagram’s API, we’ve come up with a few inventive workarounds that can still be useful.
The best ways to plan Instagram Reels using Hootsuite will be covered in this blog, along with some pointers for making the most of your Reels content strategy.
Is there an app allowing you to schedule Instagram reels?
There is currently no app that will automatically schedule Instagram Reels. Because of an API limitation within the Instagram app, direct publishing for Reels is not possible.
However, there are a few workarounds you can use to prepare your Reels content ahead of time and have it remind you when it’s time to publish. Even better, you can do all of this in the same place where you schedule all of your social media content—Hootsuite.
Continue reading to learn how to schedule Reels from your Hootsuite dashboard.
Can Reels be scheduled in Creator Studio?
No, unfortunately. While the Instagram API allows you to schedule Instagram feed videos and photos, you cannot schedule Story or Reels content through the Meta Creator Studio app or website.
How Can You Schedule Reels
If you have a Hootsuite Business account, you can schedule Reels within the Hootsuite app and Dashboard, similar to how you would schedule an Instagram Story.
To schedule an Instagram Reel in Hootsuite, follow these steps:
- Open up the Hootsuite Composer and choose Instagram Story.
- Click Select a social account, and select your Instagram profile.
- Then, upload your video and include any desired copy.
- Add “Post to Reels” to the Notes for the Publisher section.
- Select the date and time you want to publish your Reel. When it’s time to post, you’ll get a push notification on your phone!
Do you learn visually? In the video below, you can see this Reels scheduling process in action.
Please keep in mind that this process will only allow you to create content and schedule when you will publish it; it will not post automatically. At the scheduled time, a push notification will be sent to your phone, reminding you to post manually.
This is because Instagram’s API does not yet allow third-party software to automatically schedule Reels.
However, we believe that this workaround is useful because it allows you to use all of Hootsuite’s useful publishing features, such as best time to post recommendations, character limit recommendations, team approvals, and more. It will also appear in your Hootsuite content calendar, allowing you to see how your Reels will fit into your publishing schedule ahead of time.