When posting on Instagram, you want your posts to receive as much traffic as possible. However, if you only post and wait for lady luck to smile on your posts to make them go viral, you are in for a rude shock. 

Getting a well-performing post takes a lot of handwork. You need to ensure that the post is well-optimized for the Instagram algorithm. Besides that, you should post at the right time. This article will guide you on the best time to post on Instagram according to the algorithm.

Why Post at the Right Time on Instagram?

When creating content for Instagram, one of the key factors that the Instagram algorithm considers is the posting time. But why does it matter? There are many other content creators on Instagram competing for the same audience. The Instagram algorithm will show your posts according to the competition level. 

If there is a high number of posts competing for the same eyeballs, your posts are likely to receive fewer views. Again, the Instagram algorithm prioritizes the most recent posts. Newer posts are usually given preference, ensuring that users get fresh content every time.

The time your target audience is online matters. You will not have many views if you post at night when most users aren't online. You should, therefore, understand your audience’s peak hours to leverage their online presence optimally. You also need to stay updated with Instagram trends to understand audience behaviors.

Is There a Good Time to Post Online?

Before we discuss the best time to post on Instagram, it's important to understand that there is no universal best time for posting online. However, there are certain times and days when the Instagram audience is usually online. But before we discuss the best time for posting, it's important to note that several factors affect your posting time. These include:

Audience Location and Time Zone

When considering the best posting time, consider the time zone. You must align your posting time accordingly if your audience is spread across different countries and regions. If you post when your audience is mostly online, you can increase their chances of seeing your posts and increase engagement.

Day of the Week

The Instagram engagement level is also determined by the day of the week when you post. Therefore, you should analyze your data to determine the best day for your posts to receive the highest engagement levels. For instance, if your posts primarily target a professional audience, you should post during weekdays.

On the other hand, if you target an audience primarily of students, the best time to post may be during the weekends. You can also experiment with different days of the week and monitor the performance of your posts to determine the best posting time.

Time of the Day

In addition to understanding the best day of the week to post on Instagram, you must understand when your audience is usually very active. You will realize that different audiences and demographic segments have different activity levels. 

When you understand the peak hours that your audience is active on Instagram, you can easily tell when your posts will likely receive the highest engagement level. For instance, if you are trying to reach a global audience, you must find a balance that accommodates different time zones. 

Audience Behavior and Engagement Patterns

You must analyze audience behavior and engagement patterns to determine the best time to post on Instagram. You should do a lot of research to understand the audience's behavior. There are tools you can use to get useful data on your follower's activities, such as:

• When your audience is most active.
• When they engage most with your content.
• When you get the highest engagement on your posts.

Here is an overview of the Instagram tools to use:

Instagram Insights

This tool can provide in-depth data about your audience. You must have an Instagram creator or business account to use this feature. Some information you can see about your audience includes age, gender, and location. The tool will also provide data such as reach, profile, impressions, follower activity, and profile visits.

Third-party Tools

On top of Instagram Insights, third-party tools can provide you with important data on your audience. Then, you can use the data to determine the trends and patterns to help you create a good posting pattern. Some of the tools, such as HootSuite and SproutSocial, can provide great insights into details such as:

• Followers count
• Engagement behaviors

Audience Feedback

Another way you can easily find the engagement data with your audience is through audience feedback. You can easily get information on their preferences by posting on Instagram, responding to their comments, and asking them questions. 

When posting, include questions in your captions to create a sense of community. These measures can provide important insights to help you refine your posting schedule to meet your audience’s needs.

Experimenting With Different Posting Time

No matter how well you research the best posting time, it will still be hard to get it right most of the time. You can overcome the gaps in your insights by experimenting with different posting times. All you need to do is post on different days and times of the week to see the results. 

One of the most common methods to experiment with different posting times is split testing. This method works by creating similar posts and posting them at different times of the day and week. You can then look at the different posts' performance metrics to see if patterns and trends are associated with a higher engagement level. 

For instance, you can create two similar posts and schedule one in the morning and the other in the evening. You can then monitor the number of likes, shares, and comments. When you compare the engagement metrics, you can determine the time slots that yield the best results. You can follow the same strategy for different days of the week.

What Is the Overall Best Time to Post on Instagram?

According to studies, the best time to post is generally on Friday at 7 a.m.  However, posts done on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. tend to have a higher engagement rate. On top of Fridays, Monday is the best time to post on Instagram. Here are the best times to post at different times of the week:

• Mondays: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Tuesdays: 9 a.m.  to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday: 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Thursday: 11 a.m. and 3 to 4 p.m.
• Fridays: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
• Saturday: 11 a.m.
• Sunday: 11 a.m. to  2 p.m.

It's important to note that these days and times are usually generic and vary depending on the industry and brand. When creating a content strategy, you need to consider your target audience and their Instagram activity.

Best Times to Post on Instagram as Per the Locality

As noted earlier, the best time to post on Instagram depends on the location. Here are some general guidelines on certain regions:

• Best Instagram posting time in the USA. If you are in the United States, we recommend posting between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time during weekdays. Over the weekends, the day is slower, so 9 a.m. can be quite effective. If you are in a region like California where Pacific time applies, you can convert the Eastern time to Pacific time to get a better engagement level with your audience.
• Best Instagram posting time in the UK. If you are in the UK, we recommend you post at  8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. This will enable you to reach a good portion of the early risers and those ending their days at work. During the weekends, a good time for posting is 12 p.m. to 2 p.m., as you target users during the midday break.
• The best time to post in India. If you want maximum engagement in India, we recommend posting at 7.30 p.m. on weekdays and weekends. These times will help you capture users during their leisure time.
• The best time to post in Malaysia. This is between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. on weekdays and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekends. These times align with their lunch breaks and post-work relaxation hours.

Steps to Find Your Best Posting Time on Instagram

Let us now look at the steps to follow when using Instagram Insights to determine the best posting time:

• Go to Instagram Insights. On your Instagram profile, tap the three dots followed by Insights.
• Review audience activity. Under Insights, you will see the Overview Tab. Tap on it followed by Total followers. Scroll down until you see the follower's activity. When you scroll down, you will see when your followers are usually more active. This data is well broken down according to the hours and week of the day.
• Analyzing the data. Don't just take the data at face value. Take time to analyze it further. You can do that on an Excel Sheet or Google document. Then, you can enter the data from Instagram Insights into the spreadsheet, noting if there is any peak activity.
• Check patterns and trends. Keep updating your Instagram data over several weeks. Look for patterns and trends. For instance, which days of the week receive the most engagement? What about the time? If you see more success with live videos, do more of them.
• Test and adjust. Based on your findings, you can now schedule Instagram posts on peak days and hours. Keep checking the days when the posts get the highest engagement rate.
• Iterate and refine. With time, you will identify similar trends in data when your audience is responding most to your audience. Adjust the posting schedule as per your analytics.
• Stay updated. Remember that audience behavior changes constantly. Therefore, you should regularly review your analytics to see if there are any new patterns and update them.

What is the Worst Time to Post on Instagram?

The worst time to post on Instagram is usually late at night and early in the morning. Avoid posting from 9 p.m. on weekdays to 10 p.m. on the weekends. During the weekends, there may be a drop in engagement in the afternoon as audience activity changes. The activity level tends to drop at night when people are asleep. This is because most users are not active on Instagram then, and most are scrolling on their feeds.

During the weekends, there may be a drop in the engagement level as people engage in outdoor activities, run errands, or go to social events. On Sunday evening, the engagement level may also drop. While some users may be active, others prepare for the week ahead.

During major events such as holidays, activity levels may drop as the attention moves to the event. It could be something like the Super Bowl or the World Cup final. This is especially the worst time for posting reels on Instagram because the attention is on the event. The only exception is if you are posting raw and unique clips under the events.

Additional Tips on Increasing Engagement

On top of understanding the best time for posting on Instagram, there are several tips you can use to increase your engagement. These include:

• Stay consistent and authentic. When posting about your brand, you should show its true essence. Ensure that you are consistent in your posting. This will keep your audience engaged and give them a reason to look forward to your content.
• Use relevant but trending hashtags. Trending hashtags will help you reach a wider audience interested in your niche. This is one of the strategies big brands and celebrities use to grow their brands. It helps them grow as it puts their accounts in the right circles.
• Include trendy music in your videos. To improve the popularity of your brand, use trendy music in your stories.
• Mix different types of posts, instead of creating just one type of content, including different ones such as reels, photos, videos, and carousels. Make the most out of your Instagram stories. This will keep your feed interesting and cater to different types of content.

Conclusion

To find success with Instagram posting, you need to determine the best time to post. On top of posting consistently, you also need to post when most of your audience is online. Remember that it should not only be about posting on Instagram but also about making meaningful connections with your audience. 

This involves studying your audience’s behavior and making meaningful connections with them. If you are unsure of the best time for posting, our guide will help you determine that. Besides, we recommend you read our guide on the top Instagram business hashtags.

While the popularity of Instagram reels has exploded recently, there is another form of post you should not ignore: scrolling posts. Also known as carousel posts, these may be the key to preventing people from scrolling past as it helps to boost engagement. 

According to a study by Social Insider, scrolling posts have an engagement rate between 1.65% and 5.4%, which is more than other posts that have an engagement rate of 1.66%. This makes them good posts for pinning on Instagram. This article will guide you on creating scrolling posts and using them to drive engagement.

What is a Scrolling Instagram Post?

Carousel Instagram posts consist of several images that users can view simultaneously by swiping the button on the left. Therefore, an Instagram carousel post works like a slide show. By using carousel posts, users can pause to engage with your content, particularly if they find the first slide engaging. This is why carousel posts are usually more engaging than normal images and videos. 

Areas Where You Can Use Scrolling Posts

With their unique nature, Instagram carousel posts can be a good choice for creating strategic content on Instagram. You can use them to create a wide range of content such as:

Tutorials

Assuming you want to post a reel on Instagram featuring a how-to tutorial, you might find that the tutorial is too long to fit in a reel. Thus, you might consider putting the reels in a carousel. This will enable you to add step-by-step instructions. The instructions could be in a carousel short video, image, or a combination of both.  You can then add audio to your stories before posting them.

Education Content and Data Points

While Instagram captions can work for providing explanations and other long-form content, they aren't as eye-catching as images. Even when your data is very interesting, you will struggle to have people read it. An Instagram carousel post can be a good way to share explanations and other texts to make people view your post. You can also create a series of images to provide a guide on a particular educational content.

Spotlights

You can also use Instagram carousel posts as a way to showcase your products or services.  For instance, an animal shelter can use Instagram carousel posts by showing the available animals for adoption.

User-generated Content

If you want a deeper connection with your followers, one of the options you should consider is user-generated content. Remember that social media isn't meant to be a one-way conversation. 

To give your fans a shout out, you can use carousels to round up the best user-generated content. Using images of your customers using products and services would be great. This is because customers trust other users to give a review of a product than someone paid to advertise it.

Brand Storytelling

Instagram carousel posts are effective if you want your Instagram followers to trust your work enabling you to become an Instagram influencer. This is because it allows you to post several slides showcasing your work. You can also use these posts to tell the story behind your brand and products.

Before and After Images

The before and after images have been noted to be effective in showcasing transformations. Rather than splitting an image into two, carousel posts can help to showcase the transformation. Whether you are in the beauty industry or home remodeling project, you can use before and after images as proof of the effectiveness of your product or work. 

Repurposed Content

If you have put much effort into your work, you may want to use it several times. Whether it's blog posts or webinars, carousels are great for repurposing content. This is particularly true for blog posts which can be tricky to promote. 

Repurposing the highlights of the blog posts in images and sharing them as carousels can help to solve the challenge. Therefore, repurpose that whitepaper or book into carousels and share it with your family.

Other ways you can use a carousel post include:

• Events highlights
• Product reveals
• Brand storytelling
• Product reveals
• Education content
• Data and infographics, etc.

Selecting the Dimensions of an Instagram Carousel Post

Like other normal posts, you can post Instagram carousel posts in different formats, such as square, horizontal, and portrait. However, you must ensure that all individual images on the posts are uniform. If you choose a certain shape for the first image, you must use the same for all other images.

Therefore, when creating an Instagram carousel post, you must ensure it is the right size to appear good on the platform. The recommended image size of Instagram carousel posts are as follows:

• Square: 1:1
• Vertical: 4:5
• Horizontal: 1:91:1

When posting images, you should go with the Instagram recommended resolution of 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels. If you post videos, you can go with the recommended resolution of 600 x 600 pixels and 1080 x1080 pixels.

The specs for Instagram video carousels are:

• A length of between 3 and 60 seconds.
• An MP4 or MOV format.
• Same aspect videos for images above.
• A video with a maximum length of 4 GB.

Besides the sizing needs, Instagram requires that your carousel post be less than 125 characters. If you are creating an Instagram carousel ad, you can add a maximum of 30 hashtags. You can also include a landing page. You can add between 2 and 10 images to your Instagram scrolling post. The maximum file size for your post should be 30 MB or a 4 GB video.

Benefits of Instagram Carousel Posts

These are the reasons why Instagram carousel posts will work for your brand.

Great for Instagram Engagement

We have already mentioned this but it's worth repeating. With many businesses turning to Instagram ads to grow their brand, you need to create top-notch content if you will compete organically. One key factor affecting the engagement rate is the type of content.

Having well-planned, captivating, and scheduled content will help you grow your engagement. One of the types of content that will bring in more engagement is the Instagram carousel. Therefore, a carousel post is key to bringing in more engagement.

Adding Different Kinds of Content

Carousel posts allow you to combine different kinds of content such as images and videos in a single post. If images aren't bringing a lot of engagement, you can use videos or a combination of the two. However, videos can help to drive the message home more strongly than images. 

A combination of images also helps to attach the user to the post. If they don't like the first image, they will see the second one, which may draw their interest. This is something that normal posts will not do.

How to Create an Instagram Carousel Post

The first step toward creating an Instagram carousel post is developing a concept. You should consider why Instagram carousel posts are the right option for you. Why will they work better than an Instagram story, video, or collage video? 

After determining that it is the right content to create for Instagram marketing, you can put your ideas on a sketch board. The sketch board will help you determine the number of frame rates you need. Consider creating an Instagram carousel with a single image or panoramic effect. You can follow these steps to add the carousel image on Instagram:

• Go to your photo gallery and add all the photos you must include.
• Open the Instagram app and click on the + sign.
• Beneath the post review, click on the layered square icon.
• Select a maximum of ten images or videos from your gallery. Ensure that the images are in the order you want to upload them.
• On the top right corner, click on Next.
• You can now add filters to your videos or images by clicking on the icon marked by two overlapping circles. Make sure you apply the same filter throughout all images to create harmony. After you have finished editing, click on Next.
• You can add account tags, geotags, captions, and hashtags. Choose a good caption that will help you drive engagement. When adding hashtags, make sure to go with popular ones on Instagram. This is also the section where you will tag people, add a caption, and a reminder similar to the usual post.
• If you need to add some alt text, go to Advanced Settings. You can then make changes regarding preferences, such as commenting, view counts, and likes.
• Tap on Share and your first carousel post will go live.

Be sure to counter check if all your frame rates are in the right order before you can publish. This is possible if you delete individual slides after posting the carousel.

How to Schedule an Instagram Carousel Post

If you post your carousel posts manually, the process can be pretty straightforward. However, it can also take a lot of your time, especially if you are trying to maintain a consistent posting schedule. Scheduling your carousel posts is a good way to overcome the challenge. You can use Facebook Creator Studio to do that. Here are the steps to follow when scheduling a carousel post:

1. Go to your Facebook Creator Studio and choose Schedule Your Instagram Post. You will see the Instagram button located at the top.
2. Click on Create Post. This button is located at the top right corner. You can then select to post to your Instagram Feed. This is a great option for those who want to share their Instagram carousel posts or videos that aren't more than 60 seconds.
3. You can now click on Add Content. You will see the caption window allowing you to add the image or video for your carousel post. Once you choose the first content, the Add Content window will appear at the top of the caption window. To add more images and videos to the button, click on the button.
4. After adding the content and including all the images, you will see a drop-down menu next to the Publish button. Choose the date and time you would like your post to go Live. Click on Schedule. The Instagram carousel post will now be ready to go Live.

However, you should remember that while the tool is very helpful, you can only use it on a desktop as it's unavailable on mobile devices. All in all, it's still among the best tips for growing an Instagram account.

Creating an Instagram Carousel Post Template

A good Instagram trend is having a consistent feed of high-quality images. That means you should choose the visuals of the Instagram carousel post to create a cohesive post. To achieve this, you should apply an Instagram carousel post.

A template will guide you in creating an Instagram carousel post. It can help you have consistency in your choice of colors, fonts, and other design elements. This will ensure that all your designs have a consistent look. You can customize the templates using photos, graphics, and texts for your new carousel post.

Final Thoughts

Instagram carousel posts can add unmatched beauty to your post as each image brings a little beauty to the overall post. Besides, they increase engagement as the swiper asks themselves: What is that next image? They keep on swiping, improving the engagement level of your posts.

However, you should understand how to post Instagram carousel posts for the best results. With the help of our guide, you can easily create posts that add value to the viewers and at the same time, take your account to the next level. We also recommend you read our guide on how to see who viewed your Instagram highlights.

It took Instagram a long time before they could allow users to post long-form video content. However, even today, long-form videos only work for in-feed videos and live videos. If you are posting Instagram reels or stories, you will still be limited on the length of the video. If you would like to post a longer video, such as a reel or story, we will show you how to do that.

How Do You Post Long-Form Videos On Instagram?

Videos can be one of the best tips for growing your Instagram account. If you want to post long-form videos, follow these steps:

1. On your Instagram account’s homepage, tap on the + button.
2. You will be provided with a wide range of options. You can tap on Post. If it's an in-feed video, you can post it for a maximum of 15 minutes. If it is a reel, you cannot upload more than 60 seconds. If it's a story, you can only upload a maximum of 15 seconds. If it's a live video, you are allowed to post for up to four hours.
3. Go to your gallery and choose the video you want to upload.
4. Tap Next. You will be provided with options to customize your video using captions, filters, music, or stickers. Alternatively, you can use the trim feature on the Instagram editing page to adjust the length of the video.
5. When you tap on Next, you will be given the option to add Caption. You can select the audience you want to share your video with. You can also change other settings.
6. Tap on share to post your video.

By posting a combination of short and long videos, you can get a diverse audience to watch your videos, and you can easily become an Instagram influencer.

How to Post Long Instagram Videos Using a Third-Party Tool

As noted earlier, you can only post Instagram reel videos up to a maximum of  60 seconds. These stories are usually deleted after 24 hours. If you want to post an Instagram reel that is longer than 60 seconds, you need to trim it before posting.

In fact, a recent Instagram trend is the breaking of long videos into small segments to make them shareable on the platform and to increase engagement. Imagine trying to share a story within the 15-second timeframe. It becomes hard to share anything meaningful. 

Fortunately, there are tools you can use to trim your videos and extend the timeframe of your stories. There are lots of apps and software to help you with this. But let us take a look at a few you can use on a PC, Android, and IOS.

Here are a few ways you can trim your videos.

Splitting On Your PC

Longer videos can help improve your Instagram marketing. If you need to add a longer story to your Instagram profile, you can use software such as VideoProc Converter AI to split the video on a PC. This great tool will enable you to split a long video into shorter segments on a PC without losing the quality of the video.

If you want to split vertical or horizontal videos, the tool will enable you to do that. Besides, it supports different types of video formats such as MP4, MOV, AAC, H.264, and more. Here are the steps to follow when using VideoProc Converter AI:

1. Download and install the software on your PC.
2. Launch the software. Under the main interface, select video.
3. To upload a video from your PC, click on the + sign.
4. At the bottom, click on the Toolbox feature and double-click on Split. The menu for splitting the video will appear. You will be provided with an option to choose the period after which you want the program to split the video in the menu. You can choose after 60 seconds.
5. Click on Done to be taken back to the previous page.

After the program has completed the splitting, you can transfer the videos back to your PC. You can then upload it on Instagram.

Splitting on IOS

Many apps on IOS will enable you to split your videos. You can search for them on the App Store using keywords such as video splitting. But for the sake of illustrating how they work, we will use a splitting tool known as CutStory as it is free. Its downside is that it will add a watermark to your Instagram videos. If you want to remove the watermark, it will cost you $0.99.

If you don't want the watermark, you can use a tool known as “Continuous”. However, it will cost you $8. That said, here are the steps to follow when using CutStory.

1. On the IOS app store, download CutStory.
2. Open the app and click on the Video icon located at the bottom left corner. The app will take you to your image and video gallery, providing you with an option to upload the video you want to split. Tap on it and choose Save. If you mistakenly choose the wrong video, you can cancel the action by clicking on the X button at the corner.
3. Select the duration you need to split up the video. Instagram allows you to upload a maximum of 15 seconds for stories. However, you can slice the video in ten seconds.
4. Cutstory will now automatically slice the video into portions you want and will save them automatically in your gallery.
5. You can now upload the files to Instagram.

How to Split An Instagram Video On Android

If you have an Android device, you will also not be limited to options for splitting your Instagram video. One of the apps we recommend for the role is StoryCutter, an app by Insocial8, which is free to use. You can download the app on your mobile device and then open it. After that, follow these steps:

1. After opening the app, you will have two options: recording a video or uploading one. If you want to record the video, you can tap on the big red button to begin recording.  When you finish recording, tap the square button labeled Stop. There is also a Pause button that allows you to pause the recording midway.
2. If you want to slice the video you have already recorded, click on the gallery icon.
3. The next step is to choose the length of the video you would like to post. If you are using a free version, you can only split videos to a maximum length of ten seconds.  This shouldn't worry you because Instagram allows video lengths of less than 15 seconds. To choose the length of the segment, click on Select. 
4. After the software has processed your video, it will save it in your gallery or anywhere else where you would like to save it.

How to Upload Your Split Video to Instagram

After your Instagram videos are ready, you should open the Instagram app, and tap on the camera icon located at the top left corner. You can then click on the preview icon to access the video. To upload the first part of your cut video, click on the + sign in your story. You can then go ahead to add the other parts of your Split video. Make sure you add them in the same order you recorded them. 

One way you can hasten the upload process is by clicking on your profile picture after uploading the first video. You can now fill your Instagram story with some fulfilling stories without having to worry about being limited to 15 seconds.

FAQ’s on Posting Longer Videos on Instagram

Longer videos can bring a diverse audience, which will help you improve your Instagram reach. Here are some of the questions people often ask when they want to post longer videos on Instagram.

What happens when you try to upload longer videos than recommended on Instagram?

It will not be possible to upload a video that is longer than recommended. You will need to cut the video.

Are all Instagram users limited to the same video length?

Yes. It doesn't matter what the status of your account is or whether your account is verified. All Instagram users are limited to the same video length.

What is the difference between cutting and splitting videos?

While the two terms sound similar, they are usually different. When cutting a video, you will be removing one part of it. But when you split a video, you don’t delete any part of it. Instead, you are separating two different parts of the videos.

Final Thoughts

Instagram is one of the best marketing platforms. While Instagram videos offer creators an opportunity to market their products, the limited length can be a hindrance. You can imagine a situation where you want to add a video ad of 30 seconds but you are unable to do so in your story. Fortunately, by following our guide, you will be in a better position to post longer videos. We recommend you also read our guide on the best time to post on Instagram.

Instagram is the third most popular social media site with over 2 billion active monthly users making it a great choice for Instagram marketing. Most of its users use it to share their photos and videos with family and friends. 

While the platform was primarily created for sharing images, it is equally good for sharing videos. However, this also poses a challenge: it is hard to post longer images. Fortunately, we will take you through the steps of sharing Instagram videos that are three minutes long.

What Is the Allowed Video Length On Instagram?

Driven by user demand, Instagram has continued to add a lot of video features. Users can now post videos as reels, stories, live broadcasts, or even as regular in-feed posts. The length limit of a video depends on the type of video you choose. Here are the different types of videos and their length on Instagram.

Stories

If you post your video as a story, you can only post a maximum of 15 seconds. This makes “stories” to be a good choice for:

• Showing fans a short glimpse of your life
• Showing off your latest products
• Showing creative effects like SuperZoom and Boomerangs.

You can use our tips for Instagram stories. But before you settle on stories, remember that these will disappear after 24 hours. Therefore, if you want your Instagram video to last longer than that, you should go with another option such as an In-feed video. 

If you want your stories to last longer than 24 hours, you need to put them as story highlights on your profile. Finally, if you find the 15 seconds for stories to be too short, you can also post four different stories to add up to one minute.

Steps to Follow When Uploading Instagram Stories

Before you start the process of uploading Instagram videos to stories, you need to crop them to ensure that they meet the maximum length of 60 seconds. Here are the steps to follow when adding an Instagram story:

• On your device, open the Instagram app.
• On your Instagram app, tap on the + button located on your left.
• Under the menu, choose Story and tap on the gallery option to upload the video to your gallery.
• Go to the video you want to upload and tap it once to upload it.

How to Post 3-minute Videos as Instagram Stories

If the video you want to upload to Instagram stories is three minutes long, one of the options you can consider is to fragment it into three short videos of one minute each. You can use software such as Capcut to fragment your videos into one minute each.

Reels

Reels are among the latest types of videos on Instagram. They are a good choice for showing off small snippets of your products or works. This form of video can be up to a maximum of 90 seconds though you can create15 seconds or even 60 seconds reels.  Instagram enables users to add audio and effects to their reels. Therefore, reels are a great way of showing your creative side. You can read our guide on how to make your Instagram reels go viral.

In-feed Videos

Up until Oct 2021, Instagram limited the length of in-feed videos to a maximum of one minute. However, after that, they made changes that allowed users to create in-feed videos that are up to a maximum of 10 minutes long. Therefore, if you want to post a 3-minute video on Instagram, one of the options you can consider is the in-feed videos.

When you post a 3-minute in-feed video, users will have the option to preview the first minute of the video and choose whether to watch the rest of it. Here are the steps to follow when posting an in-feed video:

• Open the Instagram app on your device and click on the + sign at the top right corner of your home screen. Tap on Post.
• You will be taken to your device gallery, where you can choose the video you want to post.
• The video should be square-shaped. If it isn't, you can adjust it to the screen using the arrow icon to prevent Instagram from cropping it.
• After posting your video on Instagram, the platform will provide you with different options for editing your video. This can include trimming the video, adding a cover, or applying filters. You can also combine several short clips into one video to make it longer. This will combine the short videos into one, playing them one after the other.
• Add the caption. A key element of your instream video you shouldn't forget is the caption. This is what provides insights into what the video is about. Include other elements such as hashtag and location features to make it easier for your video to be discoverable.

Live Videos

If you want to engage with your followers, one of the video options you should consider is reels. These can be up to one hour long, making them another perfect solution for people wanting to post long videos. When using the live videos, you can post up to four-hours long videos.

You will have an option of streaming live and in real-time. This is how Instagram conceptualized the idea to be. Alternatively, you can go live using an already pre-recorded video. If the video is already pre-recorded, ensure that you engage with your audience as much as possible and include music in your Instagram live sessions.  You should also ensure that you include transitions to ensure more effective management.

Instagram Live is a good option for hosting Q&A sessions, providing your followers with a virtual tour, or engaging in a conversation with fans. On the other hand, you should remember that this is a live feature and may not be the best choice for uploading videos directly to Instagram. Therefore, unless you have an audience waiting for your live videos, this may not be a viable option for posting long-form videos.

Steps for Going Live On Instagram

When posting an Instagram Live video, you should ensure that you have installed the latest Instagram app and have a stable internet connection. That said, here are the steps for uploading a live Instagram video: 

• If you plan to go live, start by preparing your live-streaming devices. If you are using a pre-recorded video, ensure that you have edited it to include live transitions and other elements that will give it the feeling of a live video.
• Now open the Instagram app and click on the + sign at the top left corner of your homepage.
• You will be provided with several posting options. Choose Live on the Instagram app. 
• Click on it and Go Live.

Instagram Video Ads

When posting a video ad on Instagram, you are limited to a length of 3 to 120 seconds. You are also allowed to post up to four story cards totaling a maximum of 60 seconds. But when doing ads, you can add up to a maximum of ten story cards, making your videos a maximum of 150 seconds long. 

Remember that your videos will only be shown on the first three cards of their normal Instagram story card. To see the rest of the story, viewers should opt in by tapping on the story.

Best Third-Party Apps to Make Instagram Stories Longer 

On top of the methods we have illustrated above, you can also post 3-minute videos using third-party apps and software. This software will usually split your 3-minute video into shorter segments that enable it to meet the Instagram requirement. Here are some of the best software for making your Instagram story longer.

In shot

This is a great app that allows you to make several cuts before posting your Instagram stories. The tool also allows you to make several edits to your stories by adding stickers, audio, transitions, and more. You can use the app for Android and iOS devices. To use the app, simply upload your video to the app, make the necessary edits, and share it on Instagram.

Vista Social

If you want to edit or combine your Instagram videos on a desktop, you can do so using Vista Social software. The platform has a wide range of features that make it easy to post long videos and even manage your Instagram account. 

They partner with Canva to provide you with all the best video editing features you need. Select the category of your design, whether story, reel, or In-feed video, and click on Design with Canva. You will see a pop-up Canva window allowing you to edit your videos without leaving the platform.

Wave. video

This is another great platform that will enable you to create, edit, and share your videos on Instagram. With its easy-to-use interface, you can easily upload your long-form videos, and break them into shorter segments to fit Instagram requirements. To ensure that your clips are unique and outstanding, wave.video allows you to add different effects.

Conclusion

If you want to be successful with Instagram marketing, you need to put in a lot of effort and be consistent. When creating videos for your brand, you also need to stick to the Instagram rules regarding the length of videos you can post. Fortunately, there are ways you can post a 3-minute video on Instagram while remaining within the IG guidelines. By reading our guide, it should be easy to post longer videos on Instagram. You can also check out our guide on how to connect Instagram to Facebook.

Since its introduction by Instagram in 2021, this collaborative tool has become very popular among content creators, influencers, and brands. This is because it enables you to co-create a post with another user. Therefore,you can increase engagement with a collaborative Instagram post.

Whether it's a brand using an influencer to market its products or two creators wanting to leverage each other's audiences, this feature has made collaboration easy. This article will guide you on how to use collaborative Instagram posts to grow your profile and reach an untapped audience.

Definition of an Instagram Collaborative Post

As the name suggests, Instagram collaborative posts are feed posts or reels created in collaboration with other users. It features both parties as the post's creator, even though one party creates the post and invites the other to collaborate. Simply put, the same post will be published in two different feeds. If the post receives engagements such as likes, shares, and comments, all will appear in both accounts.

What Is the Difference Between an Instagram Collab Post and a Tag?

So, how is an Instagram collaborative post different from post tagging? Isn't it the same as creating a post and tagging the brand or creator you are collaborating with? First, note that an Instagram collab post is different from tagging. A tag involves adding a user tag to your post. That means the creator of a post in a tag is one. When someone tags you in a post, it still belongs to them, and you may struggle to receive a higher engagement on your wall.

On the other hand, a collaborative post involves co-authoring a post with another user so that it appears on both user's feeds. This brings mutual gains to both parties and allows you to leverage each other's followers. With a collab post, it becomes easier for followers of both accounts to keep moving from one account to another. Every view, like, and comment benefits both accounts.

Remember that collaborative posts aren't supposed to replace branded content. If you qualify for a branded content tag, you will still need to use it for paid partnerships.

How to Create an Instagram Collaborative Post

Creating an Instagram collaborative post is easy. The process is very similar to creating an Instagram feed post or reel. However, before clicking on Share, you must request a collaboration with a creator. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Go to your Instagram profile and click on Create. In the right corner of your profile, choose Post.
2. Choose the kind of content you would like to create. This may be in the form of a picture, video, or multiple photos.
3. Add the caption and relevant hashtags to increase its discoverability. You can learn from these top ten Instagram hashtags.
4. Click on Tag People.
5. Tap on Collab Request. 
6. Enter the username of the person you want to collaborate with. From the list of accounts, choose it and tap on it.
7. To adjust the collab tag, move it around the photo, and finally click on done.
8. You can now complete setting up the post before clicking done.

When collaborating to create a top-performing reel, you will follow the same process. However, instead of creating a post in the second step, you will need to choose Create Reel. The collaborator will receive your request when your post or reel goes live. If they accept it, the post will also appear in their feed. Their username will appear next to yours. You may need to check out this guide on how to make your reel go viral.

When collaborating with other creators, you should remember that:

• Your profile needs to be public to be able to invite collaborators
• Instagram users are also allowed to restrict collaborations. You cannot invite a restricted account to collaborate with you.

Benefits of Using Instagram Collabo Requests

While there are many benefits of Instagram collaborative posts, here are the top benefits:

Increase your reach

A key benefit of the Instagram collab feature is discoverability. With a single post, you can tap into another user's audience and ensure your post reaches more eyes. If you are a brand collaborating with a creator or even multiple creators, this can be a great opportunity to introduce your products to a bigger community.

If you are a creator collaborating with another creator, a collaboration request will enable you to reach and interact with a new audience. This makes it a win-win situation for both creators.

Increased engagement

As noted in our first point, a collaborative Instagram post increases the reach. A benefit that comes with this is an increase in engagement level. The more likes, comments, and shares your post receives, the higher it will rank on Instagram. Remember that Instagram interprets a higher engagement as a sign that your followers are enjoying your posts and will reward you with a higher ranking.

Increased brand credibility

When an Instagram creator invites you to collaborate on a post or even accepts your invitation, this acts as a seal of approval from the creator. They will tell their fans they approve of your brand and recommend it to them. While Instagram users understand that businesses use Instagram for marketing, a collaboration post will gain your approval for an audience you didn’t have.

Great for community building

Collaborative Instagram posts can be an invaluable tool for building communication. This lets you get creative and build relationships with other creators and brands. In the process of doing that, you get connected with more people. This can help you increase and maintain your digital presence in the long run.

Better insights 

The good thing about collaborative posts is that they will also provide you with merged statistics. If you are collaborating with a major brand, every “like” that goes to their account will also appear on yours. This can be a great way of exchanging audiences without being too pushy.

Reduce duplicate content

Instagram doesn't like duplicate content. If an influencer or fellow content creator duplicates your posts or reel, they will compete for the same audience. On the other hand, a collaboration post provides equal gains to both parties.

How to Leverage Collaborative Instagram Posts

Instagram’s collaborative posts makes you get creative with your social media marketing strategy and covers different marketing goals. If you are a beginner in creating collaborative posts, here are a few ideas to help you get started.

Collaborate with other brands in your niche

If a brand has products or services in your niche, you can create a collaborative post to help both parties reach their respective audience. Such posts can promote brand credibility in each other's community.

When you collaborate with the right brand, you can push your products to another market and get engagement from genuinely interested people. You can get a more diverse audience and generate more qualified leads. For instance, if your brand sells sports shoes, you can collaborate with another brand that sells balls to leverage each other's audiences. If you are an artist, you can collaborate with paint companies.

Influencer collaborations

It is common for influencers to partner with brands to create content that features the brand’s products. The influencer mentions the brand in their tag. On the other hand, the brand shares the influencer's posts while tagging them. While this approach may work, it may not have cohesion.

Using an Instagram collab post can make the whole process easier as the influencer needs to create a post to invite the brand for a collaboration post. Since the same post will be shared on both platforms, there will be more cohesion in the collaboration. You can collaborate with an influencer to spotlight your products and provide brand or event updates.

When collaborating with an influencer to market your products or services, ensure it's someone genuinely interested in them. This will ensure that you have a more authentic relationship and increase engagement. However, ensure that you collaborate with an influencer in your niche. For instance, if you have a home decor store, you can partner with an influencer in the home makeover niche to reach a wider audience.

New product launches or events

If you are launching a new product, creating a buzz around it is important. One of the tools you can use to do that is an Instagram collaborative post. Since people are usually skeptical about trying a new product, partnering with a trusted brand name can help to give credibility to your new product.

If you have an upcoming event, you can use collaborative posts to announce it. This will help build excitement around it and increase ticket sales.

Adding fresh content to your wall

Adding fresh content is one way to increase your post's engagement level. However, there are times when you may run out of ideas on how to add fresh content to your account. You can give your audience fresh content by collaborating with another content creator. This can help you maintain the audience’s interest.

Promote contests giveaways 

Instagram giveaways are a great way of driving engagement and growing your Instagram account. Not only do they excite your audience, but they promote loyalty from your fans. They also help to create a sense of community. This is because they incentivize your audience to engage with and create hype around your content.

If you have giveaways, you can create a collaborative post with other users to create hype around the contests. This will enable you to reach an audience you wouldn't have reached and increase your engagement.

Support a cause

Today, consumers are becoming more socially conscious; therefore, showing that you care about a cause can help build your brand's image. If you have an active cause you support, Instagram giveaways are a great way of bringing attention to the campaign. 

This will help to create a positive brand image and enhance the bond with your audience. You can encourage your audience to participate. For instance, you can pledge to give more if you reach a certain number of shares in your posts.

Promote a discount code

A discount code can be a powerful way of driving sales. However, users may not know about its existence if you don't promote it prominently. To take the word out there concerning a discount code, you can collaborate with an influencer who will help you amplify the message. However, when doing that, remember to include a disclaimer that it is a sponsored post.

Show how your product works

Another great way to leverage collaborative posts is by showcasing your brand in action. If you sell physical products, you can collaborate with an influencer to show their followers how your products work in real life. They can create a short video tutorial showcasing how to use the products. They can post pictures showing the results or showing the before and after images.

Cross-promoting your other accounts

The Instagram collab post feature can be a great choice for cross-promoting your other social media accounts to your users. This is especially true when you have a personal and a professional account. You can also use the feature if you have different Instagram accounts for product lines.

Leverage-generated content

UGC was one of the Instagram trends of 2023. This was driven by the audience's desire to see authentic content such as real behind-the-scenes pictures of users of the products. UGC content has many benefits and can help build your audience’s trust, resulting in the long-term success of your brand. It is always a good idea to credit your Instagram UGC creators. The collaborative post feature is a great tool that enables you to do that. You can add user-generated content to your stories to grow your Instagram account.

How Can I Become an Instagram Collaborator

Whether you are a brand, content creator, or a private account, you can become an Instagram collaborator. Remember that even if you have a private account, if you collaborate with another content creator, this is one of the posts that will not be private. You should also note that you can only collaborate with one account for every post.

After the collaborator gets the invite to collaborate on the post in their inbox, they can accept or reject it. If they accept the collaboration, the post will appear in their profile. But if they reject it, it will appear like any other post on your profile. Remember that inviting a collaborator after publishing a post is impossible. Therefore, you should invite the collaborator before you tap on the share button,

A collaborator can also stop sharing a post on their profile anytime. To do that, they should open the collaborative post, choose its settings, and select Stop Sharing. While it will be deleted from the collaborator's profile, it won't affect the original post.

How to Allow Collab Instagram Posts

For a collaborative post to be posted, there should be a consensus between both parties. If you are requesting a collaboration with another party, we advise that you contact them and discuss the collaboration before you can even create the post.

Sometimes, you may notice that the account you want to collaborate with is having problems sending the collaboration request. Fortunately, you can fix the problem in several steps. These are:

1. Visit your Instagram profile and tap the menu icon. At the top right, you will see three horizontal dots. Tap on them and choose Settings and Privacy.
2. Choose Tags & Mentions. When considering privacy, Instagram categorizes tagged accounts and collaborators as being the same.
3. Under the Who Can Tag You, you will be given three options. One of these is to allow tags from everyone. When you select this option, you allow any Instagram account to invite you to collaborate with them. You can also allow tags from people you follow; only such accounts can send collab requests. This also means that it's important to follow your collaborator's accounts. Not only will it make your partnership easier, but it will also add to the authenticity of the collaboration. Finally, there is also the Don't Allow tag option, which means you cannot collaborate with any account.

Impact of Account and Post Settings 

Before you collaborate with a creator, you should note how different account settings will likely affect your collaboration. These are:

Private settings

If the post's original creator makes their account private, it will only be visible to their followers. The followers of the other account will no longer see the post. The collaborator will only see the post if they have followed the account.

Deleting the post

If the original creator of the post deletes it, it will also be removed from the collaborator’s profile. Only the person who created the post can delete it.

Partnership misunderstanding

If there is a misunderstanding between the creators and one blocks the other, the collaborative post will only appear in the original creator’s post. If the collaborator ends, the post will only be visible on the original creator's account.

Account deactivation

When the post creator deactivates their account, the post will cease to appear on either account. However, if they reactivate their accounts, all the collab posts will also be activated. If the collaborator deactivates their account, the post will not appear in the original creator's account.

Violation of community guidelines

When the collaborative post is found to violate the community guidelines, it will be removed from both accounts. Both accounts, the original creator of the collaborator's account or the collaborator, may also be penalized by Instagram. These accounts may even lose the opportunity to collaborate on future posts.

Tips for Getting the Best Results In an Instagram Collaborative Post

To ensure successful collaboration on Instagram posts, here are tips to follow:

Maintain relevant collabos

Ensure that all collaborations remain relevant to both creator’s audiences. To achieve that, only collaborate with creators in your niche. This will enable you to maintain a consistent voice and branding according to what your followers expect of you. 

You don't want to collaborate with accounts brands whose content will surprise your followers. Instead, the content should fit in your overall content goal and align with what your followers are used to.

Be creative

Collabs shouldn't be a way of merely advertising products or services to your followers. When you become too salesy, people will smell it from a mile away. Instead, you should focus on creating content that adds value to your audience. A good collaboration should be intriguing, attractive, and entertaining. This is why people follow you.

Consider the value the collaboration will bring to your account that you wouldn't have gotten without it. Ensure that the post from the collaborator adds value to your audience.

Invest in choosing the right collaborator

One of the key steps in working with an Instagram collaborator is selecting the right one. Here are a few tips for selecting one:

• Choose an Instagram collaborator who is genuinely interested in your products or services.
• Ensure that the influencer will help you work toward achieving your goal.
• Consider their reach and resonance. How many people will the collaborator help you to reach? What is the potential of engagement you will get from the collaborator?

Engage with your audience

Just because it's a collaborative post does not mean you shouldn't engage with your audience just like you do with your other posts. If they comment on your posts, take the time to reply. Provide answers to questions they may have.

Conclusion

When most people hear the word “collaboration,” they often think of a collaboration between two musicians. However, the social media world, particularly Instagram, has borrowed the concept of growing each other's content. The idea is similar to that of the music world: leverage each other's audience to grow your brand.

With Instagram adding the collab post feature, collaborating with other creators has never been easier. But with each creator looking to receive more than they receive, you must understand how to gain more from the collaborative posts. With the help of our guide, you can leverage the power of a collaborative Instagram post to reach a larger audience and grow your brand. We also recommend you read our guide on how to add multiple images to an Instagram story.