Three Techniques for Planning Instagram Reels

Sprout Social is one such tool, allowing you to go beyond just scheduling Reels. You can cross-post on various networks, collaborate with your team, engage with your audience, and track detailed analytics—all from a single platform.

Here’s how to schedule Instagram Reels with Sprout on your desktop.

Step 1: Sign up and connect your Instagram profile

To schedule your Reels using Sprout Social, start by connecting your Instagram profile(s). Log into your Sprout dashboard or sign up for a free 30-day trial here.

Click Connect a Profile and select Instagram from the options list. Then, follow the prompts to link your Instagram profile with your Sprout account.

Important: Link all your Instagram accounts to Sprout to schedule Reels across multiple accounts. You can also attach other social profiles, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter (X).

Step 2: Compose your Instagram Reel

Once linked to your profile, click Publishing on the left to access Sprout’s social media calendar where you can toggle between list, weekly, or monthly calendar views.

Hover over your calendar to schedule a Reel for a specific day, with an option to leave notes (like Reel ideas to share with your team).

You may also bypass the calendar view and click the blue pencil/paper icon in the top-right corner of any screen to create a new Reel.

Select the Instagram profile you wish to post on from the dropdown menu.

Now, begin composing your Reel. If you need ideas, here are some Instagram Reel ideas to spark your creativity.

Add your Reel video

Start by uploading your media. There are multiple methods in Sprout to do this:

• Directly upload your Reel video from your computer
• Import from Bynder, Dropbox, or Google Drive
• Add a video from your Sprout asset library

After uploading your video, you can modify the thumbnail frame by clicking the pencil icon that appears when you hover over the attached media. You can also upload a different image as your thumbnail.

This is also the spot where you can choose to share your Reel to your profile feed or have it exclusively appear in the Reels tab.

Write your caption

Next, develop an enticing caption for your Reel. You can also add appropriate Instagram hashtags, or tag other users and brands in your caption (like during a partnership).

Sprout pro tip: Utilize our Enhance by AI Assist feature to generate additional caption ideas and expedite your creative process. If unsure about posting topics, Enhance by AI Assist can help create content from a draft you input in the Compose box. To adjust the content’s tone (consider: friendly, confident, or professional), try Suggestions by AI Assist to match captions with your brand’s voice.

Set a Mobile Publisher (optional)

If you’d like to use audio from Instagram’s sound library in your Reel, you must designate a Mobile Publisher. This individual will post your Reel via Instagram’s mobile app and will receive a reminder (push notification) from Sprout’s mobile app when it’s time to do so.

Step 3: Schedule your Reel

Scroll to When to post and select your desired date and time. This is when your scheduled Reel will be published. You can also adjust the time zone if your audience resides in a different country or region.

If uncertain about optimal posting times for your Reel, select Optimal Send Times to view data-driven recommendations on when your audience is most likely to encounter your content. Sprout’s ViralPost™ technology identifies the best times to post based on your past engagement data to enhance your Reel’s impact.

Once you finalize the date and time, click Submit or Schedule to add it to your calendar.

How to schedule Instagram Reels using Sprout Social via the iOS app

Scheduling Instagram Reels with Sprout’s iOS app mirrors the desktop process, with minor variations. You can conveniently schedule videos on the go from your device.

Follow these steps to schedule Instagram Reels using Sprout’s iOS app.

• Step 1: Tap the Compose box and select your Instagram profile.
• Step 2: Upload your Reel video from your iOS device or Asset Library into the Compose box.
• Step 3: Write a caption, including your hashtags and any mentions or tags.
• Step 4: Tap Done and add Mobile Publisher Notes.
• Step 5: Tap Notify and select a publishing date and time for your Reel.
• Step 6: Tap Save. Your Reel is now scheduled and will show on the publishing calendar.

How to schedule Instagram Reels via Meta Business Suite

It’s also possible to schedule Instagram Reels using the Meta Business Suite.

First, connect your Instagram account to your Facebook page to access both via the Meta Business Suite. After that, proceed with the steps below to schedule your Reel.

Step 1. Create a new Reel

Log in to Meta Business Suite and click Create reel.

Step 2. Add media and caption

Upload one or more videos for your Reel content.

Here, you can also compose a compelling caption to accompany your video. Add any relevant hashtags, location tags, or mentions.

Step 3. Edit your Reel

You can make basic adjustments to your Reel prior to publishing or scheduling.

Trim your video, feature trending sounds from the available library, incorporate text, and even enhance the original audio. An editing timeline at the bottom facilitates easier editing and audio synchronization.

Step 4. Schedule your Reel

Click Next and choose a date and time to schedule your Instagram Reel.

At this stage, you can also include a poll and adjust privacy settings (either Public or Restricted).

Once you’re finished, hit Schedule. Your Reel is now set to go live at your selected time.

Why is scheduling Instagram Reels beneficial?

If you’re like most marketing teams, you’ve realized that Reels are a valuable asset for expanding on Instagram. However, posting your videos manually throughout the day may not be the most efficient strategy.

Here’s why scheduling your Reels in advance could be the best step for your Instagram strategy.

Maintain consistent visibility

Pre-scheduling Instagram Reels allows for regular posting of fresh content, keeping your audience engaged and your brand prominently displayed.

This consistency demonstrates to your followers that you’re actively invested in maintaining connections with them. Inconsistent posting can diminish even the best content’s impact, potentially leading to a loss of audience interest.

Sprout’s scheduling capabilities make it simple to keep a steady posting rhythm. You can organize your publishing calendar well in advance and ensure you’re not solely posting Reels but incorporating a variety of content types like image posts, Carousels, and Stories.

Maximize visibility and interaction

Connecting with your audience when they are online is critical for your Reels to gain attention. Instagram’s algorithm favors content posted at optimal times, resulting in increased visibility and engagement.

Determining the ideal times to post can be complex, especially if your audience spans multiple time zones.

This is where Sprout’s ViralPost™ feature comes into play. It analyzes audience activity and suggests when to post for maximum engagement. Relying on data rather than guesswork allows you to schedule your Reels for optimum impact.

Save time and enhance productivity

Daily manual posting of Reels can detract from other essential tasks such as strategy development or content creation. Scheduling enables you to batch your efforts, allowing for a focus on significant, high-priority tasks.

Need evidence? Our Social Media Productivity Report indicated that 63% of marketers believe manual tasks prevent them from achieving high-impact work. However, with effective social media management tools, 59% report having additional time for task completion.

With Sprout’s publishing features, you can upload and schedule Reels in bulk, plan in advance, and eliminate the stress associated with daily posting. With everything organized within one platform, you can devote more time to creative thinking and meaningful engagement with your audience.

Enhance content quality

Producing outstanding Reels involves more than just hitting “post”—it requires thoughtful planning, editing, and crafting content that genuinely resonates with your audience.

When you pre-schedule your Reels, you gain extra time for researching customer preferences, brainstorming content concepts, refining visuals, writing compelling captions, and selecting the best hashtags for increased visibility.

Combine this with Sprout’s AI Assist for caption ideas and post drafts. Our intelligent writing tools ensure that every Reel you publish is polished and of high quality.

Streamline your process

Handling social media content can become overwhelming, particularly when managing multiple platforms or collaborating with a team. Scheduling helps you stay organized and avoid last-minute issues such as errors, typographical mistakes, or missed deadlines.

Sprout Social further simplifies this process with a centralized workflow for drafting, approving, and scheduling Instagram Reels and other posts. Team members can cooperate on, review, and approve social content, ensuring brand alignment prior to publication.

Implement data-driven optimizations

Grasping how your Reels perform is vital for refining your strategy. Metrics such as reach, views, and engagement rates illuminate what works and what can be improved. Without these insights, you’re left guessing your audience’s desires.

Sprout Social’s robust Instagram analytics help you monitor your Reels’ real-time performance. With detailed data concerning your audience and individual posts, you can tailor your content, reach the right audience, and boost ROI over time.

Start scheduling Reels now

Let’s be honest: manually posting Reels throughout the day is probably not the most effective use of your time. While Reels are thriving on Instagram right now, dedicating hours to publishing reduces the time you can devote to creating high-quality content.

The good news? Scheduling transforms everything. You’ll maintain a consistent posting cadence and free up time to concentrate on building your brand on Instagram. No more abruptly stopping everything to post a Reel at that moment.

Utilizing a tool like Sprout simplifies this process further, providing you with everything required to manage, schedule, and optimize your Reels in one location. Sign up for a 30-day free trial today and experience the impact of scheduling.

The post How to schedule Reels on Instagram in 3 ways appeared first on Sprout Social.