Facebook is Testing an Instagram Content Calendar in Creator Studio
Ready to get organized (finally)? Facebook’s testing an Instagram content calendar that just might help you out. If you’re not already aware, Facebook/Instagram’s Creator Studio offers creators, brands, businesses, and beyond an easy-to-navigate, one-stop-shop for analytics, monetization, and audience insights. The dashboard offers you intel into content performance, follower activity, the success rate of campaigns, and more. It’s an awesome way to learn what works for you and what doesn’t, and alter your content strategy accordingly.
As of yesterday, Creator Studio is making itself even more valuable as it beta-tests an Instagram Content Calendar. This enables users to schedule Instagram feed posts, as well as IGTV posts, up to six months ahead of time. Whether you’re managing your own profile or the profiles of several brands, this update will surely make managing your content rollouts and campaigns easier than ever before.
According to Social Media Today, this update could be an asset to the way users who are serious about their engagement and reach post across two of the most important platforms out there.
New! Facebook Creator Studio now has a content calendar tool for Instagram
h/t @ahmedghanem pic.twitter.com/p4pU9Txtv9
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) December 9, 2020
But is there really a significant benefit to scheduling your content ahead? Why bother if you can just do it in real-time?
The answer sort of depends on your goals and what you’re posting. If it’s on-a-whim posts of your kids, maybe that makes more sense to create as inspiration strikes. But, for something like a sponsored campaign or holiday gift guide, it might benefit you, your partners, and your followers to schedule that content well in advance.
Holiday content is actually a perfect example of when this tool might be the most useful to solo creators. It’s no secret the holiday space becomes saturated pretty quickly. By getting your content out earlier (say, Halloween content in late August-early September, Thanksgiving content by early-October) you’re giving it more time to gain some traction and stand out before everyone else’s comes flooding in. Utilizing this content calendar to keep yourself on track (not even necessarily as a scheduling tool) won’t hurt anyone – especially not your engagement rates!
As creators and scrappy entrepreneurs, you might be used to the last minute hustle. In fact, you might even live for it. I’m not saying you should bid adieu to the thinking on your feet strategies that have worked for you in the past (some of my best ideas come when I’m working under a tight deadline), but it’s always a good idea to be looking at least a little bit ahead.
Of course, Creator Studio isn’t the only content scheduling tool in the game, and this new feature is still, as previously stated, in the testing stages. But if you do wind up trying out the feature, please let us know in the comments below.
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