How to schedule content on Instagram in 3 easy steps
15/4/2024
It's well known: managing your business's social media takes a lot of time. From taking photos, editing them, writing captions, choosing hashtags, uploading them… and repeating it every week!
And if you want the Instagram algorithm to favor you, you need to post content actively and consistently.
That's why tools like Purple Palm exist — they let you schedule your Instagram posts, meaning you can plan them for certain dates and times and forget about doing it manually.
But watch out: before you start, there are 3 mandatory steps required by Meta (owners of Instagram and Facebook) for all platforms like Purple Palm. They're not dangerous, they won’t change anything in your account, and they don’t affect your followers or visibility — but they are required.
🛠️ You're simply 'opening a door' to allow Purple Palm to post on your behalf at the times you choose.
Let's go step by step 👇
🟣 Step 1: Create a Facebook page
To use advanced features like scheduling posts on Instagram, you need to have a Facebook page linked to your Instagram account. This is absolutely required.
📌 How to do it?
- Follow the steps in the image below or go directly to facebook.com/pages/create
- Choose a category (like 'Business' or 'Personal brand')
- Fill in the name, description and save
🟣 Step 2: Switch your Instagram to a professional (Business) account
Instagram has three types of accounts: personal, creator, and business. To connect to Purple Palm (or any content scheduling tool), your account must be Business type.
📌 How to switch from Instagram?
- Open Instagram and go to your profile
- Tap ☰ → Settings and privacy → Professional tools
- Tap Switch to professional account
- Select “Business” and follow the steps
🟣 Step 3: Link your Instagram account to the Facebook page
📌 How to do it from Facebook?
⚠️ This step can only be done from Facebook, not from Instagram.
- Go to your Facebook page (switch from your personal profile to the page profile)
- On the left, click Settings and privacy
- Click Linked accounts
- Click Instagram and link your Business account by logging in
🧾 Visual summary: how to schedule content on Instagram step by step
Here’s the perfect summary in case you're not into lengthy details:
- ✅ Create a Facebook page
- ✅ Switch your Instagram account to Business mode
- ✅ Link your Instagram account to the Facebook page
With these 3 steps completed, you can now use Purple Palm (or other official tools) to schedule your Instagram posts and save time and money.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
📆 What does scheduling content on Instagram mean? Can it only be done on this platform?
Scheduling content simply means planning posts to be uploaded on specific days and times, setting them up in advance and forgetting about it. Purple Palm offers you a very visual calendar where you can see the week and which posts will be uploaded.
You can also schedule content on Facebook, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn, but this article focuses on Instagram because, along with Facebook, they're the only ones with required pre-steps to schedule content.
🔐 Is scheduling content on Instagram dangerous? Can my account get blocked?
No, it’s not dangerous at all. It’s an official feature allowed by Instagram and has been used for a long time.
Scheduling content is 100% safe and approved by Meta, the company that owns Facebook and Instagram.
We connect to your account through their official API, thanks to Late (an external provider), with no tricks, no hacks, and without asking for your password. This means you're not breaking any platform rules and there’s no risk of getting blocked or penalized.
✅ Thousands of brands, creators, and agencies use it daily.
✅ It doesn't affect your account or followers.
✅ It simply automates what you already do manually.
💼 Do I need a real company to have a Business account?
No. You can be a freelancer, content creator, personal brand, or just someone who wants to organize their Instagram. Instagram allows anyone to switch to a Business account and enjoy these professional features.
🔁 Can I switch back to a personal account after changing to Business?
Yes. If you ever want to stop using a Business account and return to a personal one, you can do it anytime from the Instagram app, with no consequences.
🆘 What if I get lost in the steps? Can I ask for help?
Absolutely! At Purple Palm, we support you every step of the way. If you have questions or can’t complete the steps, you can contact our team through the Support section inside the dashboard (once you're in the web app).
Our team will be happy to guide you step by step so you can start scheduling without complications.
Need help connecting your Instagram? Contact our team through the Support section in the app.