In this guide, we’ll share some important information, along with tips and tricks, so that you can get the most out of this feature. In the end, you will find how Emplifi tackles the compliance issue (Approaching the API Obstacle). 

How to schedule Instagram Stories (Planning Phase)

Let’s take a look at how easy it’s to schedule an Instagram Story, getting that planning process done ahead of time:

  1. Go to Publisher and click Create new Content.

  2. Select one or more Instagram Profiles from the side panel.

  3. Now, click the button to upload content assets - such as one or more pictures or a video (for the Instagram Stories format).

  4. You can also add a publishing note, which is pretty useful for providing clear and concise instructions on how’d you like the final story to look when it’s published on the Instagram application.

  5. Set the date and the time for scheduling, just as you’re used to when you schedule a post currently.

  6. Now, the last easy step. Select the user in charge of receiving all this info, so they can publish Stories at the right time on the Instagram App when it’s time to do so.

    Let’s go with Michal King. We want him to take our content assets and instructions to share the Instagram Stories with the world.

    As we will see later, Michal King will receive two useful notifications to help him do this.

  7. Once you’ve chosen Michal King, you’re done. Plans are set and good to go.
    You’ve selected the content assets for the Instagram Stories, chosen the date and time for them to be published, and selected the responsible user who’ll take it over the finish line.
    At this point, the story is visible inside the calendar view, or all the other views, of Publisher.

  8. Now click Save.

  9. A pop-up window will show you the next steps.

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  10. Michal will receive 2 practical notifications to easily execute his practical task: publishing Instagram Stories directly on the Instagram application when it’s time.

Notifications and Publishing 

The first notification will be sent to Michal King’s email or to his Emplifi mobile app, as soon as the Story has been scheduled so that, besides being informed, he can also get ready for publishing.

He can download the content assets, like pictures and video clips, in advance.

How to download the content assets?

There are 3 ways of downloading content assets:

  1. In Suite Desktop, go to Notifications and click Stories Notification.

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    You will be taken to the Notification - Scheduled Posts submenu, or directly to Publisher - Scheduled menu.
    Once here, click on the image.

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    A new pop-up window will give you the option to download the assets.

  2. You will receive an email from hello@emplifi with the stories notification. There, you will find a button to download the assets.

  3. Through Emplifi Social mobile application, you will receive a push notification and with a single click you can download all the assets and continue to Instagram.

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From there, Mr King will publish the Stories directly on the Instagram Application at the specified time, following all the instructions prepared in advance during the planning phase.

There’s one last step though!

Confirm Stories Publishing

Once Mr King’s accomplished his mission, he should tap to confirm that the Story(s) were, in fact, published.

This action will move the Story from Scheduled feed to the Sent feed in our Publisher Module. Keeps things clean and tidy, ensuring your calendar is the go-to place for a 360º view of your content.

Approaching the API Obstacle

As you may already know, Instagram doesn’t provide access to any automation functionality for the Instagram Stories through its API.

  • Non-Compliant ApproachesInstagram Stories publishing is not available via the API. Some vendors that provide this service request their users to share their Instagram account password.

    These solutions allow users to schedule Instagram Stories (and other types of posts), and once it is time to publish, the solutions access their client’s accounts and publish the posts. Sharing login credentials goes against social platforms’ T&Cs and is not safe, opening brands up to risk such as stolen information or hacked accounts.

  • Emplifi’s Plan for a Compliant and Safe ApproachWe assure our clients and partners that the services we provide are in compliance with applicable laws and platform rules governing the use of social media channels where Emplifi sources data.
    For Instagram Stories publishing, Emplifi planned approach is fully compliant – and safe for brands. We will never ask for passwords or sensitive credentials.

For this reason, we decided to develop a system to allow you to schedule Instagram Stories in advance, and help your team to publish the right assets at the right time! The system is perfectly integrated inside Emplifi Publisher, meaning you won’t have to onboard the team into a totally new workspace.