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How to Post on Instagram: A Step-by-Step Guide?

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There are more than 1 billion active Instagram users. That makes it one of the most popular social media apps for marketing. The platform is effective for business advertising, and the momentum is not slowing down anytime soon. In fact, Statista estimates Instagram ad revenues will cross $6.8 billion by the end of 2020.

So, if you are not using Instagram, you are missing out on a great opportunity of increasing your brand awareness and reaching a wider audience. When you post consistently, it helps your business find resonance with your target demographic. Thankfully, it’s easy to adopt an effective Instagram strategy with the right effort and time.

But first-time Instagram users may find the prospect of posting their first image daunting with these very obvious questions on their minds.

• How do I post on Instagram?
• How to use Instagram on PC like mobile?
• What are the other ways to post on Instagram?
• How to use filters?
• How to decide what kind of content to post?

Thankfully, this easy-to-follow Instagram guide will lay out the entire process in detail so that you can start attracting followers today.

Getting Started

To begin with, let’s tell you how to post on Instagram from phone.

Click the ‘+’ Button.

Look at the bottom of your home screen. You will notice a ‘+’ button right in the middle. Think of it as your starting point. Once you wish to begin, press the plus icon.

Select the Photo You Want to Post

The plus button takes you to your phone’s media library. You can choose between images and videos. Our recommendation? It’s better to start slow with pictures, and move onto videos later once you get the hang of the platform!

Scroll through the various pictures you have saved on your smartphone. Pick the one that you want to post. If you don’t like the available options, Instagram lets you shoot one from the app itself – but it requires access to your phone’s storage and camera settings. Click on ‘Photo’ or ‘Video’ at the bottom if you need to click a picture or video from Instagram directly.

After you select the right image to get started with, press the ‘Next’ button located on the top right of your screen.

Well done! Now you know how to post on Instagram from phone.

Crop Your Image

We understand, you’ve been wondering – how to post on Instagram without coming across as a newbie. It’s ok. We’ll now share all the tips and tricks up our bag.

The default image dimension for the Instagram app is a square. However, you are free to share vertical or horizontal images too. To include more of your image in the post, pinch the screen of the image you have chosen on the Library screen.

Keep in mind, however, that although Instagram permits the posting of horizontal and vertical options, your posts must still fit certain dimensions. So a tiny bit of cropping may occur to properly fit your pictures on the platform.

See the two arrows pointing in opposite directions on the bottom left of the above image? Clicking on that button crops your image by default or restores it to a vertical/horizontal alignment. You can move the image around the screen to crop out the sides or corners. Remember, whatever is visible on the top half of your screen will go to your Instagram feed.

Do More with Instagram Features

How to post on Instagram – that’s not exactly the big question. Instead, look for information on smarter ways to post on Instagram.

Instagram rolls out new features on a regular basis. This makes the app feel fresh and relevant for users. But it is also helpful for users who need help with marketing.

Remember, the question you need to address is – how to post on Instagram so that the audience finds it compelling to like, share, and follow.

Unleash your creative expertise and enjoy greater engagement with these features:

Go for Carousel Posts

Now that we’ve answered your most urgent query – how do I post on Instagram – let’s dive deeper.

There has been a lot of debate regarding the type of Instagram post that offers the best results. Some claim images are ideal while others focus on the conversion power of videos. But carousel posts actually secure the greatest number of likes and comments on Instagram.

Carousels perform better than videos or images. This applies to accounts with less than 5,000 followers to those that have more than 100,000. According to Social insider, carousels receive a median of 5,670 likes, while videos receive a median number of 5,022 likes, and images come in last at 4,172.

So, what is a carousel post? If you have multiple images to highlight, this is the way to go! The platform lets you use the carousel system for posting multiple content pieces together. Use carousel posts to keep your feed interesting and people engaged.

So how do you use the carousel feature?



You start by tapping a video or photo. Click the icon on the top right of the images (appears as a stack of squares). After that, you will see notice a number showing up on the corner of every video or image you click on. The number denotes the lineup of your content in the carousel.

How do I post on Instagram Using Filters?

A question you’re likely to face, when you come across a barrage of enhanced images on Instagram is – how do I post on Instagram so that the image grabs eyeballs instantly? The answer – filters. There are 25 filters available the users on Instagram. Scroll to the right to check out the various options. You can click on a filter to preview how it will appear on the image. Click on the ‘Edit’ button at the bottom right if you wish to adjust parameters like brightness, contrast, vignette, and others.



Choosing a filter for your Instagram posts can be tough. After all, applying a filter alters the entire mood of the picture, and results in more (or less) comments and likes.

Here’s a pro tip: If you’re confused and want to make a quick post, you can’t go wrong with Clarendon.

According to a Canva study, this is the most used Instagram filter across all American states as well as 119 other countries. It could be due to the fact that this all-purpose filter that highlights, brightens, and intensifies shadows so that the colors of your image pop. The popularity of this filter can also be attributed to its placement – it’s the default filter after the Normal option in the editing panel.

Once you’re done applying the filter, just press ‘Next’ on the top right.

Fill in Your Post Details

Instagram lets you post captions, add hashtags and location, and connect to other social media platforms to enhance the visibility of your post. You might be tempted to skip all this information if you are in a rush, but that is a big mistake. Always include as much detail as possible for maximum impact.

How do I post on Instagram For Maximum Engagement?

Now that we know how to post on Instagram from phone, let’s make something clear. Your focus must be on posting content that grabs eyeballs, gets audiences talking, creates a buzz, and helps you advance your audience down the marketing funnel.

So, you need to know how to post pics on Instagram to drive engagement. Here are some tips.

Write a Good Caption

This Instagram guide won’t be complete without explaining the importance of captions. Flex your creative muscles. Come up with an interesting, catchy caption that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the image you post. Text is great for optimizing your post in Instagram search, so adding a suitable caption helps you reach more users.

Optimize Your Post with Hashtags

Thanks to the search functionality on Instagram, users are able to search for hashtags. Anything can be a hashtag, but you should only add ones that are relevant for your image. When someone performs a search of the hashtag you included in the caption, they can easily locate your post along with others containing the same one.



Now, there are millions of hashtags available and several hundreds of them may apply to your image. But you cannot add so many. So, it often gets confusing which popular ones you should include. You will find free tools online like Ingramer’s Instagram Hashtag Generator and Keyword Tool to make the process quick and painless.

How to Post Pics on Instagram and Tag Your Friends?

Tag your friends or your followers on Instagram. They will be alerted about the same via notifications. This is a great way to appear more relatable and approachable to your target audience and increase the popularity of your profile in the process. After all, the more you interact, the more you will engage users.

Just go the post page and you will notice a ‘Tag People’ section. This lets you tag other accounts on the Instagram platform in your post. You can do the same by adding their handle in the caption itself. To do this simply mention their username in the line and add the @ symbol before that.

Include Your Location

Having fun on your vacation? Maybe you’re at an exciting concert? Mention it in your caption along with the location. But if your caption is already too long, skip the step. Instead, add the information below.

Click the ‘Add Location’ button on the post page to mark where you are. This attaches a location pin to your post and allows people to find your post easily.

Posting an image or video with location? The details will be visible between the block of content on the feed and your username.

Snazz It Up with Emojis

Emojis add a fun quotient to your content. They draw the viewer’s eyes as well. Add relevant emojis in the caption section.

But avoid overdoing it. Adding 20 odd emojis related loosely to your image makes you seem desperate and annoying.

Include Your Post on Other Social Networks

Instagram makes it easy to share your post on other, connected social media sites. So, posting an image on Instagram will ensure it shows up on your Twitter feed or Facebook timeline as well. All you need to do is connect to your accounts on other platforms. Then slide the bar from left to right.

Once you are all set to post your image on Instagram, just hit the ‘Share’ option located in the top right.

Now you’re all set to post your image!

Edit Your Post

But wait! What if you notice a spelling error (gasp!) in your caption or the wrong location information? Even worse, you tagged the wrong friend in your picture. What do you then? Well, Instagram provides a redo of sorts with the edit option.

Fix glaring errors by tapping the three dots just to the right of your name on the post. Click on ‘Edit’ afterward.

Concluding Remarks

Instagram has taken the world of social media by storm since 2010. But many still have questions about posting images and videos on the platform. The process is easy and hardly requires any guidance. But if you still have questions, you can find the answers in this handy Instagram guide.

Make sure you experiment and find out which kind of posts draw maximum engagement from your audience. Use Instagram’s features and filters, such that they make your content more visible and help strike the right chord with your audience.

Now that you know how to post pics on Instagram like a pro, let your creative expression shine. Prepare a focused content strategy and execute it flawlessly. All the best!