How To Customize Posts for Instagram in the New Create Post?

SocialPilot enables direct publishing of Instagram Posts, Stories, and Reels for Business and Creator accounts. For Personal accounts, mobile reminders through the SocialPilot app remain the required publishing method.

With the redesigned Create Post experience, all media uploads, caption writing, and platform-specific customizations appear in a cleaner, more structured layout, making it easier to tailor Instagram content while ensuring full support for the latest publishing requirements.

This guide will walk you through how to customize Instagram content using the new post composer.

Follow these steps to create an advanced Instagram customized for maximum reach and engagement.

1. Go to your SocialPilot dashboard. Click on Post and then Create Post to get started.
2. From the left-side Accounts panel, select the Instagram account(s) you want to publish your content to.

3. Upload your images or videos in the Media section.

• You can upload media from your local device or choose files from Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, or the Recently uploaded option.

• You can also use stock images from the Unsplash integration. Click on the three-dots menu to access the options, search for a suitable keyword, and select an image from the results.

4. To create graphics or short visuals, you can also use Canva through the built-in integration. Click the Canva icon, choose Image or Video, and select the size you want to design for. Your Canva file will be added directly to the post.

5. Go to Platform-specific fields inside the Instagram Options section to select the Post Tab and add-

• First Comment

Add and schedule the first comment for your post.

This is useful for moving hashtags or extra text outside the main caption.

• Invite Collaborators

Search and select Instagram users you want to add as collaborators to your post.

• Location

Search and add a location to your post for improved discoverability.

Customizing Reels

If you want to publish a Reel, select Reel under Instagram Options.

You will be able to:

• Publish Via

a) Direct Publishing

b) Mobile Reminder

Choose your preferred publishing method depending on your account type.

• Share to Post Feed

A toggle that lets you decide whether the Reel should also appear on your main feed.

• First Comment

Add hashtags or additional text as the first comment.

• Audio Title

Add or modify the audio title if you want to change how your sound appears.

• Invite Collaborators

Search and add collaborators to your Reel and Post.

• Location

Tag a location for your Reel or Post.

Additional Customization Options

To enhance your Instagram content, you can also:

• Tag Instagram accounts by typing @ and selecting from suggestions
• Add emojis directly in the caption
• Use AI Pilot to refine your caption or generate a new one

Previewing Your Instagram Post

The redesigned Create Post experience includes a real-time preview panel on the right side of the screen.

• The preview updates automatically based on your selected type (Post, Story, or Reel).
• You can check how your caption, media, first comment placement, and layout will appear on Instagram.
• This helps ensure accuracy before scheduling, especially for Reels or Stories where formatting is crucial.

Publishing Methods

Direct Publishing (Business & Creator Accounts)

Direct publishing is available for:

• Posts
• Stories
• Reels

You can:

• Choose privacy settings for Reels and Stories (Public, Mutual Friends, Self)

Modify permissions for comments, duets, or stitches

(Instagram’s native privacy settings override these if they are disabled.)

Mobile Reminders (Personal Accounts)

For Personal profiles—or whenever you choose—SocialPilot will send a push notification through the app.

Steps:

1. Select Mobile Reminder under Instagram Options for stories and reels.
2. At the scheduled time, tap the notification on your phone.

Review and publish the content from Instagram manually.