Hootsuite’s new Instagram scheduling feature doesn’t deliver

Earlier this week, the Canadian-made social media management platform Hootsuite announced that it had launched integration with Instagram. Social media managers around the globe rejoiced when they read the headlines.

Previously, there had been no way to schedule photos so that they would be posted to Instagram at some point in the future. It was cumbersome and ultimately an unproductive way for a social media manager to engage audiences and run campaigns.

Sorry folks, it’s not the silver bullet we need for Instagram scheduling

Although this feature lets you set up your post to Instagram while you’re sitting at your desk working away, you still have to go to your phone and finish the process. After excitedly connecting your brand’s account, you get hit with the harsh reality of how it actually works:

So you choose your photo and craft your message from your computer and set it to go live in some point in the future. You go on with your day and then your phone buzzes saying, “Hey, listen! Remember that work you did earlier? Now you have to finish what you started.”

This is supremely disappointing for many reasons:

(1) What if you have your personal Instagram account on your phone?

First of all, how dare you? Bad social media manager. You’d have to be always logged in with your brand’s account or log out/login every single time you post (just like you had to before).

(2) What if you are working with time-shifting?

Well, looks like you’re still getting up at 5 am or jumping on your phone at 10 pm. Although you planned it in advance, you still have to go through Instagram to post it (just like you had to before).

Hootsuite’s Instagram feature ultimately ends up being the same as a reminder set on your phone and a doc/folder with your pre-planned content in it for you to paste in. Although we’re disappointed in this new feature, Hootsuite still provides great benefits for social media managers on other platforms like Twitter and Facebook. Also, this Instagram integration opens the door for increased functionality in the future. Here’s hoping.