Tutorial

How to Schedule Instagram Posts from Google Sheets in 2025

Complete step-by-step guide to automate Instagram posting using Google Sheets. Save time and maintain consistent posting schedules with our free automation tool.

8 min readUpdated January 12, 2025

Why Automate Instagram Posting?

Managing Instagram content manually is time-consuming and inefficient. With our Google Sheets automation, you can schedule weeks of content in minutes, maintain consistent posting schedules, and focus on creating great content instead of manual posting.

Quick Start (5 Minutes)
  1. Copy our official Sheets to Social template
  2. Add your content (post description, media URLs, scheduled date/time, account ID, and optional story flag)
  3. Install and connect the Sheets to Social add-on
  4. Run the add-on to automate your Instagram posts
  5. Watch your posts go live automatically!

Complete Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Get the Template

Start by getting our free Google Sheets template designed specifically for Instagram automation. This template includes all the necessary columns and formatting for seamless posting. Open the template here.

Template columns:

  • Post Description: Your Instagram post text
  • Media URLs: One or more Google Drive links, comma-separated for carousels (e.g. images/videos)
  • Thumbnail (URL/Timestamp): Optional, for video posts
  • Scheduled Date/Time: When to post (YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM)
  • Account ID: Your Instagram Business account ID
  • Publish as a story: TRUE/FALSE or Y/N to publish as a story
  • Publishing Status: (auto-filled by add-on)
  • Published Post URL: (auto-filled by add-on)

Step 2: Prepare Your Content

Fill in your Google Sheet with the content you want to post. Here's what each column should contain:

ColumnDescriptionExample
Post DescriptionYour Instagram post textFound this incredible piece while wandering through London's hidden streets. Art is everywhere if you look! #HiddenGems #UrbanExploring
Media URLsComma-separated Google Drive links for images/videoshttps://drive.google.com/file/d/1AdWyawJDQdbybqjLsza4VlUJtICvx4_f/view?usp=drive_link, https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dlO8FBLT5i9yV99sGcyAxczamrYbre2q/view?usp=drive_link
Thumbnail (URL/Timestamp)Optional, for video poststoday 6 pm
Scheduled Date/TimeWhen to post (YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM)2024-06-15 11:30
Account IDInstagram Business account ID123456789
Publish as a storyTRUE/FALSE or Y/NTRUE
Publishing StatusAuto-filled by add-on(leave blank)
Published Post URLAuto-filled by add-on(leave blank)

Step 3: Connect Your Instagram Account

Enter your Instagram Business account ID in the Account ID column. The Sheets to Social add-on will handle authentication and posting for you. Make sure your account is a Business account, as personal accounts are not supported for automation.

Important: You need an Instagram Business account for automation. Personal accounts do not support automated posting through the Instagram API.

Step 4: Set Up Automation

Install the official Sheets to Social add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace. The add-on will read your sheet, process each row, and update the Publishing Status and Published Post URL columns automatically. You do not need to manually run any scripts.

Step 5: Monitor and Manage

The add-on will update the Publishing Status and Published Post URL columns after each post is processed. If there are errors (such as invalid links or failed uploads), the error message will appear in the Publishing Status column. You can track all your scheduled and published posts directly in the sheet.

Best Practices for Instagram Automation

Content Quality
  • • Use high-quality images (1080x1080px recommended)
  • • Write engaging captions with relevant hashtags
  • • Plan content themes and maintain consistency
  • • Include calls-to-action in your posts
Posting Schedule
  • • Post when your audience is most active
  • • Maintain consistent posting frequency
  • • Space posts at least 3-4 hours apart
  • • Plan for different time zones if relevant

Common Issues and Solutions

Posts not appearing on Instagram
Check that your Instagram account is properly connected and has Business account status. Verify that image URLs are publicly accessible and in the correct format.
Image upload failures
Ensure images are in supported formats (JPG, PNG) and under 8MB. Google Drive links should be in the format: https://drive.google.com/uc?id=FILE_ID
Scheduling not working
Verify date format is YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM and times are in your local timezone. Check that the automation script has proper permissions and is enabled.

Ready to Automate Your Instagram?

Start scheduling your Instagram posts today with our free Google Sheets template and automation tool.

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