What It Is and How to Use It (2023)

Think of content as a gift for your followers. The most memorable gifts start with knowing someone inside and out—understanding what they need, what they want, and what gets them excited.

But how do you get to know your followers?

Brands and influencers use tools like Instagram Creator Studio to learn about who their followers are and what type of content they respond to best.

It gives you insights on your audience, along with performance and engagement data, so you can focus on creating content that resonates. In addition to optimizing content, Creator Studio provides scheduling tools that help you manage your posts more effectively.

Here’s how to connect and use Instagram Creator studio, along with best practices to make the most of all the tool’s features.

What is Instagram Creator Studio?

Instagram Creator Studio is a free content management tool developed by Instagram. The platform features a centralized dashboard where users can access post and audience analytics, plus publishing tools designed to help brands and influencers create compelling content.

Instagram Creator Studio allows users to schedule photo and video posts from a desktop computer without a third-party tool. Eligible creators (those who have a Facebook page and an Instagram business account) can use Creator Studio to monetize posts and manage brand collaborations.

The 4 components of Instagram Creator Studio

The Creator Studio menu has four main components:

1. Content library

The content library displays all of your published Instagram content. Use it to review the performance of your past posts. Content can be sorted by publish date or performance, or you can use the tabs at the top to view posts by content type. Analyze your high-performing content and look for common themes to spark ideas for new posts.

2. Insights

The insights dashboard includes both activity and audience insights. The activity tab tracks how followers have engaged with your content, including website visits, post reach, and profile visits. The audience tab displays information about who your followers are, where they’re located, and when they’re active on Instagram. Use this data to select the best publishing times for your content.

3. Calendar

The calendar helps keep track of upcoming content—use this tab to access a quick overview of all of your scheduled posts. You can choose between a weekly or monthly display.

4. Monetization

The monetization dashboard is home to the brand collabs manager—a tool that helps organize and monitor your active brand partnerships. This feature is available to active Instagram creators who meet a set of engagement criteria and have more than 10,000 followers.

What are the benefits of using Instagram Creator Studio?

Creator Studio offers a variety of tools that can help you save time and optimize your content. Use it to:

Schedule posts. Creator Studio supports scheduling feed posts and Reels, but not Instagram Stories. Posts can be scheduled up to 75 days in advance.

Monetize content. Eligible creators with 10,000 followers or more can manage brand partnerships under the monetization tab.

View post activity. Access a summary of your recent post activity including comments and likes. Use the content library tab to review your previously published content, including video posts and archived Instagram Stories.

Access Instagram insights. Creator Studio offers account analytics such as post reach, audience demographics, and account activity. This data can help you understand your audience and tailor content to their interests.

Manage multiple accounts. Connect all of your Instagram accounts to Creator Studio, which allows you to toggle back and forth between the various profiles you manage.

Interact with followers. The inbox feature lets you review messages and reply to comments to boost your engagement rate and attract potential partners.

How to connect your Instagram account to the Creator Studio

Anyone can access the Creator Studio. Here’s how to set up your free account:

1. Set up a business or creator account

To connect to the Creator Studio, you must designate your Instagram profile as a professional or creator account. If your Instagram page is set up as a personal account, you can convert it using the Instagram app by navigating to settings and selecting Account, then tapping Switch to a professional account.

From the professional account page, select Creator or the category that best describes your business. Instagram business profiles have access to special features like audience insights designed to help you grow your followings.

2. Go to the Creator Studio webpage

Navigate to the Creator Studio webpage using a computer or the browser app on your mobile device.

3. Connect Instagram accounts to Facebook

To access Creator Studio, you must connect your Instagram account to an existing Facebook page. If your account is not already connected, follow the steps on the screen to add an Instagram account to your profile. You can create a new Facebook business page if you don’t have one.

4. Click the Instagram icon

Once you’re logged in, click the Instagram icon at the top of the page to navigate from Facebook Creator Studio to Instagram Creator Studio.

How to use Creator Studio to create content for Instagram

It is easy to publish Instagram feed posts or video using the Creator Studio:

1. Click Create Post

From the Creator Studio menu, click on the Instagram icon at the top, then click the green Create Post button. Select the type of content that you’d like to create—you can choose from photos, videos, or carousel posts.

2. Select an account

If more than one account is connected to your Creator Studio, use the dropdown menu to select the account you’d like to post to.

3. Input content

Upload the photo or video you wish to post. If you’ve previously published the content to a connected Facebook account, you can cross-post by importing media from Facebook.

4. Add details

Build out your content by writing captions, tagging relevant accounts, and adding sponsorship details. For video posts, use the thumbnail tool to select a cover image. Navigate to Advanced Settings to add alt text to images or edit video titles.

5. Publish

Press the blue Publish button to post immediately or click the triangle drop-down menu to schedule your content for later.

Instagram Creator Studio best practices

Keep these tips in mind when creating your content:

Use the available data. Take time to analyze the information presented in the insights tab. For instance, analyze your follower data to gain a better understanding of your target audience, including their age, location, and when they are most active on the app.

Schedule posts. Dedicate time to content management. Schedule several posts in advance to maintain a consistent posting schedule, and set posts to go live during high-traffic hours for your audience.

Engage with your audience. Use the community management tools to respond to messages and reply to comments. This can improve your engagement rate, increasing reach and partner appeal.

Upload edited content. You can’t edit video content directly in Creator Studio—upload polished videos that are ready for an audience.

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Instagram Creator Studio FAQ

Are there any requirements to using Creator Studio on Instagram?

Instagram accounts must be designated as a business or creator account to use the Instagram Creator Studio. To gain access to monetization tools, accounts must be active, show significant engagement in the past 60 days, and have more than 10,000 followers. The accounts can’t have a history of content violations.