On Instagram, the first image decides
On Instagram, whether someone looks is decided by the first image in the feed or on a profile grid. The caption (the text under the image) is supplementary reading for people the image has already interested. The order is the opposite of X and Threads, where text alone can be posted, so it works better to decide the image or video first and polish the text afterward.
To run an official account, the account must be a professional account (Business or Creator). Only professional accounts can be posted to through Instagram's official API, and SNS TOWN connects within that rule. With a personal account, you cannot schedule posts from an outside service.
What you can do with Instagram in SNS TOWN
When you pick an Instagram account in the header, the composer changes to the Instagram layout. The send button becomes "Share", and you cannot publish until an image or video is attached.
| What you can do | Details |
|---|---|
| Caption | Up to 2,200 characters |
| Images and video | Up to 20 items per post combined (carousel). Images and video can be mixed |
| Reels | A post with a single video is published as a Reel. You choose whether it also appears in the feed |
| Collaborators | Up to 3 (specified by Instagram username) |
| Tagging | Up to 20 people per image |
| Image descriptions | Up to 1,000 characters per image (ALT text) |
| Text-only posts | Not possible. An image or video is required |
| Delete | The Instagram API has no delete function, so delete posts in the Instagram app |
The caption limit and carousel count follow the Instagram API media documentation. The same documentation allows up to 20 @mentions. Hashtags are stricter than the 30 in that documentation: Instagram's Help Center advises a maximum of 5 per post. Stories cannot be published from SNS TOWN as of October 2026.
How the composers differ is explained in How composers differ by network, and how to attach images in Attaching images and videos.
Make preparing images a system
What stalls Instagram accounts is preparing the image, more than the text. In SNS TOWN, if you put photos and materials into your Library, you can pick them from there when you create a post. If you connect a Google Drive folder, photos added to the folder go into the Library automatically, which also saves the work of collecting photos taken by staff on site.
When you don't have a suitable photo, you can also have AI draw an image. Still, Instagram is a network where real photos tend to build trust. We recommend using photos for posts that show the real thing, such as products, the shop interior and work in progress, and AI images for posts that convey a mood, such as seasonal notices or announcement backgrounds.
Scheduling and approval
Instagram posts can also be scheduled for a set date and time, saved as drafts, or sent through approval before publishing. If you set days and times in your post cycle, AI prepares the drafts. Because Instagram can't publish without an image, check that an image is attached when you approve a draft. A post that reaches its time with no image attached is stopped by the check and does not go out.
The check right before publishing stops text over 2,200 characters, posts with no image or video, and posts that come less than 1 hour after the neighboring post. Items derived from X's recommendation system (such as URLs in the body or the number of hashtags) are only shown as cautions on Instagram.
Publishing together with a Facebook Page
Because both are image-based posts, Instagram and a Facebook Page can be published as a pair. If you have connected both, a "Post to Facebook Page too" switch appears in the composer. You can publish the same photo and text to both at the same time. See simultaneous posting for details.
Note that a Facebook Page can take a URL link card, but an Instagram post cannot. For posts that need to share a URL, it is considerate to reword the Instagram version with something like "See the link in our profile for details."
What analytics shows
Analytics reads the trend of Instagram followers, accounts followed and number of posts, plus likes and comments for each post. Impressions and reach are not read as of October 2026, so please check those numbers in Instagram's in-app Insights.
Tips for running Instagram
What matters for keeping going is not making images from scratch every time. If you set a pattern for each weekday, such as "Mondays: products, Wednesdays: customer voices, Fridays: behind the scenes," you also settle how to shoot the photos you put in the Library, and preparation gets easier. How to build patterns is also touched on in How reach works on Instagram.
Rather than lining up hashtags to the limit, choose a few words that people searching for that post would actually use. That gives a more readable caption. Image descriptions (ALT text) are for people who use a screen reader. Writing what appears in the picture in a short sentence widens who you reach.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use it with a personal account?
No. Only professional accounts (Business or Creator) can be posted to through Instagram's official API. Switch to a professional account in the Instagram app's settings, then connect.
Can I schedule a text-only post?
No. Instagram requires an image or video. In SNS TOWN's composer too, "Share" cannot be pressed until an image or video is attached, and a scheduled post would be stopped by the check.
Can I schedule Stories?
As of October 2026, Stories cannot be published from SNS TOWN. What can be scheduled are feed posts (single image or carousel) and Reels.
Can I delete a published post from SNS TOWN?
No. The Instagram API has no function for deleting posts, so delete them from the Instagram app.
If I've connected a Facebook Page, is Instagram connected too?
No. You press "Connect" and grant permission for each network. Instagram connects from Instagram's authorization screen, and Facebook Pages from Facebook's.
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