A guide: things to post in instagram for creators

Staring at a blank content calendar is a familiar challenge for social media managers and small business owners alike. You understand that consistent posting is non-negotiable for growth, but the creative pressure to find new things to post in Instagram can be relentless. This daily scramble for ideas often leads to burnout and a disjointed feed that fails to connect with your audience or drive results. The solution isn't just about finding more ideas; it's about building a sustainable, strategic content engine that works for you.

This comprehensive guide moves beyond generic advice to provide a blueprint of 12 evergreen content categories you can rely on. We'll explore everything from behind-the-scenes glimpses and educational carousels to leveraging user-generated content and creating engaging Reels. For social media managers looking to build a robust pipeline, exploring a wide range of content ideas for social media can provide the necessary inspiration to maintain momentum and boost engagement across platforms.

Each section is designed to be immediately actionable. You will find not just the 'what' but the 'how': specific formats, caption templates, and practical examples ready for you to adapt and schedule. By the time you finish this article, you will have a categorized library of powerful post ideas. This system will transform your content planning from a recurring chore into a streamlined, automated asset, ensuring your Instagram feed remains dynamic, valuable, and effective without the constant stress.

1. Behind-the-Scenes Content

Pulling back the curtain on your daily operations is one of the most effective things to post in Instagram for building trust and authenticity. Behind-the-scenes (BTS) content humanizes your brand, moving you from a faceless entity to a relatable team of real people. It showcases the hard work, creativity, and processes that lead to your final product or service, creating a deeper connection with your audience.

This type of content demonstrates transparency and expertise. When followers see the effort involved, they gain a greater appreciation for your value proposition. For social media managers, this could mean showing how you organize a client's content calendar or the setup for a photoshoot.

How to Implement Behind-the-Scenes Content

The key is to document, not just create. Capture genuine moments that tell a story about your brand's culture, skills, and daily life.

• Show Your Workspace: A quick tour of your office, home office setup, or the tools you use daily can be highly engaging.
• Feature Your Team: Introduce the people behind the brand. A short video interview or a "day in the life" Story takeover can put a face to the name.
• Reveal Your Process: Create a time-lapse video of a product being made, a Reel detailing your content creation workflow, or a carousel post breaking down how you set up automation in a tool like EvergreenFeed.
• Share the 'Before and After': Display the raw, unedited photo next to the final, polished version or show a chaotic brainstorming session that led to a successful campaign.

Pro Tip: Use Instagram Stories and Reels for raw, unpolished BTS content. Their ephemeral and fast-paced nature is perfect for capturing authentic, in-the-moment snapshots that don't require high production value.

2. Educational Content & Tips

Sharing valuable knowledge is a powerful way to position your brand as a go-to authority in your niche. Educational content provides tangible value, teaching your audience something useful and solving their problems. This strategy fosters loyalty and trust, as followers see you as a generous resource, not just a seller. Posts that educate are often saved and shared, significantly boosting their reach and longevity.

This type of content moves beyond promotion to empowerment. When followers learn from you, they are more likely to remember your brand when they need your product or service. For social media managers, this could be a carousel explaining the latest algorithm change or a Reel with a quick tip for improving engagement.

How to Implement Educational Content

The goal is to simplify complex topics and provide actionable takeaways that your audience can apply immediately. Focus on your followers' most common questions and pain points.

• Create How-To Guides: Use carousel posts to break down a process step-by-step. For example, "5 Steps to Batching Your Content for the Month" or "How to Set Up Your First Instagram Ad."
• Share Quick Tips: Utilize Reels or single-image posts to share a single, impactful piece of advice. Think "One Simple Trick to Writing Better Captions."
• Debunk Industry Myths: Address common misconceptions in your field. This showcases your expertise and helps your audience avoid mistakes.
• Explain Concepts: Use simple analogies or graphics to explain complex industry jargon or strategies, making them accessible to a wider audience.

Pro Tip: Focus on creating evergreen educational content that will remain relevant for months or even years. Schedule these high-value posts to be republished periodically with a tool like EvergreenFeed to consistently attract and nurture new followers.

3. Customer Testimonials & Success Stories

Showcasing authentic praise from satisfied customers is one of the most powerful things to post in Instagram. Testimonials and success stories act as powerful social proof, building credibility and trust with potential clients. This content shifts the focus from what you say about your brand to what real users have experienced, making your claims more believable and relatable.

This strategy validates your product or service through the lens of your audience's peers. For a tool like EvergreenFeed, this could be a screenshot of a user's tweet praising the automation features or a detailed case study on how a social media manager increased their client's engagement. It directly addresses the "will this work for me?" question in a compelling way.

How to Implement Customer Testimonials & Success Stories

The goal is to let your happy customers become your best advocates. Collect and present their feedback in a way that highlights the value you provide.

• Create Branded Quote Graphics: Turn positive written feedback into visually appealing graphics. Use a consistent template that includes the customer's photo (with permission), their name, and their quote.
• Share User-Generated Content (UGC): Repost photos or videos that customers have shared featuring your product or service. Always credit the original creator and ask for permission first.
• Develop Mini Case Studies: Use a carousel post to tell a customer's success story. The first slide can introduce the customer and their challenge, subsequent slides can detail how they used your service, and the final slide can showcase the impressive results.
• Produce Video Testimonials: A short, authentic video clip of a customer sharing their positive experience can be incredibly persuasive. Post these as Reels or in-feed videos for maximum impact.

Pro Tip: When sharing testimonials, focus on specific outcomes. Instead of a generic "I love this product," feature a quote like, "Using this tool helped me save 5 hours per week on content scheduling." Quantifiable results are far more compelling.

4. Industry News & Commentary

Sharing relevant industry updates and offering your unique analysis is a powerful strategy for positioning your brand as a thought leader. This type of content goes beyond simple announcements; it provides your audience with timely insights and helps them navigate the ever-changing landscape of their field. It shows that you are not just a participant but an active, informed expert.

For social media managers, this could mean breaking down the latest Instagram algorithm update or offering a take on a new content creation trend. By filtering the noise and providing clear, concise commentary, you become a go-to resource for your followers, building immense trust and credibility. This makes it one of the most valuable things to post in Instagram for authority-building.

How to Implement Industry News & Commentary

The goal is to add value by interpreting the news, not just reporting it. Explain what a specific update means for your audience and provide actionable advice they can use.

• Create 'Hot Take' Reels: When a major platform feature drops, quickly record a short video sharing your initial thoughts, its potential impact, and a quick tip on how to leverage it.
• Design Explainer Carousels: Break down complex topics, like social media trend reports or platform policy changes, into a series of simple, easy-to-digest slides.
• Host a Live Q&A: Go live to discuss a recent industry development and answer your audience’s questions in real-time to foster engagement.
• Curate a News Roundup: Share a weekly or monthly summary of the most important industry news your followers might have missed in a carousel or Story series.

Pro Tip: Don't just regurgitate the news. Always add your unique perspective. Ask, "What does this mean for my specific audience?" and answer that question. Your analysis is what makes the content uniquely valuable and positions you as an expert.

5. User-Generated Content (UGC)

Leveraging content created by your audience is one of the most powerful things to post in Instagram. User-generated content (UGC) acts as authentic social proof, showcasing real people loving and using your product or service. This peer-to-peer marketing builds immense trust and community, as recommendations from fellow customers often feel more genuine than brand-led advertising.

This strategy essentially turns your happy customers into a volunteer marketing team. For a tool like EvergreenFeed, this could be a customer sharing a screenshot of their impressive post-automation analytics or a testimonial video about how much time they've saved. This content is not only highly credible but also extends your reach into your followers' own networks.

How to Implement User-Generated Content

The goal is to encourage, collect, and properly share the content your community creates. Make it easy and rewarding for them to feature your brand.

• Create a Branded Hashtag: Establish a unique and easy-to-remember hashtag (e.g., #GoProHERO, #ShareACoke) and promote it in your bio, posts, and Stories.
• Run Contests or Giveaways: Incentivize submissions by offering prizes for the best photo, video, or testimonial featuring your product.
• Always Ask for Permission: Before reposting, send a direct message to the original creator asking for their permission to share and confirm how they'd like to be credited.
• Showcase Customer Results: Feature tangible success stories. For a service-based business, this could be a carousel post highlighting a client's "before and after" metrics. To develop a robust UGC pipeline, you can learn more about effective user-generated content strategies.

Pro Tip: Use EvergreenFeed to create a dedicated content category for approved UGC. This allows you to automatically and consistently republish customer photos, reviews, and testimonials over time, ensuring your feed is always populated with powerful social proof.

6. Inspirational Quotes & Motivational Posts

Sharing well-designed quotes and motivational messages is one of the most reliable things to post in Instagram for generating high engagement and shareability. This content connects with your audience on an emotional level, offering a quick dose of inspiration that aligns with their aspirations and values. It’s simple to create, easily digestible, and reinforces your brand's core message or ethos.

This type of content works because it provides immediate value. A powerful quote can reframe a follower's day, make them feel understood, and encourage them to save or share the post with their own network. For social media managers, it's an excellent way to maintain a consistent posting schedule and fill content gaps with posts that consistently perform well.

How to Implement Inspirational Quotes & Motivational Posts

The key is to curate quotes that genuinely resonate with your target audience while maintaining brand consistency in your design and messaging.

• Brand Your Designs: Create templates using your brand’s specific colors, fonts, and logo. This ensures that even when your posts are shared, they remain instantly recognizable.
• Add Your Own Context: Don’t just post a quote. Use the caption to expand on its meaning, share a personal story related to it, or ask a question to prompt a conversation.
• Curate Diverse Voices: Source quotes from a wide range of thinkers, leaders, and creators. This shows a breadth of perspective and can help you connect with different segments of your audience.
• Categorize and Schedule: Create "quote buckets" in a tool like EvergreenFeed for different themes like #MondayMotivation, #Mindset, or #Entrepreneurship. This allows you to automate a steady stream of inspirational content.

Pro Tip: Use carousel posts to feature a quote on the first slide and your own thoughts, a related tip, or a call-to-action on the subsequent slides. This encourages more interaction than a single static image.

7. Carousel Posts & Step-by-Step Guides

Carousel posts are one of the most powerful things to post in Instagram for driving engagement and delivering in-depth value. These multi-slide posts allow you to break down complex topics into digestible, swipeable chunks, making them perfect for tutorials, listicles, and detailed explanations. By encouraging users to swipe through, you increase dwell time, a key metric the Instagram algorithm favors.

This format excels at storytelling and education. Instead of cramming information into a single image or a long caption, carousels create a structured learning experience. For a social media manager, this could be a guide on "5 Steps to Writing Better Captions" or a visual breakdown of a client's monthly analytics report.

How to Implement Carousel Posts & Step-by-Step Guides

The goal is to create a seamless narrative that keeps your audience engaged from the first slide to the last. Each slide should build upon the previous one.

• Create a Compelling Cover: Design a captivating first slide with a strong headline that clearly states the value and hooks the viewer, making them want to swipe.
• Guide Your Audience: Use visual cues like arrows or numbered slides (e.g., "3/5") to encourage completion and make the information easy to follow.
• Break Down Complex Ideas: Dedicate each slide to a single point, step, or idea. Use a mix of text, icons, and images to keep the content dynamic. For instance, you could detail how to set up content categories in a tool like EvergreenFeed.
• End with a Strong CTA: The final slide should include a clear call to action. Ask a question, prompt users to save or share the post, or direct them to a link in your bio.

Pro Tip: Design carousels with a consistent visual theme that reinforces your brand identity. Use your brand's fonts, colors, and logo on each slide to create a cohesive and professional look that is instantly recognizable.

8. Product Features & Benefits Showcase

Directly showcasing your product's features and, more importantly, its benefits is a fundamental strategy for driving conversions. These posts educate your audience on what your product does and how it solves their specific problems. For SaaS companies like EvergreenFeed, this means demonstrating how a particular feature, like content categorization or evergreen scheduling, directly saves time and streamlines a social media manager's workflow.

This content serves as a direct line from your product's capabilities to your customer's needs, making it one of the most valuable things to post in Instagram. By visually walking followers through use cases, like how Notion is used for project management or Asana for team collaboration, you transform abstract features into tangible solutions. This approach builds confidence and clearly articulates your product’s value.

How to Implement a Product Showcase

Focus on clarity and problem-solving. Your audience should immediately understand how your product makes their life or work better.

• Create Demo Videos: Short, screen-recorded Reels or detailed YouTube videos showing a feature in action are incredibly effective. Walk viewers through a specific workflow.
• Focus on Benefits, Not Just Features: Instead of saying "Our tool has an analytics dashboard," say "Track your content's performance and make data-driven decisions with our easy-to-read analytics."
• Use Carousels for Walkthroughs: Break down a complex feature or setup process into a step-by-step carousel post using screenshots and concise text overlays.
• Highlight Different Use Cases: Dedicate posts to showing how different types of customers (e.g., a freelancer vs. an agency) can use the same feature to solve their unique challenges.

Pro Tip: Schedule your product showcase content to appear regularly in your feed using a tool like EvergreenFeed. This ensures that new followers are consistently educated on your product's value proposition without you having to post manually every time.

9. Polls, Questions & Engagement Prompts

Directly inviting your audience into a conversation is one of the most powerful things to post in Instagram to boost engagement. Interactive posts like polls, questions, and other engagement prompts transform passive scrolling into active participation. They not only increase likes and comments but also provide invaluable, direct feedback from your followers.

This strategy fosters a sense of community by showing your audience that their opinions matter. For a social media manager, this could be a simple "This or That" poll in Stories to decide on a future post topic or a question in a feed post caption asking about their biggest marketing challenge. These interactions signal to the Instagram algorithm that your content is valuable.

How to Implement Polls, Questions & Engagement Prompts

The goal is to make participation easy and rewarding. Frame your prompts to be simple to answer yet relevant enough to spark genuine interest and conversation.

• Use Interactive Stickers: Leverage Instagram Stories' native features like the Poll, Quiz, and Question stickers. Ask for opinions on product designs, content ideas, or fun industry-related topics.
• Ask Open-Ended Questions: In your feed post captions, ask questions that encourage detailed responses. For example, "What's the one social media tool you can't live without and why?"
• Create "Fill in the Blank" Posts: Design a simple graphic with a prompt like "My favorite way to unwind after a long workday is ______." This is a low-effort way for followers to engage.
• Run a "This or That" Series: Use a carousel post or Stories to compare two options relevant to your niche (e.g., "SEO or PPC?"). This creates a simple, fun debate.

Pro Tip: Don't just post and ghost. Actively reply to comments and DMs you receive from your prompts. Engaging in the conversation you started is crucial for building a loyal community and shows you truly value their input.

10. Reels & Short-Form Video Content

Dominating the platform's algorithm, Reels are essential things to post in Instagram for maximizing reach and engagement. These short, dynamic videos (typically 15-90 seconds) are designed to entertain, educate, and capture attention quickly. They leverage trends, music, and fast-paced editing to connect with audiences in a format that Instagram heavily prioritizes, often resulting in significantly higher visibility than static image posts.

This format is incredibly versatile, perfect for showcasing quick tips, product demonstrations, client testimonials, or humorous skits relevant to your niche. For social media managers, creating Reels that break down complex marketing concepts or share productivity hacks can establish authority and attract a targeted audience of industry peers and potential clients.

How to Implement Reels & Short-Form Video Content

Success with Reels hinges on creating content that is both valuable and native to the platform's fast-paced, vertical video culture. The goal is to stop the scroll instantly.

• Hook Viewers Immediately: Start with a compelling question, a bold statement, or a pattern interrupt in the first three seconds to prevent users from scrolling past.
• Leverage Trending Audio: Use popular sounds and music to increase your Reel's discoverability. The Instagram algorithm often pushes content using trending audio to a wider audience.
• Provide Value Quickly: Share a quick tutorial, a step-by-step process, or a "hack" that solves a common problem for your audience.
• Add On-Screen Text: Include captions and key text overlays to make your content accessible for sound-off viewing, which is how many users consume video. For creators looking to streamline their video production, consider leveraging an AI video generator to produce engaging content like AI fashion reels.

Pro Tip: Batch-create your Reels content in one session. Film several short clips and edit them later to maintain a consistent posting schedule. Use a tool like EvergreenFeed to schedule your Reels, ensuring they are published at optimal times for maximum impact.

11. Content Calendar Tips & Planning Posts

Sharing your expertise on content planning is a powerful way to provide value, especially if your audience includes fellow marketers or business owners. Posts about content calendar tips and planning methodologies establish you as a strategic thinker and a go-to resource. This content helps your followers streamline their own workflows, making your account an indispensable part of their professional development.

This type of content directly addresses a major pain point for anyone managing social media: staying organized and consistent. By offering actionable frameworks, templates, and tips, you provide immediate utility. For social media managers, sharing a glimpse into your planning process showcases your structured approach and positions you as an expert in the field.

How to Implement Content Calendar & Planning Posts

The goal is to make the complex task of content planning feel manageable and accessible. Break down your strategies into clear, easy-to-follow steps.

• Share Template Snippets: Create a carousel post showing different sections of your content calendar template, explaining what each part is for.
• Offer Downloadable Resources: Create a simple, free content calendar for Instagram and promote it with a link in your bio. This is a fantastic lead magnet.
• Detail Your Planning Workflow: Use a Reel to walk through your weekly or monthly content planning session, from brainstorming ideas to scheduling them in a tool like EvergreenFeed.
• Post "Before and After" Calendars: Contrast a chaotic, disorganized list of ideas with a clean, color-coded content calendar to visually demonstrate the benefits of proper planning.

Pro Tip: Make these posts a recurring series. For example, share a "Monthly Content Planning Tip" on the first Monday of every month. This creates anticipation and reinforces your authority on the topic.

12. Analytics & Metrics Posts

Sharing data-driven insights is a powerful way to demonstrate expertise and provide tangible value, making it one of the most credible things to post in Instagram. Analytics and metrics posts break down performance data, celebrate milestones, and explain the "why" behind social media results. This content positions you as a strategic partner, not just a content creator, by proving the direct impact of your efforts.

For social media managers, this type of post showcases the ROI of your services. It transforms abstract concepts like "engagement" into concrete successes, like a 50% increase in comments or reaching 10,000 new accounts. By demystifying the data, you empower your audience and clients to understand the value of a well-executed strategy.

How to Implement Analytics & Metrics Posts

Focus on turning complex data into simple, compelling stories that highlight growth, learning, and success. The goal is to make analytics accessible and exciting for your audience.

• Celebrate Milestones: Announce hitting a follower goal, a new reach record, or a high-performing post. Thank your community for their role in the achievement.
• Create Data-Driven Carousels: Design a visually appealing carousel post that explains a key metric (e.g., "What is Reach vs. Impressions?"). Use each slide to break down the concept with graphics and concise text.
• Share Case Study Snippets: Pull a key statistic from a successful client campaign and build a post around it. Explain the strategy that led to the result.
• Show Automation Impact: Create a post showing how tools like EvergreenFeed helped improve a key metric, such as post consistency or engagement rate, by automating content scheduling. Learn more about social media marketing analytics to identify which data points to track.

Pro Tip: Use Instagram's poll or question stickers in your Stories to ask your audience about their own analytics challenges. Use their responses to create content that directly addresses their pain points, such as explaining which metrics matter most for their goals.

12 Instagram Content Types Comparison

From Ideas to Automation: Your Next Steps

You now possess a comprehensive arsenal of twelve powerful, evergreen content types. This list is more than just a collection of good ideas; it’s a strategic blueprint for transforming your Instagram presence from a time-consuming chore into a streamlined, high-impact marketing channel. Moving beyond the constant scramble for what to post is the first and most critical step toward sustainable growth.

The true value of this guide isn't found in cherry-picking one or two ideas for next week's posts. Instead, its power lies in using these twelve categories as foundational pillars for a robust, long-term content strategy. The ultimate goal is to build a self-sustaining system where high-quality content is consistently delivered to your audience without demanding daily, hands-on intervention from you or your team.

From Content Ideas to Content Buckets

The leap from sporadic posting to strategic automation begins with organization. Think of the twelve ideas we've covered not as a checklist but as content "buckets" or categories.

• Trust & Authority Bucket: This is where you’ll put your Customer Testimonials, Industry News Commentary, and Educational Content. These posts build credibility and position you as an expert.
• Connection & Community Bucket: This bucket is filled with Behind-the-Scenes glimpses, User-Generated Content, and Engagement Prompts. This is how you foster a loyal, interactive community.
• Value & Utility Bucket: Here, you'll place your Carousel Guides, Product Showcases, and Analytics Insights. These posts provide direct, tangible value to your followers, solving their problems and showcasing your solutions.

By categorizing the diverse list of things to post in Instagram, you create a balanced content mix. This structure ensures you're not just selling products or sharing tips but building a well-rounded brand presence that educates, engages, and inspires your audience in equal measure.

Implementing Your Evergreen Strategy

Having a list of things to post in Instagram is one part of the puzzle; executing it efficiently is the other. The core principle of an evergreen strategy is "create once, publish forever." Your best educational carousels, customer success stories, and behind-the-scenes Reels shouldn't be posted once and forgotten. They are valuable assets that can be systematically re-shared to capture new followers and reinforce key messages with your existing audience.

Here’s a practical, actionable plan to get started:

1. Select Your Top 3 Categories: Don't try to tackle all twelve at once. Choose three categories that align most closely with your immediate business goals. For example, a new business might start with Product Features, Testimonials, and Behind-the-Scenes to build initial trust and awareness.
2. Create One Asset Per Category: Your task for this week is simple. Create just three high-quality posts, one for each of your chosen categories. This could be a short Reel, a testimonial graphic, and a detailed carousel guide.
3. Automate Your Schedule: This is the most crucial step. Instead of manually scheduling these three posts, load them into an evergreen content scheduler. This is where the magic happens. The system will now automatically cycle through your approved content, ensuring your profile remains active and valuable even when you're focused on other tasks.

By embracing this system, you fundamentally change your relationship with content creation. You transition from a reactive "content creator" who is always on the clock to a strategic "content architect" who builds a library of assets that works for them around the clock. This shift frees up invaluable time and mental energy, allowing you to focus on bigger-picture strategies, deeper community engagement, and creating your next wave of amazing evergreen content. Your Instagram will finally work for you, not the other way around.

Ready to stop the daily scramble and put your content to work? EvergreenFeed is designed to take the powerful content ideas from this article and turn them into a fully automated, hands-off posting schedule. Build your content library, set your schedule once, and watch your Instagram grow consistently.

Get started with EvergreenFeed today and reclaim your time.