Automation tools are great, but using them properly is key. If you post several images to Instagram at the same time, using a buffering tool is a way to trickle out the tweets over time.
In this example, I use IFTTT (a great tool for conditionally posting content or sending data to and from a plethora of apps and services) and Buffer to spread Instagram announcements to Twitter over time.
1. If you haven’t already done so, create an account at IFTTT and at Buffer. You’ll need to connect your Twitter account to Buffer, and your Instagram account to IFTTT.
2. Set up your Twitter schedule for Buffer.
3. In IFTTT, create a Recipe (an if this, then that conditional). Be sure to set the Photo URL to SourceURL – this way your Instagram images will display just like native images in Twitter.
4. To test, post a few photos to Instagram.
5. Hop back to Buffer and look at the Schedule for your Twitter account.
That’s it! Now, every time you post to Instagram, no matter how many posts you upload at once, they will post to Twitter, with images displayed, over time. They can post over a period of days if you wish.
Note: The free Buffer account only allows for up to ten scheduled tweets at a time. If you want to schedule more, you’ll need to sign up for their Awesome plan, which is currently just over $100 per year.
