How to Post on Instagram for the First Time

Thinking about posting on Instagram for the first time can feel surprisingly intimidating, but it’s a lot simpler than it looks. This guide will walk you through every step, from choosing what to post to crafting the perfect caption and pressing that final Share button. We’ll cover how to make your first Feed post, Story, and what to do once your content is live.

Before You Post: A Quick Profile Checkup

Your post is the 'what,' but your profile is the 'who.' Before you share your first piece of content, take two minutes to give your profile a quick look. A complete profile makes a much better first impression when new people discover your post and tap over to see who you are.

• Profile Picture: Use a clear, high-quality photo. If you're a person, a headshot works best. If you're a brand, use your logo. People should be able to recognize it instantly, even as a small circle.
• Your Name & Username: Your username (@yourusername) is how people tag you, and your name is what appears in bold at the top of your profile. Make sure your name is your actual name or business name so people can find you easily in search.
• A Clear Bio: Your bio is your 150-character elevator pitch. Briefly explain who you are, what you do, or what your account is about. You can use this space to tell your story, add a touch of personality, or direct people to your most important link.
• The All-Important Link: Instagram only gives you one clickable link in your bio. This is valuable real estate. Use it to link to your website, blog, shop, or a Linktree-style page with multiple links.

Once your profile is set, you’re ready for the main event.

Understanding Instagram’s Main Post Types

Instagram isn't just one thing anymore. It has several content formats, each serving a different purpose. For your first post, you’ll most likely be choosing between these three:

• Feed Posts: These are the classic photos and videos that appear on your main profile grid. They are permanent unless you delete or archive them. You can post a single image, a video (up to 60 minutes), or a carousel with up to 10 photos and videos in one post. This is the perfect format for high-quality, memorable content.
• Stories: These are photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours (unless you save them to a Highlight). They appear in a separate bar at the top of the app. Stories are more casual, spontaneous, and perfect for behind-the-scenes content, quick polls, or sharing moments from your day without cluttering your main grid.
• Reels: Reels are short, vertical, multi-clip videos with audio, effects, and other creative tools. They are Instagram's answer to TikTok and are heavily favored by the algorithm right now, making them a powerful tool for reaching new audiences.

For your very first post, a classic Feed post (a photo or a simple video) is a great place to start. It’s straightforward and gives you a permanent piece of content on your brand-new grid.

Your Step-By-Step Guide to Making Your First Feed Post

Ready to go? Open the Instagram app and let's walk through it together. This might seem like a lot of steps on paper, but in practice, it takes just a minute or two once you get the hang of it.

Step 1: Open the Composer

Look for the plus sign (+) icon, usually located at the center of the bottom navigation bar. Tapping this opens up your phone's photo gallery, where you can select the content you want to share.

Step 2: Select Your Photo or Video

Scroll through your camera roll and tap on the image or video you want to post. If you want to post multiple photos or videos in a single carousel post, tap the "Select Multiple" icon (it looks like a stack of squares) and then choose up to 10 items in the order you'd like them to appear.

Pro Tip: Stick with vertical or square images if you can. A portrait-oriented photo (4:5 ratio) takes up the most screen space in the feed, grabbing more attention than a landscape photo.

Step 3: Edit Your Content (Optional but Recommended)

After selecting your media, tap "Next." You'll land on the editing screen. Here you have two options: "Filter" and "Edit."

• Filters: Instagram offers a variety of one-tap filters. While popular a few years ago, many creators now prefer a more natural look or edit their photos in a separate app (like VSCO or Adobe Lightroom Mobile). If you use a filter, you can tap it again to adjust its intensity.
• Edit: In the "Edit" tab, you can make manual adjustments. The most useful tools for beginners are:
  • Adjust: Straighten your photo.
  • Brightness: Make it brighter or darker.
  • Contrast: Increase the difference between light and dark areas.
  • Saturation: Adjust the intensity of the colors.
  • Sharpen: Make the details crisp and clear.

Play around with these settings. A little brightening and sharpening can make an ordinary phone photo look more professional. Once you're happy, tap "Next" again.

Step 4: Write Your Caption and Add Hashtags

This is where you give your post context. You'll see a text box that says "Write a caption..." Here’s a simple formula for a great first caption:

1. An Engaging First Line: People scroll fast. Your first sentence should capture their attention. A question, a bold statement, or a fun intro works well.
2. The Story: Tell your audience what's happening in the photo or video. Why is it significant? Share a thought, a feeling, or a bit of useful information related to the image. Authenticity is what people connect with.
3. A Call to Action (CTA): Give your audience something to do. Ask a question to encourage comments ("What’s your favorite morning coffee spot? Let me know below!"), or tell them to "Tap the link in our bio to read more."
4. Hashtags (#): Hashtags are like keywords that help Instagram categorize your content and show it to people who are interested in that topic. To add them, you can either mix them into your caption or put them in a comment right after you post. For your first post, aim for 5-10 specific hashtags related to your content. For example, if you post a photo of a latte, you might use #latteart #coffeeshopvibes #morningcoffee #specialtycoffee.

Step 5: Tag People and Add a Location

Below the caption box, you'll see a few more options:

• Tag People: If there are other people or brands in your photo, tap this to tag their Instagram accounts. They will receive a notification and your post will appear in the "Tagged" section of their profile.
• Add Location: Tap this to add your geographical location. Posts with a location tagged often see higher engagement. You can tag a specific business (like a cafe) or a more general area (like a city).

Step 6: Share!

That's it! Once your caption is written, your hashtags are added, and you’ve tagged any relevant accounts or locations, you’re ready. Take a final look over everything, and when you’re satisfied, tap the blue "Share" button in the top right corner. Congratulations - you’ve officially posted on Instagram!

What About Your First Instagram Story? It's Even Easier.

Posting a Story is a low-pressure way to share content. It disappears in 24 hours, so it feels less permanent and more "in the moment."

1. From the home feed, tap the plus sign (+) on your profile picture in the Story bar at the top, or simply swipe right from anywhere in the feed.
2. This opens the Story camera. You can take a photo or hold the button to record a video. Or, you can tap the square icon in the bottom left to access your camera roll and upload something you've already taken.
3. Once you have your photo or video, you can add fun interactive elements by tapping the icons at the top of the screen. Add text, draw on the screen, or use the "Sticker" icon to add GIFs, music, polls, or question boxes.
4. When you're ready, tap "Your Story" in the bottom left to post it.

The Last Step: What to Do After You Post

Your work isn't quite done when your post goes live. The "social" part of social media happens next.

• Engage with Comments: As people start to like and comment on your post, make sure to reply! Thank people for their kind words and answer any questions they ask. This signals to both your audience and the Instagram algorithm that you’re creating an engaged community.
• Share to Your Story: A great way to get more eyes on your new feed post is to share it to your Story. Go to your post, tap the paper airplane icon underneath it, and then select "Add to your Story." This creates a tappable sticker that links directly to your post.

Final Thoughts

Making your first Instagram post is a single moment, a simple action of choosing a photo and hitting "Share." All the success that comes after - building a community, creating a strong brand, or simply sharing your passion - is just a result of repeating that simple action consistently. You now have the full playbook to get started.

That initial post is a great accomplishment, but soon you'll start thinking about your next post, and the one after that. Juggling ideas, preparing content, and coming up with captions can become time-consuming. From our years running marketing teams, we know that consistency is the hardest part. At Postbase, we built tools specifically to solve this problem, with a visual calendar that helps you plan your content ahead and a simple scheduler that lets you get all your posts ready at once.