Why don't Instagram posts publish immediately? | Sked Social Help Center
Learn why there is a delay to publish Instagram posts in Sked Social.
When Sked Social posts to Instagram, it doesn’t happen instantly. Instead of using an API like Facebook or X (formerly Twitter), Sked uses a physical device (tablet or phone) running Instagram, which can take between 60-90 seconds per image and longer for videos.
Because Sked doesn’t have a dedicated device for each account (this would raise costs significantly), it uses a queue. Here’s how it works: if several accounts have posts scheduled for the same time, they’re queued randomly and posted one at a time. So, if 10 accounts are set for 9:00 AM, the last post in line might show up around 9:10 or 9:15.
Sometimes, posts may be re-queued if they fail due to device or upload errors, which can add to the delay. On average, posts go up within 3-5 minutes, depending on how busy the queue is.
Pro Tip: Try scheduling your posts at an off-peak time, like X:55 (five minutes before the hour). This helps you skip the massive rush that happens right on the hour!
If your posts seem delayed for an unusually long time, feel free to reach out to us—we’ll look into it!