18 Must-Have Instagram Marketing Tools in 2024

Instagram is a social media platform, but for businesses, it can be so much more than just a place to connect with audiences. Instagram works as a powerful marketing tool, and with features such as Instagram’s shoppable posts, direct sales ability, and brand partnerships, it’s a place where even the smallest businesses can get started.

Instagram gets your content on the map, connecting you with the target audiences who are most likely to purchase your products or services. Whether you prefer using Instagram Live, Stories, Reels, or simple static posts, you can reach at least a portion of the over 2 billion people who use Instagram monthly.

Using Instagram to find and convert leads requires good social media management and a solid Instagram strategy. It’s more than just hashtags that help you use Instagram to its fullest.

Here are some of the best tools to use to help you get started and get your content calendar flowing on Instagram.

Best Instagram Marketing Tools

Instagram is a straightforward platform, but making your profile pop and become a hotspot for new followers can be tricky. Using these marketing tools will give you a boost, helping you stay ahead of your competition while building a great brand presence.

Instagram Scheduling Tools

Staying consistent with your content is a good way to get found on Instagram as you build your business. Try one of these three scheduling tools to get started:

Sprout Social

Sprout Social is an Instagram scheduling and management tool that offers enterprise-level support. Sprout Social also gives you insights into audience growth, tools to manage multiple Instagram accounts, and tools with Instagram analytics support to give you insight into your past performance and audience engagement. You can try Sprout Social to schedule Instagram posts for free for 30 days and then accounts start at $199 per seat/month.

Buffer

You can schedule your Instagram posts and help grow your business with Buffer, a visual scheduling tool. Buffer works with any kind of Instagram content scheduling, whether you post Stories, Reels, static posts, or all three. It allows for cross-platform posting and has analytics to give you insight into your best posts. Buffer offers a free account, or you can try the Essentials account for 14 days for free and then $5 a month for a single channel.

Later

Tackle all your Instagram posts for the week, month, quarter, or year at once with bulk scheduling through Later. The Later Social™ Instagram Scheduler posts static posts, Stories, Reels, and carousels, and you can preview posts, get personalized insights and visually plan your content all on the dashboard. You can try Later for free for 14 days or get a paid account starting at $16.67 per month.

Instagram Analytics & Reporting Tools

Getting deeper insight into your audience and your posts’ performance helps you create better content. Try these Instagram analytics and reporting tools to get a deeper look into what works (and what doesn’t):

Iconosquare

Get deeper insight into your Instagram account with Iconosquare’s advanced analytics and reporting tools. Iconosquare allows you to schedule posts, and it also comes with collaboration and AI tools. The analytics tools give you insight into fan growth, engagement, post lifespan, and other details you need to make data-driven decisions. You can try Iconosquare free for 14 days, and then it starts at $49 per month for up to five social profiles and a single user.

Sked Social

Sked Social is a social media management tool that lets you plan posts, engage with your followers, and publish content. Its analytics and reporting tools give you deep insight into likes, plays, saves, interactions, and more, so you can build a better presence online. You can try Sked Social for free for seven days, or try a paid account starting at $59 per month for up to three social accounts.

Hootsuite

Hootsuite calls itself an all-in-one social media tool that lets you post across all your channels. Hootsuite also has Instagram analytics on the Hootsuite dashboard, letting you measure key performance indicators (KPIs) such as the best times to post and how your content is performing. You can try it for 30 days for free, or plans start at $99 per month.

Instagram Ads Tools

Instagram ads help your brand get in front of potential customers. Creating paid marketing materials and strategies becomes easier with these tools:

Meta Ads Manager

From Meta, Meta Ads Manager lets you reach customers through ads on platforms including WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, and Facebook. It works as a platform where you can manage your ads all in one place, letting you run and track ads and campaigns easily. Reach Instagram users, Facebook users, and others with this single tool that has a repost feature for all Meta products.

Instagram Branded Content Tools

With Instagram’s branded content tools, you get insight directly from Instagram. The tools help you track and manage your paid partnerships. They let you disclose when you’re working with another brand or being paid to discuss a product or service. Additionally, the tools assist with targeting, social commerce, and creating Branded Content ads that are completely shoppable.

Smartly

Smartly is a platform for creating and optimizing digital ads and marketing campaigns. The AI-powered platform lets you design ads you can run on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google, and other sites. It improves performance and efficiency by taking much of the manual workflow of creating an ad campaign off your plate with AI assistance. For pricing, request a demo, no free plan is listed.

Instagram Hashtag Finder Tools

The right hashtags help your content get in front of the right people. Add the right hashtags to your verified account posts to build social proof while growing your audience:

Display Purposes

Display Purposes Only, known also as Displayed Purposes, gives you everything you need to grow your Instagram account with the right hashtags every time you post.

To use Display Purposes, type in the hashtags you want to use on Instagram. Additional relevant hashtags will pop up when you do. You can also have the system scan your Instagram account for banned hashtags and remove them so your account doesn’t get flagged.

Display Purposes has a free three-day trial, or you can get the Starter plan for $6 a month (billed yearly). Plans go up in price from there.

Keyword Tool

Finding the right keywords to get your business in front of your target audience isn’t always straightforward, but with Keyword Tool, some of the guesswork is removed. Keyword Tool is a Google keyword planner. Interestingly, the free version will generate up to 750 long-tail keyword suggestions for your search term. Keyword Tool doesn’t require you to create an account or pay a fee.

On the site, click the Instagram icon to tell it you want Instagram keyword suggestions. Then, type in whatever keyword you think is best, and it will generate the rest. For example, typing in “Dog” brings up 182 related keywords you could use in your content. Each keyword has helpful insights such as the number of posts that use them, the search volume, if the keyword is trending, and others. You can also upgrade to Keyword Tool Pro. The lowest-cost plan is $69 per month when you’re billed annually.

Keyhole

Keyhole is a social media management tool that helps streamline content planning and publishing, track account growth, and access analytics. It also has features for social listening, letting you monitor your brand’s mentions to track what followers have to say. Its analytics tools use machine-learning prediction features to estimate how your campaigns will perform, letting you gain deeper insight into your keywords, engagement, and other metrics. Additionally, the market research functions let you see current trends and conversations, so you can respond accordingly. Keyhole starts at $157.5 monthly when billed yearly.

Instagram Stories Tools

Instagram Stories is a feature that lets you create videos and photos that appear in a slideshow-style format. They are available on your Instagram profile, and they’re designed to disappear after 24 hours, making them time-sensitive content that can encourage additional interaction.

Some social media marketing tools to help you create effective Instagram Stories content include:

Unfold

Unfold is a tool from Squarespace. It’s designed to help you create content that stands out, and it has templates, support for bios, and more. It also has a scheduling feature to plan your Instagram feed in advance (perfect for marketers), and you can even create a Bio Site to link to from your page. The Pro version has a brand kit option, which can ensure your stories stay in alignment with your business’s goals.

Mojo

Mojo is a third-party tool that has templates and tools to make interesting, appealing social content. It boasts over 500 social templates with new templates every week. It also lets you add music, edit the content, and add filters, so you can upload visually attractive stories to your Instagram page. Mojo has a free option, so you can get started at no cost.

Boomerang

A Boomerang is a video feature that lets you create very short videos from your snapshots. For example, you might have 10 snapshots from a recent fireworks show. You can combine those into a Boomerang video.

To make a Boomerang, log into your Instagram account and tap the plus symbol. Then, scroll down to Story and click the infinity symbol (this represents Boomerang). From there, you can upload photos or press record to take a new, live Boomerang. Once you’re done, you can add sound, text, or draw on the new video before publishing it.

Instagram Editing Tools

Editing your content makes a big difference in how it’s received and how you drive sales. Throw on a filter, adjust the speed of your video, and get more visual content done right with these tools:

VSCO

Edit photos and videos with VSCO, a desktop and mobile application with interesting features such as helpful editing tools, a community to interact with, and exposure opportunities. You can try the photo editor for free and access over 200 presets. The Plus plan, the cheapest paid option, starts at $30 a year.

Canva

Canva is a design tool that gives you tools to create Instagram stories, ads, posts, and more for your social media marketing efforts. Its graphic elements and templates are good for plug-and-play content, and the site has options to create Instagram reels, posts, and other content with effective layouts. It has photo editing features, filters, illustrations, and the option to repurpose your creations for cross-posting right on the platform. Canva is free to get started, or you can opt to pay an annual fee of $120 for Canva Pro to unlock premium templates and tools.

InShOt

InShOt is an all-in-one video maker and editor. It has multiple professional features (including templates and slow-mo) to let you create engaging videos. You can opt for cutout, HSL, Speed Curve, and other tools to add extra interest to your videos. InShOt starts at $4 a month or $15 per year with a free three-day trial.

Leverage Instagram as a Marketing Tool

Instagram can be a powerful marketing tool for your business—and it’s even better with Podium. Podium’s Instagram integration helps you take control of your social media presence and do more for your business. Its consolidated inbox lets you respond to Story replies, mentions, and direct messages all in one place. And, with Podium’s AI Employee, inbound messages get a response right away, improving customer service and engagement.

Ready to see how Podium can work for you? Watch a demo.