As a social media consultant who helps entrepreneurs build their brand on Instagram, I often get asked: "How do I find my old archived posts?"
Instagram now allows users to archive old posts instead of deleting them. This removes content from your grid while saving it in a private space only you can access.
For entrepreneurs and influencers trying to keep their Instagram profile fresh, archiving can be a useful tool. But often, my clients need to reference their archives later on.
In this article, I‘ll provide tips as an Instagram expert on how to easily locate archived posts as an entrepreneur or brand.
When Archiving Old Content is Useful
Here are some examples from my consulting experience of when brands need to access their archived Instagram posts:
- Finding evergreen content to re-share during dry spells. Archived posts with solid engagement can often benefit from a new boost of promotion.
- Referencing past captions, hashtags and aesthetics when planning new posts and campaigns.
- Revisiting old collaborations with influencers or partners when organizing future sponsorships.
- Deleting a test post or outdated promotion that is now irrelevant to your brand.
- Removing content with aesthetics or messaging that no longer fits your profile‘s style.
The Difference Between Archiving and Deleting
Archiving simply removes a post from public view on your profile. The post remains stored in your archives with all insights and engagement intact.
However, deleting a post erases it completely from your account. All likes, comments and analytics will be permanently lost.
I recommend entrepreneurs archive posts whenever possible to retain this valuable data. Only delete content that is truly no longer needed.
How to Access Archived Posts on Instagram
Once you‘ve archived some posts, here‘s how to locate them again later:
- Open the Instagram app and navigate to your profile.
- Tap the hamburger menu (three horizontal lines) in the top right.
- Select "Archive" from the menu options.
- Choose "Posts" to view your archived photos and videos.
- Scroll through your archive and tap any post to open it.
- Select "Show on Profile" to un-archive a post back to your grid.
Tips for Managing Your Archive
When archiving old posts, keep these tips in mind:
- Add keywords like #throwback in captions to make posts easy to search later.
- Periodically review your archive and delete irrelevant posts to keep it organized.
- Consider downloading your archive to save offline before deleting any posts permanently.
- A healthy Instagram profile archives posts after 1-3 months according to social media benchmarks.
- Schedule some archived #throwbacks to re-share with new promotions or relevant occasions.
Why Consult an Instagram Expert?
As an entrepreneur, you may not always have time to comb through your archives. That‘s where working with a social media consultant like myself can help!
I offer Instagram archive audits, content refreshing, and profile clean-ups for entrepreneurs. My expertise and outside perspective streamlines overwhelmingly large Instagram archives.
I also provide training on the best archiving and content recycling practices as your business scales on Instagram.
Key Takeaways
Archiving old Instagram posts keeps your grid fresh while saving content in a private archive. Remember these tips when organizing your archives as an entrepreneur:
- Archive instead of delete posts whenever possible.
- Use keywords and hashtags in captions to optimize archives for searchability.
- Periodically review and delete irrelevant archived content.
- Download or back up your archive before permanent deletes.
- Consulting an Instagram expert can help streamline organization and refreshing your profile.
I hope these archiving tips help you keep your brand‘s Instagram presence polished and professional! Let me know if you have any other questions.
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