Enable direct publishing to Instagram business profiles

All Hootsuite customers can publish photos and videos directly to Instagram business profiles from the Hootsuite web dashboard and mobile apps!

Instagram has made direct publishing available to business profiles. If you don’t have a business profile yet, but want to take advantage of direct publishing from Hootsuite, you can convert your personal profile to a business one in five easy steps.

What is a business profile?

Instagram business profiles are just like personal profiles, with a few added benefits:

• Promote posts directly from the app
• Track post performance and audience demographics with Instagram Insights
• Add business contact information so customers can reach you through the app

To enable direct publishing, your Instagram business profile must be associated with a Facebook Page. To do this, you need to be a Facebook admin of the Page. All posts shared to Facebook from Instagram will appear on that Page going forward. (Business profiles can’t be private.) Each business profile can only be connected to a single Facebook Page.

Note that business profiles are different from verified profiles. Instagram profiles are either personal or business, and both can be verified.

To add an Instagram business profile to Hootsuite

Adding a business profile is a two-step process: Connect with Instagram, and then authorize the profile’s associated Facebook Page (admin credentials required) to enable direct publishing.

Already have a business profile or recently converted personal profile connected to Hootsuite? Skip to enablement

 Log out of Instagram natively in your browser before adding each new Instagram profile with the following steps.

1. Click your profile picture ( by default) in the top-right corner of the dashboard, and then select Manage Social Networks.
2. Click (Add) + Private Network in the bottom-left corner of the dashboard.
3. Organization members: Click Select Destination, and then select the organization to add the business profile to, or select Private Social Networks.
4. Select Instagram from the list, and then click Connect with Instagram.
5. Enter your Instagram credentials, click Log in, and then click Authorize.
6. If the connected Instagram account is a business profile, click Authenticate with Facebook.
   If the account is a personal profile, convert it to a business profile to enable direct publishing, and then click I’m Ready.
7. Enter your Facebook credentials, and then click Log in.
   The Facebook user signing in must be an admin of the Page associated with the Instagram business profile.
8. You will be prompted to authorize access to your Instagram business profile. Click OK.
9. Click Done.

Direct publishing for single photos is now enabled!

Check if you have direct publishing enabled

Click here to see whether your profile is personal or business, and if direct photo publishing still needs to be set up.

Alternatively, click New Post in the top-right corner of the dashboard to open the Composer, and find your Instagram profile in the picker. Business profiles will say 'Business' next to the name, and will display a pink airplane icon  if direct publishing is enabled.

Enabling direct publishing for an already connected profile

For business profiles, and recently converted personal profiles, that are already connected to Hootsuite.

 Log out of Instagram natively in your browser before enabling each new Instagram profile with the following steps.

If your profile is connected in an organization:

1. Click your profile picture ( by default) in the top-right corner of the dashboard, and then select Manage under the organization name.
2. Enterprise organizations: Click Social Networks, and then select the profile from the list on the left.
   Team/Pro organizations: Click the Instagram profile.
3. Click the Profile Settings tab.
4. Click Connect with Instagram.
5. Enter your Instagram credentials, click Log in, and then click Authorize.
6. If the connected Instagram account is a business profile, click Authenticate with Facebook.
   If the account is a personal profile, convert it to a business profile to enable direct publishing, and then click I’m Ready.
7. Enter your Facebook credentials, and then click Log in.
   The Facebook user signing in must be an admin of the Page associated with the Instagram business profile.
8. You will be prompted to authorize access to your Instagram business profile. Click OK.
9. Click Done.

If your profile is connected under your private social networks:

1. Click your profile picture ( by default) in the top-right corner of the dashboard, and then select Manage Social Networks.
2. Click your Instagram profile.
3. Click Connect with Instagram.
4. Enter your Instagram credentials, click Log in, and then click Authorize.
5. If the connected Instagram account is a business profile, click Authenticate with Facebook.
   If the account is a personal profile, convert it to a business profile to enable direct publishing, and then click I’m Ready.
6. Enter your Facebook credentials, and then click Log in.
   The Facebook user signing in must be an admin of the Page associated with the Instagram business profile.
7. You will be prompted to authorize access to your Instagram business profile. Click OK.
8. Click Done.

To disable direct publishing

If you prefer to disable direct publishing to Instagram and use the mobile notification workflow with your Instagram business profile, revoke Hootsuite's access to the profile and then reconnect it to the dashboard with the steps above. Click I don't want to publish directly to set up mobile notification publishing. More details here

Publishing to Instagram

Now that your business profile is enabled for direct publishing, you can schedule and publish single photos or videos directly to Instagram, just like you would for your other social networks. Learn more about posting images and videos.

Note that Instagram stories and multi-image carousel posts are not supported with direct publishing.