Social Media Add-On Instagram Integration Guide

With the Agency Revolution Social Media Add-On, you can seamlessly integrate your Instagram account to enhance your social media strategy. Instagram, managed by Meta, is an image-first platform that prioritizes visuals over text and links, setting it apart from platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of integrating your Instagram account and the guidelines for posting content to Instagram.

Before you begin

• Facebook Account Full Access: For third-party integrations like Agency Revolution, the Instagram account must be linked to a personal Facebook account that has access to the Business Facebook Page. Users must have full access to the Business Facebook Page's account settings.
  • If the Instagram "Business" or "Creator" account is not yet linked to a Facebook page, refer to this help article.
• Instagram Account Type: The Instagram account must be a Business or Creator account (also known as a “Professional Account”). If not, you can switch the account type by following these instructions.*
  
  • *Note: Transitioning a personal Instagram account to a Business or Creator account may take 48 hours for processing. The account will not be available for integration with FMG until Meta has completed this process.

What’s in this guide?

• How to integrate your Instagram account

• Understanding Social Media Integration Statuses

• How to post content to Instagram

How to Integrate Your Instagram Account

To integrate your Instagram account:

1. In your AR Social Media Add-On dashboard, navigate to Social > Manage Social Media.

2. Click Connect Instagram.

   
3. In the Connect To Instagram pop-up, review the information about why Facebook authentication is required, then click Authenticate With Facebook.
4. Log in to Facebook: Enter your Facebook credentials and click Log in. If you're already logged in, you may be prompted to confirm your identity; click Continue.
5. Grant access to your Pages, Businesses, and Instagram accounts: 
   • Choose the Pages you want FMG to access: Select "Opt in to all current and future Pages" and click Continue.
   • Choose the Businesses you want FMG to access: Select "Opt in to all current and future Businesses" and click Continue.
   • Choose the Instagram accounts you want FMG to access: Select "Opt in to all current and future Instagram accounts" and click Continue.
6. Review FMG's access request: Review the list of permissions FMG will have, then click SAVE.
7. Confirm the connection: A confirmation screen will appear stating your account has been connected to FMG Social. Click Got it.
8. Select your Instagram account: You will see a list of Instagram pages associated with your Facebook account. Select the account you want to connect and click Add Profiles.

Understanding Social Media Integration Statuses

• Active: Your integration is valid and approved.
• Expired: Your integration has expired. Click the "Review" button to reintegrate your account.
  • Note: Social media connections may expire after 365 days due to security settings on the social networks.
• Invalid: Your integration is no longer valid. If your password has changed, click the "Review" button to either disconnect or renew the account.

Posting Content to Instagram

Since Instagram is a unique platform, there are some guidelines you should know before posting content:

• Images: Images are required in order to post content to Instagram.

• Image Sizing: Instagram has strict image requirements with supported aspect ratios:

  • Square (1:1) - 1080 x 1080 pixels

  • Portrait (4:5) - 1080 x 1350 pixels

  • Landscape (1.91:1) - 1080 x 566 pixels

    • You can use tools like Instasize and Croppola to resize images to the ideal ratios.

• Character Limit: The Instagram character limit for custom social post captions is 2,200 characters.

• URLs: URLs are not clickable on Instagram. If you include URLs in your Instagram posts, you will see a warning that the URL link will not be clickable once shared to Instagram.

• Carousels: On Instagram, you can make single-image or multi-image posts, known as Carousels. You can post up to 9 images. If you upload multiple images, the order will be maintained and shared in a single post on Instagram.

  • Carousel Conditions: If you are posting a Carousel, your images must be at least 1080 x 1080 pixels with a 1:1 ratio. The shape you choose for the first slide will apply to the rest of the Carousel.

    • You can use tools like Instasize and Croppola to resize images to the ideal ratios.

To create a social post:

1. Navigate to Social > Post on Social Media.

2. Select your Instagram account.

3. Add a caption to your post.

   • Remember, the Instagram character limit for captions is 2,200 characters, and URLs are not clickable on Instagram captions.

4. Upload Image(s):

   • You must add an image to complete a post.

   • You can share up to 9 images on Instagram.

   • In the image uploader, you will see the following options:

     • My Device: Upload an image from your device.

     • Unsplash: Use Unsplash to search the web for free high-resolution images.

     • Link (URL): Upload an image via a direct URL.

     • Design an Image: Use Canva to design an image.

Now, you can schedule your post!