If you’re an influencer or promoting a brand, you surely have Facebook and Instagram business accounts. While Instagram has given users the ability to post the same photos automatically to Facebook, it’s just recently that you can do the reverse.
Marketers welcome this new ability to post on Instagram from their Facebook page. The feature now allows them to post to both social media platforms from their desktop. This is a significant change since Instagram is a mobile-only platform, and many people still have uploadable files on their desktops. Instead of transferring files from desktop to mobile devices, we can now upload them to Facebook, then cross-post them to Instagram.
Restrictions in cross-posting from Facebook to Instagram
Cross-posting from Facebook to Instagram, however, has the following requirements:
- You must have an Instagram business profile connected to the Facebook page.
- Only posts with a single photo can be shared to Instagram. The option will not be activated if there’s no selected photo.
- You can’t cross-post multiple photos and videos.
- If the photo is taller than the standard 4:3 ratio, it will be cropped on Instagram.
- The feature won’t work if you enabled two-factor authentication on Instagram.
- Only posts that are not scheduled can be cross-posted.
Image: Switch to Instagram Business Profile. Photo was taken from Social Media Today
Before this functionality was introduced, marketers were able to upload files from their desktop to Instagram by using third-party apps such as Hootsuite, Agorapulse, and Iconosquare. These apps though have limitations due to API restrictions.
Here are the steps on how to cross-post from Facebook to Instagram.
Step 1 – Connect your Facebook page to your Instagram business profile
The cross-posting functionality can only be used if you have an Instagram business account connected to your Facebook page. If you don’t have a business profile yet on Instagram, you can learn how to switch your personal account to a business account here.
Image: Connect to your Facebook Business Page. Photo was taken from Later
Make sure that the two-factor authentication is disabled on your Instagram account; you will get an error message when this is turned on. If you are cross-posting from Facebook regularly, you have to disable the two-factor authentication permanently, but be aware of the security risks involved. Watch the video below to learn how to turn off this security feature.
Step 2 – Create an image post on your Facebook page
Instagram is first and foremost a photo-sharing app; the regular text-only status updates on Facebook can’t be posted. The option to post to Instagram will only be activated if you have an image added to your post. Take note that only one photo can be accepted for now, and the functionality isn’t available for multiple photos and videos.
There are no restrictions when it comes to image size. Instagram supports both horizontal and vertical images as long as they are square. Vertical images that are taller than the 4:3 ratio will be cropped.
Step 3 – Publish the post on Facebook and Instagram
Aside from the restrictions mentioned above, posting on Instagram through Facebook requires nothing special. Write a well-thought-out caption, select a photo, select the Instagram option, and upload it “now” instead of scheduling the post. Remember that only posts not scheduled to be posted at a later time can be posted.
Hashtags aren’t as effective on Facebook as there are on Instagram, so avoid too many hashtags when initially crafting your caption on Facebook. After publishing the post, go to Instagram to edit the caption and add hashtags. You can also add the hashtags in the comment section.
Image: Cross Post from Facebook to Instagram. Photo taken from Digital Marketing World
Cross-post functionality on Facebook
Having a strong presence on major social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, is a must for brands and influencers. While you just can’t focus on one platform, having an all-inclusive social media marketing strategy can be tiring. This makes the cross-posting functionality on Facebook a helpful tool in effortlessly maintaining an online presence since you can post the same content in just one go. Just keep in mind the restrictions listed above.
Facebook and Instagram have differences that you need to consider when taking advantage of this new functionality. One is that Facebook allows you to add clickable links in the caption; on Instagram, you can only add a clickable link in your bio. When writing a caption, avoid adding links as much as possible or remove them on Instagram after posting since they won’t work there.
The type of audience may also differ in the two social media platforms. Your Instagram followers may be a lot younger than those on Facebook. Make sure that the cross-posted content appeals to the tastes of different audiences.
If your only purpose is to post photos on your Instagram profile from your desktop, then use this new functionality on Facebook then delete your Facebook post afterward. This does away with the need for third-party apps.
