Features like scheduling posts in advance, managing multiple accounts from one control center, and tracking performance in detail make Hootsuite every social media manager’s dream. However, this dream can quickly come crashing down once the platform fails to post to Instagram.
Fortunately, you’ll find out that an error occurred from Hootsuite directly and not from a missing photo, video, or carousel on your feed. Once you do, you can troubleshoot the issue and find a solution with the tips and tricks featured in this article.
Why Hootsuite Fails to Post to Instagram
Hootsuite users wanting to post to Instagram directly will have to use a feature called Composer. This is where a publishing error will be displayed if your post fails to go through.
For those scheduling posts, Hootsuite Planner is the place to be. If your Instagram content fails to post once the publishing time arrives, you’ll receive an email notification. Visit the Planner, and you’ll see why your post failed to publish (look for the title in red).
From there, you can view the publishing error and Hootsuite’s recommendations on how to proceed. To ensure you don’t have to go through this hassle frequently, check out the list of the most common publishing errors and consider optimizing your future content to avoid them.
Your Instagram Account Is Disconnected
Like most social media platforms, Instagram is constantly going through updates. Sometimes, these updates can mess with the platform’s integrations, resulting in it getting disconnected from Hootsuite. And if your Instagram account is disconnected, your posts have nowhere to go.
Luckily, there’s an easy fix – reconnect your Instagram account to Hootsuite.
- Visit the “My profile” tab in the upper-right corner.
- Navigate to the “Reconnect social accounts” option.
- Locate your Instagram account.
- Select the “Reconnect” option.
- Enter your Instagram username and password.
Your Instagram Account Is Inactive or Restricted
Just because your Instagram account is correctly connected to Hootsuite, it doesn’t mean you’ll be able to post to it hassle-free. Especially if your Instagram account has been restricted by the social media platform. Such a restriction can result from a long period of inactivity or a violation of Instagram’s Terms of Use, among many things.
Whatever the case, there’s no point guessing when you can identify the issue in a few clicks. Comb through your received emails, and look for an email from Instagram. There, you should be able to see what is blocking you from posting to the platform. Resolve the issue, and you’ll be back posting through Hootsuite in no time.
Instagram Is Temporarily Limiting Your Access
It turns out there can be too much of a good thing, after all. Well, according to Instagram, at least. Post too much or take too many actions within a relatively short time frame and a limit might be imposed on your Instagram account. Since the platform isn’t particularly forthcoming about these limits, your safest bet is to give it some time (at least 24 hours) and check if the limit has been lifted.
Page Setup Is Incomplete for Publishing
If you see this error in your Composer or Planner, it means that Hootsuite doesn’t have the necessary permissions to post to Instagram on your behalf. This can occur when your account’s setup changes after adding it to Hootsuite.
Here’s how to fix this issue:
- Go to the “My profile” tab in the bottom-left corner of your screen.
- Navigate to the “Manage accounts and teams” option.
- Locate the problematic Instagram account under “Private social accounts.”
- Go to “Profile settings.”
- Select the “Reconnect with Instagram” option.
- Type in your Instagram username and password.
- Approve the following permission prompts to complete the action.
Other requirements for direct publishing on Hootsuite include the following:
- You have a Business profile on Instagram.
- The Instagram profile is connected to a Facebook page.
- You are an Admin or an Editor on the connected Facebook page.
All these criteria must be met for Hootsuite to be able to post to Instagram directly. Otherwise, reconnecting your Instagram account won’t do much for your publishing problem.
Your Instagram Profile Doesn’t Have Access to Direct Publishing
There are three types of Instagram profiles:
- Personal
- Business
- Creator
For the purpose of this article, we’ll focus on the latter two.
With a Business profile, Hootsuite will grant you full access to all its Instagram features. Publish your posts directly or schedule them for later; it’s up to you.
However, a Creator profile doesn’t give you as much freedom. Namely, users with this profile type on Instagram can’t use the direct publishing feature on Hootsuite. If they try, they’ll meet with an error.
The only way to resolve this issue is to convert your Instagram account to a Business profile (and connect it to a Facebook page).
- Launch the Instagram app.
- Tap on your profile in the bottom-right corner.
- Press the hamburger icon in the top-right corner to open the menu.
- Visit “Settings.”
- Locate the “Switch account type” option under “Account.”
- Select the “Switch to business account” option.
- Tap “Switch.”
The Image You Want to Post Has an Unsupported Aspect Ratio
The problem with Hootsuite and Instagram doesn’t necessarily lie in their connection. It can also have to do with the content you’re trying to post.
To post images to Instagram (in general, not just through Hootsuite), you have to play by specific rules. One of these rules includes following the pre-determined aspect ratio. Your image can be either square or somewhere between the 1.91:1 (landscape) and 4:5 (portrait) ratios.
You might feel these limitations stifle your creativity, but if you want the world to see your image, you must resize it.
- Hover over the image’s thumbnail.
- Select the “Edit image” option.
- Choose one of the crop rations allowed on Instagram.
To avoid this issue, make the necessary adjustments before uploading the image to Instagram. Alternatively, simply let Hootsuite do it for you.
If you switch to “Publish via mobile notification” as the publishing method on Hootsuite, the platform will adjust your Instagram post for you.
Your Instagram Post Is a Duplicate
This is another content problem that has an easy fix – make each Instagram post unique (or at least space out the duplicates). If you try to post identical or nearly identical Instagram content repeatedly, the platform will flag it for violating its Terms of Use.
A Temporary Error Occurred
Sometimes the reason behind your content failing to post to Instagram isn’t deep-rooted. It might just be a temporary lack of connection. If you see the message that a temporary error occurred, give it a few minutes and try posting again.
If the issue persists, Hootsuite might be experiencing publishing issues as a whole. Check the platform’s status page to see if an outrage is underway. If yes, the only solution is to wait it out.
A Quick Fix
Don’t let a publishing error discourage you from discovering all the wonders of using Hootsuite for social media management. Whatever the issue, you can find a solution in our list. You might need to wait a little while or tweak your settings here and there, but you’ll be back to posting to Instagram in no time.
Do you use Hootsuite for social media management? What’s your favorite feature? Let us know in the comments section below.
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