Connect Instagram
Connecting Instagram lets you write, schedule and publish posts from Vivreal, reply to comments and messages, and see how each post did, without opening the Instagram app.
Instagram connects on its own in Vivreal. You do not need a Facebook Page, and you do not need to connect Facebook first. The two are separate channels here, so you can have either, both, or neither.
Before you start
You need an Instagram Business or Creator account. A personal account cannot be connected, because Instagram only allows outside tools to post to the other two.
Switching is free and takes a minute, from the Instagram app under Settings, then Account type and tools.
1. Open the Instagram channel
In Vivreal, go to Channels and tap Instagram.
2. Sign in to Instagram
Tap Connect. Vivreal sends you to Instagram to sign in and approve the connection. You are approving Vivreal, so you never give us your Instagram password.
Approve everything Instagram asks for. If you leave a permission unticked, the matching part of the channel stops working. The most commonly missed one is insights, which is what fills the Analytics tab.
3. Come back to Vivreal
Instagram sends you back to the Channels page and your account name appears under Connected.
That is it. You can post right away.
4. Set your default hashtags, if you want any
Open the Settings tab. Default Hashtags is a set of hashtags added to the end of every post you publish from Vivreal, so you do not retype your regulars. Separate them with spaces, and leave it blank if you would rather add them per post.
What you get once it is connected
The Instagram channel has six tabs.
| Tab | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Overview | Your connected account and a summary of recent posts |
| Posts | Everything you have written here: published, scheduled and drafts |
| Comments | Reply to, hide and delete comments on your published posts |
| Inbox | Your Instagram direct messages |
| Analytics | How the account is doing overall |
| Settings | Default hashtags, reconnecting, and disconnecting |
Posting
From the Posts tab, tap the + button. You can publish a feed post, a reel, or a carousel.
Every Instagram post needs at least one image or video. Instagram does not accept a text-only post, from Vivreal or anywhere else.
| Limit | |
|---|---|
| Caption | Up to 2,200 characters |
| Images or videos | Up to 10, and at least 1 |
| Carousel | At least 2 files |
Leave the publish date blank to post immediately, or set a future date and time to schedule it. Scheduled posts go out on their own, so you do not need to keep Vivreal open.
Comments
The Comments tab lists your published posts. Pick one and you can reply to any comment, hide it, or delete it. Replies appear straight away.
Only published posts appear here. Drafts and scheduled posts have not reached Instagram yet, so there is nothing on them to moderate.
Inbox
The Inbox tab is your Instagram direct messages, with the conversation list on one side and the thread on the other. On a phone you get one at a time, with a back button.
Instagram closes the reply window after 24 hours
Instagram only lets a business reply to someone for 24 hours after that person's last message. Vivreal shows you where each conversation stands, and tells you when the window has closed rather than letting you write a reply that would be rejected. This is Instagram's rule and applies to every tool, including the Instagram app.
Analytics
The Analytics tab shows followers, reach, views and engaged accounts, a chart of reach and views over the last 28 days, and your top posts.
For a single post, open the Posts tab, tap the options button on any published post, and choose Analytics.
If Analytics asks you to reconnect
Account insights only flow once Instagram has granted the insights permission. If that was skipped when you connected, or Instagram has not finished approving it, the tab asks you to reconnect instead of showing you zeroes. Reconnect from the Settings tab and approve everything this time.
We would rather show you nothing than show you a zero that is not real.
If something is not working
- Instagram would not let you connect. Check the account is Business or Creator, not personal.
- The Analytics tab asks you to reconnect. The insights permission was not granted. Reconnect from Settings.
- A post did not go out. See Post did not go out.
- You want to stop. Settings, then Disconnect. Your posts stay in Vivreal, and nothing is removed from Instagram.
Next steps
- Scheduling posts, including publishing to several channels at the same moment.
- Connect Facebook, which is a separate channel from this one.
- All connections.