One of the most popular tools for anyone managing social media is Hootsuite. It's a great resource that streamlines social media feeds, scheduling, and activity. If you're familiar with using Hootsuite, you know how useful it can be.
Last year, Hootsuite introduced the Instagram app to its platform (you can add the app from the Hootsuite App Directory). It's important to clarify that Instagram on Hootsuite is an app, not a social network. This means that while you can monitor and manage Instagram with Hootsuite, you do not have full functionality like you do with Facebook and Twitter on Hootsuite.
When it comes to managing Instagram with Hootsuite, you can view, like, and comment other users' posts. Unfortunately, you cannot upload posts to Instagram through Hootsuite. Nor can you schedule any posts to Instagram.
But before you go thinking it's worthless to manage your Instagram accounts on Hootsuite, consider these couple things.
One of the biggest requests that Instagram users have is the ability to manage multiple Instagram accounts from one location. Unfortunately, Instagram continues to hold out on this function but there are a few ways to semi-manage multiple Instagram accounts. One way is through Hootsuite.
You can add multiple streams to an Instagram tab on your Hootsuite dashboard. And those streams can be from different Instagram accounts. If you would like the ability to view, like, and comment on posts from multiple accounts, this can easily be done through Hootsuite.
When you first add the Instagram app to your Hootsuite account, you'll be prompted to start a new tab. I recommend creating a unique Instagram tab so select this option. Whichever Instagram account you are currently logged into on your device will appear in the first stream. You will see the most recent posts of those you follow.
If you would like to add a second Instagram account, you'll need to first switch Instagram accounts on your device. Log out of your current account and log into your second account. Then return to the Hootsuite dashboard and add another stream to your Instagram tab. You'll need to select the "apps" option and then select "Instagram" to add a new Instagram stream. You'll need to authorize Hootsuite to access your Instagram account information. Once the new stream populates, you'll have the ability to view, like, and comment on the posts from both of your Instagram accounts. You can easily repeat the process if you have additional Instagram accounts.
Another good reason to connect Instagram with Hootsuite is the ability to monitor hashtags on Instagram. If you use specific hashtags for your business, a contest, a promotion, or other purpose, you can easily monitor it alongside your Instagram stream(s).
To monitor a hashtag in its own stream, you'll need to add another stream to your Instagram tab. Again, select the "apps" and then "Instagram" to add a new stream. If you're monitoring multiple accounts, it doesn't matter which one you are currently logged into.
In this new stream, click on the magnifying glass icon to conduct a search. Type in the hashtag (without the actual # symbol) into the search bar and click "search". Now you have a full stream dedicated only to this specific hashtag. This makes monitoring hashtags on Instagram really easy!
I realize that this still isn't a perfect solution to Instagram account management. However, if you're an avid Hootsuite user, this may make monitoring your Instagram activity a little easier. And who doesn't like easier?!
I'd like to know, will you use Hootsuite to manage your Instagram accounts? Let me know in the comments below!
THIS is just AWESOME thank you so much for this post!!
Thanks Kriss! So glad you found it useful 🙂
Using Instagram CONSTANTLY and having hootesuite pro, yes. Thanks again! I am really glad we are in the tribe together!
That’s great then! I’m so happy we’re in the same tribe too 🙂
So would this set up have to be done all on a mobile device via apps? I’m confused because IG is an app only (not web based) interface.
Not at all, Jimmie! Once you have the app installed on your mobile device, you can manage it from a desktop. You can set up Instagram management on Hootsuite through a computer dashboard as well. In fact you can even manage your Instagram account on a computer once you have the app installed. The only thing you cannot do (without a viable third party app) is upload images to your Instagram account through anything but a mobile device.
You can embed your images and video’s into your webpages, which is kind of cool!
Having just bought hootsuite pro, I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t have full functionality with instagram. being that we are developing our own photo journaling app, and have had to deal with instagram ourselves, I know they are quite proprietary and this is probably the reason. I’m hoping that they can figure out how to break down this wall and allow us hootsuite lovers the ability to post to the most widely used photo network! In the meantime hootsuite has plenty of functionality to make it worth the pro upgrade!
It is frustrating that Instagram holds its accessibility so close to home, Sally. I also hope they loosen the reins soon and allow for more management through their own site as well as through sites like Hootsuite. Given that Facebook has the Page Manager app and access through sites like Hootsuite, I think it’s only a matter of time until we see something similar for IG. I really think they’ve grown so quickly that there are a number of things they want to do and a number of things they have to do. But only so much can be done at any given time.
In the meantime, enjoy your upgraded Hootsuite account! 🙂
Thanks for the post. So helpful. While i’d love to be able to post, this is a great start.
I’m glad you found it useful, Amy. I agree that posting would be a HUGE benefit for many of us. Fingers crossed that it happens soon 😉
I know this is an old post, but its definitely a useful one for hootsuite beginners. Thank you.
I found Gramblr (Mac & PC) for posting when I don’t want to use mobile. Not sure how widely it is known or used but it partly fills a hole left by the restricted functionality of Hootsuite’s Instagram app. Still doesn’t handle multiple accounts without the old sign-out, sign-in routine.
BTW if these guys can do it, why can’t Hootsuite?
Thanks David! I’m glad you found it useful. Thanks for the tip on Gramblr. I’ll have to look into that for sure. I honestly hope that Hootsuite will provide improved access and functionality for Instagram. We have to remember, though, that IG is still “new” to a lot of people. It’s growing so rapidly that third party apps and management tools are having a hard time keeping up, let alone the fact that IG doesn’t want to give up much control to these tools.
Thanks for how to run IG thru Hootsuite. I sure wish Instagram would enable admin usage and photo uploads from a computer instead of only thru the mobile app. It’s quite the pain in the neck!
Good post!
I wish they would allow it too! I think, in time, they will. I just hope it’s sooner that later 😉
gramfeed.com allows you to manage multiple instagram accounts to like/comment/follow and other stuff, but instagram does not allow 3rd party apps to upload photos.
Thanks for the article. I’m using HS and doing all you mention here to merge the monitoring with IG> Still, I think, is not completely comfortable and…
– How you set the notifications for “photos of you” or even hashtags you’re tracking on the HS dashboard?-
Also, is there any way to add IG streams to the HS mobile app (android)? Or any other way to monitor multiple accounts (notifications, photos of you, etc.) from your mobile (Android)? Thanks!
Hi Agustina. Unfortunately, there’s no perfect way to manage multiple Instagram accounts. Any option is going to have certain limitations.
To track hashtags or other items, add a new Instagram stream to your dashboard. Select the “Search” icon under the stream header and select the hashtag you want to track. Any Instagram posts with that hashtag will now appear in that stream.
I don’t personally use the HS mobile app, so I’m not sure if you can add an IG stream that way, but if you add it through the desktop application, you should have access to it on your mobile device.
I’ve heard really good things about Padgram which allows Android users to manage multiple IG accounts. Try that one out.
I love Hootsuite for tracking hashtags and multiple accounts, just like Jenn described above.
What I am looking for is a good solution for managing comments on Instagram. Is there a way to set up a feed on Hootsuite that is populated with Istagram comments? Currently I use Iconosquare which lets me manage comments on my last 5 photos, but I still would love to find a way to manage comments on all my images. Has anyone found any good solutions for this? Thanks for any help! =)
Hi Rafi. In Hootsuite, if you select the “my photos” option from your Instagram stream (it looks like a little business card icon), you can see all of your photos. You can also see all of the comments on each post and the number of likes. You can add comments from this stream as well. I’m not sure how far back you can go in your posts, but mine goes back way further than the last 5 posts you get on Iconosquare.
I hope this helps.