In this blog post, I want to show you how to post to Facebook and Instagram at the same time using Meta Business Suite on a PC. This follows on from my previous post, How To Link Your Facebook Page To Your Instagram Business Account, where I explained how I connected the two accounts.
After linking my Roy Bretton Online Facebook Page to my Instagram Business account, I assumed my Facebook posts would automatically appear on Instagram. However, after trying it out, I discovered that this isn’t always what happens. You still need to make sure you publish your content to both Facebook and Instagram.
Fortunately, the solution was straightforward. Instead of creating my post directly on my Facebook Page, I needed to use Meta Business Suite. From there, I could select both Facebook and Instagram before publishing.
Linking Facebook And Instagram Is Only The First Step
This is probably the most important point to understand. Connecting your Facebook Page to Instagram allows the accounts to work together through Meta’s business tools. However, that doesn’t mean every post you create directly on Facebook will automatically appear on Instagram.
This initially caught me out because everything appeared to be connected correctly. Facebook showed my Instagram account as linked, and the settings looked fine. It was only after publishing some content that I noticed several Facebook posts hadn’t appeared on Instagram.
Once I started using Meta Business Suite, everything made much more sense. I simply selected Facebook and Instagram before publishing the post. The content then appeared on both platforms as expected.
If you haven’t connected your accounts yet, start with my guide on linking your Facebook Page to your Instagram Business account. Once you’ve completed that part, you can follow the process below.
Why I Wanted To Post To Facebook And Instagram Together
I have had an Instagram account for some time, but until recently I hadn’t made much use of it. I’ve been putting more effort into my Facebook Page, so it made sense to use Instagram as well. If I’m already creating posts, images and videos, why not make better use of them?
I don’t particularly want to create twice as much work simply because I have two social media accounts. If one piece of content suits both platforms, I can potentially reach more people without repeating the whole process.
Of course, that doesn’t mean everything should automatically go everywhere. Facebook and Instagram are different platforms, and some content will need adjusting. However, where a post works on both, managing everything from one place can save time.
This fits with something I wrote about in How To Simplify The Process Of Internet Marketing. Internet marketing can quickly become complicated when we keep adding platforms and tasks. Wherever possible, I like to simplify the process without reducing the quality of the content.
What Is Meta Business Suite?
Meta Business Suite gives you one place to manage business activity across Facebook and Instagram. Once you connect the accounts, you can use Business Suite to work with both platforms without continually moving between them.
Depending on your account and the features Meta provides, you can manage posts, Reels, Stories, messages, comments and insights. You can also schedule content and work with advertising. For me, one of the most useful features is the ability to publish a post to Facebook and Instagram together.
Meta regularly changes the Facebook interface, so you may not always see exactly what I see in my video. Buttons move and menu names change from time to time. Even so, the basic principle of selecting your publishing destinations should remain much the same.
How To Open Meta Business Suite On A PC
I carried out this process on a PC. I generally prefer using a desktop computer for websites, Facebook, YouTube and other online business tools. The larger screen makes it easier for me to see the various settings and move between different applications.
From my Facebook Page, I can access Meta Business Suite through the Page management options. Once inside, I can create content and choose where I want it to appear. If you manage several Pages or accounts, check that you have selected the correct business before you start.
How To Post To Facebook And Instagram At The Same Time
Once you are inside Meta Business Suite, the process is quite straightforward. The important part is checking which accounts you have selected before clicking the Publish button.
- Open Meta Business Suite on your PC.
- Check that you are using the correct Facebook business Page.
- Click Create Post.
- Look at the section showing where your post will appear.
- Select your Facebook Page.
- Select your Instagram Business account.
- Add your text, image, video or other content.
- Check how the post will appear on each platform.
- Choose whether to publish immediately or schedule it for later.
- When everything looks right, click Publish.
Meta Business Suite shows my Roy Bretton Online Facebook and Instagram accounts near the top of the post creation area. I can therefore check both destinations before publishing. It only takes a few seconds, so I intend to make this part of my normal routine.
Why My Earlier Facebook Posts Didn’t Appear On Instagram
Previously, I would often create a post directly from my Facebook Page. I could add some text, upload an image or video and publish it. That works perfectly well when Facebook is the only destination.
The confusion started when I connected Instagram. I knew the connection had worked, so I expected my normal Facebook posts to appear on Instagram as well. When they didn’t, I initially wondered whether there was a problem with the connection.
There was nothing wrong with it. Once I used Meta Business Suite and selected both destinations, the post appeared on Instagram. I simply needed to change the way I published my content.
The easiest way to remember it is this: linked accounts do not necessarily mean automatic cross-posting. Linking makes it possible for the platforms to work together. You still need to tell Meta where you want your content to appear.
Does The Instagram Post Appear Instantly?
I also noticed that the Instagram version didn’t seem to appear at exactly the same moment as the Facebook post. There appeared to be a short delay. Therefore, I wouldn’t immediately assume something has gone wrong if Instagram takes a little longer.
Give it a short time and refresh Instagram before investigating further. If the post still hasn’t appeared, return to Meta Business Suite. Check that you selected Instagram and look for any publishing errors.
Not Every Facebook Post Will Suit Instagram
Publishing to both platforms is convenient, but I don’t think we should blindly send everything everywhere. Facebook and Instagram are different platforms. Their audiences may also respond differently to particular types of content.
Instagram is particularly visual, so photographs, graphics and videos can work well. A Facebook post that relies heavily on text may not be as suitable. On the other hand, a good graphic, photograph, Reel or short video could work very well on both platforms.
Before publishing, check whether the image format works on both platforms. Also consider the wording and your call to action. Saving time is useful, but the content still needs to work for the people who see it.
Getting More Value From The Content You Already Create
One of the main reasons this interests me is that good content takes time to create. First, you need an idea. You may then need to create an image, record and edit a video, and write the accompanying text.
If the finished content works on both Facebook and Instagram, publishing through Business Suite can save time. It also means I don’t have to log into several platforms and repeat the same basic job.
This becomes particularly important when you run an online business on your own. There are always plenty of jobs competing for your attention. Social media can easily consume hours of your working day if you don’t have a sensible system.
Adding A WhatsApp Button To A Facebook Post
While working through this process, I discovered another useful feature. I already have WhatsApp connected to my Facebook Page, and I wanted to add a WhatsApp contact option to one particular post.
I initially tried to do this through Meta Business Suite. Although I could see the WhatsApp option, it didn’t work as expected and I received an error. Fortunately, I found another way to add it.
I returned to my Facebook Page and found the post I wanted to change. After clicking the three dots, I selected Edit Post. Facebook then gave me the option I needed, and I successfully added the WhatsApp contact button.
How I Added The WhatsApp Button
If Meta Business Suite doesn’t let you add the WhatsApp option, try editing the Facebook post directly. This method worked for me, although Meta may change the available options in the future.
- Publish your Facebook post.
- Find the post on your Facebook Page.
- Click the three dots on the post.
- Select Edit Post.
- Look through the available options.
- Select the WhatsApp contact option.
- Save your changes.
After saving the changes, the WhatsApp option appeared on my post. This gives interested people a quick way to contact me without having to search for my details elsewhere.
Do You Need A WhatsApp Button On Every Post?
I wouldn’t add a WhatsApp button to every Facebook post simply because the option exists. Sometimes a post is there to provide information, start a conversation or encourage people to comment. In those cases, there may be no need for a private contact option.
However, WhatsApp can make sense when you genuinely want people to contact you. This might include a webinar, service, consultation or special offer. I prefer to use these features when they have a clear purpose rather than adding them automatically.
One Piece Of Content Can Be Used In Several Ways
I am increasingly looking at ways to get more value from the content I create. A normal YouTube video doesn’t necessarily have to remain just a YouTube video. Part of it could become a YouTube Short, Facebook Reel or Instagram Reel.
The same subject can also become a Facebook post, LinkedIn post or detailed article like this one. You don’t have to publish an identical version everywhere. Instead, you can adapt the original content to suit each platform.
Sometimes that means changing a landscape video into a vertical video. You might also shorten the wording, resize an image or change the introduction. Even so, much of the original work has already been done.
For someone running an online business without a large content team, this approach makes sense. Rather than continually creating everything from scratch, I can look for sensible ways to reuse the work I’ve already done.
Facebook And Instagram Are Only Part Of The Picture
Although I’m making more use of Facebook and Instagram, I don’t believe social media should be the whole business. These platforms can help us reach people, build an audience and start conversations. However, they still belong to somebody else.
This is one reason I continue developing Roy Bretton Online and publishing articles alongside my videos. A video can demonstrate exactly where to click and what happens on the screen. A blog post lets someone follow the instructions at their own pace and return to them later.
If you want to look at the wider online business process, you may also find How Making Money Online Really Works useful. That article looks beyond individual platforms and discusses some of the basic principles involved in building an online income.
Using Instagram To Direct People To Your Other Content
As I start using Instagram more, I also want to make it easy for visitors to find my other content. I have websites, YouTube videos and other online resources. Bringing the most important links together can therefore be useful.
One option is a link-in-bio service. I recently wrote How To Set Up A Linktree Account And Which Plan To Choose. If you’re building an Instagram presence, a service like this can provide visitors with easy access to several useful destinations.
What To Check If Your Facebook Post Doesn’t Appear On Instagram
If your content still isn’t appearing on Instagram, don’t immediately disconnect everything and start again. The problem may be something much simpler. I would check the following points first.
- Make sure your Facebook Page and Instagram account are still connected.
- Check that you have selected the correct Facebook Page in Meta Business Suite.
- Create the post through Meta Business Suite rather than directly on your Facebook Page.
- Make sure both Facebook and Instagram are selected.
- Check that the content is suitable for Instagram.
- Allow a little time for the Instagram post to appear.
- Refresh Instagram before assuming the post has failed.
- Look in Meta Business Suite for any publishing errors.
In my case, the connection itself was fine. I simply hadn’t realised that I needed to publish through Meta Business Suite and select both destinations. Once I understood that, the problem was easily solved.
Getting Into The Meta Business Suite Routine
The main change for me now is getting into the habit of starting with Meta Business Suite. Previously, I would naturally go straight to my Facebook Page and create a post there. That was simply the routine I had become used to.
Now that I want to make more use of Instagram, Business Suite makes more sense. It lets me check both destinations before publishing and manage more of my social media activity from one place. Once this becomes a habit, it shouldn’t feel like an extra step.
In fact, I hope it will eventually save me time. Instead of treating Facebook and Instagram as two completely separate jobs, I can use them together whenever the content is suitable for both.
My First Impressions
So far, I have been pleasantly surprised by how straightforward everything is once you understand the process. The part that caught me out was assuming that linking Instagram meant my normal Facebook posts would automatically appear there.
Now I know to create the post through Meta Business Suite and select both destinations. That makes the whole process much clearer. I’m still relatively new to using Instagram consistently, so I’ll continue experimenting and see how useful the connection becomes.
Final Thoughts
If you want to post to Facebook and Instagram at the same time, the process isn’t difficult. First, make sure you have connected your Facebook Page and Instagram Business account. Then open Meta Business Suite, create your content and select both accounts before publishing.
The main lesson I learned is that connecting Facebook and Instagram doesn’t necessarily make every Facebook post appear on Instagram. Meta Business Suite gives you control over the publishing destinations. You just need to remember to select them.
For me, the next stage is getting into a regular routine and seeing how much time this approach saves. If I can get more value from the content I’m already creating without doubling my workload, then connecting the two platforms will certainly have been worthwhile.
If you haven’t connected your accounts yet, read How To Link Your Facebook Page To Your Instagram Business Account. You may also find How To Simplify The Process Of Internet Marketing, How To Set Up A Linktree Account And Which Plan To Choose and How Making Money Online Really Works useful.
If you’re already using Meta Business Suite to publish to Facebook and Instagram, feel free to leave a comment below. I’d be interested to hear whether it has saved you time and whether you’ve discovered any other useful features.
Thanks for reading.