New Instagram Dashboard Comes to Facebook Creator Studio

Facebook's Creator Studio is incorporating an Instagram dashboard!

So, what does this mean for marketers? This means being able to utilize one dashboard to get deeper insights into your data for both Facebook and Instagram.

Let’s take a look at what we know about the Facebook Creator Studio App, where Facebook is forecasting to go with other platforms, what this integration might look like and how you can leverage this to benefit your brand.

What Is Facebook Creator Studio?

If you’re not familiar with it, the Facebook Creator Studio App was developed to assist creators in managing their pages and content.

With Creator Studio, you have the ability to track and manage your content across various pages, in one place. This makes reporting for community managers who may be managing multiple pages much more convenient.

You can have multiple Facebook accounts in one place and report on them without having to log in and out of multiple dashboards. This simplifies the reporting process and gives us all back something that is of the highest importance, time!

The Creator Studio dashboard was initially set up for just Facebook and was split into three sections each with their own capabilities/ functions:

1. The left section: is where you will find your menu that hosts the various “view” you can toggle through. Don’t worry we have more info on the various views later on.
2. The center section: allows you to view posts. It even has the ability to search through posts by keywords can you say convenient?
3. The right section: is where you can access post insights, seeing details like the number of posts you have published, drafted  or scheduled posts.
   
   

Some of the notable Creator Studio features are:

• Inbox View: which allows users to manage messages and comments directly from Creator Studio.
• Content Library: which allows users to sort post types, dates, statuses, and more with additional filters. You are even able to view the activity of posts.
• Loyalty View: shines a light on your followers’ activity and demonstrates how many were returning viewers, plus how long people engaged with your videos.
• Sound Collection: which stores a variety of sound effects and tracks you can use in your videos.

How Does Instagram Fit Into Creator Studio?

If you have recently logged into the Facebook Creator Studio App you might be one of the lucky individuals to notice the option to integrate Instagram to your dashboard.

I say “might” because this feature has not been rolled out to everyone just yet and, unfortunately, there is no word on when it will be.

By integrating Instagram you are not getting any additional insights. However, there is still value in integrating.

While Instagram is widely loved, it is notorious for being a hassle because it is an app made for mobile.

While I love using Instagram on my phone, I don't love tracking data on it. The new integration will allow you to view your Instagram efforts on your desktop.

An added bonus is that everything will be in one place. This means you can have a one-stop shop for reporting on these two platforms.

Comparing your data is simple because you can tap the Facebook Icon to see your stats and then clock the Instagram icon and compare your data in real time.

Why The Change?

This dashboard merger is all part of a bigger plan. At the beginning of 2019, Facebook announced that they had plans to let Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp users message each other.

While Facebook has made it clear that each platform will remain their own entities, according to the Times, Facebook is rebuilding the underlying infrastructure so that people who might use only one of Facebook’s properties could communicate with others within the company’s ecosystem. All of the apps will support end-to-end encryption as well.

This integration supports this same foundational movement. It is allowing Instagram and Facebook to remain true to their own identities while allowing a streamlined infrastructure for users.

There are many reasons why Facebook could be linking their platforms together.

Some statements made by Facebook have implied that linked messaging will provide better security, so it is likely that Facebook is hoping to link many of these platforms together to prevent other companies from encroaching on their consumers.

If they can keep users engaged in their own platforms by making them more user-friendly and intertwined there is less likelihood that they will lose out to services.

What Does This Mean for Marketers?

While the Instagram tab isn’t offering new insights, you are getting the perks of more readily available information on a desktop. This integration ultimately is providing you more convenience in tracking your data.

You can now spend more time in 2019 looking at insights instead of wasting time switching between devices and logging in and out of multiple accounts.

Based on what we know this is likely the first of many mergers that we will be seeing from Facebook!

Adding The Instagram Integration Is Easy

Adding Instagram to your dashboard os easy and intuitive; however,

it is important to note that you must have a business tools account to start the integration if you do not already.

Getting this is simple:

• Open the Instagram App on your mobile device.
• Go to Settings and tap Get Instagram Business Tools.
• Click continue when you're done to see your Instagram account in Creator Studio.

Once you have your business tools setup you are ready to integrate!

1. Click the Instagram Icon at the top of your Creator Studio Dashboard
2. Click the “Link Your Account” CTA
3. You will have some service agreements to OK before you can go on. It appears to be pretty standard jargon that Facebook is stating, “Anyone with privileges to manage the linked Facebook Page will also be able to manage certain elements of your Instagram account.”Select “OK”
4. Enter your accounts credential
5. Boom -- you have yourself an integration!