Getting Started with Instagram

The Spectra Pro Instagram Feed block lets you display your Instagram posts directly on your WordPress site, keeping your content fresh without any manual updates. To make this work, you need to connect your Instagram account by generating an access token through a Meta app you create and own.

This guide walks you through each step of that process, from setting up your Instagram account to pasting the token into Spectra. Go through the sections below in order, and you will have everything connected in just a few minutes.

Why You Need to Create Your Own Meta App

When we first built the Instagram Feed block, we managed a shared Meta app on your behalf. Over time, Meta’s changing requirements made it difficult to maintain reliability, which caused token expiry and feed downtime for users. By creating your own Meta app, you are in full control of your token, and your feed will not be affected by changes to anyone else’s setup.

Convert Your Instagram Account to a Business or Creator Account

Meta’s Instagram API requires a Business or Creator account to generate access tokens. If your account is still a personal account, here is how to switch it over.

1. Log in to Instagram on your desktop and go to your profile.
2. Click the gear icon on the top right and go to Settings and Privacy.
3. Under the “For Professionals” section, click on Account Type and Tools.
4. Click on Switch to Professional Account and follow the prompts to switch to a Business account.

Create a Facebook Developer Account

Before you can create a Meta app, you need a Facebook developer account. If you already have one, you can skip this step.

1. Log in to Facebook on your browser and go to https://developers.facebook.com/async/registration
2. Agree to the Terms and Conditions and verify your account.
3. When asked to select an account type, choose Developer and continue.

You can refer to this article from Meta for additional details if needed: https://developers.facebook.com/docs/development/register

Create Your Meta App

Once your developer account is ready, go to https://developers.facebook.com/apps/creation/ to start creating your app. The creation wizard has five steps, and we will walk you through each one.

Step 1: App Details

Enter a name for your app in the App Name field. This is the name that will appear on your My Apps page and will be associated with your app ID. You can change it later from Settings. Enter your contact email address in the App Contact Email field, then click Next.

Step 2: Use Cases

On this step, you select what your app will be used for. Click on the filter and select All to see all available use cases. From the list, select Manage messaging and content on Instagram, which covers publishing posts, sharing stories, responding to comments, answering direct messages, and more through the Instagram API. Then click Next.

Step 3: Business

This step asks you to connect a business portfolio. For the purposes of generating an Instagram token for Spectra, you do not need to connect one right now. Select the option that says “I don’t want to connect a business portfolio yet” and click Next.

Step 4: Publishing Requirements

This page shows any steps you need to complete to get access to user and business data. At this point, it should say no requirements have been identified, which is expected. Just click Next to continue.

Step 5: Overview

Review the details you have entered and click Create App to finish. Meta will redirect you to your new app dashboard.

Add Your Instagram Account as a Tester

After your app is created, you need to add your Instagram account to the app so it can generate a token for you.

1. In your app dashboard, look at the bottom of the left sidebar and click on App Roles, then select Roles.
2. Click the Add People button.
3. A popup will appear showing available roles. Select Instagram Tester. A search field will appear where you can search for your Instagram username. Find your account, select it, and click Add.

After adding your account, you will see it listed with a Pending status. This means an invitation has been sent to your Instagram account that you need to accept.

To accept the invitation:

1. Open the Instagram app on your phone (or log in on desktop).
2. Go to your profile and tap More, then Settings.
3. Go to Website Permissions, then Apps and Websites, then Tester Invites.
4. Find the invite for your Meta app. The name will include your app name followed by IG, for example: Spectra Feed Block-IG. Tap to accept it.

Once you accept the invite, go back to your Meta app dashboard and refresh the page. The Pending status next to your account will be removed.

Generate Your Access Token

Now that your Instagram account is connected to the app, you can generate the access token that Spectra needs.

1. In your app dashboard, go to Use Cases in the left sidebar.
2. Find Manage messaging and content on Instagram and click the Customize button next to it.
3. Scroll down to the second section, labeled Generate Access Tokens.
4. You will see your Instagram account listed along with a Generate Token button next to it. Click it.

A new browser window or tab will open, asking you to log in to your Instagram account and allow the necessary permissions. Log in and approve the permissions. Once that is done, you will be redirected back to your Meta app dashboard.

Your token will now be visible in the Generate Access Tokens section. Copy it.

Connect Your Instagram Account in Spectra

You are almost done. The last step is to paste your token into Spectra.

1. Go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Spectra in the left sidebar.
2. Go to Settings, then the Integration tab.
3. Paste your access token into the Instagram token field and click Link Account.

Once the account is linked, you can add the Instagram Feed block to any page or post, and it will pull in your posts automatically.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to repeat this process every time I want to add a new Instagram account?

Yes, but the process is quick once you are familiar with it. You would add the new account as an Instagram Tester in your existing Meta app, accept the invite, and then generate a new token for that account. You do not need to create a new Meta app each time.

My token stopped working. What should I do?

Go back to your Meta app, navigate to Use Cases > Manage messaging and content on Instagram > Customize, and generate a new token for your account. Then update the token in Spectra settings.

Can I add someone else’s Instagram account to my Meta app?

Yes. Add their Instagram username as a Tester under App Roles > Roles, just as you did with your own account. They will receive a Tester invite on their Instagram profile that they need to accept. Once they do, you can generate a token for their account from the same Generate Access Tokens section.

We hope this guide helped you get your Instagram feed up and running without any trouble. If you run into any issues at any point, feel free to reach out to our support team, and we will be happy to help.