New Instagram Requirement: Professional Account

As of December 2, 2024, we have new requirements for connecting your Instagram account to the Hummingbirds platform. The biggest changes you will notice in the flow are that you must have a Professional Instagram account to engage and complete campaigns.

Why?

Meta has changed the rules that third-party platforms, like Hummingbirds, use to connect to Instagram. While this paves the way for a better creator experience in the future, it does require you to have a professional account within Instagram.

Take a look at our FAQs to learn more and get your questions answered. Thank you for being part of our community of local creators!

1. What is a professional Instagram account?

   An Instagram Professional account is an account that enables third-party platforms, like Hummingbirds, to track their engagement and metrics on certain posts. This type includes business accounts and creator accounts, each offering advanced tools for audience insights and content performance. A professional account does not cost anything and if at any time you decide to switch back to a personal account, you can.

2. Why can't I keep a personal Instagram account?

   Meta no longer pulls data and content (think photos from posts or videos from Reels) from personal accounts that are public or private. They only integrate data and content from professional accounts. This is likely to protect personal users' data and allow professional accounts to have more compelling data to share with brands.

3. How do I know if I have a professional account, or not?

   Go to your Instagram profile and click on the menu icon (three lines). In settings and activity, scroll down to the "For professional" section.

   • If you already have a professional account it will say "Professional Account".

   • If you do not have a professional account it will say "Account type and tools" and provide the option to switch.

4. What if I don't want to have a professional account?

   That is absolutely your call and we respect your decision. Starting 12/2/24 you must have a professional Instagram account connected to be able to express interest and complete campaigns. It's the only way for us to create meaningful impact with brands that want to work with creators to see the content they create in one dashboard, as well as the metrics associated with the content.

5. Should I pick a creator or a business account?

   A majority of our hummingbirds have a creator account, but they're very similar! You can have either a creator or business account to participate in campaigns.

6. What category should I be as a creator?

   It's completely up to you. Most hummingbirds select "Digital creator," however you don't have to have the category displayed on your Instagram account.

7. What type of data do you get when I connect as a creator or business account?

   Meta is protective of your data which means we only get the essentials we request and get approved for. For our platform, we only request access to your posts and (if you're an enhanced profile), the data associated with the posts. We have no other information or way to access your account.

8. What's the difference between having a personal and a creator account?

   We've tested this several times and ways. Honestly, the difference is minimal and your friends & followers would never know. You do get access to more tools and back-end insights on your content that can help you understand where you get the most engagement, reach, etc.

9. Can I just connect my Facebook profile?

   With the recent changes, we are no longer able to support hummingbirds who only connect Facebook profiles. You must have a professional Instagram account to participate in Hummingbird campaigns.

10. How do I ensure my Instagram account is approved for paid campaigns?

    To get your social media account approved for paid campaigns on the Hummingbirds platform, make sure you have connected the correct Instagram account with an active posting history and accurate follower count. If you have multiple accounts, verify that the one linked to your Hummingbirds profile matches your intended professional account. Update your profile to reflect your current follower count and posting activity. Regularly post content related to local brands and experiences to align with the platform's focus. If you encounter issues connecting the right account, consult the troubleshooting guide in our knowledge base for step-by-step instructions on properly linking your social media profiles.

Click here to learn how to connect your Instagram to the Hummingbirds Platform