Account Connection Checklist

Conditions a Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn or YouTube account must meet before it can be connected to a third-party publishing tool (Buffer, Sprout Social, Hootsuite, or an integration built on the same APIs).

Facebook

• It is a Facebook Page, not a personal profile (Meta does not allow automated posting to personal profiles).
• The connecting user authenticates through a personal profile that holds the Page Admin / "Full control" role.
• The admin role is direct, not inherited from a parent Page (inherited admins cannot authorize the connection).
• The Page is published and unrestricted (not unpublished, age- or country-gated, or in a violation state).
• All requested permissions are granted during OAuth — including for Pages you don't intend to connect; missing scopes hide the Page from the tool.
• (For API integrations) The app has the pages_manage_posts, pages_read_engagement and pages_show_list permissions approved.

Instagram

• The account is a Business or Creator account, not a personal account.
• It is linked to a Facebook Page that the same user administers.
• The connection is authorized by a Facebook Page Admin with full control.
• All Page and Instagram permissions are granted in the Meta authorization step.
• (Recommended) The account has 100+ followers — below this, the API may not return full analytics.
• The account is in good standing (not restricted, shadow-limited or pending review).
• Note: some features (e.g. direct auto-publish vs. notification-only) depend on the Business vs. Creator type.

TikTok

• The account can authorize the TikTok Content Posting API (login + OAuth consent completed).
• The user grants the video/photo publishing scopes during authorization.
• The account is not private for the content types being published (public posting required for direct publish).
• The account is in good standing (no posting bans, age restrictions or region blocks).
• The connecting user is logged into the correct TikTok account in the browser before authorizing (avoids linking the wrong one).
• Content meets TikTok's API publishing rules (file format, length, size) or it will be rejected at publish time.
• Note: trending/licensed sounds cannot be added via the API — only at-upload sounds the API exposes.

X (Twitter)

• The connecting user is logged into the correct X account in the browser before authorizing (the tool connects whichever account is logged in).
• The account grants read + write (posting) access during OAuth authorization.
• The account is in good standing (not suspended, locked or restricted).
• (For your own API integration) The app has the appropriate X API access tier with write permissions — paid API tiers and rate limits apply since the 2023 API changes.
• The authorizing app has not been revoked in the account's app settings (revoking invalidates the token).
• Both personal and business X accounts are allowed (no business-type requirement).

LinkedIn

• You choose the correct target: a Personal Profile or a Company Page (both are supported).
• For a Company Page, the connecting user holds Super Admin access on that Page — otherwise it won't be listed.
• The user is logged into the LinkedIn account that holds the required access before authorizing.
• OAuth authorization is granted with the requested posting scopes.
• The account/Page is in good standing (not restricted or under review).
• (For API integrations) The app is approved for the Community Management / Share API with the needed w_member_social / organization scopes.

YouTube

• The connecting user is signed in as the channel owner (so the tool finds the correct channel).
• The correct channel is selected — note Brand Account channels vs. personal channels (be signed into the one you intend to publish to).
• The Google/YouTube account email is verified — unverified accounts are limited to 10 posts per 24 hours and cannot add external links in descriptions.
• OAuth consent granted for the YouTube upload/publish scopes.
• The channel is in good standing (no strikes or upload restrictions).
• Note: the official verification badge (100,000+ subscribers) is not required to connect or post — it only affects the public badge.

Cross-cutting (all platforms)

• Correct account type for the platform — Business/professional where required (Facebook, Instagram, often TikTok); personal allowed on X, LinkedIn, YouTube.
• Admin/owner authorization by someone with posting rights (Page admin, Super Admin, channel owner).
• OAuth consent fully granted, all scopes accepted.
• Account in good standing — no bans, restrictions or pending appeals.
• Tokens kept valid — re-authorization is needed when tokens expire, passwords change, or roles/apps are revoked.