Instagram Post

Instagram Post

Create and schedule Instagram posts using the Publora MCP server. Supports image posts, carousels (2-10 images), Reels, and Stories. Requires an Instagram Business account.

Prerequisites

Plans: Works on the free Starter plan. Current limits and pricing: publora.com/pricing.

Getting Started

1. Create account at publora.com/register (free)
2. Convert to Business account in Instagram settings (Personal and Creator accounts are NOT supported by the API)
3. Connect Instagram via OAuth in Publora Dashboard
4. Get an API key at app.publora.com/dashboard/api, only if your agent cannot sign in with OAuth or you will use the REST API fallback below
5. Connect your agent to the MCP server at https://mcp.publora.com/mcp:
   • Upgrading a manual connection without /mcp: Claude treats https://mcp.publora.com as a different server from the bundled one. Change that existing connection to https://mcp.publora.com/mcp in its current scope, preserving its authentication and chosen account; sign in again if requested. Alternatively, verify the bundled connection uses the intended account, then remove only the old manual entry. Do not add a second entry or delete credentials automatically.
   • Publora tools already available (the publora-skills plugin or the Publora connector in Claude): nothing to set up. Claude asks you to sign in to Publora the first time a tool runs.
   • Agents that support OAuth (Claude Code, Cursor, and the Claude and ChatGPT apps): add the server by URL and sign in, no API key needed. In Claude Code, add it and then run /mcp to sign in:

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claude mcp add --transport http --scope user publora https://mcp.publora.com/mcp

• Agents without OAuth: send the API key as Authorization: Bearer sk_YOUR_API_KEY:

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claude mcp add --transport http --scope user publora https://mcp.publora.com/mcp \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer sk_YOUR_API_KEY"

Claude Desktop, Cursor, Codex, OpenClaw and the claude.ai connector each need a different config file or flow: see client setup for the exact path and snippet.

REST API Fallback

If the MCP server is unavailable or returns errors, use the REST API directly:

Base URL: https://api.publora.com/api/v1

Authentication: Use x-publora-key header (NOT Authorization: Bearer):

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# Get your connected platforms
curl -X GET "https://api.publora.com/api/v1/platform-connections" \
  -H "x-publora-key: sk_your_api_key"

# Create a post
curl -X POST "https://api.publora.com/api/v1/create-post" \
  -H "x-publora-key: sk_your_api_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "platforms": ["instagram-11223344"],
    "content": "Your caption here #hashtag",
    "scheduledTime": "2026-03-25T10:00:00Z"
  }'

Platform ID Format: instagram-{id} where {id} is from /platform-connections response.

Example IDs: instagram-11223344, instagram-55667788

📖 Full API documentation: docs.publora.com

Platform Limits (API vs Native App)

These limits are specific to the Instagram Graph API and differ from native app limits:

Images

Videos

Captions

Rate Limits

• 50 posts per 24 hours (some accounts report 25)

Available Tools

create_post

Create a new Instagram post.

Parameters:

• platforms: Array with your Instagram connection ID (e.g., ["instagram-11223344"])
• content: Caption text (up to 2,200 characters)
• scheduledTime: ISO 8601 UTC datetime. Optional: omit it and the post is created as a draft. Send a future time to schedule. A time five or more minutes in the past is rejected with SCHEDULED_TIME_IN_PAST, so for immediate posting use the current time plus a minute.
• mediaUrls: up to 10 public https image or video URLs. Publora downloads them server-side and attaches them before validation, so media and scheduling happen in one call. This is the one-shot alternative to the draft then get_upload_url then complete_media flow. Ingestion is rate-limited to 60 URLs per hour.

get_upload_url

Get presigned URL for media uploads.

Parameters:

• postGroupId: Post ID to attach media to
• fileName: File name (e.g., "photo.jpg")
• contentType: Must be image/jpeg for images, video/mp4 for video
• type: "image" or "video"

complete_media

Finalize a file uploaded through get_upload_url, after the presigned PUT succeeds. Optional, because scheduling also finalizes pending media, but calling it early surfaces format and probe errors before publish. Not needed for media attached with mediaUrls.

Parameters:

• mediaId: the id returned by get_upload_url

list_connections

List your connected accounts with their platform IDs. Call this first and copy the IDs verbatim; they are never guessable.

list_posts / get_post / update_post / delete_post

Manage scheduled and draft posts. update_post also patches content and platforms on a draft or scheduled post, so fixing a typo or retargeting no longer means delete and recreate. delete_media and prune_media_reference clean up uploaded files.

Video Type Settings (via REST API)

Control how videos are published via platformSettings:

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{
  "platformSettings": {
    "instagram": {
      "videoType": "REELS"
    }
  }
}

Note: platformSettings is accepted by the MCP create_post and update_post tools as well as over REST. The schema is strict: a mistyped platform or key is rejected with a validation error rather than silently dropped.

Examples

Single Image Post

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Post this to Instagram:
"Morning coffee and code. Best way to start the day. #devlife #coding"

[Attach JPEG image]

Formats: JPEG, PNG and WebP all work; WebP is converted before publishing.

Carousel Post

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Create an Instagram carousel with these 5 product screenshots.
Caption: "Our app evolution over 6 months. Swipe to see the journey! #buildinpublic"

Note: Requires 2-10 JPEG images. Cannot mix images and videos in carousels.

Reel

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Post this video as a Reel:
"60-second tutorial on our new feature. #tutorial #app"

Videos default to Reels. Set videoType: "STORIES" via REST API for Stories.

Story

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Post this 30-second clip as a Story (will disappear after 24 hours).

Requires platformSettings.instagram.videoType: "STORIES" via REST API.

Scheduled Post

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Schedule this for tomorrow at 10 AM:
"New feature announcement coming soon! Stay tuned."
[Attach JPEG image]

Important Restrictions

1. Animated GIF, BMP and TIFF are rejected. JPEG, PNG and WebP are accepted, with WebP auto-converted.

2. Business account required: Personal and Creator accounts cannot post via API. Only Business accounts work.

3. Media required on every post: Instagram does not support text-only posts. Every post needs at least one image or video.

4. No mixed media in carousels: A carousel must be either all images OR all videos (via separate posts), not both.

5. Stories disappear: Stories are ephemeral and disappear after 24 hours.

6. Reel is the default: Videos are published as Reels by default. To post a Story, use the REST API with videoType: "STORIES".

Best Practices

Content

1. First 125 chars matter: This is what users see before tapping "more"
2. Hashtag strategy: Use 5-15 relevant hashtags (max 30)
3. Image quality: Use high-quality JPEG images for best results
4. Carousel engagement: Carousels get higher engagement than single images

Timing

• Best times: 11 AM - 1 PM, 7 PM - 9 PM in target timezone
• Frequency: 1-2 posts per day for growth
• Reels boost: Reels get algorithmic preference over static images

Engagement

• Reply to comments within the first hour
• Use location tags when relevant
• Cross-promote from Stories to Feed

Troubleshooting