Campaigns: Social Account Authentication FAQ

When you participate in campaigns through Later, you authenticate your social accounts so Later can verify your content and pull the performance data brands rely on. This article explains why authentication is needed, what it does and doesn't allow, and how your data and accounts stay protected.

Why Authenticate Your Accounts

Authenticating lets trusted platforms like Later Social and Later Creator securely connect with each social network to:

• Verify account ownership
• Access performance analytics and audience insights
• Confirm your content was published for a campaign
• Help you qualify for campaigns and brand opportunities

Authentication gives brands confidence they're working with verified accounts and accurate performance data, which helps keep you in mind for future partnerships.

What You Connect for Campaigns

Requirements vary by campaign, but in general:

• Instagram: A business or creator profile.
  • Facebook is only required if a brand requests Partnership Ads on a specific post (see Partnership Ads: A New Way to Grow Your Reach)
• TikTok: Direct authentication for analytics and campaign participation
• YouTube: Authentication to access channel analytics and audience insights, where a campaign uses them
• Pinterest: Authentication for analytics and campaign eligibility; a business account may be needed for some reporting

Personal Instagram profiles can't be authenticated for campaigns. If you use one, you'll self-report content instead. Switching to a business or creator profile is the better option. For more information, see Instagram Profile Types & How to Switch.

Partner Platforms

Later is a verified partner of the following platforms:

Later also follows API policies and guidelines for YouTube.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Authentication Give Later or a Brand Control of My Accounts?

No. Authentication doesn't give Later Social, Later Creator, or any brand ownership or control of your profiles. You keep full ownership and can manage or revoke access anytime in your Meta and platform settings. The connection only allows approved access to the data and permissions needed for campaigns.

Will Later Have Access to My Password or Login Information?

No. When you connect a profile, a secure pop-up redirects you to the official platform, where you sign in directly. The platform never gives Later your password. Instead it issues an access token, a kind of guest pass that lets Later do only what you approved, like verifying content or pulling analytics. The token expires periodically, so you'll occasionally need to reconnect and refresh the profile.

What Permissions Do I Need to Grant?

To participate in campaigns, you need to grant three permissions. These are set by Meta and tied to how Later validates content, binds it to your campaign, and pulls the analytics brands expect. They can't be turned off if you want to complete campaign work.

If a required permission is missing or expired, Later can't access the content or insights needed to track your campaign work.

What Happens If I Don't Authenticate?

Without authentication, your content can't be tracked automatically and you'll need to self-report it. Some campaigns that require verified account data may not be available to you. See Self-Report Campaign Content Manually.

What Can a Brand See?

Once you've authenticated, brands can see two kinds of information: the campaign content you publish, and a profile-level view of your social profile.

For campaign content, brands see the posts you publish for the campaign and their performance data, such as likes, comments, shares, views, and impressions. For more on what's collected, see Publish & Track Campaign Content.

For your profile, brands reviewing creators can see a snapshot drawn from your authenticated accounts, which includes:

• A feed of your recent posts: A grid of your most recent posts (around your last 20) with engagement data shown under each one, plus any sponsored posts, which Later identifies from tags like #ad, #sponsored, or #partnership
• Basic profile metrics: Your handle, bio, follower count, and average engagement rate across connected profiles
• Audience insights: Aggregated audience data such as age, gender, top locations, and follower growth over the past 90 days
• Campaign history: Campaigns you've completed within that brand's program

This profile view helps brands decide whether you're a fit for their campaign. The level of detail depends on your authentication and history: creators who've authenticated their accounts and participated in campaigns show richer data, while others show estimates based on public posts and benchmarks.

How Do I Revoke Access?

Two ways, anytime:

• Remove your social profile from Later. See Add, Remove & Transfer Social Profiles in Later.
• Revoke access directly on the platform, in its third-party app settings

Once revoked, Later can no longer access your account, which also stops automatic content tracking.

How Does Later Keep My Data Safe?

Later uses encryption and industry-standard security practices to protect your data. Visit trust.later.com to learn more. 

How Do I Delete My Data?

When you delete your Later account, personal and sensitive information is immediately removed from Later's core and transactional systems. Within 90 days, all remaining data is removed from Later's systems and third-party services, and log information is only kept for 90 days. The exception is email stored in marketing systems, which you can clear by unsubscribing from mailing lists.

Why Does Setup Sometimes Feel Confusing?

Meta's connection system can feel complicated because Instagram, permissions, and account settings all work together, especially if you don't regularly use Meta's business tools. The campaign flow is now simpler: for most campaigns, Instagram Login is all you need, and setup is a one-time step that unlocks smoother access to campaign tools and future opportunities.