How to Create Short Links via Bitly for Every Instagram Post Using Pabbly Connect

Learn how to integrate Instagram and Bitly using Pabbly Connect to create short links for every post automatically. Follow this step-by-step tutorial. Develop expertise in application integration and learn how to design streamlined automation workflows using proven, simplified approaches.

Watch Step By Step Video Tutorial Below

1. Accessing Pabbly Connect for Instagram and Bitly Integration

To start creating short links for every Instagram post, you need to access Pabbly Connect. First, visit the Pabbly website by typing ‘Pabbly.com’ in your browser. If you’re a new user, click on the ‘Sign Up for Free’ button to create your account. Existing users can simply click ‘Sign In’ to access their dashboard.

Once logged in, navigate to Pabbly Connect from the all-apps section. Click on the plus sign to create a new workflow. Name your workflow something like ‘Create Short Links via Bitly for Every Instagram Post’ and click on ‘Create’. This sets the stage for integrating your Instagram account with Bitly.

2. Setting Up Instagram as the Trigger Application

In this step, we will configure Instagram as the trigger application in Pabbly Connect. Open the trigger window and select ‘Instagram for Business’ as your application. Choose the trigger event as ‘New Media Posted in My Account’. Click on ‘Connect’ and then ‘Add New Connection’.

• Ensure you are logged into your Instagram for Business account.
• After successful authorization, the Instagram account will be connected to Pabbly Connect.
• Make sure to post new media on Instagram before saving the connection.

Once the connection is established, you can click ‘Save and Send Test Request’. This will capture the media URL, permalink, and caption of the post. Note that the trigger is polling-based and might take some time to capture the response, so be patient if the data doesn’t appear immediately.

3. Integrating Bitly to Shorten Links

Next, we will integrate Bitly into our Pabbly Connect workflow to shorten the Instagram post link. In the action window, select ‘Bitly’ as your application and choose the action event ‘Create Bitlink’. Click on ‘Connect’ and then ‘Add New Connection’.

• Ensure you are logged into your Bitly account for successful authorization.
• After connecting, map the long URL from the Instagram trigger response.
• Set your custom domain, typically ‘bit.ly’, for the shortened link.

After mapping the necessary fields, click ‘Save and Send Test Request’. This action will generate a shortened link that can be verified by copying and opening it in incognito mode. Ensure that the link redirects correctly to your Instagram post.

4. Saving the Shortened Link to Google Sheets

In this section, we will save the shortened link to Google Sheets using Pabbly Connect. Click on the plus sign to add another action step and select ‘Google Sheets’ as your application. Choose the action event ‘Add New Row’. Click on ‘Connect’ and then ‘Add New Connection’.

Select the Google account you want to connect with Pabbly Connect. Authorize the connection to allow access to your Google Sheets. Choose the spreadsheet and sheet where you want to save the data.

Map the Instagram link, caption, and the shortened link from the previous steps. Click ‘Save and Send Test Request’ to ensure that the data is added correctly to your Google Sheet. You should see the Instagram link, caption, and the shortened link reflected in your specified sheet.

5. Testing the Complete Integration

Finally, we will test the complete integration setup in Pabbly Connect. Create a new post on your Instagram account by clicking the plus sign and adding an image, along with a caption. Once the post is shared, return to Pabbly Connect to verify if the new short link is created and saved to Google Sheets.

Refresh your Google Sheet to check for the new entry. If the data doesn’t appear immediately, remember that the trigger checks for new data every 10 minutes. Once the data is captured, you will see the Instagram link, caption, and shortened Bitly link in your sheet, confirming that the integration works seamlessly.

Conclusion

Using Pabbly Connect, you can easily automate the process of creating short links for every Instagram post. By integrating Instagram with Bitly and Google Sheets, you streamline your workflow and save valuable time. This setup allows for efficient management of your Instagram links, ensuring that your posts are easily accessible.