Connecting your Instagram is a required step for every Airbnb creator. It's what lets the team track the content you post, see how it performs, and consider you for new collaborations.
It takes about a minute, it happens entirely on Instagram's own screen, and you don't need a Facebook account or a Facebook Page for any part of it.
Before you start
Your Instagram needs to be a professional account — either Business or Creator. Personal accounts can't complete the connection. Switching is free, you can switch back whenever you like, and Instagram walks you through it here: Switch to a professional account.
Have your Instagram login handy. You'll be asked to sign in partway through.
Know which Instagram handle Airbnb has on file for you. It's on your Dashboard profile.
⚠️ Connect the account Airbnb has on file. If you connect a different handle, that account connects perfectly well — but your profile still shows as not connected, and your posts won't be credited to you.
How to connect
Log into your Creator Hub at creators.loudcrowd.com/s/airbnb/login
On your Get Started page, open the Authenticate your Instagram Account step and tap Connect your Instagram. You can also do it from your Dashboard — find your Instagram handle on your profile and tap Authenticate beside it
Instagram opens and asks you to log in
Review the permissions Instagram lists and tap Allow — leave all of them on
You'll land on a short Connecting Instagram screen. Keep it open while we verify your account
You're returned to the page you started from, and your handle now shows Authenticated with a green check
That's it. There's nothing to set up on Instagram's side first, and nothing to come back and finish later.
Tip: Instagram asks you to sign in even if you're already logged in on that device. That's a security step on Instagram's side, not a sign anything has gone wrong.
What you're allowing
Connecting gives us read access to:
Your profile — your username, name, bio, profile photo, and your follower and post counts
Your posts and the insights attached to them
It does not let anyone post on your behalf, send or read your messages, or change anything on your account. It's read-only.
Note: the connection belongs to your creator account, not to a single program — so it holds across everything you do with LoudCrowd, and you only ever do it once.
If it doesn't work
"Connect an Instagram professional account and try again." — your account is still a personal one. Switch it to Business or Creator in the Instagram app, then tap Connect your Instagram again.
"Please grant every requested permission and try again." — one of the permissions was switched off on Instagram's consent screen. Run it again and leave them all on; the connection can't be verified without the full set.
"Instagram could not complete the connection. Please try again." — something went wrong on Instagram's side. Waiting a moment and trying again usually clears it.
You changed your mind partway through. Nothing is saved unless you finish, so backing out or cancelling leaves your account exactly as it was. Start the step again whenever you're ready.
Still stuck? Message the Airbnb team from the Messages tab in your Hub, with your Instagram handle and what you're seeing on screen.
Staying connected
Your connection keeps itself alive in the background — there's no routine reconnecting to do, and no expiry date to keep track of.
It can drop in a few situations: if you remove LoudCrowd under Settings → Apps and websites in Instagram, if you switch back to a personal account, or occasionally after a password change. If that happens, the green Authenticated check goes back to being an Authenticate button, and reconnecting is the same minute-long flow.
FAQ
Q: Do I have to connect my Instagram? Yes — it's a requirement of the Airbnb creator program, and it's one of the steps on your Get Started page. It's how the team sees the content you post and how it performs, and how you're considered for new collaborations.
Q: Do I need a Facebook account or a Facebook Page? No. The whole connection happens on Instagram, and Facebook isn't involved at any point.
Q: Why is it asking me to log into Instagram when I'm already logged in? Instagram asks for a fresh sign-in every time an account is connected to an app. It's a security step, not a sign anything is wrong.
Q: Do I have to switch to a professional account? Yes — Instagram only allows this kind of connection on Business and Creator accounts. It's free, it takes a moment, and you can switch back at any time.
Q: Can anyone post to my Instagram or read my DMs? No. The permissions cover reading your profile, your posts, and your post insights. Posting and messaging aren't part of it.
Q: I have more than one Instagram account — which one do I connect? The one Airbnb has on file for the program. If you connect a different account, that account connects fine, but your profile will still show as not connected.
Q: How do I disconnect? In the Instagram app, go to Settings → Apps and websites and remove LoudCrowd. There's no disconnect button in your Hub.
Q: My Instagram handle changed — what should I do? Message the Airbnb team from the Messages tab in your Hub with your old username and your new one. Handle changes can't be made from your Hub, and getting it updated keeps your posts credited correctly.
Q: I don't have a TikTok account linked yet. Message the Airbnb team from the Messages tab with the handle you want added. Nothing you post on TikTok can be matched to you until it's linked.
Q: I'm connected, but a post still hasn't appeared. Connecting is only one half of it — a post also has to follow the program's tagging rules to be picked up. See If Your Posts Aren't Being Picked Up.