One of the first steps to get started in Social Media Management is connecting your channels. In this article, learn the basic steps to connect a channel and find quick links to detailed channel connection guides by network.

Who can connect channels to Social Media Management?

Any Social Media Management user with a user role of either Admin or Team Leader will have the option to connect channels to Social Media Management.

Users connecting channels to Social Media Management will need to make sure they have the correct access to the channel on the native network (e.g. Facebook or X (Twitter)). For more information on the required access for each network, please visit our network-specific channel connection guides.

Connecting a channel yourself

To connect a channel, any Admin or Team Leader can follow the steps below.

1. In Social Media Management's left-hand navigation sidebar, click the Manage settings (gear) icon and select Channel admin.
2. Click Add Channels in the top right.
3. Under the applicable network, click Connect.
   
4. Confirm your selection by clicking Connect Channel.
5. When the login pop up appears, provide your authentication credentials for your native network account. If prompted, grant all listed permissions to Brandwatch and proceed.
6. From the menu on the left, New and disconnected channels, check the box beside any channels you would like to connect from your native network account, then click Connect Channel(s). You can check off multiple channels to connect them in bulk.
7. From your list of teams in Social Media Management, select one or more teams to add your channel to.

   Note:

   You must select at least one team to add your channel to. Please visit our Managing Teams article for instructions on setting up a team in your organization.

8. Click Finish.

When complete, you will see your channel available in your channels list with a Connected status.

Connecting a channel with Invite to Connect

If your organization will be connecting a channel owned by someone else, you can use the Invite to Connect feature to send the channel owner an invitation to connect with Brandwatch.

1. In Social Media Management's left-hand navigation sidebar, click the Manage settings (gear) icon and select Channel admin.
2. Click Add Channels in the top right.
3. Under the applicable network, click Connect.
4. On the following screen, click Invite a user to connect.
5. A pop up will generate a link for you to copy and send to the user who will be authenticating the channel. For security purposes, the user will have 60 minutes to connect the account to Brandwatch before the invite to connect link expires. The user should stay on the original page where they opened the pop up and also not close or refresh the pop-up window during the connection process to avoid disruptions.
6. When the authenticating user clicks on the link sent to them, they will be taken to the related network’s authentication page to enter their authentication credentials for the account and authorize Brandwatch. If prompted, the user should grant all listed permissions to Brandwatch and proceed.
7. Once authentication is complete, the authenticating user will see “Connected” text shown in their browser. At this stage, the inviting user can click Next on the "Invite a user to connect" pop-up in Brandwatch and continue with the channel connection process.
8. From the menu on the left, New and disconnected channels, check the box beside any channels you would like to connect from your native network account, then click Connect Channel(s). You can check off multiple channels to connect them in bulk.
9. From your list of teams in Social Media Management, select one or more teams to add your channel to.

   Note:

   You must select at least one team to add your channel to. Please visit our Managing Teams article for instructions on setting up a team in your organization.

10. Click Finish.

When complete, you will see your channel available in your channels list with a Connected status.

Channel connection guides by network

For detailed instructions on the specific requirements for channel connection by network, such as the user permissions needed and types of accounts supported, please visit the articles below:

• Connecting Facebook Channels
• Connecting Instagram Channels
• Connecting X (Twitter) Channels
• Connecting LinkedIn Channels
• Connecting YouTube Channels
• Connecting WhatsApp Channels
• Connecting TikTok Channels
• Connecting Google Channels
• Connecting Facebook Ad Accounts
• Connecting LinkedIn Ad Accounts