Loomly Pro-Tips

Loomly Pro Tips with the Loomly wordmark in lowercase green with colorful geometric corner accents (cyan, pink, yellow)

ASUCD Social Media: Loomly Pro-Tips

While Loomly is an incredible asset for saving time and scheduling your content, Meta’s API restricts certain features that you might be used to using in the Instagram app.

Bookmark this page! Here are the most common platform limitations, required accessibility steps, and the official ASUCD solutions to keep your workflow moving.

 

File Size Requirements

Instagram automatically compresses every single image and video when you post from your phone. However, when publishing through an external platform like Loomly, Meta's developer rules reject large files instead of compressing them for you.

By compressing your media before uploading, you are simply doing what Instagram would typically do for you. Your content will look exactly the same on the live feed, compressing it just guarantees that Meta's servers will accept your file without throwing an error.

Photo Upload Fails

  • The Limitation: Single images cannot be larger than 8 MB.
  • The Fix: Compress your image files before uploading to Loomly. 

Video Upload Fails

  • The Limitation: Videos/Reels cannot be larger than 100 MB on Instagram, or 1GB for YouTube.
  • The Fix: Compress your video files before uploading to Loomly. Export your videos at 1080p, 30 FPS, and keep your target bitrate under 5 Mbps to keep the file size tiny without losing quality.

 

Collaborations and Co-Authoring

The 3-Collaborator Limit

  • The Limitation: When creating a Co-Author / Collaborator post, Meta’s API limits you to a maximum of three (3) additional collaborators. Plan your multi-unit or cross-department campaigns accordingly.
  • If you need a post to be scheduled with more than 3 collaborators, please visit the Loomly Posting Exceptions page.

Accepting Collaboration Invites

  • The Limitation: You cannot view or accept incoming collaboration requests inside the Loomly dashboard.
  • The Approved Workarounds: If another account invites your unit to be a collaborator, Creative Media can accept the collaboration request on your behalf. For more information, please visit the Loomly Posting Exceptions page.

 

Accessibility

Adding Alt Text (Image Descriptions)

  • The Issue: Staff members frequently forget to add alternative text (Alt Text) to their graphics, which is a mandatory requirement for ASUCD digital accessibility compliance.
  • The Loomly Fix: In Loomly's Post Builder, right after you upload your image or video, click the Gear Icon located directly on the media thumbnail. This opens a window where you can type your descriptive Alt Text before scheduling.

 

Stories and Content Sharing

Re-Sharing Posts to Your Story

  • The Limitation: Loomly does not support the native "Share to Story" feature for existing feed posts or external accounts.
  • The Approved Workarounds:
    1. Submit a Request: Creative Media can re-share content on your behalf. To submit a request, please visit the Loomly Posting Exceptions page.

 

Updating your Profile

Changing Instagram Bio or Facebook Page

  • To update the content in your Instagram Bio or Facebook Page, please email your request to [email protected]

Loomly Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I get access to Loomly?
  • Unit Directors or Commission/Committee chairs will receive Loomly access once they are fully onboarded. They will have access to add additional users.
    Student staff must be fully onboarded to get access, and volunteers must have a completed volunteer packet and Oath and Patent on file. 
  • Does Loomly only let me post from my laptop?
  • No! We specifically selected Loomly because they offer a great web browser and mobile app for posting.
  • Why is my post stuck on "Approved" but not going live?
  • A post will only publish automatically if its final lifecycle state is set to "Scheduled" (the Light Green icon). If a manager clicks "Approved," it simply means they have cleared the content—the student creator must take the final step in Loomly to officially queue it for launch.
  • Does everyone on my team have the same posting privilages?
  • This depends on how your director/chair set up your accounts. Some users have access to post, comment, and delete content. Others may only have access to submit posts for approval, which must be accepted by a director/chair before Loomly will publish the content. 
  • Error: Application does not have permission for this action
  • The Cause: Your unit’s individual security connection has expired. This happens automatically once a year for security purposes.
    The Fix: Your director/chair can email [email protected] to have their account re-connected in Loomly.
  • Error: "Multiframe images not supported" or EXIF Metadata Error
  • The Cause: Graphics exported directly from professional design tools like Photoshop or Illustrator often contain hidden metadata tags that confuse Meta's automated upload engine. 
    The Fix: You can strip this data directly inside Loomly. Click on your uploaded graphic in the Post Builder, select Crop & Edit Image, and simply hit Save without making any changes. This forces Loomly to re-save it as a clean, web-safe file.
  • Error: "Unknown Error / HTTP 500
  • Meta's developer servers are experiencing a temporary worldwide glitch or outage. Don’t panic and don't spam the submit button. Wait 30–60 minutes for Meta's engineering teams to resolve the issue, then open your post in Loomly and use the "Update Post & Reschedule" button to push it through.

 

If you have any additional questions, please email Creative Media today and we would be happy to assist!

 

Email Creative Media