How it works#
Everything an automation imports lands in its feed: one card per article, product, video, episode or review, newest first. From there you turn any item into a post. If the automation posts automatically, the feed also shows which items already have a post.
Each item can have one post. Making a post doesn't change the item or the source.
Open the feed#
On the Automations page, press View Feed on an automation. On a phone or tablet, tap its row.
At the top you see:
- The automation's name, and its type, such as RSS.
- {n} items: the items in the source right now.
- {n} imported: every item imported since you added the automation.
- {n} errors: checks where Heropost couldn't read the source. Shown only when there are some.
- The gear (Automation Settings): opens the automation's settings. See Settings.
The back arrow returns to Automations.
Turn an item into a post#
- Find the item. Its picture, title and description are on the card.
- Press + Create Post under the card. (Or hover over the picture and press Create Post.) The button reads Creating... for a moment.
- The Edit Post panel opens on the right with a new draft, built from the item and the automation's settings.
- Check each network's tab and change what you like. If the automation has no accounts selected, choose the accounts here.
- Press Schedule All or Publish All. Editors press Submit for Approval. See The post editor, explained.
- Close the panel with the X, or click outside it.
The card now shows Post Created, and its button reads Edit Post: press it to open the post again.
What the draft contains:
| Part | Comes from |
|---|---|
| Accounts | The accounts selected in the automation's Settings. |
| Text | Caption and Attach Link to Caption in Settings. |
| Post type per network | Preferred Post Type, then Backup Post Type. A network that can't use either is left out. See How an item becomes a post. |
| Title | The item's title, cut to 50 characters. |
A draft made here is an ordinary post: nothing goes out until you schedule or publish it.
What the cards show#
| On the card | What it means |
|---|---|
| Picture | The item's first picture, or the preview picture of the page it links to. "No image" when there's neither. |
| Title and description | From the source. |
| Post Created | A post exists for this item, made by you, a teammate or auto-posting. |
| + Create Post / Edit Post | Make a post, or open the one that exists. |
| View Source, or the small arrow next to the button | Opens the original article, product, video or episode in a new tab. Google reviews have no link, so they don't have it. |
Items that were posted automatically#
With Publish Immediately, each new item arrives with its post already made, so the card shows Post Created. The post is scheduled for two minutes after Heropost found the item. Press Edit Post to open it.
Items that auto-posting skipped look like any other item. Press + Create Post to post one by hand.
Post an item again, or start over#
- One post per item. To post the same item again, open its post with Edit Post and use ⋮ → Duplicate. The copy opens in the main post editor. See Edit, reschedule or delete a post.
- Start over: delete the post from the Edit Post panel (owners and Admins). The card shows + Create Post again.
- Deleting the automation removes the feed, but not the posts made from it.
Who can do what#
| Role | In the feed |
|---|---|
| Owner, Admin | Everything: make and edit posts, delete them, change Settings. |
| Editor | Make and edit posts, and submit them for approval. Saving Settings shows "Only the workspace owner or an admin can perform this action." |
| Viewer | Look only. Create Post shows "Viewers cannot create or modify content in this workspace." |
On a phone or tablet#
The feed works the same way. The buttons under each card are always visible, so you don't need to hover. The Edit Post panel fills the screen, and on a phone the settings window does too.
If it doesn't work#
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "No items yet" and "Items will appear here once the automation fetches content from the source." | Nothing has been imported yet, or the page was opened before the import finished. | Reload the page after a minute. If it stays empty, Heropost can't read the source: see the source's guide. |
| New items don't appear | The feed loads once when you open it. | Reload the page. To check sooner than Check for New Posts, an owner or Admin can open the gear and press Save: Heropost checks the source straight away. |
| An item you know is in the source is missing | Items that have left the source, such as old entries dropping off a feed, are hidden. Each check reads up to 100 items. | Post it from the post editor instead. |
| "An unexpected error occurred while processing your request." after Create Post | The item may already have a post, made by a teammate in the meantime. | Reload the page. The card then shows Edit Post. |
| "Viewers cannot create or modify content in this workspace." | Your role in this workspace is Viewer. | Ask an owner or Admin for the Editor or Admin role. |
| "Only the workspace owner or an admin can perform this action." | Only owners and Admins can change automation settings. | Ask an owner or Admin. |
| The page jumps back to Automations | The automation was deleted, or you switched workspace. | Open the automation from the list of the right workspace. |
| "No image" on a card | The item has no picture and its link has no preview picture. | Image and Story posts aren't possible for it. Networks that need a picture are left out of its post: add a picture in the editor. |
Questions#
Can I make two posts from the same item?
Not with Create Post. Open the item's post with Edit Post and use ⋮ → Duplicate to make a second one.
Can I choose the date and time of the post?
Yes. Create Post makes a draft: set the date in the editor, then press Schedule All. Only auto-posts are scheduled for you, two minutes after Heropost finds the item.
If I delete the automation, are my posts deleted?
No. Posts made from its items stay, including scheduled ones. The feed and its items are removed.
Can I edit a post that was posted automatically?
While it's scheduled, yes: press Edit Post, then Edit in the editor, make your changes and schedule it again. Once it's published, change it on the network itself.