How X works in Postocial
- It runs on your own key. Posting to X uses an X API key that you create on X and add to your workspace. No other network needs one.
- X bills you for usage. You pre-fund credits in your X developer account. As a guide, $5 covers about 500 posts. These credits are paid to X, separately from your Postocial plan.
- There are no X analytics. Postocial doesn't show analytics for X. Your X posts still sit on the calendar with everything else.
- Threads are supported. You can schedule a thread: a chain of connected posts.
What you need
- The X account you want to post from, and its login.
- An X developer account. You sign up on X's developer site with your X login.
- A way to pay X for API credits.
Set up X step by step
- Sign in to X's developer site. Go to developer.x.com and sign in with the X account you want to post from. On your first visit, sign up for a developer account and accept X's developer terms.
- Create an app. Create a new app. If X asks how you will use the API, say it plainly, for example: "Scheduling and publishing posts for my own X account with a social media management tool." If X shows keys right away, save them in a password manager.
- Allow the app to post. In the app's user authentication settings, set the permissions to read and write, because publishing needs write access. When X asks for the type of app, choose the web app option.
- Add the callback and website URLs. X asks for a callback URL (it may say redirect URI) and a website URL. Email hello@postocial.com for the callback URL before you continue, and enter your own website as the website URL.
- Copy your keys. Open the app's keys and tokens and copy the API Key and API Secret, also called the consumer keys. Postocial asks only for these two.
- Pre-fund your X credits. Add credits to your X developer account before you post. As a guide, $5 covers about 500 posts. X sets the price and can change it.
- Add the key to Postocial. In Postocial, open Social Accounts and choose CONFIGURE SERVICES. Under X, paste the API Key and API Secret, choose the Tier that matches your X developer account, tick Active and choose SAVE. Later, you can find this form under Workspace Settings > Services.
- Connect your X account. Back in Social Accounts, choose Add account, then X. Sign in to X and approve access. X shows in the list only once the X service is saved and active.
- Send a test post. Schedule a short post a few minutes ahead. Once it shows up on X, you're done.
What posting to X costs
X charges for each use of its API and takes it from your pre-funded credits. At about $5 per 500 posts:
| Posts to X per month | Roughly per day | Approximate X credits |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 3 | about $1 |
| 300 | 10 | about $3 |
| 500 | 17 | about $5 |
| 1,500 | 50 | about $15 |
Each post in a thread is its own post on X, so a five-post thread uses about as much as five single posts. If your balance runs out, posts to X can fail, so top up before a busy week.
Write posts that fit X
- Posts can be up to 280 characters, and X weights some of them: every link counts as 23 characters and each emoji as 2. Accounts with an X subscription can write longer posts.
- For longer ideas, write a thread instead of cramming.
- Attach up to four images, each under 5 MB.
- Keep videos under 2 minutes 20 seconds unless the posting account has an X subscription. Media limits follow that account's subscription, not your developer plan.
- Use one or two hashtags at most.
Check a draft with the X character counter, and leave room for the extra weight of links and emoji.
Sources: X docs on counting characters, X media best practices, X Help Center on videos and X Help Center on hashtags.
Fix common problems
X is missing from Add account
X shows there only once you save your API Key and API Secret under CONFIGURE SERVICES with Active ticked. Until then, Social Accounts shows a notice that the X service isn't configured.
Posts fail with a permission error
The app probably has read-only access. Set read and write in the app's user authentication settings, then connect your X account again from Social Accounts, so X grants the new access.
Posting worked before and now fails
Check your X credit balance first. If you regenerated or revoked keys on X, paste the new API Key and API Secret under Workspace Settings > Services.
X is missing from your analytics
That's expected: Postocial has no analytics for X, Reddit, Tumblr or Telegram. Analytics for your other networks aren't affected.
Keep your keys safe
Anyone with your keys can post through your app. Keep them in Postocial and a password manager, never in email or chat. If a key leaks, regenerate it on X and update it in Postocial.