Direct Channels
Some social platforms can be connected directly to Postlane without going through a scheduling provider. When you post to a direct channel, Postlane sends the content straight to the platform using its own API access -- no third-party scheduler sits in between.
How it differs from scheduling providers
Scheduling providers like Zernio hold your social account credentials and deliver posts at a scheduled time. Your credentials live in the provider's system, not on your machine.
Direct channels work the other way around: Postlane handles the API connection itself. You authorise Postlane once using OAuth, and your access token is stored locally in your system keychain. Nothing is sent to a third-party service.
| Scheduling provider | Direct channel | |
|---|---|---|
| Where credentials live | Provider's servers | Your local keychain |
| Scheduling support | Yes | Immediate only |
| Requires provider account | Yes | No |
Use a direct channel when you want to avoid a provider dependency, or when the platform is not supported by your current provider.
Supported platforms
| Platform | Notes |
|---|---|
| Mastodon | Any self-hosted or managed instance |
More platforms may be added in future releases.
Setting up a direct channel
- In the desktop app, go to Settings for your organisation
- Scroll to Direct social channels
- Find the platform you want to connect and click Connect
- Follow the platform-specific steps below
Posting to a direct channel
Once connected, posts approved in Postlane will be sent immediately to the platform. Direct channels do not support scheduling -- if you need posts to go out at a specific time, use a scheduling provider instead.