Hosting Media

When you attach an image or video to a post, the Buffer API doesn't accept a file upload. Instead, you pass a publicly accessible URL in the assets array.

Why media must be hosted

The url field on each asset (image or video) must point to a file that is reachable over the public internet without authentication.

This means the URL must work for anyone, not just you. Links that require a viewer to be signed in - for example a Google Drive or Dropbox "share" link - will not work.

Where to host your media

You can use any host that serves files at a direct, public URL. If you don't already have one, these options have a free tier and work well:

• Cloudinary - A media management platform with a generous free tier. After you upload a file you get a direct, publicly accessible URL you can use right away. It also offers optional on-the-fly image and video transformations.
• Cloudflare R2 - Object storage with a free tier. A good fit if you already use Cloudflare or are comfortable with a slightly more technical setup. Upload your file and configure the bucket for public access, and the file is ready to use.

Verifying that a URL works

Before using a URL with the API, open it in a private/incognito browser window:

• If the file loads directly without asking you to log in, it will work with the API.
• If you see a login prompt, a preview page, or an error, the URL won't work - host the file somewhere that serves it directly.

Using the media URL

Once your file is hosted, pass its URL in the assets array on createPost or editPost:

mutation CreatePost {
  createPost(
    input: {
      text: "Check out our latest update!"
      channelId: "some_channel_id"
      schedulingType: automatic
      mode: addToQueue
      assets: [
        {
          image: {
            url: "https://your-host.example.com/photo.jpg"
          }
        }
      ]
    }
  ) {
    ... on PostActionSuccess {
      post { id }
    }
    ... on MutationError {
      message
    }
  }
}

For complete walkthroughs, see the Create an image post and Create a video post examples.