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If your business is already growing on Instagram, you might have started to get overwhelmed by the number of DMs and comments you receive. Luckily the Instagram messaging API exists to help you manage all those customer DMs without the headache. Through the API you can unlock all the features, and make Instagram into the customer communication channel it can be.
Whether it’s handling support requests or boosting engagement, it’s all possible with the right setup. In this blog, we will go through everything you need to know about the Instagram Messenger API so you can set it up with confidence.
What is the Instagram Messenger API?
The Instagram Messaging API allows businesses to integrate Instagram Direct Messages with their systems, enabling automated and scalable communication with customers. It supports features like sending and receiving messages, quick replies, and media attachments, making it ideal for customer service and engagement.
With the API you can:
- enhance customer support: Automates responses to common queries, enabling faster and more efficient customer interactions directly on Instagram.
- streamline communication: Centralises Instagram messages with other customer support channels, ensuring a unified and organised communication workflow.
- Improve engagement: Facilitates personalised interactions, such as sending promotional offers or answering inquiries, boosting customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
Instead of juggling multiple inboxes, the API brings everything together in one location. This simplifies your workflows and makes it faster and more efficient to handle a bursting instagram inbox.
By integrating the Instagram API with your existing tools you gain a more complete view of each customer’s journey. This not only helps your team stay on top of every conversation but also enables automation, like sending instant replies or routing queries to the right team. The result? A better experience for your customers, and a more efficient process for your business.
A solution for your business communication
The Instagram Business Account API is ideal for larger businesses managing high volumes of messages across multiple channels.
If your team has several customer service people handling multiple customer inquiries, the API will help them manage all these communications. It centralises communication in one place, making it easier for your team to respond quickly and efficiently.
By integrating the API with your existing tools and databases, you can also automate parts of the customer journey—perfect for your business if you want to provide fast, personalised service at scale.
For smaller businesses with fewer messages to manage, Facebook's Business Inbox might be a better fit. This tool aggregates messages from both Instagram and Facebook into a single inbox, simplifying communication without the need for an API.
By linking your Instagram and Facebook pages, you can use the Business Inbox to respond to all messages. This is a simple, cost-effective option for businesses with intermediate message volumes that don’t meet the need for the API.
Benefits of the Instagram Messaging API
The Instagram Messaging API can bring a tonne of benefits that can transform how your business manages customer communication. Here are some of the standout benefits that make it worth setting up.
Centralised conversations
With the Instagram API, you can manage all your customer conversations in one place. Whether it’s through a CRM, helpdesk, or shared inbox, your team can seamlessly interact with customers without needing to switch between platforms. This means faster, more organised responses and less time wasted jumping between apps.
Powerful integrations
The API connects directly to your existing tech stack, like your CRM, ticketing system, or marketing tools. This gives your team access to customer data in real-time. They can then deliver more personalised and relevant responses. Whether you’re tracking sales inquiries or providing support, having all data at your fingertips means smoother, more informed conversations.
Improved workflows
Managing customer communication as your business scales becomes much simpler with the workflow automation that the API offers. You can
- Assign incoming messages to the right team member
- Set up automatic responses for FAQs
- Monitor response times to ensure no query slips through the cracks
These automations quickly improve workflows for larger teams. They make it easier to collaborate while maintaining fast response rates.
Smart automation
The API enables you to automate parts of your customer journey, from basic inquiries to more complex requests. This means you can create automated responses for common FAQs or set up chatbots to handle initial customer interactions. Automation helps keep your business responsive 24/7, offering customers immediate solutions while freeing up your team to deal with more complex tasks.
Rich media support
The Instagram API Messenger doesn’t limit your responses to text alone. You can send rich media, including images, product carousels, quick-reply buttons, and even links to products or services. This makes your conversations more engaging and can give your team the chance to provide more detailed and understood responses than they will with text alone.
Security and compliance
Unlike some other messaging solutions, the Instagram API takes security very seriously. It supports GDPR compliance and with it, you can ensure all your customer data is handled securely. Plus, with detailed audit logs and message tracking, you can monitor interactions and ensure compliance within your business.
Analytics and insights
While the Instagram Messaging API doesn’t provide analytics on its own, it integrates seamlessly with third-party tools, like Trengo, that do. By connecting the API to Trengo, you can track important metrics such as response times. Trengo’s analytics help you optimise your communication strategy by identifying bottlenecks and areas for improvement, ensuring your team stays on top of customer inquiries efficiently.
Features of the Instagram Messenger API
The Instagram Messenger API comes packed with powerful features. Here’s a quick overview:
1. Messaging
Easily send text, images, links, and more to your customers, all from your centralised inbox.
2. Webhooks
Stay on top of key interactions with instant notifications when a customer sends a message or engages with your content.
3. Conversation history
Retrieve full conversation histories, so your team can pick up where they left off—no missed context, just seamless service.
4. User profile
Access user profile information with the User Profile API, allowing you to tailor conversations based on customer preferences.
5. Story mentions
Turn Instagram story mentions into deeper, more meaningful engagements by responding directly.
6. Private replies
Respond privately to post comments and keep the conversation going in the customer’s inbox.
7. Quick replies
Offer a set of buttons for customers to quickly respond, speeding up the interaction and keeping the conversation flowing.
Here are some examples you could use:
- Bookings: “Book now” or “Cancel booking.”
- Sales: “View product” or “Contact sales.”
- Events: “Register” or “See details.”
- Feedback: “Leave a review” or “Report issue.”
8. Ice breakers
Help customers start a conversation with a list of frequently asked questions, giving them a frictionless way to reach out.
Here are some examples:
- Support: “How can I track my order?” or “What’s your return policy?”
- Product Info: “What’s the price of [Product]?” or “Is this item in stock?”
- Appointments: “How do I schedule a consultation?” or “What’s your availability?”
- Services: “What services do you offer?” or “Can I get a quote?”
9. Templates
Send structured messages like product carousels or pre-set responses, combining text, images, and buttons for a richer experience.
How businesses can use Instagram Messaging API for marketing & customer support
The Instagram Messenger API is a great tool for you to enhance your marketing and customer support. Whether it’s driving sales or improving service, the API helps streamline communication. Here are some use cases:
Turning conversations into sales (Kiehl’s Malaysia)
Kiehl’s Malaysia saw a surge in customer inquiries via Instagram, with many asking about products before making a purchase.
Using the Instagram API to send messages, they automated responses to common questions while ensuring complex requests were routed to the customer support team.
This streamlined their sales funnel and helped them convert more leads into customers—all while reducing response times.
Streamlining customer support with quick replies (Buffer)
Buffer, a social media management tool, uses the Instagram API Messenger to simplify customer support. By integrating the API, Buffer can handle customer questions quickly through Quick Replies—preset buttons for common queries like “Help with my account” or “Track order status.”
This allows Buffer to resolve issues faster, making for both happier customers and employees.
Managing influencer mentions (Carro)
Carro, an influencer marketing platform, uses the Instagram Mentions API to track every time an influencer mentions a brand. With over 26,000 brands on their platform, Carro helps businesses monitor these mentions in real time, ensuring they don’t miss opportunities to engage with influencers or customers. This helps brands build stronger relationships and turn mentions into meaningful marketing collaborations.
Boost efficiency and reduce costs (Grab)
Grab, a global delivery app, was struggling to manage a high volume of customer inquiries across multiple regions. With over 10,000 tickets piling up each week, they needed a fast, cost-effective way to handle both routine and complex queries.
By implementing the Instagram Business Account API along with automation, they dramatically improved their response times and reduced operating costs.
- 98% reduction in weekly backlog of tickets by automating common queries like delivery status and shipping rates.
- 51% of inbound messages resolved through automated responses without needing human intervention.
- 37% decrease in cost per ticket from 2020 to 2023 due to improved efficiency.
- Maintained a 4.7/5 customer satisfaction score, thanks to faster, more personalised interactions.
How can you access Instagram API?
To access the Instagram Messaging API, here’s what you need to do:
- Have an Instagram Business Account linked to a Facebook page.
- Agree to Meta’s terms and conditions.
- Implement key API features like Send API, Webhooks, and Conversation API.
- Ensure that your setup includes an escalation path to a human agent for customer support.
- Manage authentication using access tokens and request the necessary permissions for your app to function.
Manage Instagram DMs seamlessly with Trengo
Once you’ve connected your Instagram Business Account to Trengo, you’ll be able to receive notifications and respond to customers directly from the Trengo interface.
What else can you do with Trengo?
To make managing Instagram conversations even easier, Trengo offers several time-saving features:
- Saved Replies: Quickly respond to frequent questions with preset replies, saving your team time.
- Team Members: Add multiple people to handle customer conversations efficiently across your team.
- Groups: Organise agents by function and automatically assign chats to the right team members.
Trengo also provides valuable chat insights, allowing you to track key metrics like average response time and agent performance. These insights help you optimise your customer communication strategy and ensure fast, effective service.
With Trengo, managing Instagram DMs, Facebook chats, and more is all in one place, keeping your communication streamlined and stress-free.
