What is the Messenger API for Instagram?
A new tool to help manage conversations with clients is coming to Instagram. If you’re already utilizing automation in Facebook’s Messenger, Messenger API for Instagram will be a familiar and welcome addition to your marketing toolkit with some added benefits.
Messenger API for Instagram is a new feature rolling out to business accounts within the next few months. This feature will allow you to set up an automated messaging system to converse with your followers. It will also consolidate messages from your Facebook and Instagram accounts, including all the different ways your followers communicate with you (e.g., comments on your posts, mentions, and responses to Instagram stories). This will decrease the amount of time you spend responding to messages on Instagram while making it easier to manage conversations across multiple platforms.
Messenger API has been in beta testing since October 2020, and one test company, Hismile, reported a 55% decrease in average response time and 8 hours saved per day on customer support. Think about the time you will save by going to one central location for all your communication purposes instead of looking through every possible channel that a person could contact you on Facebook and Instagram. In addition, by greatly reducing the chance that you will miss a comment or message, your customer satisfaction will increase!
Much like Facebook Messenger, Messenger API for Instagram will allow you to set up a messaging system to answer frequently asked questions with automated responses. You can also set up a workflow that transfers complicated or specific questions to a live person at your clinic or directs clients to your website.
When can you expect to have access to Messenger API? Instagram is rolling out this API in phases. The current phase makes this feature available to accounts with more than 10K followers and less than 100K followers. In July 2021, accounts with follower counts between 1K and 100K followers will have access. Finally, by the end of the year, Messenger API should be available to all users.
How will veterinary hospitals use the new Messenger API for Instagram?
How much time do you spend replying to messages on your Facebook and Instagram pages? Odds are, it’s a lot. Plus, they are currently in two different apps, making it hard to keep up with. This new API will help companies like WhiskerCloud manage social media for businesses worldwide move even smoother as we consolidate and get faster with response times. Customer service is important, and speed matters more than you think. 33% of customers are most frustrated by having to wait on hold. Also, 33% are most frustrated by having to repeat themselves to multiple support reps.
We are happy to report that WhiskerCloud will have access to this API on day one and will be utilizing it immediately for accounts that hit the follower threshold to have it at launch. We look forward to helping customers on our Content Plan continue to offer amazing support to their current and potential customers.
This will also allow you to set up bots that can automatically message users based on their query:
- “What are your hours?” > Sends link to Contact Page of your website.
- “How do I make an appointment?” > Sends link to book an appointment online or via your app.
WhiskerCloud is currently testing custom bot creation for our customers now, and this will certainly help speed that along.
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