With Instagram direct message (DM) handling, Social Media Management helps you interact with your customers right where they choose to reach you. Be present in public and private conversations while making use of the unified workflow and team collaboration that Social Media Management offers. This article will help you with what to expect and how to get started using this Social Media Management feature.

Instagram Direct Message Features

The Instagram direct messages are fully integrated with Engage’s existing infrastructure for handling your customer engagements. Some of the standout features are:

• Receive Instagram message requests as direct messages in Engage.
• View and handle direct message conversations, including most shared media types.
• View and handle replies to your Instagram stories.
• Reply, assign, mark as read, like, and label in any conversation.
• Export any conversation.
• Create Engage automations.
• View story mentions (when your channel is mentioned in the story of another user).
• Share any of your published Instagram posts in a direct message conversation.
• Include handling actions in the Team Performance report.
• Report on labels added to your direct message conversations.

Getting Access to Instagram Direct Messages in Social Media Management

All Instagram channels connected to Social Media Management can access Instagram direct messages in Engage. Please make sure to enable Instagram direct messages in both Social Media Management and the Instagram app as described below.

More information on the Instagram messaging feature can be found on Facebook's developer documentation.

For any questions about Facebook's previous eligibility requirements, please contact your Social Media Management Customer Success Manager (CSM).

Enabling Instagram Direct Messages in Social Media Management

If your Instagram channel is eligible for Instagram direct messages in Engage, you will need to enable the feature both in the Instagram app and in Social Media Management.

Enabling Instagram direct messages from the Instagram app

To enable access for third-party apps like Social Media Management from the Instagram app, please follow the steps below:

1. In the Instagram app, switch to the applicable profile.
2. Tap your profile icon in the bottom right.
3. Tap the context menu (three lines) in the top right.
4. Tap Settings > Privacy > Messages.
5. Under the Connected Tools heading, toggle Allow Access to Messages on.

Next, please follow the steps below to enable Instagram direct messages from within Social Media Management.

Enabling Instagram direct messages from within Social Media Management

Once you have followed the steps above to enable access to direct messages from the Instagram app, a reconnection of the Instagram channel will be required only if your channel was last connected to Social Media Management prior to October 20, 2020. If your Channel was connected after this date, or has been since been reconnected, the steps below will not be necessary.

To reconnect the channel, any Social Media Management user with a user role of Admin or Team Leader can perform the below actions:

1. In Social Media Management's left-hand navigation sidebar, select the Settings (cog) icon > Channel admin.
2. Under Channel Settings, choose Channels.
3. Select Add Channels in the top, right-hand corner.
4. Under Instagram, select Connect.
5. When prompted via the pop-up screen, log into Facebook and then click Edit Settings.

6. Make sure all permissions are enabled, in particular for Manage and access messages for the Instagram account connected to your Page.

   
7. Complete the Facebook prompt. When routed back to Social Media Management, you’ll see three tabs. Select the middle tab; Connected channels administrated by your organization.
8. Select the Instagram channels whitelisted for Instagram direct messages and click Connect X Channel(s) in the bottom right.

You can now start handling Instagram direct messages through Social Media Management's Engage module. 

Creating an Instagram Direct Messages Engage Feed

Instagram direct messages are integrated into the Engage infrastructure like all other message types. You can create flexible feeds that include Instagram direct messages, based on your personal workflow. To get you started, here’s how you can create a feed that includes all Instagram direct messages:

1. In Engage, click the Add Feed button in the top-right corner in your Feed overview.
2. For the option On network(s), select the Instagram logo.
3. For the option Of type(s), select Direct Message.
4. Give your Feed a unique name, such as Instagram Direct Messages.
5. Click Save Feed.

Your feed is now ready for use and you can take handling actions for all incoming Instagram direct messages. If desired, you can further customize your feed to your liking with the other feed options provided.