Respond Automatically to Comments on Instagram

In mid-2021, Facebook officially launched the Messenger API for Instagram which can also be integrated directly with the Qiscus Omnichannel Chat dashboard. Messenger API for Instagram was created with the aim of promoting and facilitating business and consumer communication, specifically targeting users who actively use Instagram as their preferred social media channel.

With the Messenger API for Instagram, businesses can now easily integrate their Instagram Business accounts into Qiscus’ omnichannel dashboard, which of course also allows simultaneously access with various other social channels. There are also many other additional features that will help maximize opportunities for businesses by using Instagram, one of which is the auto comment feature, explained further below.

What is the Messenger API for Instagram?

As mentioned above, the Messenger API for Instagram was officially launched by Facebook to maximize and facilitate businesses in using the messaging feature on their Instagram Business accounts. The Messenger API for Instagram can also be said to be a more advanced version than the typical layman’s Instagram, focusing more on the messaging feature.

At the beginning of its launch, Facebook implemented a limit to the number of followers who could use the Messenger API for Instagram. Now, the Messenger API for Instagram can be used more freely without any follower limitations being an obstacle. Even so, Facebook continues to enforce the policy that only Instagram Business account owners can use the Messenger API for Instagram. So, for businesses who are still on a regular Instagram account, they will need to switch to Instagram Business before taking advantage of its features.

In addition, Facebook also requires Instagram Business accounts to be connected to Facebook Page accounts that belong to businesses. This is so that the data can be accessed by the Application Programming Interface (API) from Facebook. To connect the two is quite easy. If you already have a business Instagram and a Facebook Page belonging to your brand or business, you can link the two by clicking on “Edit Profile” on Instagram, then selecting “Page” and clicking the Facebook Page you want to link it to. However, if you don’t have a Facebook Page, simply click on “Create New Page“. For a clearer tutorial, please visit the following page.

The integration of an Instagram Business account into a Facebook Page brings many benefits to your business, one of which is being able to enjoy the Instagram Shop feature. If the integration process between Instagram Business and Facebook Page has been completed, you can now use the Messenger API for Instagram feature which is also integrated with the Qiscus omnichannel dashboard. You can find the steps for using the Messenger API for Instagram via Qiscus on the following page.

What are the features of the Messenger API for Instagram?

Since its inception, the Messenger API for Instagram has been devoted to maximizing the flow of business communication with consumers through Instagram. Therefore, Messenger API for Instagram brings various features to make this happen. These features include:

Auto Comment feature
Quick Reply Features
Ice Breaker API Features
Generic Template Features
Product Template Features
Messaging Features
Story Mentions Feature

In this article, we will discuss in detail the first feature of the Messenger API for Instagram, which is the Auto Comment feature. For more information about the other features, you can find an explanation via the following link.

Quick Reply to All Comments with the Auto Comment feature on Instagram

The Auto Comment feature is one of the many new features presented in the Messenger API for Instagram. This feature can help businesses respond to every comment that enters Instagram automatically according to a pre-made template.

For businesses that actively use Instagram, it is not uncommon to receive hundreds to thousands of comments on every post that has been uploaded. The Comment feature, which has always existed on Instagram, is also one of the ways consumers communicate with businesses or brands. A study conducted by Instagram in 2020 revealed that video content tends to receive more comments, with a median value of 11.1. Meanwhile, for carousel posts or multiple content, it comes in second and receives comments with a median value of 7.99.

With the high use of the Comment feature on Instagram, it is certainly important for businesses to discover the best practices in using this feature, especially for businesses which often receive lots of comments every day. Don’t allow the large number of incoming comments overwhelm your brand from responding to them one by one. Investing in replying to comments will bring long-term term returns and will impact your brand’s customer satisfaction ratings.

The Auto Comment feature in the Messenger API for Instagram is a way out to overcome this problem. With this feature, your business will no longer be overwhelmed by manually answering comments since a template can be activated that will automatically reply to all incoming comments.

Uniquely, the Auto Comment feature in the Messenger API for Instagram will assist to reply to comments automatically via Direct Messages (DM) so it will be more personal. The relevant agent will also be able to develop a conversation from there. From the consumer’s side, it will definitely bring more convenience as they can continue to ask questions or send more messages privately and directly to brands and businesses. Consumers will also not be surprised if they find a sudden DM from your business since there will be a notification to indicate that your brand is responding to a comment the customer has sent as well as showing the exact comment that your business is replying to.

Tutorial on using the Auto Comment feature on the Messenger API for Instagram

To activate the Auto Comment feature on the Messenger API for Instagram, you can follow these steps:

Firstly, log in to Qiscus Omnichannel Chat with an existing account.
Click on the Integrations menu on the left.
Then, click Settings on the Instagram account that has already been integrated into Qiscus’ omnichannel dashboard

Please scroll down until you find the Auto Comment Replies feature, then activate the feature by clicking the toggle button until it turns green. Then, fill in the template section below with the template message you want to use in responding to every incoming comment.

Please note that every incoming comment will automatically create a new chat room on the Qiscus Omnichannel Chat dashboard, making it easier for you to follow up further with a potential customer. Likewise, every response, whether automatic or not, sent by your business to consumers will also be received by them on the Instagram DM menu. For more details please see the image below:

View from the business side