June 2, 2021

Instagram for businesses: connect with your customers and manage service to scale

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90% of people who use Instagram follow one or more business accounts.

Why? Because it’s much more than a trend. On Instagram you build a community around your brand. And you also have the necessary tools to boost your online sales.

That’s why, when it comes to resolving your customers’ queries, it’s key to keep track of each and every one of their messages. But, when you have thousands or millions of followers, the queries can come to overwhelm your team.

That’s where Messenger API for Instagram comes in.

Messenger API for Instagram: what is it and what is it for

In a nutshell, with the Messenger API update, businesses will now be able to interact with their customers on Instagram more efficiently, just like they had been doing through Messenger from Facebook. But it’s not simply about responding to queries. 

With this launch, companies will have new resources and possibilities for handling at scale questions and comments that come from the profile section, stores, and stories. That way frequently-asked questions will be able to be automated, and those more complicated ones transferred to a direct chat. 

“We are thrilled that Aivo is launching this customer service channel. The Messenger API for Instagram is now available for all developers who make it possible for brands to improve and enhance messaging experiences with customers”, said Konstantinos Papamiltiadis, VP of Platform Partnerships at Messenger.

Do you want to see this channel up close in action? Here’s the link for scheduling a meeting.

How does Conversational AI enhance customer service on Instagram?

Some of the many solutions that can combine forces to streamline service are conversational bots and live chats. 

On one hand, conversational bots automate simple questions customers ask every day, such as “what are the deals?” or “when does my order arrive?”

In Aivo’s case, the bot is equipped with a conversational artificial intelligence engine. This goes beyond the text the customer enters when making a query, analyzing the intention behind it.

Why is this important? Because we all write with typos, informal words, and localisms, especially if we write quickly and on our phones. This is even worse if you have an audience in several countries, who despite speaking the same language, probably use different words to refer to the same thing. This conversational layer guarantees that customers always get an answer.

Related article: What are we talking about when we talk about conversational AI?

On the other hand, there are situations that need assistance from a person, whether it’s because the queries are more sensitive or because the company chooses to do so. For those cases, there are also solutions that’ll allow you to manage this service to scale.

By connecting Instagram to a live chat or direct chat, you can incorporate an agent at any point in the conversation and resolve customer questions like only a human would. 

This feature will allow you to provide a transparent and fluid bot-human-bot experience. What does that mean? The conversational bot will transfer the session to an agent online, where necessary. After the service has ended, the customer can go back to the conversation with the bot and continue interacting with it.

That way you’ll get a complete tool that doesn’t just provide your customers with instant information 24/7, but also helps you create new contacts, streamline technical support, and transfer to an agent, all without leaving the chat window.

In the words of Konstantinos Papamiltiadis:


“By integrating the Messenger API for Instagram, businesses and developers can effectively scale messaging workflows to better own the customer experience and build more authentic relationships.”

Add Instagram to your customer service now

If you’d like to learn more about Messenger API for Instagram and how to implement this new service channel in your company, contact our team.


Are you looking for new ways to improve your CX?

Our customer service solutions powered by conversational AI can help you deliver an efficient, 24/7 experience  to your customers. Get in touch with one of our specialists to further discuss how they can help your business.