Engaging with your customers and responding to Instagram DMs is just one way to effectively use Instagram for business and gain more Instagram followers.
Staring at your phone’s tiny screen and typing on its tiny keys to reply to each Instagram DM you receive is not the most efficient way to interact with your customers.
But those days are over.
As of April 2020, any Instagram user in the world can send an Instagram DM online, from their PC or Mac, as well as from their phone.
*Sliding into your DMs*
Now you can get and send Instagram Direct messages on desktop, no matter where you are in the world đź‘Ť pic.twitter.com/CT2SwuxHTv
— Instagram (@instagram) April 10, 2020
Now, your brand now has more options when replying to Instagram DMs. And considering more than 200 million users visit at least one business profile each day, there’s a good chance some Instagram users will reach out to your brand directly via DM.
In this article, you’ll learn:
Let’s get started.
Bonus: Save time and download 20 free, customizable Instagram DM templates for your brand, including greetings, partnership requests, FAQ responses, replies to complaints, and more.
DM means direct messaging.
On Instagram, DMs are private messages between one Instagram user and another user, or group of users.
Instagram DMs don’t show up in your brand’s feed, profile or in search. And they won’t for your followers, either. Only you and those you are communicating with can see the direct messages.
On Instagram, DMs are sent by Instagram Direct. Think of this as an email inbox where private messages are collected.
On both desktop and mobile, access Instagram Direct to see your Instagram DMs by clicking on the paper airplane icon.
When you see a red numbered notification over the paper airplane icon, you’ll know there’s an unread DM to be read.
Anyone can create or reply to Instagram DMs from their desktop, without any special downloads or features. This makes it easier for your brand to respond to an influx or high volume of DMs.
Whether you’re replying to an Instagram DM on a PC or creating an Instagram DM on a Mac, the process is the same:
Log in to instagram.com using whichever web browser you prefer. There is no specific Instagram DM browser to use.
To navigate to Instagram Direct, click on the paper airplane icon in the web page’s top right hand corner.
All your brand’s direct messages and interactions show here. Unread direct messages will show first in the list.
You’ll also see the option to create a new DM. Click on the blue Send Message button to begin a new interaction.
Type in a user’s handle to begin a new one-on-one interaction. You can message any brand or user that you follow.
Or create a group for an Instagram DM. On Instagram Direct, you can send DMs to up to 32 people.
From your desktop, you can also like, copy or report a DM by clicking on the three buttons next to the Instagram DM.
As well as written messages, Instagram DMs can include photos, polls, GIFs, Instagram Stories and IGTV clips. Your brand might want to interact with users by sharing other users’ content in a DM.
Navigate to the photo, video or IGTV you want to share privately. Click on the paper airplane icon under that post.
Then, select how you want to share that content.
By clicking on Share to Direct, you can type in the Instagram user you want to send the content to directly via Instagram DM.
Sending Instagram DMs from the Instagram app is just as easy:
Download the Instagram app from the App Store or Google Play.
This will open all your Instagram DMs.
Reply to customers’ queries by tapping on the unread message and writing a response in the Message bar.
And just like on desktop, you can choose one-on-one DMs or send to a group of up to 32.
Any time you see the paper airplane icon, click on it to send that content privately.
Bonus: Save time and download 20 free, customizable Instagram DM templates for your brand, including greetings, partnership requests, FAQ responses, replies to complaints, and more.
Download now
Depending on your brand’s social media policy, you may want to delete Instagram DMs.
To delete Instagram DMs from your PC or Mac:
Click on the paper airplane icon in the top navigation bar.
Then click on the information icon by the user’s profile picture.
That will bring up this screen:
Then, you can choose to Delete Chat. This will only delete the conversation for you. It will still be visible for the others included in the conversation.
Also under the “Details” section, there is also the option to Block, Report or Mute Messages. Muting simply means you won’t get notifications for new incoming DMs for this conversation.
To delete Instagram DMs using the mobile app:
Click on the paper airplane icon in the navigation bar.
If you’re using iOS, swipe left on the message you want to delete. If you’re using Android, press and hold the thread you want to delete.
This brings up two options. Mute the message to stop seeing new notifications for this thread. Or delete the message.
This action will only delete the conversation for you.
Engaging with your customers and responding to Instagram DMs is just one way to effectively use Instagram for business and gain more Instagram followers.
Here are some essential tips to keep in mind.
Make sure your brand sees all the new, incoming Instagram DMs that it receives.
On both desktop and mobile, navigate to Settings. Choose Notifications (or Push Notifications if you’re on desktop).
Then under Direct Messages, make sure the From Everyone (if you’re working on desktop) options are selected.
And make sure all the On (if you’re working on mobile) options are selected. This will ensure your brand sees all its new incoming DMs.
Chances are, your brand is going to get a lot of similar questions over Instagram Direct. Instead of typing out the same reply, save time by making the most of the Instagram Quick Replies feature.
Set up a Creator Account with Instagram. Not only will this enable the Quick Replies feature, it will provide more options for organizing and managing your Instagram DMs, like the two-tab inbox.
Find Quick Replies as an option under Settings. To create a Quick Reply:
When replying to an Instagram DM, type the one word into Instagram Direct. Click the blue “Insert a quick reply” button” and the full response you’ve saved will autofill.
That way, even if your team isn’t able to respond to the direct message immediately, your customer isn’t met with silence.
You might:
This helps foster a relationship between the user and your brand. It also boosts customer service, setting expectations for when that customer can expect a conversation with your brand.
Don’t leave your customers hanging!
And the faster your brand can reply, the better. According to the analysis and advisory firm Convince & Convert, 42% of customers who complain to a company over social media expect a response within 60 minutes.
Waiting too long to reply to a customer could result in them losing trust in your brand.
Whatever your brand’s tone, be sure to use that same voice in your Instagram DMs.
Remember to:
Make sure your writing reflects your brand in a professional way.
Check for typos, spelling mistakes and grammar errors. Read over your DM for flow. And if your company manages multiple brands and has multiple Instagram accounts, make sure you’re working with the right account.
If someone is reaching out to your brand directly, they want an answer quickly. So avoid the chit-chat. Get right to it.
Address your customers’ DM right away. Write in a way that is easy to read. Write short sentences.
And don’t fear short paragraphs.
Doing all this makes it easier for customers to find the answer to their query.
Finally, bring closure to the conversation by:
Closing off is a personable way to communicate, but also ensures your customer doesn’t feel snubbed or shut down before the conversation is over.
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