Facebook is making it easier for businesses to manage their customer communications at scale with the announcement that its Messenger API will soon be able to support Instagram messaging.
The new API features, which are currently in beta, enable businesses to integrate Instagram messaging with their preferred business applications and workflows. This will help them drive meaningful conversations, increase customer satisfaction and grow sales as the photo and video sharing social networking service is increasingly used by consumers to engage with businesses online.
According to Facebook, over the last year total daily conversations between consumers and businesses on Messenger and Instagram grew by over 40 percent. The marketing team of the popular fashion brand Michael Kors provided further insight in a press release on how it has been using Instagram for community building, saying:
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“Instagram is a platform for community building, and we’ve long approached it as a way for us to connect with our customers in a place where they are already spending a lot of their time. With the newly launched Messenger API support for Instagram, we are now able to increase efficiency, drive even stronger user engagement, and easily maintain a two-way dialogue with our followers. This technology has helped us create a new pipeline for best-in-class service and allows for a direct line of communication that’s fast and easy for both customers and our internal team.”
Messenger API
Businesses increasingly want to use a single platform to respond to messages on multiple channels and with the latest update to the Messenger API, companies will be able to manage messages initiated by customers throughout their Instagram presence including Profile, Shops and Stories.
At the same time, it will also be possible for businesses to use information from their core business systems right alongside Instagram messaging. For instance, businesses can integrate messaging on the social media network with a CRM system to provide agents with a holistic view customer loyalty. Facebook's new update will also bring the messaging features of Facebook Shops to the Messenger API so that businesses can create more engaging and connected customer experiences.
Messenger API support for Instagram is currently in beta and Adidas, Amaro, Glossier, H&M, Magazine Luiza, Michael Kors, Nars, Sephora, TechStyle Fashion Group and other consumer brands have already started testing out the new feature with their customers.
Businesses interested in using the Messenger API once it leaves beta can sign up for Facebook's business waitlist while developers can sign up for its developer waitlist.
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