This topic describes how to send Instagram messages and interact with users using your Instagram professional account.
Prerequisites
You have created and connected an Instagram professional account. For more information, see Professional account.
You have created an Instagram message template. For more information, see Template design.
An end user has sent a message to your Instagram professional account.
NoteInstagram professional accounts are mainly used for message interactions with end users. For this reason, conversations must be initiated by the user. You cannot proactively send messages to users.
You can use an action from the Enable Standard Message Window Actions list to open a standard message window and send messages within 24 hours.
A standard messaging window is a 24-hour period that lets you send messages to a user. When a user sends a message to your Instagram professional account or starts a conversation through a web plug-in, you have up to 24 hours to respond.
Procedure
Follow these steps to send a message.
On the page, click the Channel ID of an Instagram channel to manage.
Go to the Message Sending page. On the right side of the page, configure the parameters as described in the following table.
Parameter
Description
Language
The sending language matches the language of the Instagram message template.
Send Message
Click Select Template and choose an approved template from the list. In the dialog box that appears, the template list is filtered to show Instagram message templates in your selected language.
Send Account
The Instagram professional account.
Send Type
Scheduled send: Sends the message at a specified time.
Immediate send: Sends the message as soon as you click Send.
Import Method
You can set the number for receiving messages using one of the following two methods.
Upload Excel File: Recommended for sending messages in bulk. Upload recipient numbers using an Excel file. To do this:
Click Download Template and enter the recipient numbers in the sample template.
Click Upload File to upload the file that contains the recipient numbers.
Import Phone Number Group: Recommended for sending a small number of messages. After you select this option, click Add Phone Number to manually enter recipient numbers.
NoteImported numbers must belong to users who have sent a message to your professional account within the last 24 hours. Otherwise, message sending fails.
The Download Template button is disabled until you select a message template.
If the message template includes variables, use the Upload Excel File method to import recipient numbers. Do not change the table headers. Otherwise, the system cannot detect the variable parameters.
After you configure the parameters, click Send.
NoteYou can view message sending details on the Message List page. For more information, see Message list.
User actions that open a standard messaging window
A standard messaging window opens when a user performs one of the following actions. Users expect timely replies, so we recommend that you respond within 24 hours. Users can block or mute a conversation at any time.
A user sends a message to your public Page or Instagram professional account.
A user clicks a call-to-action button such as "Get Started" within a conversation.
A user clicks a Click-to-Messenger ad and then sends a message to your Page or Instagram professional account.
A user clicks an m.me link that opens an existing conversation between the user and the Page.
A user clicks an ig.me link that opens an existing conversation between the user and the Instagram professional account.
A user reacts to a message, such as a marketing message.
A user comments on a post on your public Page or Instagram professional account.
Someone has posted a message on your page.