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Facebook is expanding its Messenger API to support Instagram messaging, allowing developers and businesses to integrate Instagram messaging with other business applications.
The company said that the new Messenger API, now available in closed beta, will support automated responses on Instagram for the first time. The company opened the Messenger platform to bots in 2016, and is now looking to speed up response rates on Instagram by allowing businesses to pre-set automatic responses to some of their most common inbound queries.
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Facebook has been pushing to unite its various properties, including Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram, for the past few years. Last month, the company announced a major milestone when it began allowing Messenger and Instagram users to message each other. While the Messenger API itself does not support cross-app communication, this latest expansion will put Instagram in a more equal position as a business communications platform.
Above: Instagram messaging for businesses
Instagram has come a long way since Facebook pounced with $ 1 billion to buy the photo-sharing app in 2012. With over a billion users, it’s an attractive proposition for businesses looking to increase their engagement and sales. Instagram has long offered a range of tools for businesses and has become a viable e-commerce platform where consumers can discover and buy products from retailers.
Opening the Messenger API on Instagram will allow businesses to access a customer’s conversation within their daily workflow applications, such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems. This means that a customer’s messages can be displayed along with their order history, for example.
The updated Messenger API is currently available through a beta program to select developers and companies, including Adidas, Amaro, Glossier, H&M, Michael Kors, Nars, and Sephora.
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