How to set up an auto-reply on Instagram in 2 minutes

The auto-reply feature on Instagram is a great tool for busy users who want to keep up with their followers. It allows them to quickly and easily respond to messages from other users without manually typing out each response. Instagram’s auto-reply feature has been a game-changer for those who are always on the go or have limited time for multiple conversations. 

With this feature, you can set up automated responses sent when someone sends you a direct message or comment on your posts.  

The availability of the auto-reply feature has certainly made managing business accounts on Instagram a lot easier. If you haven’t tried this feature yet, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll walk you through the entire process of setting up an auto-reply for Instagram. So, let’s get started!

How do you set up an auto-reply on Instagram?

Now, let’s get down to it.

The first thing to know when you start the process is that the automated reply feature is available only for business profiles. If your account is still a personal one, follow these steps to make it a business/ professional account.

1. Go to your Profile, then “Settings.”
2. Tap on “Account.” When you scroll down, you’ll see “Switch to a Professional account” or “Switch to a Business account.”
3. Once you do that, Instagram will help you define your account and take some steps to make your Professional account reachable.

Next, to set up the auto-reply feature:

1. Go to your Profile > Settings
2. Choose “Business”
3. Go to “Saved reply”. Here you can create a keyboard shortcut and start typing a response with a maximum of 15 characters.

You can also turn on “Response suggestions.” That way, you will receive suggestions based on replies that you send often.

You can also set up “Frequently asked questions.” Here, you can add a question that is often asked, such as a question related to functioning hours or contacts. You can also add an automated response for the question you frame.

Another auto-reply feature is the “Welcome message.” This message welcomes people when they open a chat with you and goes away once they send the first message.

Setting up an auto-reply on Meta Business Suite

Meta Business Suite on Instagram is a social media management tool developed by Facebook that allows businesses to manage all of their advertising and marketing activities on both Facebook and Instagram from a single platform. Contrary to a Professional account or Business account on Instagram, you can set Instant or Away messages on Meta Business Suite

A prerequisite to this is that your Facebook and Instagram accounts must be linked together. Next, allow access to your DMs on Instagram. To do that:

1. Go to Instagram DMs > Settings > Tools
2. Choose “Message controls” and allow access to messages

This will help you access your Instagram messages from your Facebook account.

Now, to set up Instant Reply and Away Message, go to your Business Suite app or the Business Suite website. 

1. Go to Inbox > “Automation.”

2. First, go to “Instant reply.” Turn on the feature and make sure that you select the Messenger and Instagram boxes. 

Next, edit and personalize your message according to your requirements and save changes before going back. If you want to personalize your Instagram auto-responder instant message, click on the Sparkles icon.

Then, in the Automation section itself, go to “Away message”. Similar to the previous step, make sure that you select both Messenger and Instagram.

Next, set the hours for when you want this automated response to be sent on Instagram. You can do this in the timing section by clicking on “Select a time”.

Draft up a message. You can also choose to add your customer’s name. Don’t forget to save your settings by clicking on the “Save” button on the top right corner of the screen.

Click Save. When clients contact you after business hours, your Away message will be sent.

Why do you need the auto-reply feature in the first place?

Auto-reply messages on Instagram are particularly useful when you can’t respond to messages immediately, when you receive a large volume of messages, or when you want to automate responses to frequently asked questions. 

Businesses and influencers with a lot of followers can benefit from using auto-reply to provide quick responses and maintain positive relationships with their audience. Additionally, auto-reply can be useful for managing messages outside of business hours and for saving time and resources.

There are a few reasons why someone might want to use the auto-reply feature on Instagram:

1. Business purposes: If you have a business account on Instagram, you might use the feature to set up automated responses for frequently asked questions or for when you are unavailable to respond immediately to messages.
2. Managing large volume of messages: If you receive a large volume of messages on Instagram, especially if you are a public figure or influencer, you might use the feature to send a quick acknowledgment or a thank-you message to every user who messages you.
3. Saving time: If you receive repetitive messages on Instagram, such as customer service or support inquiries, you might use the feature to automate responses and save time.
4. Maintaining a positive relationship with followers: Auto replies can help maintain a positive relationship with your followers by providing them with prompt replies and letting them know that their message has been received.
5. Consistency: Auto replies can help you maintain consistency in your messaging and ensure that every message receives a response.
6. Effectively communicating during off-hours: If you receive messages outside of business hours, you might use an auto-reply to let the sender know when to expect a response or provide them with helpful resources in the meantime.
7. Saving resources: By automating responses, you can save resources that would otherwise be spent manually responding to messages, allowing you to direct those resources to other areas of your business.

Some examples of auto-reply on Instagram include:

1. Thanking users for their messages and letting them know that you will get back to them as soon as possible: ‘Hey there, thanks for reaching out! Give us a few minutes to come back to you!’
2. Sending a message to acknowledge receipt of a message and providing a timeframe for when the user can expect a response: ‘We have been receiving a lot of messages. Sorry for the wait!’
3. Providing a link to helpful resources related to common questions or concerns: ‘I admire the communication. To view some frequently asked questions, click [website link]. That should clear most of your doubts.’
4. Offering an automated greeting or welcome message for new followers: ‘Hello! Thank you for following us. We appreciate all the support we get!’
5. Giving a brief introduction of your brand or product and directing the user to your website or other social media channels: ‘Hello! We’re thrilled to present our brand to you. We offer [brief description of your product or service] and are dedicated to providing our customers with [what sets you apart]. To learn more about us and explore our products, please visit our website at [website link].’
6. Providing support or customer service information- ‘ Thank you for contacting us! Please visit our support page at [support page link] for helpful resources and contact information.’
7. Sending an automated message to direct users to sign up for a newsletter or participate in a promotion- ‘ We appreciate your message and would love to keep you informed about our latest news and promotions. Please sign up for our newsletter at [newsletter signup page link] to receive exclusive content and offers straight to your inbox.’

Wrapping it up

The auto-reply feature is a great tool that allows users to respond automatically to emails, texts, and other messages with predetermined responses. This can be incredibly useful for businesses or individuals who receive large volumes of inquiries on a daily basis, as it saves time by providing automated responses without having to type out every response manually.

Additionally, the auto-reply feature helps ensure customers are given prompt service even when the individual is away from their device or unable to respond quickly due to other commitments. Overall, this helpful tool ensures customer satisfaction and makes communication more efficient for everyone involved.

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