New Messenger API for Instagram Allows Brands to Manage Messages Directly from Hootsuite and Sparkcentral

First-ever Instagram Messenger Integration helps Hootsuite customers scale social customer care

Hootsuite, the global leader in social media management, has today announced its integration with the new Messenger API for Instagram after joining the highly anticipated Messenger API for Instagram beta program in 2020. The new API, which allows brands and organizations to govern their Instagram-related communications from their preferred social media and customer care management platforms, will be unveiled in a three-tiered, phased approach by Instagram.

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The new integration will be available via Hootsuite Inbox—the tool that helps Hootsuite customers manage social conversations all in one place (available to Hootsuite Professional customers and above), and Sparkcentral by Hootsuite—the leading customer engagement platform, acquired by Hootsuite January 2021.

“These days we’re seeing the entire customer journey happening on social media,” said Ryan Donovan, Chief Technology Officer at Hootsuite. “And we’re coming to understand more and more that social customer care actually touches every phase of that journey. Now, with The Messenger API for Instagram, we can really help our customers propel themselves into the future of social customer care by meeting their customers where they already are.”

In 2021, Hootsuite found that more than 60% of organizations were planning to increase their investment in Instagram. “With the new Messenger API for Instagram, our customers can now spark and manage conversations that matter without skipping a beat,” added Donovan.

With the new Messenger API for Instagram, Hootsuite Inbox and Sparkcentral customers can seamlessly communicate on Instagram without having to access the app natively. The API is set to increase team efficiency, and responsiveness at scale by centralizing engagements across networks in one dashboard. Inbox users can also monitor response times and collaborate within teams via Assignments—designating ownership to ensure an effective workflow.

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Hootsuite customer Georgia State University tested the new API as part of the beta program.

“Students don’t see different departments at Georgia State, they just see one—so we get questions about everything from accommodation to billing to class schedules,” said Terry Coniglio, Director of Content Strategy at Georgia State University. “Having Instagram messaging in our Hootsuite Inbox workflow helps us direct those questions to the right teams so we can help more students get the answers they need.”

According to Hootsuite’s Digital 2021 report, messaging apps have surpassed social media platform use, confirming that direct messaging is one of the most effective ways that brands and institutions can communicate with their customers and prospects.

• One holistic view of Instagram messages to monitor response times and engage in real-time conversation with customers
• The opportunity for increased efficiency, responsiveness and customer satisfaction
• Harness the power of Sparkcentral by Hootsuite’s Automated Message Distributor to manage Instagram conversations at scale

“We are delighted that Hootsuite is launching Messenger API for Instagram. The Messenger API for Instagram is now available for all developers who make it possible for brands to improve and enhance messaging experiences with customers,” said Konstantinos Papamiltiadis, VP of Platform Partnerships at Messenger. “By integrating the Messenger API for Instagram, businesses and developers can effectively scale messaging workflows to better own the customer experience and build more authentic relationships.”

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