Staring at your phone'southward tiny screen and typing on its tiny keys to respond to each Instagram DM you lot receive is non the virtually efficient manner to interact with your customers.

Just those days are over.

As of 2020, any Instagram user in the earth can ship an Instagram DM online, from their PC or Mac, as well equally from their phone.

Now, your brand now has more options when replying to Instagram DMs. And considering more than 200 million users visit at to the lowest degree one business organization profile each day, there'southward a adept hazard some Instagram users will attain out to your make direct via DM.

Bonus: Save time and download 20 free, customizable Instagram DM templates for your make , including greetings, partnership requests, FAQ responses, replies to complaints, and more.

What does "DM" mean on Instagram?

DM means straight messaging.

On Instagram, DMs are private messages betwixt one Instagram user and some other user, or grouping of users.

Instagram DMs don't show upward in your brand'southward feed, contour or in search. And they won't for your followers, either. Only you and those yous are communicating with tin can see the direct letters.

On Instagram, DMs are sent by Instagram Direct. Think of this as an email inbox where private messages are collected.

On both desktop and mobile, access Instagram Straight to run across your Instagram DMs by clicking on the paper airplane icon.

Instagram Direct paper plane icon

When yous see a ruby-red numbered notification over the paper airplane icon, you'll know at that place's an unread DM to be read.

Unread Instagram DM red icon

How to send Instagram DMs on your reckoner (PC or Mac)

Anyone with an Instagram account can create or reply to Instagram DMs from the browser version of the app, from a desktop computer, without any special downloads or features. This makes it easier for your brand to answer to an influx or high volume of DMs.

(If that high volume of DMs is coming from more than ane Instagram account or several profiles across different social media platforms, you're ameliorate off using a social media management tool like Hootsuite to handle DMs — more on that in the side by side section!)

Whether you're replying to an Instagram DM on a PC or creating an Instagram DM on a Mac, the process is the same:

i. Log into your brand's Instagram account

Log in to instagram.com using whichever spider web browser you adopt. There is no specific Instagram DM browser to use.

2. Click on the paper airplane icon

To navigate to Instagram Straight, click on the paper airplane icon in the web page's top right hand corner.

Instagram Direct paper plane icon top right hand corner

3. Meet all your Instagram DMs

All your brand's direct messages and interactions bear witness here. Unread straight messages will prove first in the list.

You'll besides run into the option to create a new DM. Click on the blue Send Message button to begin a new interaction.

Your Messages folder

Type in a user's handle to begin a new 1-on-one interaction. You lot can message whatever brand or user that you lot follow.

Or create a group for an Instagram DM. On Instagram Direct, you can send DMs to up to 32 people.

From your desktop, you tin also like, copy or study a DM by clicking on the iii buttons adjacent to the Instagram DM.

Like Copy Report Instagram DM

four. Transport other users' content

Too every bit written messages, Instagram DMs can include photos, polls, GIFs, Instagram Stories and IGTV clips. Your brand might desire to interact with users by sharing other users' content in a DM.

Navigate to the photo, video or IGTV you want to share privately. Click on the newspaper aeroplane icon under that post.

Share other users' content in a DM

Then, select how you want to share that content.

Share content options

By clicking on Share to Direct, you can type in the Instagram user you desire to send the content to directly via Instagram DM.

How to send Instagram DMs from the Instagram app

Sending Instagram DMs from the Instagram app is just as like shooting fish in a barrel:

1. Open the app on your phone

Download the Instagram app from the App Store or Google Play.

two. Click on the paper airplane icon

This will open all your Instagram DMs.

Instagram DMs mobile app

3. Engage with your users

Reply to customers' queries past tapping on the unread message and writing a response in the Message bar.

Engage with users by responding to DMs

And just similar on desktop, you can choose one-on-one DMs or send to a group of upwardly to 32.

4. Share others' content

Any time you see the paper aeroplane icon, click on it to send that content privately.

Bonus: Save time and download 20 free, customizable Instagram DM templates for your make , including greetings, partnership requests, FAQ responses, replies to complaints, and more.

Download now

Share content privately

How to send Instagram DMs using Hootsuite (on desktop and mobile)

If y'all manage more than ane Instagram account or your make receives DMs on more than one social media platform, a social media management tool like Hootsuite can save y'all a lot of fourth dimension.

With Hootsuite, you lot can respond messages and comments from all of your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts in i social inbox. No more clicking through countless browser tabs to check for new DMs, or accidentally forgetting to respond until customers go fed up.

To first answering Instagram DMs using Hootsuite, follow these uncomplicated steps:

i. Connect (or re-connect) your Instagram profiles

If you're new to Hootsuite, follow this guide to add together an Instagram business relationship to your dashboard .

If you've previously used Hootsuite for Instagram analytics or scheduling, but you oasis't connected Instagram with the Hootsuite Inbox yet, follow these steps to re-connect your business relationship .

In both cases, you will be prompted to follow a few elementary steps to authenticate your account.

In one case you're done, make sure that your Instagram profile settings allow sharing letters with your Hootsuite business relationship:

  1. Go to Settings and tap Privacy.
  2. Tap Messages.
  3. In Connected Tools , use the Allow Access to Messages switch to enable sharing.

Instagram settings - enagbling access to messages

Note: Hootsuite Inbox is uniform with Instagram Business accounts.

ii. Become to your Hootsuite Inbox

In your Hootsuite dashboard, navigate to the Inbox.

Hither, you can encounter interactions from your continued Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.

Hootsuite Inbox dashboard with Instagram messages

The Inbox collects 4 types of Instagram messages:

  • Direct messages
  • Replies to your Instagram Stories
  • Quick reactions to your Stories
  • Mentions of your account in other users' Stories

Hootsuite Inbox in Hootsuite mobile app

3. Reply to Instagram DMs

All that'south left is to appoint with your followers.

Follow these social media customer service best practices to brand sure your message responses are ever on fleek. (Does anyone say on fleek anymore? Asking for a Millennial friend.)

If you're part of a team managing social media DMs, you can easily assign messages to other team members (who will be notified by electronic mail) and sort your inbox by assignment, social network, message type and date.

How to delete Instagram DMs

Depending on your brand'south social media policy, you may desire to delete Instagram DMs.

To delete Instagram DMs from your PC or Mac:

1. Navigate to Instagram Directly

Click on the paper airplane icon in the top navigation bar.

2. Click on the communication y'all desire to delete

Then click on the data icon by the user's profile moving picture.

3. Click Delete Chat

That volition bring up this screen:

Delete Chat screen

Then, you can cull to Delete Chat. This volition only delete the conversation for yous. It will still exist visible for the others included in the conversation.

Likewise under the "Details" section, there is also the option to Block, Written report or Mute Messages. Muting simply ways you won't go notifications for new incoming DMs for this conversation.

To delete Instagram DMs using the mobile app:

1. Navigate to Instagram Direct

Click on the newspaper plane icon in the navigation bar.

2. Swipe or hold the communication thread you want to delete

If you're using iOS, swipe left on the message you want to delete. If y'all're using Android, printing and concur the thread you want to delete.

This brings upwardly ii options. Mute the message to stop seeing new notifications for this thread. Or delete the bulletin.

Mute or delete Instagram message from mobile app

3. Click Delete

This action will only delete the conversation for yous.

8 best practices for sending and responding to Instagram DMs

Engaging with your customers and responding to Instagram DMs is merely ane way to effectively use Instagram for business and proceeds more Instagram followers.

Here are some essential tips to continue in mind.

Prepare notifications for Instagram DMs

Brand sure your make sees all the new, incoming Instagram DMs that it receives.

On both desktop and mobile, navigate to Settings. Choose Notifications (or Push Notifications if you're on desktop).

Then under Straight Letters, brand sure the From Anybody (if you're working on desktop) options are selected.

Set up notifications for Instagram DMs

And make sure all the On (if you lot're working on mobile) options are selected. This will ensure your make sees all its new incoming DMs.

Set up notifications for Instagram DMs mobile

Use Instagram Quick Replies

Chances are, your make is going to get a lot of similar questions over Instagram Directly. Instead of typing out the aforementioned answer, save fourth dimension by making the almost of the Instagram Quick Replies feature.

Set up a Creator Business relationship with Instagram. Non only will this enable the Quick Replies feature, information technology will provide more options for organizing and managing your Instagram DMs, like the ii-tab inbox.

Find Quick Replies as an pick under Settings. To create a Quick Respond:

  • Click on the "+" push in the meridian right hand corner.
  • Blazon out a answer to a commonly asked question.
  • Cull a 1-give-and-take keyboard shortcut for that message.

When replying to an Instagram DM, type the i give-and-take into Instagram Straight. Click the blue "Insert a quick respond" push" and the full response you've saved will autofill.

Acknowledge when a new message has been received

That fashion, fifty-fifty if your team isn't able to respond to the direct message immediately, your client isn't met with silence.

You might:

  • Thank the customer for getting in impact.
  • Permit them know their message has been received.
  • Fix an expectation for how long it volition take the team to get to their query.

This helps foster a relationship between the user and your brand. Information technology also boosts customer service, setting expectations for when that client can expect a conversation with your make.

And then follow upward promptly

Don't go out your customers hanging!

And the faster your brand can reply, the better. According to the analysis and informational house Convince & Convert, 42% of customers who complain to a company over social media wait a response within 60 minutes.

Waiting too long to reply to a customer could event in them losing trust in your brand.

Write in your brand voice

Whatever your brand'south tone, exist sure to employ that aforementioned phonation in your Instagram DMs.

Retrieve to:

  • Exist accurate and personable. Show your customer they're interacting with a real person who cares about their experience with your brand.
  • Don't use jargon. Avert using these words and phrases.
  • Make certain communication is easy to understand. Irony, sarcasm and jokes might be misinterpreted by the reader or cause offence. Leave no room for misinterpretation.

Make sure in that location are no spelling mistakes

Make sure your writing reflects your brand in a professional fashion.

Check for typos, spelling mistakes and grammer errors. Read over your DM for flow. And if your company manages multiple brands and has multiple Instagram accounts, make sure you're working with the right account.

Keep your writing curt and sweet

If someone is reaching out to your brand straight, they want an answer quickly. So avert the chit-chat. Get right to information technology.

Address your customers' DM right abroad. Write in a mode that is easy to read. Write brusque sentences.

And don't fear short paragraphs.

Doing all this makes it easier for customers to discover the answer to their query.

Don't forget to sign off

Finally, bring closure to the conversation by:

  • Asking the client if there's anything else they need help with.
  • Thanking them for their business or loyalty to your visitor.
  • Wishing them a great day.

Closing off is a personable style to communicate, only also ensures your customer doesn't feel snubbed or close down before the conversation is over.

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