How to Set Up Auto-Reply on Instagram to Boost Engagement

Instagram and other social media channels offer businesses many benefits, as customers from around the country and even the world can find and interact with your brand in real-time and asynchronously. On the downside, social media has reinforced a culture of instant gratification. As a result, keeping up with the demands of the modern customer landscape can be a tall order. That especially applies to managing a social media presence. Taking the time to respond to every message across a host of platforms isn’t sustainable, nor is it recommended.

Yet, there’s an opportunity to connect with specific demographics on Instagram. According to research from the Pew Research Center, 78% of adults aged 18-29 spend time on the platform, and nearly 60 percent of adults ages 30-49 are Instagram users. The social media’s direct messaging feature can help users connect with brands without launching a separate app. This feature can be a blessing and a curse for business owners who know they need to interact with users via Instagram direct message but don’t necessarily have the time or resources to do so.

The good news is that Instagram’s auto-reply feature can help relieve some of the mental burden. This feature allows you to stay on top of customer engagement while allowing you to focus on revenue-producing tasks. We’ve put together some tips for using Instagram’s auto-reply feature to your advantage and what it can mean for your business.

What is Instagram Auto-Reply?

To be clear, Instagram proper doesn’t offer a built-in auto-reply feature. Users can, however, take advantage of Instagram’s API to fulfill this need. You can use an auto-reply mechanism to send pre-written responses. Business owners and content creators can better handle a flood of messages (and do so with timeliness in mind) instead of getting buried by an overflowing inbox when you use automation to communicate and engage with customers.

Auto-reply can be the right choice for customer engagement because it offers benefits like:

• Improved Response Time: Put your mind at ease and don’t worry about whether a delay in response is eroding your reputation. Automated responses mean that users get answers within a matter of seconds.
• Availability Around the Clock: Leave the hard work of managing your social media presence outside of business hours to technology. Automation handles real-time communication 24/7.
• Saved Time and Resources: Set up automated responses to frequently asked questions saves you time and frustration.
• Consistency in Communication: Use auto-replies to help you maintain the same voice across platforms. You won’t have to worry about an employee misrepresenting your company.
• Increased Engagement: Address customers or prospects quickly with auto-replies. A prompt response makes them feel like they matter. When people feel like part of a community, they’re more inclined to buy or maintain loyalty.
• Increased Efficiency: Manage message volume with the done-for-you nature of auto-replies, which can increase workflow efficiency.
• Gather Data: Take advantage of this opportunity to ask for users’ emails or phone numbers so you can add them to your CRM.

How to Set Up Auto-Reply on Instagram: 6 Steps

Setting up automated messages is fairly straightforward, though it requires some work on the front end. Follow these steps to set your brand up for success:

Step 1: Switch to a Business or Creator Account

This feature is associated with using a business or creator account. Toggle from your personal account to the other by going to Settings-Accounts and then select either “Switch to Professional Account” or “Switch to Creator Account.” Going forward, you’ll access this functionality via the three horizontal lines in the top right corner.

Step 2: Select “Settings” and Then “Business” (or “Creator”)

Navigate to “Settings,” then select “Business” (or “Creator”) as appropriate.

Step 3: Find “Saved Replies” and Tap the “+” Icon to Create a New One

Here, you can access a library of saved replies and create new ones by tapping the “+” icon.

Step 4: Enter a Shortcut Word and the Message You Want to Auto-Reply

Start by inputting a shortcut word and your intended message. This shorthand will trigger the automated response.

Step 5: Save Your Reply

If you’re satisfied with the messaging framework, hit “Save” to add it to your resources. It’s best to have a host of saved replies that match the situation and tone, that way you’re prepared for a host of scenarios.

Step 6: Test Your Auto-Reply

Send a direct message to your account to see your auto-reply in action. This is a great way to confirm that the right saved reply is deployed.

Before you go down this road, it’s helpful to take a step back and consider the following:

Define Your Purpose

What’s your means to this end? (i.e., improving customer service, managing high message volume, generating leads). Set clear goals to know if your time and efforts have paid off.

Be Transparent

Make it clear that the response is automated and encourage them to get in touch another way if their question is urgent. You build greater trust with full transparency.

Regularly Review and Update

Monitor how your auto replies are received. Update messages as you gain insights into commonly asked questions to ensure they’re satisfying customer needs.

Use Sparingly

Don’t use Instagram auto replies as a crutch for all communication. Integrate automation alongside personal interaction for the best customer service results. You don’t want to lose sight of the fact that, ultimately, people still want to know there’s a human behind the screen.

8 Tips to Write Your Instagram Automated Messages

Creating auto-reply messages is both an art and a science, and it’s important if you want to keep an active presence online. Follow these best practices to create responses that hit the mark:

Personalize Responses with Keywords

Personalization can make your brand sound more approachable and less robotic. Relying on keywords and addressing the user by name can help.

Example: “Hi [Name]! Thank you for being a valued part of the community. We will respond soon.”

Maintain Brand Voice

All responses should represent your brand voice and style. Be sure to stay on brand, or else you might confuse the user. For instance, you won’t want to send a cheeky response if you’re usually serious. However, playful, youthful brands might try the following:

Example: “Hey bestie! Thanks for hitting us up. We’ll be with you shortly!”

Set Expectations for Response Time

Be upfront about the timeline for a response so the person doesn’t feel ignored.

Example: “Thanks for getting in touch! We do our best to respond within 24 hours.”

Provide Helpful Information

Include links to resources on your website or social channels to guide customers and save your team time.

Example: “Thanks for your message. Need a quick answer? You might find it here: (link).”

Encourage Further Interaction

Encourage users to move down the sales funnel by inviting them to explore more of your content.

Example: “Thanks for your message! While you wait for an answer, check out our latest blog post to get insider knowledge on new products (link).”

Offer Alternative Contact Methods

Give users the opportunity to reach you through other channels. Alternative methods can offer peace of mind if it’s an urgent matter or if they’d rather reach someone on the phone.

Example: “We’ve received your message and will respond as soon as possible. For pressing matters, please call us at [phone number] or email [email address].”

One important caveat: Be mindful of your email response time. Customers expect businesses to reply to their email queries within a day or less.

End with a Friendly Sign-off

End the exchange with a sentiment like “Thank you!” or “Best regards.” Brands that have cultivated a more in-your-face persona might opt for something more edgy.

Proofread

Nothing is more embarrassing than a typo that could be avoided. It’s worth having a second set of eyes on your text. Proofreading also applies to seasonal messages and contact information.

Automate Your Messages with Podium

When was the last time you revisited your social media marketing strategy? It might be time to invest in tools to help you and your team supercharge customer engagement. Today’s always-on culture means efficient communication is not just nice to have—it’s necessary. Instagram auto-replies can take you further faster. By keeping the tips mentioned above in mind, you can be well on your way to simplifying your communication strategy.

Speaking of success, you might have to level up to stay ahead of the competition. Instagram’s auto-reply feature is a great entry point into basic automation. If your company needs more advanced functionality, give solutions like Podium a second look. Podium’s AI-powered lead conversion platform can help give you an edge.

As you grow your business and your customer base balloons alongside it, you might outgrow existing processes and procedures, and customer service can suffer. Solutions like Podium make it easy to work more efficiently while keeping customer satisfaction front and center.

In short, Podium can help you manage communications across multiple channels, glean insights, and create a consistent customer experience.

Leave the heavy lifting to Podium and take advantage of the following benefits:

• Save Time: Free up staff time for more sophisticated tasks.
• Increase Availability: Provide immediate responses no matter the hour.
• Improve Response Times: Enhance customer satisfaction and engagement.
• Capture More Leads: Use automated messages to solicit information from potential customers.
• Streamline Workflow: Manage communications from multiple channels in an all-in-one inbox.
• Incorporate Analytics: Identify trends based on message patterns and customer interactions.
• Customize Messages: Tailored automated responses based on specific triggers or keywords.
• Integrate Easily: Take advantage of Podium’s compatibility with other business tools that can help make for a smoother operation.
• Scalability: Manage increased message volume without having to increase employee headcount.

A Real-World Automation Example

You might wonder how these features play out in a real-world context. Our customer, the city of Vineyard, is an example of how automation can translate into meaningful results.

The small but fast-growing city in northern Utah County uses Podium to more easily connect with residents and businesses, creating an engaged community and an excellent resident experience.

Podium has helped them do all that and more. Bethany Bee, the Social Media Coordinator for the city of Vineyard, explained, “We want an engaged community. This is why Podium helps. Before, it felt like we would push a lot of information out and we didn’t know if people were really listening. But with Podium, the biggest thing we see is community engagement and if our messages are landing.”

They also want to get out the message that the city is there to help, like a good neighbor. With that goal in mind, Vineyard uses Podium Website Chat to field more questions from residents in less time.

“I think that two-way conversation just helps that community aspect. We want to feel very friendly, almost neighborly, like they can contact us with questions. And I think that helps, being able to text back and forth,” said Bethany Bee.

Like Vineyard, your company could make a positive impression on customers and prospects. Expectations have changed. Every second counts when nurturing leads.

Explore how Podium’s automation tools can enhance your communication strategy, improve customer satisfaction, and help you do more in less time. Say yes to automation and watch your business grow.