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Instagram Business

What you'll learn
  • How to connect your Instagram Business account to AutoTalk
  • What prerequisites are needed
  • How Instagram Direct Message conversations appear in your Inbox

The Instagram Business channel connects AutoTalk to your Instagram account so that Direct Messages from customers and followers appear in your Inbox. You can reply directly from AutoTalk, and your responses are delivered back through Instagram.

When to use this channel​

  • Your customers reach out through Instagram Direct Messages
  • You want to manage Instagram conversations in the same Inbox as your other channels
  • You want to assign an AI agent to handle common Instagram inquiries automatically

Prerequisites​

Before setting up this channel, make sure you have:

  • An Instagram Business or Instagram Creator account (personal accounts cannot be connected through the API)
  • A Facebook Page linked to your Instagram account (Instagram Business accounts must be connected to a Facebook Page through Meta Business Suite)
  • A Meta Business account at business.facebook.com
  • Admin access to the connected Facebook Page

Setting up the connection​

  1. In the sidebar, go to Integrações > Canais to open the Channels list.
  2. Click the Adicionar canal (Add channel) button.
  3. In the channel type dropdown, select Instagram Business.
  4. Additional configuration fields will appear. You may be prompted to log in with your Meta/Facebook account and authorize access.
  5. Select the Instagram account you want to connect.
  6. Grant the required permissions so AutoTalk can read and send messages on your behalf.
  7. Save the channel.

Once connected, the channel appears in your Channels list. Any Direct Message sent to your Instagram Business account will arrive in your AutoTalk Inbox.

Supported message types​

  • Text messages — Send and receive text-based conversations
  • Images — Share and receive photos
  • Story replies — Receive messages from users who reply to your Instagram Stories
  • Story mentions — Get notified when users mention your account in their Stories

Important considerations​

  • Only Business and Creator Instagram accounts can be connected. If your account is set to Personal, switch it to Business in the Instagram app under Settings > Account > Switch to professional account.
  • Instagram requires the account to be linked to a Facebook Page. If you have not linked them yet, do so in Meta Business Suite before setting up this channel.
  • Instagram's API has rate limits. For very high-volume messaging, the official WhatsApp Business API may be a better primary channel.
tip

After connecting your Instagram account, send a test Direct Message to it from a different Instagram account to confirm that the message appears in your AutoTalk Inbox.

Next steps​