Sinch launches worldwide API for business messaging through Instagram

Mobile customer engagement company, Sinch has today launched a worldwide API for business messaging through Instagram

This coincides with the availability of the Messenger API for Instagram, announced at Facebooks F8 conference yesterday. 

The Messenger API for Instagram enables brands to have scalable conversations with their customers using Instagram DMs or Stories, facilitating engaging user interaction and enhanced customer support. 

Businesses are now able to leverage the Messenger API for Instagram through Sinch’s Conversation API, a single API that lets businesses create rich and engaging conversations with their customers via a range of widely used consumer channels such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, SMS, MMS, RCS, and more.

People and brands are exchanging messages with each other more than ever. Instagram has more than 1bn active accounts worldwide and according to its research, 81 per cent of respondents said it helps them research products and services.

One of the first brands that Sinch enabled to leverage the Messenger API was Leiturinha, a Brazilian childrens book club with over 800,000 followers. By leveraging API-powered direct messaging through Instagram, Leiturinha recorded a 35 per cent reduction in comments of customers requesting assistance by Instagram DMs in the first 11 days.  

In addition to facilitating processes, business messaging through Instagram also speeds up contact with users who name the brand through mentions of Stories, which makes communication even more dynamic and interactive. As a result, the response time to calls related to direct messages decreased by 42 per cent, compared to the average of the last 6 months.

“Instagram is a powerful channel that lets businesses engage with their customers in a simple, secure and effective way. The results from our early access trials are very encouraging as customers appreciate the faster responses and improved customer experience that the new offering entails” said Sinchs Chief Business Development Officer, Eduardo Henrique.