Ever wish you could DM a brand on Instagram and get a fast, helpful response? That’s exactly what Instagram Business Chat is for.
If you’re chatting with a business, you’ll see a “Business Chat” label at the top. So, you know you’re talking to a company.
Instagram built Business Chat to streamline conversations for both brands and customers:
- Customers can ask questions, place orders and get quick support without switching apps
- Business can manage chats faster, stay organized and keep conversations flowing
What is Instagram Business Chat?
Instagram Business Chat gives businesses some extra tools to help them respond faster and stay organized.
If you want your account to have Business Chat, you simply need to switch to a Professional account. I’ll explain how to do this in a bit.
Once you do, you can set up things like:
- Automatic greeting messages
- Quick replies
- Auto-responses
You might see things like business hours, your location, or product links right inside the message. So customers can ask questions, get info or even shop without leaving the chat.
Why Was Instagram Business Chat Created?
People stopped commenting and started DMing. Instagram noticed, and built a better tool.
That’s why they created Business Chat on Instagram.
It gives businesses everything they need to:
- Reply faster (even automatically)
- Stay organized with lots of messages
- Add tools like product links or business hours to the chat
Key Features of Instagram Business Chat
Here’s what you can do once you switch to a Business or Creator account:
Quick Replies: Saving Time With Canned Responses
Tired of typing the same reply 20 times a day?
Quick Replies let businesses save answers to common questions and send them with a tap.
This keeps your info consistent, reduces mistakes and saves serious time.
- Example: “What are your store hours?”
- One tap. Answer sent.
Unified inbox for all messages and comments
Once you switch to a Business or Creator account, you get one unified inbox in Meta Business.
This means you can handle all your Instagram and Facebook comments from one interface:
That way, you can flag important messages or assign them to team members. You can also access features like product catalogs and auto-replies.
It’s cleaner and simpler.
Set up automations
With automation, you can reply to messages even when no one’s online. If someone reaches out late at night, they’ll still get a greeting or link to your FAQ.
Here are some common ways businesses use automation:
- Greet new messages instantly
- Message someone if they didn’t reply for a long time
- Flag someone
If you want to do more, such as auto-reply when someone comments on your post or automatically send DMs, you can use an Instagram Chatbot.
What are the requirements for an Instagram Business Chat?
To use Instagram Business Chat and all its special features, you need a Professional Instagram account. That means either a Business or Creator profile.
Personal accounts won’t have access to tools like quick replies, auto-responses, or the “Business Chat” label.
How to Enable Instagram Business Chat (Step-by-Step)
Here’s how to turn on Business Chat in less than a minute:
- Open Instagram and go to your profile
- Tap the menu (☰) in the top right corner
- Go to Settings → Account
- Tap “Switch to Professional Account”
Choose either:
- Business (for companies, stores, or services)
- Creator (for influencers, coaches, artists, etc.)
Fill in your contact info and category, and you’re done.
Once you switch, Business Chat tools will appear automatically.
Instagram Business Chat Vs. Personal Chat
Wondering what’s the difference between an Instagram Business Chat and a regular DM?
Personal chats are your standard DMs between two regular accounts. It’s where you share memes, send photos and talk to friends.
There are no tools for managing messages, saving replies or tracking performance. Everything is casual, and the focus is on one-on-one conversations.
With Business Chat, you have extra tools such as Quick Replies, Auto-Responses and Analytics.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
| Feature | Personal DMs | Business Chat |
|---|---|---|
| Quick Replies | ❌ | ✅ |
| Auto-Responses | ❌ | ✅ |
| Analytics | ❌ | ✅ |
| "Business Chat" Label | ❌ | ✅ |
| Integration with support tools | ❌ | ✅ |
Benefits Of Using Business Chat on Instagram For Your Business
If you’re running a business on Instagram, Business Chat can seriously improve how you talk to customers.
Better Customer Support
- DMs and instant replies build trust.
- No forms. No waiting. Just answers.
- Faster support means customers are more likely to return.
Automation Saves Time and Keeps Things Organized
- Everything stays in one inbox.
- You can handle a lot of questions without feeling overwhelmed.
- Your response times are short and your conversations are easy to manage.
Potential Challenges and Limitations
Instagram Business Chat is powerful. But there are some things you should keep in mind.
- Learning curve: It can take some time to get comfortable with all the tools
- Features have limits: For advanced workflows, you’ll likely need third-party platforms
- Robotic feel: If you rely too much on automation, your replies may feel cold
Can Third-Party Tools Improve Instagram Business Chat?
Yes, they can! This is especially true if you’re getting a lot of messages.
For example, you can extend your Instagram DMs by creating an Instagram Chatbot. What I usually do for clients is set up automations that auto-reply when someone comments on your post. This increases leads and sales.
We also auto-reply to questions you get in DMs.
- Assign conversations to the right team member
- Track replies across platforms (Instagram, Facebook, website, etc.)
- Tag and prioritize chats
- Centralize all customer messaging in one place
Tools like ManyChat make that very easy.
If you want to get started with ManyChat for free, click the button below:
Your Next Steps
That’s it! Now you know what Instagram Business Chat is and how it can benefit you.
If you want to save time and get more leads and sales, you need to create an Instagram chatbot.
Check out this tutorial to learn how to do that:
If you’re still not sure which chatbot platform to use, feel free to look at this list:
Frequently Asked Questions
How to enable Business Chat on Instagram?
Here are the steps to turn on Business Chat:
- Go to your profile on Instagram
- Tap the menu (☰) in the top right corner
- Navigate to Settings → Account
- Click “Switch to Professional Account”
Then, choose either Business (for companies, services, stores) or Creator (for influencers, artists, coaches).
What is the difference between personal and business chat on Instagram?
Business Chat gives you extra tools like:
- Saved replies
- Auto-greetings
Personal DMs don’t.
Do business chats on Instagram have read receipts?
Yes, they do. However, the owner can turn read receipts off.
Are Instagram Business Chat conversations private?
Yes. All chats between businesses and users are private.
But businesses should still follow Instagram’s privacy rules and avoid asking for sensitive info. And users should never send personal or payment details in a DM.
What does it mean if it says business chat on Instagram?
It means you’re talking to a Business or Creator account. Instagram adds that label at the top of the chat to make things clear.
Can I disable Business Chat on my Instagram account?
No. If your account is set as a business or creator profile, the label stays on. The only way to remove it is to switch back to a personal account.
