Instagram Channel¶
Connect Instagram to receive and reply to Instagram Direct Messages from within the NotifyBulk Inbox.
Requirements¶
- A Facebook Page (not a personal profile)
- An Instagram Business Account (or Creator Account) linked to that Facebook Page
- Admin access to the Facebook Page
- The Meta App must be configured in the Admin Panel
Instagram Business vs. Personal
Only Instagram Business or Creator accounts can receive DMs via the API. Personal Instagram accounts are not supported.
How it works¶
Customer sends Instagram DM
→ Meta sends webhook to NotifyBulk
→ Platform matches the Instagram Business Account ID
→ Message appears in Inbox
The webhook payload for Instagram uses the Instagram Business Account ID (IGBID) — not the Facebook Page ID — as the entry identifier. NotifyBulk handles this automatically.
Connecting Instagram¶
- Go to Inbox → Channels
- Click Connect on the Instagram card
- Click Login with Facebook — a popup will appear
- Log in with the Facebook account that manages your Page
- Grant the requested permissions (including Instagram messaging)
- A list of your Facebook Pages will appear
- Find the page linked to your Instagram account — it shows the Instagram username below the page name
- Click Connect this page
Tip
Pages with an Instagram Business Account show a small Instagram badge and the @username below the page name in the selection list.
Configuration stored¶
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| page_id | Facebook Page ID |
| page_name | Display name of the Facebook Page |
| access_token | Page access token for the Meta Graph API |
| ig_id | Instagram Business Account ID (IGBID) — used for webhook routing |
Sending replies¶
From Inbox, open an Instagram conversation and type your reply. Replies are sent via the Instagram Messaging API and appear as a DM from your Instagram account.
Messaging window
Instagram enforces a 7-day messaging window. You can only reply to a customer who has messaged you first, and only within 7 days of their last message.
Inbound messages¶
All DMs sent to your Instagram account arrive in Inbox in real time. Story mentions and reactions are currently not routed to the inbox.
Troubleshooting¶
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Page appears in list but no Instagram badge | The Instagram account is not linked to the Facebook Page. Link it in Facebook Page Settings |
| DMs not arriving in inbox | Reconnect the channel — the webhook subscription may have been lost |
| "Meta App not configured" | Ask your Super Admin to configure the Meta App credentials |
| Replies fail | The page access token may have expired. Reconnect the channel |