How to connect Instagram API

To start using the service, connect your channel.

Connecting the Instagram API isn’t difficult, but you’ll have to poke and prod at the buttons to please the Facebook god of bureaucracy.

You can add the Instagram API channel if you have an Instagram business account linked to a Facebook business page. If you have, skip this section.

How to convert a user's Instagram account to a business account and link it to Facebook

Translate a regular Instagram account into a business account:

1. Go to the Instagram profile page.

2. Click the sandwich menu icon in the top right corner.

3. click "Settings" → "Account" → at the very bottom "Switch to professional account" → several times "Continue".

4. Select a category for the business account → "Done".

5. Select the type of professional account - "Business" and press "Next". If you select "Author", you will not be able to add a channel.

6. Check the contact information → "Next".

7. Connect to Facebook.

8. Click "Next" on the page enabling cross-service functions (just click "Next", otherwise you will be bitten by the same demons that bit the Facebook developers).

9. Click "Yes, complete setup".

Create a business page on Facebook:

1. Go to 'Pages' on the left-hand panel of your personal Facebook page.

2. Click "Create Page" at the top of the left-hand pane of the pages section.

3. Fill in the information → "Create Page". You now have a Facebook business page.

Link your Instagram business account to your Facebook business page:

1. Go to "Settings" in the left-hand pane of the Facebook business page.

2. Find "Instagram" → "Connect account" in the left settings panel.

3. leave the slider on → "Next". Wait for a moment - the Instagram account information will be loaded.

The Instagram API feed will not work if you turn off the "Allow access to messages from Instagram in the inbox" setting slider. If you have inadvertently turned off this setting or it has been turned off before - in the Instagram app on your phone, go to Settings → Privacy → Messages → at the very bottom turn on the "Allow access to messages" slider.

Done - you have linked your Instagram business account to your Facebook business page.

Add a channel in your personal Wazzup account

To connect the Instagram API, you need to log into Facebook.

1. Go to the Channels section of your Wazzup account.

2. Click “Add channel” and select Instagram API.

3. Click “Log In”.

4. Choose a Facebook profile or log in with your username and password.

5. Select the Instagram business account for which you are adding the channel → “Next”. You can select more than one account at a time.

6. Select the Facebook business page to which this Instagram business account is linked and press “Next”. You can select more than one business page.

7. Leave all the sliders on. If something is disabled and you do not give any rights to the Wazzup Messenger Official API application — the channel will not work properly.

8. Press “Done” → wait a while → press “Ok”.

9. Select the Instagram account you want to create a channel for and click “Add”.

If you need to add more than one channel — click the green “Add Channel” button again and select the account to create the Instagram API channel.

Once added, Instagram will appear in the channel list and you’ll start receiving direct messages and comments under the posts.

To prevent salespeople from getting distracted by comments like “I’ll help you make money on crypto” and to avoid “rubbish” deals being created in CRM, set up a comment filter or disable receiving them.

When you add your first Instagram channel, you have three days to test it for free.

Once Instagram is connected, move on to setting up the integration Bitrix24, Kommo, HubSpot, Zoho.