Facebook once again is ready to surprise its users by bringing the best of messengers to Instagram DMs, which will allow users from both platforms to connect with each other. What can you expect from this merge? A lot of new features (10 exactly) and of course, cross platforming.
Users can either choose to update immediately or delay it for the time being. If you are eligible for the update then, you will see the following prompt on your screen:
Huh, sound interesting, but isn’t going to affect the social media marketing services and agencies who offer them? That’s the talk saved for the future. Before that, let’s explore the changes you can expect with the merge of messenger and DMs.
New Features you can expect from direct messaging
Here is the list of new features you can enjoy with the Instagram DMs:
- Cross-platform messaging: Although it is the obvious feature of the merge between Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs, you can seamlessly connect with people on both platforms by sending messages or joining video calls.
- Watch together: You can now watch videos on Facebook Watch, IGTV, Reels, TV shows and more during a video call with the family and friends.
- You have a vanish mode: Sounds cool right? It is the new chat mode where messages vanish after the receiver has seen them or when they close the chat.
- Selfie sticker: Yes, you got it! This is the new way to react to the messages. You can also consider it as a hybrid of Boomerangs, selfies and emojis.
- Chat colour: You can personalize your chat with a colour gradient.
- Forwarding: Share content with the top 5 friends and groups.
- Replies: Respond directly to certain messages to your chat.
- Animated messages: You heard it right; you can add visual flair to messages with animated send effects.
- Control over messages: You no longer have to see or reply to messages you don’t like. Decide, who can and can’t message you at all.
- Enhanced reporting and blocking updates: Report full conversations in addition to single messages. Receive proactive block suggestions on both messenger, and DMs when you add the account in the new account centre.
Aside from all the new features, which users can either choose to utilize or not, the main change to be aware of is who can message you.
People who were on Facebook only can now reach you on Instagram without downloading any new application and vice versa. The good thing is messages and calls from people using Instagram will stay in the Instagram app. Facebook says it is just another way to stay connected over time.
Growth of messaging on Facebook and Instagram
The messaging came a long way with the help of Facebook since it was first launched on the app. Now, Facebook’s family of apps alone help more than 10 billion people to exchange valuable messages across the globe.
In the recent survey, conducted by Facebook highlighted that every four out of five people who use messaging apps. In the US they believe they are important to spend more time with the family members. And during the pandemic, when people are locked in their homes, the messaging is filling the physical left by the social-distancing.
To start, Facebook is rolling down these new features on Instagram and Messenger in a few countries across the globe.
Facebook doesn’t name the countries where it is launching the update, but sooner or later, these new features will expand globally.