Instagram is one of the most popular social networking platforms in the world. It was first made available to iOS devices only in October 2010 and Android devices 18 months later in April 2012.
By then, Instagram would have been snatched by Facebook for a tidy $1 billion, scheduled to go public a month later. Instagram started as a platform to share photos and special moments with friends. They could comment and comment on the photos, but the chat was not part of this social network.
Instagram Direct – Chat Made Possible
The idea behind Instagram was great and the world quickly caught up with it. Under Facebook, the platform has undergone some major changes that have improved the user experience. By giving examples from other social platforms, the Instagram Direct messaging feature was launched in 2013.
Users can finally communicate with each other via chat and change how this network works from scratch. This option made it possible to easily trade goods and services, so Instagram quickly became the go-to media for marketing purposes.
Direct Messaging has greatly increased the popularity of this social media platform. Users can finally chat and share photos and videos directly with each other without having to switch to another platform. This has had a significant impact on communication, and since Instagram started as a platform for sharing messages, people have seen it as an ideal way to get their message across to as many people as possible.
Direct messaging on Instagram has received some significant improvements in the years that followed. It was clear that all social media platforms were starting to get mixed up. Features that worked on some platforms were copied by others, so direct messaging, stories and disappearing messages became part of many different platforms.
The Evolution of Instagram Direct Messaging
After making it possible to send direct messages to other users on Instagram in 2013, it was clear that the option needed a lot of improvements. You could just chat, but sharing links, videos and photos was still impossible back then.
The first major update came in September 2015. Instagram added the chat thread and finally made it possible to share hashtags, profiles and locations with your followers. This was a big step for Instagram as it attracted millions of new users.
Still, there was room for improvements. In November 2016, the secret chat option became available. This was first spotted on Snapchat, but as stated, you’re never alone on social media for long unless you get it completely wrong. If someone takes a screenshot of the messages themselves before deleting them, the user who sent them will receive a notification that their message has been saved.
The last major update was in April 2017, when the chat option on Instagram was finally complete. The last update made it possible to share website links in direct messages.
How to Message Other Users Directly?
Before 2016 Instagram Direct messaging was a bit confusing to use. After receiving a lot of user feedback, the platform was able to completely redesign its messaging options, giving it today’s look. If you want to post on Instagram, you can do it like this:
Stage 1: Tap the top right corner of your feed
Step 2: Tap the top right corner
Stage 3: Select the contacts you want to send the message to and tap Next.
Step 4: Type your text, select a photo or video from your gallery or tap the screen to take a new one.
Step 5: Add additional effects, titles or filters
Step 6: Tap Send
Benefits of Using Instagram Direct Messaging
Messaging with other people is almost the same on any social media or chat app. However, the Instagram DM system has several key advantages that always attract more users.
The main reason many users switch from WhatsApp and Facebook to Instagram is self-deleting messaging. This means that your messages will remain private between you and the recipient. They are automatically deleted after viewing, so there is no way for a third party to find out what the chat is about.
Solution
Instagram’s Direct Messaging option lets you send and receive photos, videos and messages securely, away from all prying eyes. You can communicate not only with your friends and family, but also with all kinds of businesses.
Instagram has become one of the safest and easiest to use social networking platforms. The hashtag option is especially useful when you want to communicate with a group with specific topics and interests. Try using Instagram DM and you will understand what we mean.