When someone has commented on your Instagram post, you have the opportunity to engage with them and build a relationship. However, there are also some things you should avoid doing when responding to comments on Instagram.
According to Sprout Social, the average response time for brands on social media is 23 hours. Replying to your audience as soon as possible shows you appreciate the feedback and that you’re engaged with your followers. That said, it's impractical to respond to every comment instantaneously - even if you have a dedicated person doing it. A good target is to respond within a few hours. Chatdesk Brand Experts can help you respond faster to your Instagram comments starting at $99/month.
When replying to comments, be polite and respectful. Remember that you’re interacting with real people and that your replies are public.
When responding to comments, keep your responses brief. This will keep the conversation moving and your followers engaged. Emojis are a great way to add personality to your responses and keep the conversation light.
Being personal and engaging makes you relatable and will help you build relationships and loyalty with your followers. If you have the time, respond to a few comments personally with a personal story or anecdote.
Here's an example of a personal response:
Thanks for the comment, Sarah! I totally get what you're saying. I used to feel the same way when I started out. I think the best way to get over that is to just keep practicing and don't be afraid to make mistakes.
Download 24 Free Templates for Responding to Customers
There are three reasons to care about responding to your Instagram Comments:
1. It drives stronger engagement. Most brands care about responding to their Instagram comments to drive stronger engagement with their audience. The value there is establishing and growing your community because after all, loyalty drives more sales.
2. It helps with customer service. The fact is customer service channels extend beyond phone and e-mail; a lot of customer service happens on social media now too. But a customer service on social media is different in two ways:
On a more positive note though, using social for customer service can show other potential customers you’re attentive to your customers’ needs and that you stand behind your product or service.
3. It drives conversions. In your comments section is a goldmine of sales opportunities. At Chatdesk, we've analyzed millions of comments and DM's from e-commerce brands and found that almost 50% are pre-sales related. This includes product related questions like "Do you have that product in xyz size?" Simply responding to them will increase conversions by as much as 15%. You can easily see the breakdown of pre-sales versus post-sales questions using our automatic insights solution. Sign up for a free trial here.
Here are a few Instagram comment reply ideas from popular brands:
Glossier is a brand that sells skincare and makeup. They reply to almost every comment on their posts, and they always take the time to thank their customers for their feedback. This makes their customers feel appreciated, and it also helps to create a strong community around the brand.
Warby Parker is an online retailer that sells prescription glasses and sunglasses. Its Instagram account is filled with product images and people asking questions about the products.
When someone takes the time to write a positive comment on your Instagram post, it's important to respond in a way that shows your gratitude. Thank the commenter for their kind words, and let them know you appreciate their support.
"Thank you for the kind words! We're glad you enjoy our account."
"We're so happy you like our content! Thank you for following us."
"We're glad you enjoy our photos and thank you for the kind words."
"Thank you for the support! We appreciate it."
"We're glad you enjoy our account and thank you for the compliments."
Instagram comments can be frustrating, but they're not worth losing sleep over. Before you reply, take a step back and use the following tips to help reign in your emotions:
- Think about the type of comment you're getting and why you're getting it.
- Consider your goal for the social media post
- Ask yourself who the comment is for
1. Thank the commenter for their input.
2. Address the concern or issue that the commenter is raising.
3. If you have something else to add, try to keep your response concise. If you need more context into the issue the commenter is raising, move the conversation to a more private channel like e-mail. Here's an example of a response:
Hi! Thanks for taking the time to write this. We're really sorry to hear you didn't have a good experience and we want to make things right. You can reach me at ___________. I'd be happy to help. Thanks again for bringing this to our attention!
- Don't take the bait. Always take the high road.
- Respond with kindness.
- Delete the comment if necessary. (Note: Deleting comments shouldn't be your default. Brands with only positive comments may not appear authentic.)
- If it's your mistake, apologize and make it right.
Sometimes it can be tricky to know how to reply on Instagram. It can vary on a case-by-case basis. However, here are a few ideas:
Maintaining a business, much less a social media presence, is extremely time consuming. See all the ways Chatdesk’s personalized customer support, including branded comment moderators that work across your social media platforms, can proactively and reactively assist you with helping your customers 24/7. Schedule a free demo to learn more.
