The LimeChat Guide to Click to Direct Instagram Message Ads for Ecommerce

Learn how to use click to Instagram dm ads for your online business. 

The world of eCommerce is changing.

We’re seeing the rise of social commerce, where social media is becoming a major driver of sales. Alongside, with the rise of conversational commerce, consumers are no longer just shopping online—they’re also talking to brands on social media. And it’s never been easier to connect with your customers on the channels where they’re already spending their time.

According to a new report from Accenture, social commerce will grow three times as fast as traditional eCommerce, more than doubling from $492 billion worldwide in 2021 to $1.2 trillion in 2025. In 2022, while about half of all US shoppers made a purchase via social media, this number is only expected to increase as businesses continue to invest in social media strategies that drive sales.

Social commerce is now more than just a trend—it’s a mainstream way for people to buy things online. It’s also changing the way we think about shopping, with social platforms being used for everything from product discovery to price comparison to purchasing decisions. 

Instagram has emerged as a powerful marketing tool for brands, retailers, and other eCommerce businesses. People turn to Instagram not just to see pictures or videos of products they’re interested in—they turn to Instagram when they want to talk about products, ask questions about them, and make purchases. And that means that eCommerce business owners have a new opportunity to engage with their customers directly in a personal way that’s as digital as it is personal.

If you’re looking to expand your eCommerce business, then click-to-direct Instagram message ads can be a powerful tool. They allow you to reach out to potential customers with a personal message and drive them back to your website or landing page.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how click-to-direct Instagram message ads work, how they compare with other forms of advertising, how they can be used for eCommerce marketing, and more.

What are Instagram direct ads? 

Instagram Direct Ads are a new and innovative way to reach your customers. They’re also known as Instagram DM ads, Instagram chat ads, and click-to-chat Instagram ads.

Instagram Direct Ads let you integrate Instagram Direct Messenger into your advertising campaigns. This lets your customers connect with you one-on-one from your ads, so they can ask any questions they have about the products or services they’ve seen advertised. And if they decide to purchase something? They can place their order right from within Instagram Direct Messenger!

Instagram direct ads are a new feature of Instagram, allowing you to target specific users using demographic data and interests. These ads can be used to promote products and services, grow your follower base, or increase engagement with your brand’s existing audience. With Instagram direct ads, you can use hyper-specific targeting criteria to find the right people for your campaign. This makes it easy to reach out directly to specific demographics and get them engaged with your brand.

With click-to-direct Instagram message ads, people can instantly connect with your brand, learn about your products or services, and even purchase from you. It’s the easiest way to get started with advertising on Instagram—and it works for any business.

How do clicks to direct Instagram message ads work? 

Instagram Direct Ads are one of the best ways for businesses to connect with customers on a personal level. By displaying advertisements in the Direct Messages section of a user’s Instagram inbox, companies can engage their audience and start conversations about their products or services.

The beauty of Instagram Direct Ads is that it allows businesses to connect with customers one-on-one. This is especially important because it allows you to address questions and concerns in real-time, which increases trust between your company and its target demographic.

For example, if a customer sees an ad for a new product that they’re interested in buying, they can follow the link provided within the advertisement and chat directly with that brand’s representative right from their DM inbox without having to leave Instagram itself—allowing them to ask any questions they might have before making a purchase decision.

In addition to this feature being extremely convenient for users (who get the opportunity to make purchases on mobile devices), it also helps brands grow their audiences by allowing them to interact directly with potential customers who may not otherwise have engaged with them on social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter before

Here’s how click-to-direct Instagram message ads work:

1. Someone clicks on your ad, and it gets displayed in their feed or stories.
2. The person clicks on the link to get more info about your product or service and is taken to a DM from you where they can request a demo, or buy your product or service.
3. You send them a response that’s personalised based on their profile information (like their previous clicks/purchases), and then you’re able to schedule a time for them to talk with one of your team members about how we can help them! 

Why should you use Instagram direct ads? 

When it comes to Instagram, you can’t ignore the power of click-to-message ads. Here’s why:

1. Enables your customers to chat with you

When you use click-to-direct Instagram message ads, your customers can send a message directly to your business and get the help they need. This can help increase conversions and sales by allowing potential customers to interact with you directly and learn about your products or services. It’s a great way to increase customer satisfaction and lower your average customer service cost.

2. Increases likelihood of a purchase

Shoppers are more likely to buy if they can ask questions in real time. A recent study from Google found that people who use chatbots or other forms of messaging are more likely to buy than those who don’t. This is because customers have an easier time making informed decisions when they can get answers in real-time and not have to wait for a reply later on.

This is especially true when you’re selling a product that requires some level of guidance or instruction for use. If you can answer their questions quickly and easily, then you’re more likely to close the deal.

3. Monetize Marketing Spends Better

You can use Instagram ads to get more out of your marketing spend and make your ads work harder for you. You’ll be able to see how well they’re performing with all the data and insights you need to know what’s working and what isn’t.

4. Reduce Drop Offs from Redirection

Reducing drop-offs is one of the best reasons to use click-to-direct Instagram message ads. When you’re redirecting users to a landing page, you want them to get there as quickly and efficiently as possible. You don’t want your ad campaign to be bogged down with tons of clicks and taps on the screen—you just want them to get there!

Click-to-direct ads are a great way of doing this because they don’t require any extra steps from your audience. They can simply tap on the link in your ad and be taken straight to their destination. This means fewer drop-offs and more conversions!

5. Increase Sales with Keyword Based Conversational Triggers

Instagram message ads are a great way to increase sales and conversions by using keyword-based triggers. Ads that are triggered by keywords are a great way to increase your sales and make customers feel more comfortable when they’re shopping from you. 

With click-to-direct, you can create ads based on what the customer searches for and then direct them to the exact product they want. This is especially helpful if you have multiple products with similar names or if your company sells many different products that might be confusing for customers to find on their own. With these triggers, you can use your customer’s previous interactions as an impetus to continue the conversation and drive them towards a sale.

6. Nurture leads using automation

Click-to-direct Instagram message ads are a great way to nurture leads and turn them into customers. You can use automation to create personalised messages for each customer, which means you’ll be able to get your message across in a way that’s relevant and engaging. 

How can click to direct Instagram message ads be used? 

Click-to-direct messages are a great way to engage with your audience, get them to click on links, and turn them into customers. They can be used for a variety of purposes, including:

1. Product Inquiry 

If you’re selling a product or service, click-to-direct ads are a great way to guide people who are looking for that product or service to your website.

You can set up keyword-based micro-journeys to answer a variety of questions related to the product. For example, if you sell shoes, you could set up a click-to-direct ad that says, “How do I know what size shoe is right for me?” and then direct them to a micro-journey that explains how to measure your foot and pick out the right size shoe.

2. Shopping 

Instagram is an excellent place for shopping, and click-to-direct Instagram message ads are the best way to get your customers to buy.

You can create an ad that shows off your product and then allow the customer who sees it to click through to a landing page where they can place their order. This is a great way to make sure that you’re capturing every sale possible—even those made in-app.

3. Lead generation 

Click-to-direct message ads are a great way to drive engagement and collect customer information while they’re showing interest in your product. You can also use this type of ad as part of a lead generation campaign by including an opt-in form on the landing page after users click through from an Instagram message ad. 

This way, users who do not want to submit their personal information won’t have to do so just because they clicked on one of your ads; instead, they can simply opt out when they get there instead of having to fill out any forms at all!

4. Feedback collection

Finally, you can use these ads as part of a feedback collection campaign where users are encouraged to complete surveys or answer questions through this same process, which means less time spent collecting feedback and more time spent improving your product or service.

5 Click to Instagram DM Ad examples 

There are many ways to use click to Instagram DM ads; but here are some examples we have seen brands running in their advertising strategy: 

1. Reply “YES” and get a discount 

Simply ask users to reply with a keyword in exchange for a discount.

2. Share your review and get a gift card

Offer to reward your Instagram Followers with a gift card when they reply to your Instagram DM ad with a review.

3. Answer three questions to win

Tell people that they can win your product as a gift if they answer 3 questions about it. Finally, ask for their email address as a way to send them their gift as well as add them to your mailing list. 

4. Tell us why you want to win

Use a click to direct Instagram DM to ask your followers why they should win a specific prize or giveaway mentioned in your ad. Also, don’t forget to continue the conversation and send the rest a recommended product.

5. Reply with a “YES” and get a discount coupon 

In this example, your ad copy can be as simple as asking for a “YES” in your DMs in exchange for a discount coupon. This allows you to ask for an email address, recommend some products, or ask people to share the campaign with their friends. 

How to create ads that click to Instagram messages 

If you want to create an ad that will click to Instagram Direct in Ads Manager, follow these steps:

1. Create your Instagram business account. 
2. Navigate to Ad creation within Ads Manager.
3. Select the Messages objective.
4. Select Instagram Direct within the Message destination section.  
5. Edit your audience, placements, budget and schedule. Once you’ve set these parameters, click Next.
6. Choose your ad format and complete your ad setup.
7. To select a template for your ad, choose either ‘Create new’ or ‘Use existing template’ under the Message template.
8. Click ‘Create’ to create your flow—you can also edit the flow later by clicking the pencil icon next to your flow name at any time after it has been created (you’ll see a blue pencil icon next to each option).
9. Click Save and finish when you’ve completed setting up your flows!
10. Finish editing your ad by adding text and images as desired—you can also use emojis!

Once your ad is approved, it will start appearing in your selected placements—and when someone clicks on the ad, they’ll see it open in their own Instagram Direct inboxes!

Click to Direct Instagram Message Best Practices 

While your ads may be great, they can still fall short when it comes to getting people to engage with them. If you’re not seeing results, here are some of the best practices we’ve seen for getting more clicks and conversions on your ads:

1. Use a strong call to action that’s clear and concise

If you want to get the most out of your Instagram message ads, you have to make sure you’re using a strong call-to-action that’s clear and concise.

Your call-to-action is what will get people to click on your ad, so it’s important that it catches their attention and tells them exactly what they need to do in order to take the next step in the conversion funnel.

2. Optimise for mobile

Make sure your landing page is optimised for mobile devices so that people don’t have to scroll around to find what they’re looking for.

3. Include a URL

Include a URL in the text of the ad itself—this will help people find exactly what you want them to find without having to click through another link or navigate away from Instagram or Facebook at all!

4. Targeting

Make sure you’re targeting the right audience at the right time. You want to get the most value for your money, so make sure you’re targeting people who are likely to be interested in your product or service and people who are likely to convert on it.

For example, if your product or service is seasonal or time-sensitive (like Black Friday sales), ensure you’re promoting it during those times only. Otherwise, you’ll just be wasting money on impressions that won’t convert into sales anyway!

5. Embrace Automation

Automation is the key to getting the most out of your Instagram ads. When you take advantage of automation, you can set up your ads to run on a schedule and/or when certain conditions are met. But more importantly, in this case, automation is what ensures you respond to consumer queries and interests promptly too. 

For example, using a social conversational commerce automation platform like LimeChat, you can set up responses to the DMs you receive from the ad campaign. From answering frequently asked questions to reverting with size guides, shipping policy details, sending product recommendations, and more, LimeChat enables it all. 

Wrapping up

If you’re looking for a way to drive up sales and conversions, click-to-Instagram DM ads are a great option. They enable businesses to engage directly with potential customers, allowing them to showcase their products and answer any questions or concerns that customers may have.

However, while these ads are great at driving up sales, you must figure out how to optimise them for even more conversions by using automation.

Whether you’re looking for more sales or engagement on your click-to-DM ads, Limechat can help you achieve your goals. 

Reach out to us today for a demo!