Not long ago after Mark Zuckerberg has announced that they are planning on merging Facebook’s Messenger with WhatsApp and Instagram DM, rumors say that Instagram is currently testing a Direct Messaging feature for the web version of the app.
What does this mean?
Users all over the world have been asking for a Direct Messages feature for Instagram’s web app ever since WhatsApp – which is also Facebook-owned – launched theirs. This is mainly because there are lots of them that only get in touch with other users through Instagram. And forever holding the phone in their hands is not handy. Or if, for example, they are at work and have to answer direct messages on Instagram for the businesses they do social media for.
Instagram for Web
The Instagram Web App is no near to be perfect at all. At the moment, all you can do with it is see pictures and videos that the ones you are following are posting; watch stories and receive notifications.
Some of the most important improvements to it would be the ability to add photos or videos and to send direct messages.
Of course, there are third-party apps that allow you to do so, but sometimes those can be inconvenient. For example, if you are managing more than 1 account, you have to log in and out of them in order to do the operations mentioned above.
A screenshot depicts that the Direct Messages on Instagram Web are accessible from a direct arrow and it offers the same functionalities as the Direct Messages on mobile apps.
How will this change affect interaction?
As I was saying before, DMs are the perfect reason for a user to come back to an app and Facebook already knows it, by owning two messenger platforms. Direct Messages on Instagram could make users return even more often to the platform – and it doesn’t even matter if to the mobile app or the web version.
See also: Instagram Launches Voice Messages
