Instagram makes it easy for creators to sort DM requests

Instagram has announced an update aimed at giving creators better control over managing Direct Message requests. Users with a creator account can now filter message requests in their inbox based on their senders, such as “verified accounts,” “businesses,” “creators,” and “subscribers.” The new labels are available over and above the existing “recent” and “number of followers” categories, giving creators a better way to organise and attend DM requests.

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram, launched the new filters in a video, emphasising that the new improvements will let creators “easily find the messages you don’t want to miss.” He added that while the new filters should give some respite to Instagram users with creator-designated accounts, the company has “a lot more work to do to make DMs easier for creators to navigate” and that the feedback is welcome.

Creators with a high number of followers, irrespective of their account verified status, often have to deal with multiple message requests. While most of them are spam, some of these requests are deemed important and attendable. However, the previous system for DM management did not allow creators to respond to these requests proactively, or rather conveniently. Instagram claims the new labels should solve that problem.

Instagram is also adding a new way to sort story replies, so when a creator-designated account goes to the top of the inbox, they will see new filter options. “Now there’s a lot more to do to improve the inbox for creators and requests but hopefully this is one step in the right direction,” said Mosseri. The Meta-owned company may also add more inbox tools in the near future since the latest one is what many creators were asking for.

The new tools come as part of Instagram’s overhaul of the platform to give creators, celebrities, and more popular social media entities more ways to expand their reach through more engagement with senders of direct messages. They also have access to tools that allow tracking stats of their followers.