Instagram DM Automation

Send automatic Instagram DMs from keywords, comments and story replies, qualify the lead inside the conversation, and hand the thread to a human whenever you want — all on the official Instagram Graph API.

Why teams choose Repli

What you get

Keyword DM triggers

Set any keyword — Repli auto-replies with a custom DM, button, link or media.

Comment-to-DM

When someone comments your keyword on a post, send them a private DM with the link, code or freebie.

AI conversations

AI chat trained on your brand voice holds a full conversation and qualifies the lead. Runs on AI credits.

Lead collection

Sequential DM questionnaires that capture name, email, phone and custom fields.

Window-safe sending

Meta's 24-hour messaging window is enforced per conversation instead of worked around.

Official API

Built on the Instagram Graph API with approved advanced permissions.

Use cases

D2C brands

Send discount codes, product links and order updates straight into DMs from a comment trigger.

Creators & influencers

Auto-deliver freebies, course links and link-in-bio drops at scale without losing personality.

Service businesses

Qualify leads, book appointments and route hot prospects to your team.

Agencies

Run DM automation for several client accounts from separate workspaces with their own logins.

What is Instagram DM automation?

Instagram DM automation is a set of rules that reply to direct messages for you. A trigger — a keyword in a DM, a comment on a post, a reply to your story — starts a message you wrote in advance, and the conversation continues from there.

On Repli every one of those rules runs through Meta's official Instagram Graph API, so nothing logs into your account and nothing scrapes the app.

How Instagram auto DM works

Meta sends a webhook the moment a message, comment or story reply arrives. Repli matches it against your triggers and sends the DM back through the API, usually while the person is still in the app.

Meta allows a business to message someone for 24 hours after that person interacts. Repli tracks that window per conversation and pauses instead of sending anything that would breach it.

Comment-to-DM

The most common source of automated DMs is a comment. Someone comments your keyword on a post or reel, and the DM with the link, code or file follows immediately.

The comment side of that flow — public replies, reel comments, wildcard triggers — is covered in depth on the Instagram comment automation page.

Story reply automation

A reply to your story is a direct message, so the same triggers apply. A sticker answer or a one-word reply can start a DM sequence that sends a link or asks a qualifying question.

This is useful for polls and "DM me X" stories, where the volume arrives in a short burst and manual replies fall behind.

Keyword-based DM automation

Triggers can be a single word, a list of words, or a wildcard that matches everything. Matching is case-insensitive and the same keyword can be reused across different posts.

Each trigger can send plain text, buttons, an image, a file, or a short sequence of messages with delays between them.

Lead qualification in the DM

After the first DM you can ask for the details you actually need — name, email, phone, budget, city — one question at a time. Answers are stored against the contact in your dashboard and can be exported.

If you use the AI agent, it can ask those questions conversationally instead of as a fixed form, and escalate to a human when the answer is outside what it knows.

Instagram DM automation for creators

Creators use automation mainly for delivery: the freebie, the link, the discount. The value is that the message goes out while the post is still being pushed, not hours later.

Because the reply is a real DM, the conversation stays open — followers can answer, and you can take over the thread from the inbox.

Instagram DM automation for ecommerce

For a shop, DMs carry product links, sizes, availability and discount codes. A comment asking the price becomes a DM with the product link and a way to buy.

Order and catalogue data from a connected Shopify or WooCommerce store can be used in the message so the customer gets the specific product rather than a generic page.

Instagram DM automation for agencies

Agencies run several accounts, and each client account lives in its own workspace with its own automations, contacts and reporting.

Because the connection uses Instagram Business Login rather than passwords, a client can grant and revoke access without sharing credentials.

DM automation vs replying manually

Manual DMs keep every nuance and stop scaling the moment a post performs. Automation answers consistently, at any hour, and logs what was sent.

The practical setup most teams land on is both: automation handles the first reply and the routine questions, a human takes over the threads that are worth a human.

Frequently asked questions

Is Instagram DM automation allowed by Meta?

Yes — when it runs on the Instagram Graph API with approved permissions and stays inside the 24-hour messaging window. Repli meets those conditions.

Will my account get banned for automating DMs?

No. Repli does not scrape or simulate user clicks. All messages go through Meta's official API, the same channel Meta uses internally.

How do I auto DM someone on Instagram?

Connect your Instagram Business or Creator account, pick a trigger — a DM keyword, a comment keyword or a story reply — then write the message Repli should send and switch the automation on.

Can I DM someone who has never messaged me?

Not outside the 24-hour window. Meta only allows a business to message people who interacted first, and Repli enforces that rather than working around it.

Does story reply automation work?

Yes. A story reply is a direct message, so the same keyword triggers apply and the DM sequence starts the same way.

Can I start free?

Yes. The free plan includes daily message credits, 1 active automation across all channels, comment-to-DM, keyword triggers and basic analytics. No card required.

How much does it cost, and can I pay in US dollars?

Creator is ₹249 / US$3 per month for Instagram automation, Pro is ₹499 / US$6 per month and adds one WhatsApp number, and Pro+ is ₹1,499 / US$18 per month with every feature and an included AI credit balance. Customers outside India check out in USD on an international card; customers in India are billed in INR.

Does it work for US and other non-India businesses?

Yes. Repli runs on the Instagram Graph API, which is the same worldwide, and the app, dashboard and support are in English. Time-based settings follow your browser time zone, and support is staffed from India (IST) with asynchronous replies for US and European hours.

Do I need any technical skills?

None. Connect Instagram with one click, pick a trigger and write your message.

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