Automate direct messages for your Instagram posts or reels

Oct 9, 2026
Knowledge

Procedure Steps

Article updated: September 29, 2026

Automate direct messages for your Instagram posts or reels

Turn social interactions on Instagram into leads. Invite people to use a specific keyword in the comments on your Instagram post or reel, and let Hootsuite automatically reply to their comment and send them a direct message (DM) on your behalf.

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Before you begin

You need to create and schedule your Instagram post or reel before you can set up DM automation. Create and schedule content in a calendar.

You also need permissions to publish to the Instagram account, and have permissions to reply to public messages in Inbox. Assign social account and Inbox permissions.

Finally, make sure that the "Allow access to messages" setting is enabled in your Instagram mobile app. Learn how to manage access to Instagram messages.

Note: DM automation only detects comments on the organic version of an Instagram post or reel. Comments made on a boosted or promoted version of the same post or reel do not trigger the automation.

Set up DM automation on a scheduled post

When you create a DM automation, you complete a series of short tasks to tell Hootsuite what keyword to trigger the DM, and how to reply to Instagram users who comment on your post or reel. You can only apply one DM automation flow to a post or reel.

The first time you set up a DM automation for a specific Instagram account, Hootsuite takes you through a step-by-step wizard as you complete each task. The next time you set up a DM automation for that Instagram account, Hootsuite displays all of the required elements on a single screen, which you can edit.

Step 1: Select a scheduled Instagram post

To get started, you need to choose the Instagram account and the scheduled post you want to use for DM automation, and define a keyword to trigger the automation flow.

Go to Nest, and then select DM automations.
Select an Instagram account and then select a scheduled post or reel from the list.
Alternatively, select a scheduled or published Instagram post from your content calendar in Perch, select More actions, and then select Create DM automation.
Enter a keyword. When Hootsuite detects this keyword in any comments on your post, it will trigger the DM automation flow. Keywords are not case-sensitive.
Select Continue.

Go to Create, and then select DM automation.
Select an Instagram account and then select a scheduled post or reel from the list.
Enter a keyword. When Hootsuite detects this keyword in any comments on your post, it will trigger the DM automation flow. Keywords are not case-sensitive.
Select Continue.

Step 2: Define replies to comments on the post

Create a series of replies that Hootsuite will post on your behalf when someone comments on your post. Hootsuite will rotate through the replies, so the more replies you define, the more variety there will be in the replies that everyone can see.

Review the default replies that Hootsuite will use for comments on your post, and customize or delete individual replies as necessary.
If you want to add more replies, select Add another reply.
Optionally, set a delay for your automated reply. Adding a short delay before responding can lend more authenticity to your replies.
Select Continue.

Step 3: Create a DM

Create a DM for the commenter on your post. Hootsuite will send this message to the Instagram user when they include the keyword you defined in their comment. You can include call-to-action text for a button, and a URL for the website you want to send them to.

Enter the text for your DM.
Enter a call-to-action for the button associated with a URL.
Enter the URL for the website you are sending them to.
Select Continue.

Step 4: Review and activate the DM automation

Once you've specified a keyword, added a series of replies for any commenter who uses that keyword, and created a DM to drive your new lead to a landing page, you're ready to activate your automation.

Review your DM automation flow details, and make any necessary changes.
Select Activate to turn the automation on. You can also select Save for later to save your changes, but not activate the automation flow.

Manage your DM automation flows

Once you've set up DM automation on your Instagram post, you can pause or edit it, even after the post has been published.

For published posts, you can see the following metrics for each automation flow:

total number of comments on the post or reel that contain the keyword
the number of DMs sent to commenters
the open rate on the DMs sent
the total number of clicks on the link included in the DMs

Go to Nest, and then select DM automations.
Hootsuite displays all of your DM automations in a table view, with the post status (scheduled or published), and metrics for each automation flow.
If you want to pause an active automation flow, use the Status toggle to turn the automation on or off.
If you want to make changes to your automation flow, select the post, select Edit DM automation, make your changes, and then select Save edits.

Go to Plan , and then select DM automation.
Hootsuite displays all of your DM automations in a table view, with the post status (scheduled or published), and metrics for each automation flow.
If you want to pause an active automation flow, use the Status toggle to turn the automation on or off.
If you want to make changes to your automation flow, select Edit, make your changes, and then select Save edits.

Note: If a DM automation flow has a Reconnect account label , it means that the token needed to send private messages on Instagram has expired.
The DM automation status table, with the "Reconnect account" label highlighted.

Reconnect your account to authenticate with Instagram. The label will disappear when Hootsuite sends the first DM successfully.

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Automate direct messages for your Instagram posts or reels

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