When someone follows your Instagram account, it’s the perfect chance to connect. With the Follow to DM automation template, you can automatically send a personalized message to every new follower, making a strong first impression, building trust, and starting conversations at the exact moment interest is highest.
You can welcome new followers, send an exclusive discount, share links to your shop or courses, promote other platforms, or even confirm entry to a giveaway. It’s a simple way to turn a follower into an engaged fan or potential customer right away.
| Note: The Follow to DM automation triggers only once per follower. If someone unfollows and then follows again, it won’t run a second time. Additionally, Meta allows only one Follow to DM message per user per week. If a person follows multiple accounts using this feature, they’ll receive a message only from the first account they followed. This rule helps keep the experience safe and free from spam. |
Who can use it
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Note: The Follow to DM automation is currently in beta, which means it is not available to all Manychat accounts yet. Access to this feature is not connected to your Manychat plan. Eligibility for this automation is determined by Meta, not Manychat. Because of this, some accounts may see the automation available in their workspace while others may not. If your account is not eligible, a pop-up message will appear indicating that the automation cannot be used. Meta reviews account eligibility on a weekly basis. Once your account becomes eligible, the automation will automatically become available in your workspace without any additional action required. |
The Follow to DM automation beta is currently available only for Manychat accounts connected to Instagram via the new Unified Instagram onboarding flow. If your Instagram account was connected through one of the older connection methods — Instagram OAuth or via Meta Business Suite — you’ll be asked to reconnect using the Unified Instagram Onboarding flow to access this feature.
The good news is that this reconnection process is seamless and designed to securely transfer your existing data, ensuring you won’t lose any contacts or experience disruptions with your automations.
| Note: The Follow to DM Quick Automation beta is available for both Free and PRO accounts. However, if you enable any PRO-only options while on the Free plan, you’ll need to upgrade to PRO to activate the automation. Free users can send an Opening DM and one follow-up message containing a link. |
Setting up the automation on web
When you set up this trigger for the first time in your Manychat account, it appears on the Home tab as a ready-to-use Quick Automation template called Say hi to new followers.
To make setting up and managing the Follow to DM automation simpler, we’ve added several entry points throughout Manychat. This allows you to access and update the automation at any time, even after the initial setup is complete.
From the Automations tab:
- Click the Automations tab in the sidebar.
- Select Basic.
- Click on the Say hi to new followers: first impressions are everything.
From here, you can set up or edit the automation. You’ll be taken directly to the Quick Automation setup page, where you can customize your automation as needed.
Another easy way to access this feature is through Settings in your Manychat account.
- Open Settings from the sidebar.
- Switch to the Instagram tab.
- There, you can either create a new automation by clicking Set Up or modify an existing one by selecting Select Existing.
Once you open the Quick Automation setup page, you can begin editing your Follow to DM automation.
- Add a delay: Click After 5 minutes at the top of the setup window to adjust the timing, or send the message immediately. A short delay can make your message feel more natural. You can select from 5 to 10 minutes of delay.
- Create your Opening DM: the first private message followers receive after they start following your Instagram account. When they tap the button in this message, they opt into a conversation, giving you permission to continue messaging them within 24 hours. This step is key to turning a single message into an ongoing conversation.
- Next, add a DM with the link. It is sent automatically after the contact taps the button in the Opening DM. You can include up to three links to direct followers to pages like products, business sites, or affiliate content, or keep it simple with a text-only message.
- You can also add a follow-up DM for users who don’t click the link. It’s a great way to re-engage them and encourage actions like visiting your website, signing up, or making a purchase. It is possible to set up a delay for sending this message. Note: If the previous DM doesn’t include any links, this follow-up will be sent to everyone right after it.
- Click Go Live.
| Note: After the first message in a Follow to DM automation is sent, the user must interact with it by replying or clicking a button (excluding URL buttons) to be considered opted in. This interaction opens a 24-hour messaging window, allowing your account to send the remaining messages in the automation. |
If you prefer not to include a link in the DM for new followers and simply want to send a friendly “Hi!”
- Turn off the Opening DM toggle under They will get.
- When the pop-up suggests turning it back on, simply skip it.
- Add the message you want to send to new followers under And then they will get, just leave out the link.
This way, your new followers will still receive your message, but without a link. Keep in mind that unless they reply or interact, you won’t be able to continue the conversation.
Setting up Follow to DM on mobile
You can set up the Follow to DM automation directly from the Manychat mobile app. It works on both iOS and Android and only takes a few minutes to complete.
Follow the steps below to get started:
- Log in to the Manychat app on your mobile.
- Tap on Automation.
- Find the New followers automation and tap it.
- If you haven’t updated your Instagram connection yet, you’ll be prompted to do so in the next step. Follow the on-screen steps in the Facebook window.
- Next, select the delay for sending a message to a new follower.
- Tap Save and then tap Next.
- Edit an opening message that the new follower will receive (including the button).
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Tap Next.
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Add a second message that users will get after clicking the button in the opening message. You can include a link to this message.
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After it’s all added, tap Preview And Go Live, make sure that the messages are just as you want them in the preview window, and tap Go Live.
Your Follow to DM automation is now live and ready to welcome new followers.
Check your automation’s performance in the Activity tab
After you go live, you will be redirected to the Activity tab, where you can track the performance of your automation.
For more details about each metric, including how and why they’re calculated, check out this Help Center article. The metrics are measured in exactly the same way across all types of Quick Automations.
Go beyond Quick Automations
This option is available for those who want to take their automation a step further. If you’d like to expand its functionality or add more blocks, you can easily switch from Quick Automations to the Flow Builder.
- Click the three-dots button in the upper-right corner.
- Select Switch to Flow Builder.
The Flow Builder gives you full creative control, allowing you to customize message paths, add conditions, and other advanced actions to make your automation as dynamic and tailored as you need it to be. It’s the perfect next step when you’re ready to go beyond the basics.