AutoDM
AutoDM for Instagram
Automatically reply to Instagram comments and DMs that contain a keyword, and send people a link to your offering or freebie.
Audience → AutoDM (marked Beta): "Auto-reply to Instagram comments and DMs when keywords match." Post "Comment GUIDE and I'll send it to you," and Soul replies to everyone who does, in public, by direct message, or both.
When to use AutoDM
| If you want… | Use |
|---|---|
| Reply instantly to everyone who comments a keyword on your posts | An AutoDM campaign listening to Comments on a post |
| Send a link when someone DMs you a word or replies to your story | An AutoDM campaign listening to Direct messages and story replies |
| Turn Instagram followers into email leads | An AutoDM campaign whose DM links to a form or freebie page |
| Message all your followers at once | Not possible. Instagram only allows replies to people who wrote to you first. Use an announcement to your email list. |
| A series of messages over days | A Private Path |
| One email when something happens on Soul | An automation |
Concepts
| Term | What it is |
|---|---|
| Connection | Your one Instagram Business or Creator account, linked to your portal. |
| Campaign | One automation: a trigger (keywords and where to listen) and a reply. Run several side by side, one per offer or post. |
| Keyword | A word or phrase that sets the campaign off. "Matched anywhere in the comment or message, ignoring case." |
| Trigger source | Comments on a post ("Supports public reply and direct message.") or Direct messages and story replies ("Direct message only."). |
| Applies to | For comment campaigns: All posts, or only the posts you select. |
| Reply to comments | A public reply under the comment, "Visible to everyone on the post." Plain text only. |
| Send DM | A private message, with an optional button linking to one of your offerings or any other link. Campaigns set up in the dashboard always send one. |
| Variation | An alternative wording of a reply. Up to three. "Variations are rotated to avoid repeated replies." |
Where it lives
| Screen | What's there |
|---|---|
| Audience → AutoDM | Your connection (with Connected), the Campaigns list, New Campaign, and Disconnect Instagram in the ⋯ menu. |
| A campaign | Its name with Active or Paused, and two tabs. Setup: Trigger, Reply to comments, Send DM, each with its own pencil. Settings: name, Active, Delete campaign. |
Each row in the Campaigns list shows the name, up to four keywords (+ more), and All posts or how many posts it applies to. Setup needed means the campaign has no reply yet.
How a campaign runs
- Someone comments on your post, sends you a DM, or replies to your story.
- Soul checks your active campaigns. The campaign must listen to that source, apply to that post, and find one of its keywords in the text.
- If the person triggered the same campaign in the last 12 hours, nothing happens.
- For a comment, Soul posts your public reply (if you wrote one), then sends the DM. For a DM or story reply, it sends the DM.
- One variation is picked at random for each reply.
Rules and limits
- A keyword matches anywhere. "guide" also catches "guidelines". Pick a word people wouldn't otherwise write.
- One active campaign per keyword. Two active campaigns can't share a keyword where they'd hear the same comment or DM. DMs aren't tied to a post, so a DM keyword is account-wide.
- One active campaign per post. Two active campaigns can't both target the same post. Pausing a campaign frees its posts and keywords.
- New campaigns listen to both comments and DMs until you choose one in the Trigger.
- No repeats. Someone who triggers a campaign won't trigger it again for 12 hours.
- Your own comments and messages never trigger a campaign. Test from another account.
- Instagram's window. You can only message people who commented or messaged you first.
- Buttons show on the Instagram app only. On desktop, a reply may look like plain text.
- Comment replies are plain text, with no buttons or files. Put your link in the DM.
- One Instagram account per portal, and one portal per Instagram account.
- AutoDM doesn't check whether someone follows you.
See AutoDM FAQ for more of Instagram's limits.
Campaign status
| You see | Means |
|---|---|
| Setup needed (list) | No reply saved yet. "The campaign starts responding as soon as one is saved." |
| Not active yet (Setup tab) | "Configure a public reply or a direct message below." |
| Active | Replying to matching comments or DMs. |
| Paused | Switched off on the Settings tab. "Paused campaigns do not send replies. Configuration and results are retained." |
Connection
| You see | Means |
|---|---|
| Connect your Instagram | No account yet. Click Connect Instagram. |
| Authorization pending | Instagram hasn't granted access. Click Authorize Instagram. |
| Connected | Ready. |
| "Your Instagram authorization has lapsed" | Seen when selecting posts. Reconnect your account. Your campaigns resume once you do. |
See Connect Instagram.
Campaign results (clicks, leads and revenue from each campaign) aren't shown in the dashboard yet.
Guides
Connect Instagram
Link, reconnect or disconnect your account.
Send a freebie to everyone who comments a keywordSet up your first campaign, step by step.
Reply to DMs and story repliesAnswer a keyword sent privately.
Target specific postsRun a different campaign on each post.
Write replies and attach offeringsVariations, buttons and limits.
Capture leads with AutoDMTurn comments into email sign-ups.
Manage campaignsPause, rename, delete and resolve conflicts.
AutoDM FAQInstagram's limits and common fixes.