AutoDM
Write AutoDM replies and attach offerings
Write the public reply and the DM, rotate variations, and add a button that links to your session, event, course, form, membership or any other link.
A campaign's replies are what people actually see. The DM carries your link; the public reply tells everyone else to check their inbox.
When to use this
- You're writing a campaign's messages for the first time.
- You want a button in the DM instead of a long URL.
- You want replies to sound fresh when lots of people comment.
The two replies
| Section | Where it appears | Can include | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reply to comments | Under the person's comment, "Visible to everyone on the post." | Plain text | Comment campaigns only. Has an on/off switch. |
| Send DM | The person's Instagram inbox | Text and one link button | Always sent. Comes after the public reply for a comment. |
Each section has its own pencil, Cancel and Save changes, so changing one never touches the other.
Write a reply with variations
Open the section
In the campaign's Setup tab, click the pencil on Reply to comments or Send DM.
Write the first message
Type it where it says "Write the message". Line breaks are kept as you type them.
Add variations
Click Add variation for a second, and again for a third. One is picked at random for each person.
Save
Attach an offering or a link to the DM
Open the picker
In Send DM, click Attach Link (or "Attach an offering or a link to add a button" under the message).
Find it, or paste a link
Search your offerings by name (at least two characters). Results are grouped by type. Items marked as not publicly visible are drafts or private and can't be attached: "publish it, then it can be attached here." To link somewhere else, such as a shop, a video or a page on another site, paste its address into the same field. It shows as a Link row, already selected. An address without https://, like myshop.com/sale, works too.
Attach
Click Attach Button. The link becomes a button on every variation you've written.
Adjust the button
Under the first message, use the button's own controls: Preview where the button goes, Change where it goes, Rename button (up to 20 characters), or Remove button.
What you can attach, and the suggested button text
| Offering | Button text |
|---|---|
| Session | Book a session |
| Event | Save my spot |
| Course | Start the course |
| Path | Join the path |
| Pass | Get the pass |
| Collection | Browse it |
| Content | Watch it |
| Chat space | Join the chat |
| Form | Fill it in |
| Landing page | Take a look |
| Membership | Subscribe |
| Any link | Open link |
One button per message. Picking another replaces the first, and "the button’s text stays as you named it."
Every variation needs the button
If a variation is missing the button, Soul warns: "Variation 2 doesn’t carry the attached button, so that recipient would get nothing to tap." Click Add to All Variations. Save changes stays disabled until it's fixed.
Limits
| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| Variations per reply | 3 |
| Public comment reply | 2,200 characters |
| DM text | 1,000 bytes (about 1,000 plain characters; emoji count more) |
| DM text with a button | 640 characters |
| Button text | 20 characters |
| Buttons per DM | One link button from the dashboard |
Tips
- Personalize the DM. Type
{{data.senderUsername}}to insert the person's Instagram username, or{{data.matchedKeyword}}for the word they used. - Want the link in the text instead? You can also paste any web address into the DM itself. A button is easier to tap.
- Keep the public reply short and friendly, for example "Check your DMs ✨". Its job is to show others it works.
- Buttons appear on the Instagram mobile app. On desktop, the DM may show as plain text.
- A DM built by Soul AI with cards or quick replies can't be edited here: "This reply uses a format that can only be edited from Soul AI."