Automate direct messages for your Instagram posts or reels

If you want to build a complete Instagram conversion flow, you can also pair this setup with Instagram comment automation, an AI sales agent, and your existing Instagram scheduling workflow.

Before you begin

Before setting up Instagram DM automation in BooSend, make sure you already have an Instagram post or reel ready to publish, whether it is already live or still scheduled. Your Instagram account also needs to be connected to BooSend with the permissions required to publish content and reply to messages. If you manage Instagram with a team, confirm that the person building the flow has access to both Comment Automation and DM Automation inside your BooSend workspace.

You should also verify that Allow access to messages is enabled in the Instagram mobile app so BooSend can send DMs on your behalf. This is a one-time setting inside Instagram's message controls. If you need help reconnecting or checking permissions, visit the BooSend Instagram integrations page. You can also review Instagram's official guidance on Instagram messaging permissions if you need platform-level confirmation.

How to set up DM automation on an Instagram post

When you create an Instagram DM automation in BooSend, you will move through a short setup flow to choose the keyword trigger and define how BooSend should respond when someone comments. You can attach one automation flow to each post or reel, and BooSend handles the public comment reply, private DM, follow-up messages, and even voice notes if you want a more personal experience.

The first time you set up DM automation for a specific Instagram account, BooSend guides you through a builder. After that, everything lives on one editable screen so you can launch new flows in less than a minute.

Step 1: Select a post and set your keyword

Start by choosing the Instagram account and the post you want to automate, then define the keyword that will trigger the conversation. Open BooSend and go to Instagram → DM Automation. Select your connected Instagram account, then choose the post or reel from the list. Enter the keyword you want BooSend to watch for in the comments. When BooSend sees that word in a comment, it triggers the flow. Keywords are not case-sensitive, and you can add multiple variations such as "INFO," "info," or "link." When everything looks right, select Continue.

Step 2: Define replies to comments on the post

Next, create a rotating set of public comment replies that BooSend will post when someone uses the keyword. Adding multiple reply variations helps the conversation look natural to people browsing the comments. Review BooSend's suggested replies first, then edit or remove any option that does not sound like your brand voice. Select Add another reply to expand the rotation. In most cases, it is smart to add at least four or five variations so your feed does not look repetitive. You can also add a short delay before the reply is published, which helps the response feel more human. Once your replies are ready, select Continue.

Step 3: Create the DM

This step is where you define the Instagram DM BooSend will send to anyone who comments with the trigger keyword. Write a short, conversational message that feels personal and clear. Add a call-to-action button label such as Get the linkor Join the waitlist, then paste the URL you want people to visit. To improve conversions, you can attach an AI Voice Note or hand the conversation off to a BooSend AI Sales Agent that can answer follow-up questions and help close the sale inside the DM thread. After that, select Continue.

Step 4: Review and activate

Once your keyword, comment replies, and DM are in place, review the full automation in the summary view and make any final changes. If everything looks good, select Activate to turn it on. If you are not ready to go live yet, select Save for later so you can publish the post first and enable the automation closer to launch.

How to manage your Instagram DM automation flows

After a flow is live, you can pause it, edit it, or duplicate it at any time, even after the post has been published. BooSend also tracks the performance metrics that matter most for Instagram lead generation and sales conversations.

BooSend records how many comments on the post contain the keyword, how many DMs were sent, the DM open rate, link clicks from inside the DM, and replies or conversations that were handed off to an AI Sales Agent when that option is enabled.

To manage your flows, go to Dashboard → DM Automation inside BooSend. You will see all your automations in one view, along with each post's status and live performance metrics. If you want to pause a flow, use the Status toggle. If you want to update the keyword, comment replies, or DM message, select Edit, make your changes, and click Save.

If a flow shows a Reconnect account label, that usually means Instagram's permission token has expired on Meta's side. Reconnect the account from your BooSend integrations page, and the label should clear after the next DM sends successfully.

Why automate Instagram DMs with BooSend

Instagram comment-to-DM automation helps you turn passive engagement into real conversations with potential buyers. Instead of manually replying to every person who comments on a post or reel, BooSend lets you respond instantly, keep the experience personal, and send people directly to the next step in your funnel.

For brands, creators, and service businesses, this means faster lead capture, more consistent follow-up, and a better chance of converting interest into clicks, replies, and sales. If you want to scale your workflow even further, combine this setup with Instagram comment automation, Instagram scheduling, and a BooSend AI Sales Agent.

That is the full setup. With one post, one keyword, and one automation flow, BooSend can turn every interested Instagram commenter into a DM conversation without requiring you to answer the same question over and over on your phone.