Introduction
In June of 2021, Facebook released the API to allow Instagram accounts to use DM automation.
And it has the potential to be a game changer for brands and influencers.
Here’s the deal.
If you are an influencer, brand, or institution on Instagram, you’ve got an algorithm problem. This is because the algorithm only shows your posts to 6-10% of your audience.
Go to to any IG account (even yours), and compare followers to post engagements and you’ll see this is the case.
The Solution – Build Digital Assets with DM Automation
The solution to your algorithm problem is to build your own digital assets using DM automation
Here’s what I mean by that.
What if there were a way to:
- Automatically engage your followers, in a conversation that was dynamic, personal, and relevant.
- Then, in the course of this exchange, you could incentivize a percentage of your followers to share their email and phone number with you.
This last part is key, because it allows you to begin building a list of email and SMS subscribers that are not subject to the whims of an algorithm. In addition, they cannot be taken away if your account were to get banned for some reason.
These are digital assets you control that provide a greater reach to your followers.
How Bout Them Open Rates?
And look at the open rates for email and SMS?
Let’s play out two scenarios.
Say you have 8,000 followers. If we can show you how to build a list of emails and phone numbers of 2,000 people with automation. Now you would be able to reach 600 and 1,800 followers, respectively.
In other words, you could continue to publish on Instagram as you always do, but you would also send one email and one SMS message.
With 800,000 followers we could show you how to build a list of emails and phone numbers of 100,000 with automation. Now when you publish on Instagram, you would send out one email and one phone message to reach 30K and 90K followers, respectively.
You can decide which is better, 30% reach with email, 90% reach with SMS or 6% reach with the algorithm.
And your lists would continue to grow as you continued to use DM automation.
Take a Look at DM Automation
Instagram DM automation was not even available until June of 2021. Now you can be one of the first accounts to take advantage of it.
We will focus on two entry points:
DM a keyword
Let’s say you are running a contest, or a giveaway, or you are promoting a course, webinar, or an e-commerce store.
You can tell your followers to DM the word “contest” or “coupon” or “webinar” to receive a special discount or bonus on your offer.
When they do, we can launch an automated and dynamic conversation that engages your followers, provides a unique experience with your brand AND MOST importantly collects an email and phone number in the normal course of the conversation (click play below to see this in action).
Finally, with a keyword DM automation, you can run them for different offers, times of the year or special promotions, and they would replace the link in bio, in your profile, posts, reels and stories.
Story Mentions
This is a great way to grow your brand and followers and eventually your digital assets.
Whenever one of your followers mentions you in their story, we can launch an automated conversation as well. We can thank them for their loyalty and in the process incentivize them to share their email / phone number to receive a free gift or bonus. Click play below to see this in action.
Here again, you continue to build your digital assets away from the whims of an algorithm. The possibilities are endless since you could encourage a story mention around a particular launch, product or service or time of year.
Great For Giveaways or Contests
If you are doing giveaways or contests, DM automation will put rocket fuel into any campaign. Instead of growing your followers by having people tag their friends, you can now have them DM a keyword to enter the contest, mention your brand in their stories AND tag two friends in the comments (just like before).
Only now, you will be conversing with your followers, engaging them with dynamic content, rewarding them with prizes for desired actions AND growing your digital assets at the same time.
It’s Your Turn
If you’d like to learn more about Instagram automation for your account, brand or business, feel free to schedule a call or book an appointment with me using the link below this article.
You owe it to yourself to check out what Instagram automation can do for you.