Your First Instagram Automation in 10 Minutes

A simple first Instagram automation (a comment that triggers a DM with the link or material you promised) usually takes around 10 minutes to build and test. The path is: connect your account, pick a goal, set the keyword, write the DM, test by commenting on your own post, then switch it on. Below is the checklist, in the order you do each thing.

The time depends on the size of the flow. One DM with a button is quicker; a flow with questions and data capture takes longer. For your first one, keep it simple.

Before you start (2 minutes)

• Your Instagram account is Business or Creator. Meta’s official API requires it, and switching account type is free and done inside the app.
• You know which post or Reel will get the automation and what you will deliver (a link, a guide, a coupon, an invitation).
• You picked a short keyword for people to comment (LINK, GUIDE, WANT).

The checklist, step by step

1. Connect Instagram (1 min). The connection uses Meta’s official authorization screen. You never hand over your password.
2. Pick a goal (1 min). Breeze asks what you want to achieve and builds the flow for you: capture leads, send a link, qualify prospects or reply to a specific Story. If you already know what you want, you can start from scratch or from a ready-made template (welcome message, email capture, link with button, multiple choice).
3. Set the trigger (1 min). Choose the post or Reel that triggers the automation (or any post) and type the keyword. If another automation already uses the same word, Breeze warns you about the conflict.
4. Write the DM (3 min). Three parts are enough: a short greeting, the delivery of what you promised and a button with the link. The more direct, the better. See examples in Instagram auto-reply messages: examples and setup.
5. Turn on the public reply (1 min, optional). A reply on the comment itself tells the person the DM is on its way. Write two or three variations so you don’t repeat the same sentence under every comment.
6. Test (1 min). Comment the word on your own post, ideally from a second account, and check that the reply and the DM arrive as planned.
7. Switch it on and tell people. Say in the caption or the video which word to comment. Without that, nobody comments.
8. Check the metrics after a few days. The dashboard shows leads, DMs sent and conversion rate and, per automation, sends, clicks and each button’s CTR.

What not to expect in the first round

• DMs to people who haven’t interacted. The automation is triggered by something the person does (the comment or a Story reply). That is how Meta allows it.
• DMs to old comments. The private reply works for recent comments, within 7 days, and comments made before you connected the account don’t get a DM. See the Instagram 24-hour messaging window.
• A perfect flow on the first try. Run it, look at the numbers and adjust. To choose and test your word, read Instagram comment keywords: how to test what converts.

Once the first one is live, the natural next read is how to automate Instagram comments step by step.

Breeze

Breeze is a paid Instagram automation platform with a 3-day trial. It costs US$20/month outside Brazil and R$99/month in Brazil, with no per-contact charge. It is Instagram only: comment and Story to DM, through Meta’s official API.

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FAQ

How long does it take to build a first Instagram automation? A simple automation, one DM with a link button, usually takes about 10 minutes from connecting the account to testing the message. Flows with questions and data capture take longer.

Do I need to code? No. In Breeze you build the flow in a visual editor, from a goal or a ready-made template, with no code.

What kind of Instagram account do I need? Business or Creator. Meta’s official API requires one of them, and you can switch inside the Instagram app.

What should my first automation be? A comment keyword that sends a DM with the link or material you promised. It is the simplest case and the one that pays off fastest.

Does Breeze have a trial? Yes, a 3-day trial. After that it is a paid plan: US$20/month outside Brazil and R$99/month in Brazil.

Try Breeze for 3 days →