How to Send an Automatic DM When Someone Replies to Your Instagram Story

What you’ll learn in this guide:

• Why Stories are Instagram’s most intentional trigger and how to take advantage of it
• How to create the flow from the template or from scratch, and how to add a promotion or game to any flow
• How to set up the keyword filter or emoji reaction filter (exclusive to this trigger)
• Unique use cases for Stories: flash sales, reserved content, waiting lists, giveaways, and more
• The most common mistakes when setting up this flow and how to avoid them

Reading: 11 minutes  |  First automation live: 9 minutes

There is a fundamental difference between someone who comments on a post and someone who replies to a Story. A comment can be impulsive, part of an engagement dynamic, or the result of seeing a publication in the feed without much intention. A reply to a Story, on the other hand, is an active decision: the person saw your content, had a reaction, and took the time to write to you.

That gesture has enormous value. And yet, most Instagram accounts waste it because they don’t have the capacity to respond to every Story reply in time, or simply because they don’t know that moment of intent can be captured automatically.

In this guide we show you how to set up a flow in AppSorteos that activates every time someone replies to your Story, so that none of those interactions goes unanswered. Before you start, make sure your Instagram account is already connected to AppSorteos. If you haven’t done it yet, follow the steps in the DM Automation introduction guide and come back here when you’re ready.

Why the Story Trigger is Different from the Others

Instagram has four ways to activate an automation flow in AppSorteos:

• Comments on posts or Reels
• Received DMs
• Story replies
• Story mentions.

Each has its particularities, but the Story reply trigger has characteristics that make it especially valuable for certain objectives.

First, intent. To reply to a Story, the person has to have watched it completely, swiped up or tapped the reply field, and written something. It’s a three-step flow that only someone with real motivation does, which means that person’s level of interest is notably higher than a generic comment.

Second, temporal context. Stories have a 24-hour life cycle (or remain as Highlights if you configure them that way). This creates a natural window of opportunity, ideal for limited-time campaigns, launches, or exclusive content that is only activated during that period.

Third, privacy. When someone replies to a Story, the conversation happens in a private DM window between that person and your account. There’s no audience, no public exposure, no social pressure. That context makes the automatic reply sent by the flow feel like a natural continuation of that conversation.

Key Data: According to internal Meta data, Story replies have DM open rates that are 60% to 80% higher than DMs initiated from post comments. The reason is simple: the person is already in conversation mode when they reply to a Story.

Before You Start: What You Need to Have Ready

• Instagram Business or Creator account connected to AppSorteos. If you haven’t connected your account yet, follow the steps in the DM Automation introduction guide before continuing.

• A published or scheduled Story. The flow can be configured before the Story is published, but it will only activate when someone replies to a real Story. It doesn’t need to be a specific Story: the trigger can be configured for any Story you publish.

• Clarity about what you’ll offer to whoever replies. The flow needs a concrete action: a link, a resource, a confirmation, a coupon. Define that content before creating the flow so the setup is faster.

Step by step: how to set up the workflow

Step 1: Open the Templates Panel in DM Automation

Log into your AppSorteos account and go to the DM Automation panel. Click the button to create a new flow. The Templates panel will open, which has two distinct sections.

At the top, under the title “Start with a trigger,” you’ll see four options: Comment on Post/Reel, Received DM, Story Reply, and Story Mention. These are the ways you can start a flow depending on how the interaction originates.

At the bottom, under “Templates,” you’ll see six cards with pre-configured ready-to-use flows. The last one, “Send a DM when someone replies to your Story“, is the one you’ll use if you choose the template path. In the upper right corner there’s also the “Start from scratch” button, in case you prefer to build the flow element by element.

Tip: If it’s your first time setting up this type of flow, we recommend the template: it has the trigger already selected and an example message loaded so you only need to adapt it. If you want to chain an AppSorteos promotion or game to the flow, you can do it from any flow using the “+ Add action” button. Later in this guide we explain how to do it.

Step 2: Configure the Story Reply Trigger

Whether you chose the template or clicked on the “Story Reply” trigger from the top section of the panel, you’ll arrive at the same editor. The left panel shows the trigger configuration with two main decisions you need to make.

First decision: which Stories the flow applies to

The editor asks “When someone replies to” and gives you two options:

A specific story. Select a specific already-published Story from the content selector. This option is ideal when the campaign is tied to a particular publication: a launch, a limited-time offer, or a specific announcement.

Any story. The flow activates with any Story you publish while it’s active. It’s the most practical option if you publish Stories regularly and have a consistent call to action.

Second decision: the reply filter

Just below you’ll see the “And that reply contains” section, with two modes:

Specific words or reactions. The flow only activates if the reply includes the word or emoji you define. Type the word directly in the text field or paste an emoji. The tool suggests some common options: Price, Info, Hello, Link, Yes, Thanks, and the and reactions. You can add multiple options separated by commas.

Any word or reaction (no filter). The flow activates with any text or emoji that someone writes or reacts with. Useful when you want to capture all interactions without conditions.

Key Data: The emoji filter is exclusive to the Story Reply trigger and is not available in comment or incoming DM flows. Stories with an emoji call to action have response rates up to three times higher than those asking for written text, because the effort of reacting is minimal for the user.

Step 3: Write the Automatic DM Message

Once you click Next, the editor takes you to the “Send DM” action configuration. Here you define exactly what the person who replied to your Story receives.

If you came from the template, the message field already has an example text: “Hi! Thanks for replying to my story. Here’s the info you were looking for, if you have any questions, just write to me.” That text is just a starting point — modify it to fit your case before activating the flow.

If you started from scratch by choosing the trigger directly in the top section of the panel, the field will be empty and you write the message from scratch.

The field supports up to 1,000 characters. Below the text area you’ll see the “Buttons” section, where you can add one or several buttons with URLs that the user will see in the Instagram conversation and can tap to go to your store, landing page, or registration form.

How to write a message that works

The Story reply context is especially favorable because the person is already in conversation mode when they reply. Take advantage of that. The message should not sound like a generic automatic reply but like the natural continuation of what the person started.

1. Connect with what they saw in the Story. If your Story was about a product, the DM should reference that product. If it was about a free resource, the DM delivers that resource. Consistency between the Story and the DM builds trust.
2. Deliver the value in the first message. Don’t make the person take more steps to get what you promised. If you said whoever replied would receive the link, the link has to be in the first DM.
3. Leave the door open. End the message by inviting the person to continue the conversation if they have questions. That humanizes the exchange and creates opportunities for a deeper relationship.

Tip: Unlike the comments trigger, in the Story reply trigger the DM message arrives in the context of a conversation that already exists (the Story reply is in the same thread). That’s why the tone can be even closer and more personal than in other flows. Write as if you were replying to someone you know who just asked you something.

Step 4 (optional): Add a Promotion or Game to Your Flow

Regardless of whether you created the flow from the template or from scratch, you can add the “Promotion / Game” action to your flow at any time.

This action connects the flow with a promotion you’ve created in AppSorteos, for example a giveaway, a scratch card, or any other game on the platform. When someone replies to your Story and the flow activates, instead of (or after) receiving a text DM, the person directly receives an invitation to participate in the promotion, with a “Participate” button integrated into the Instagram message itself.

In the left panel of the editor, once you’ve configured the Story Reply trigger, click “+ Add action” and select “Promotion / Game.” A dropdown selector will appear with all your active promotions in AppSorteos. Choose the one you want to link and save.

The result on mobile: the user sees in their Instagram conversation a card with the promotion name, the welcome message, and the action button to participate, all within the same thread where they replied to your Story.

Real Example: A cosmetics brand published a launch Story with the text “Reply GIVEAWAY and enter to win.” The flow connected to an AppSorteos giveaway handled 890 replies in the 24 hours of the Story’s life. Each person received directly in their DM the invitation to participate without leaving Instagram. The effective participation rate was 73%, double that recorded in giveaways promoted only by link in bio.

Step 5: Review and Activate the Flow

Before activating the flow, go through this checklist:

• The trigger is configured for the correct story (a specific one or any story).
• The reply filter is appropriate for your case: keywords, emoji, or no filter.
• The DM has a clear message, consistent with what you promised in the Story and with the corresponding resource or link.
• If you include buttons, you verified that the links work correctly.
• If you chained a Promotion/Game, you verified that the chosen promotion is active in AppSorteos.
• You tested the flow from a secondary account before publishing it.
• The flow is in Active status.

Once you click “Save” and activate the flow, it starts working immediately in the AppSorteos cloud. You don’t need to have the application open for the flow to respond.

Exclusive Use Cases for the Story Reply Trigger

The Story Reply trigger has very specific applications that don’t overlap with those of other AppSorteos flows. These are the most effective:

1. 24-hour Flash Sale: The Coupon That Disappears

You publish a Story with the image of your product or service and the text “Reply OFFER and I’ll send you today’s exclusive coupon.” You configure the flow with the keyword OFFER and the DM automatically delivers the discount code.

The Story disappears in 24 hours, creating real urgency without gimmicks. Nobody can claim the coupon later because the trigger will no longer be active. The result: a limited-time sales channel with zero manual management.

Real Example: An online clothing store published a flash offer Story with the text Reply WANT and I’ll send you today’s coupon. In the following 6 hours, the flow replied to 340 Stories with the discount code. Of those 340 people, 87 made a purchase within the next 48 hours, with an average ticket 22% higher than usual. All without team intervention.

2. Reserved Content for the Most Engaged

You publish a behind-the-scenes Story, creative process, or content you don’t share in the feed. The text says something like “React with to receive the full content.” The flow filters by that emoji reaction and automatically sends the link to the resource, the unedited video, the guide, or whatever you want to automatically deliver as a digital resource.

This use case works especially well for content creators and consultants who want to strengthen the relationship with their most committed audience without needing to create a membership or external platform.

3. Waiting List for a Launch

You publish a Story announcing that something new is coming. The text says “Do you want to be the first to know? Reply WANT.” The flow collects each reply, sends a confirmation DM, and if you activate the email capture action, also captures the email of each interested person.

When the product or service is ready, you have a list of people who already showed concrete interest. Find out all the details about how to convert those interactions into real contacts in the email capture from Instagram guide.

4. Scratch Card Activated from a Story

You announce a promotion in your Story with the text “Reply SCRATCH to participate.” You configure the flow with the Story Reply trigger and chain the Promotion/Game action connected to your AppSorteos giveaway. Each person who replies automatically receives the DM with the participation button. No external links, no redirecting anyone outside Instagram. This is one of the most powerful combinations between Automation and the AppSorteos promotions tool.

5. Interactive FAQ Filtered by Emoji

You publish a Story about a topic with several aspects and put in the text: “React with if you have questions about pricing, with if you want to know delivery times, or with if you’re interested in the order process.” You configure three different flows, one per emoji, each with the specific DM that answers that particular question.

The result is an interactive FAQ in Stories that automatically responds according to the exact intention of each person, without mixing answers or sending generic information that doesn’t apply.

Tip: If you’re going to use multiple emojis in the same Story, create a separate flow for each reaction with the “a specific story” mode linked to that specific Story. That way the message each person receives is exactly the one that corresponds to their interest.

6. Event or Webinar Registration from Stories

You announce your next live event, workshop, or webinar in a Story. The text says “Reply EVENT and I’ll send you the link to reserve your spot.” The flow delivers the registration link instantly, with a message that reinforces the value of the event and makes clear when it is.

The advantage over the link in bio or swipe up is that the person receives the link directly in a private conversation, where it’s easier to save it or share it without losing it in the feed.

Real Example: A productivity coach announced a free webinar in a Story with the instruction Reply WEBINAR to reserve your spot. In the 24 hours of that Story’s life, the flow handled 520 replies and automatically sent the registration link to each one. The sign-up rate was 61%, more than double that recorded in the same campaign communicated only by link in bio the previous month.

Common Mistakes When Configuring This Flow

• Publishing the Story without verifying the flow is active. The flow must be in Active status before the Story is published. If you activate it afterward, replies that arrived while it was inactive are not processed retroactively.

• Using a keyword that people won’t write exactly. If your Story says “reply with the word reservation to receive the link” and some people write “reserve” or “I want to reserve,” the flow won’t activate for those people. Use short, simple, easy-to-type words: INFO, WANT, LINK, ACCESS.

• Configuring the flow for all Stories when you have multiple active campaigns. If a flow without a filter is active for all Stories, any reply to any Story will activate that flow. Use keywords or link the flow to the specific Story for each campaign.

• Not testing the emoji before publishing. Emojis can have variations between operating systems. Before publishing the Story, test the flow from a secondary account to verify that the emoji you configured in AppSorteos is the same as the one appearing on the iOS or Android keyboard.

• Not editing the template’s example message. The template includes the text “Hi! Thanks for replying to my story. Here’s the info you were looking for, if you have any questions, just write to me.” That message is a starting point, not a ready-to-publish message. Customize it before activating the flow.

• Writing a DM that doesn’t match what the Story promised. If the Story said “Reply GUIDE and I’ll send you the free guide” and the DM says “Thanks for writing! I’ll contact you soon,” there’s a complete disconnect. The person expects the guide, not a promise of a manual reply.

Tip: Before publishing any Story with an automated call to action, test the flow from a personal or test account. Reply to the Story with the keyword or the corresponding emoji and verify that the DM arrives in less than 30 seconds with the correct content.

How to Combine the Story Reply Trigger with Other AppSorteos Flows

With the post or Reel comment trigger. Publish a Reel with the resource call to action and configure the comment flow to deliver the link. Then publish a reinforcement Story with the same call to action for those who follow you but didn’t see the Reel. Both flows deliver the same resource from different entry points. Learn how to configure it in the guide how to send an automatic DM when someone comments on your Post or Reel.

With the incoming DMs trigger. When someone replies to your Story and receives the automatic DM, they might have questions and write to you directly. The incoming DM flow captures that second interaction and delivers an automatic reply or a message that invites continuing the conversation. Configure that second level in the guide for automatically replying to all your incoming DMs.

With the email capture action. In any Story reply configured to deliver a resource you can add the email request before delivery. That way each reply to your Story can become a new contact in your list. Find out all the details in the email capture from Instagram guide.

To go deeper into each combination, visit the DM Automation tutorials section where you’ll find specific guides for each case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the flow work with Stories that were published before it was configured?

Yes, you can link the flow to an already-published Story as long as it’s still active (the 24 hours haven’t passed or it’s saved as a Highlight). Replies that arrived before the flow was active are not processed, but all those that arrive from the moment of activation onward will be.

Does the flow stay active when the Story disappears?

It depends on how you configured it. If you linked the flow to “a specific story” and that Story disappears, the flow no longer has an active trigger. If you configured it for “any story,” the flow continues activating with new Stories you publish.

Can I have multiple Story reply flows active at the same time?

Yes. You can have flows with different keywords or different emojis active simultaneously. If the filters don’t overlap, each flow responds independently.

Does the flow also respond to emoji reactions without text?

Yes, as long as you’ve configured the corresponding emoji filter. An emoji reaction is a valid reply to a Story and the system recognizes it just like written text.

What’s the difference between using the template and starting from scratch?

The template has the Story Reply trigger pre-selected and an example message in the Send DM action. Starting from scratch opens the blank editor so you can configure each element to your specifications. In both cases you can add the Promotion/Game action using the “+ Add action” button inside the editor.

Can this flow negatively affect my Instagram account?

No. AppSorteos operates exclusively through the official Meta Business API. It doesn’t simulate human behavior or use external methods that put your account at risk. The automation is completely safe and complies with Instagram’s usage policies.

Your Turn!

Now you have everything you need to activate your first Story reply flow: how to access the Templates panel, how to configure the correct filter for your objective, how to write a message that works, and how to add a promotion or game to your flow at any time. The only thing left is to publish your Story and activate the flow.

Next Steps: Other DM Automation Guides

Once you have your Story reply flow active, you can expand your strategy with these guides:

Guide: How to Send an Automatic DM When Someone Comments on Your Post or Reel — The most popular flow: keyword comment and automatic DM.

Guide: How to Automatically Reply to All Your Incoming DMs — Set up automatic replies for your direct messages inbox.

Guide: How to Capture Your Followers’ Email from Instagram — Convert each Story reply into a lead with real contact data.

Guide: How to Gain Followers Using Instagram Automations — Combine the follow filter with the Story trigger to grow your community.