Flows

Flows on Instagram

Updated last week

Create a Flow from Planning → Flows by selecting + New Flow, choosing a template, and configuring the editor steps. Each template defines a trigger and a reply sequence.

Before you start

You need a connected professional Instagram account, the Edit Flows permission, and—for Comment → DM—a Facebook Page linked to the Instagram account. See What are Flows? for the full requirements.

Create a Flow

  1. In Planning → Flows, select + New Flow.

  2. In the modal, use the menu on the left to filter templates by network (All flows or Instagram), choose an Instagram template, and select Use template to open the editor.

  3. In the editor, enter the Flow name.

  4. Configure the trigger and each step in the sequence (some steps are optional and use a toggle).

  5. Set Delay duration on steps that support it to space actions out — the unit can be seconds, minutes, or hours, and the maximum send delay is 24 hours.

  6. Review the mobile preview on the right. When it is ready, activate the Flow, or save it as a draft to finish later.

Available templates

Flows uses Instagram templates that define the trigger and the reply sequence. In the New Flow modal, choose Instagram in the menu on the left to see them. Filters also include Comment → Reply.

Template

Trigger

What it does

Turn comments into DMs

Someone comments on your post

They get an automatic DM with your link

Reply to DMs with keywords

Someone sends you a DM containing a keyword or phrase

Automatically replies to the DM

Turn story replies into DMs

Someone replies to your story

Automatically sends a DM

Configure Turn comments into DMs

This Flow turns comments into a DM sequence: first a message to get a reaction, then a message with a link.

1. Name and trigger

The first block sets the name and which comment starts the automation.

  1. Enter the Flow name.

  2. Under When someone comments on, choose the post scope:

    • Any post — any publication

    • Already published post — a post that is already live

    • Planner post — a post from the planner

  3. Under And this comment contains, choose Any comment for every comment, or With keywords to trigger only on specific keywords (case-insensitive). Separate keywords with commas.

When you select published content, the selector loads recently published posts, reels, and stories straight from the social network on demand. Analytics remains the default source, and content already assigned to an active automation for the same brand stays unavailable so two automations never compete for the same publication. If a post is very recent and you can't find it in the list, use the sync option to load it.

2. Public comment reply (optional)

Under You can reply to the comment automatically, you can reply publicly to the comment before the DM.

  • Turn the step on or off with the toggle.

  • Set Delay duration — maximum send delay is 24 hours.

  • Enter replies under Replies (up to 3 variations; one is chosen at random). Limit: 300 characters. For example: Thanks!

3. First DM to get a reaction

Under Send a private DM to get a reaction, you send the first private message. This DM accepts text only (no links) and is meant to get a reaction or reply from the user.

  • Turn the step on or off with the toggle.

  • Set Delay duration.

  • Enter the text in DM text. Limit: 1,000 characters. For example: Please press the reaction and I'll send you the link to download the study 👇

  • Under Choose a default reaction for the DM, select the reaction button shown with the message: ❤️, 🔥, 👋, 😍, 🙌, 💯, or 👍. Asking the user to react or respond acts as a double opt-in and opens Meta's 24-hour window to send additional content and links.

Since September 9, 2026, a reaction to the DM counts as a valid response, so the flow advances when the user reacts with the expected emoji. Flows that were already active before this date don't support DM reactions automatically — reactivate the Flow or create a new one to use reactions as a response.

Under Then you can send your link, define the second DM. It sends when the user replies to the first DM or taps the reaction button.

  • Turn the step on or off with the toggle.

  • Set Delay duration — maximum send delay is 24 hours.

  • Enter the follow-up DM text. Limit: 1,000 characters. For example: Here you have the link. Thanks! 👍

  • Complete Button text (for example: Get it!) and Link (a URL, for example https://metricool.com/).

A delay on each step spaces the sequence so it does not fire all at once and feels less like a bot. Maximum delay is 24 hours.

Configure Reply to DMs with keywords

When a DM arrives, Metricool sends an automatic DM reply. A link can be included in the reply DM.

Trigger

  1. Enter the Flow name (for example: DM > DM).

  2. Under When someone sends a DM with, choose what triggers the Flow. In The DM contains, select Any DM or With keywords (separate keywords with commas).

Automatic reply DM

Under Automatic reply DM, define the reply message.

  • Set Delay duration — the unit can be seconds, minutes, or hours, and the maximum send delay is 24 hours.

  • Enter the reply text. Limit: 1,000 characters. For example: Here you have the link. Thanks! 👍

  • Complete Button text (for example: Get it!) and the optional Link (a URL, for example https://metricool.com/).

Configure Turn story replies into DMs

When someone replies to a story, Metricool sends an automatic DM with text and an optional link.

Trigger

  1. Enter the Flow name (for example: Story > DM).

  2. Under When someone replies to your story, set the Story scope: Any story, or Scheduled story and select the posts that trigger the Flow.

  3. Under Word or reaction (optional), choose Any reply or With word or reaction (separate keywords with commas).

Automatic reply DM

Under Automatic reply DM, define the reply message.

  • Set Delay duration — the unit can be seconds, minutes, or hours, and the maximum send delay is 24 hours.

  • Enter the reply text. Limit: 1,000 characters. For example: Here you have the link. Thanks! 👍

  • Complete Button text (for example: Get it!) and the optional Link (a URL, for example https://metricool.com/).

It does not fire on Close Friends replies or story likes: only text and emojis trigger the Flow.

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