Instagram DM automation setup: connect, template, test

You do not need a certification. You need a professional account, one template, and a comment you send to yourself. That is the whole Xuios onboarding loop.

Step 1 — Connect Instagram

Use official OAuth. Confirm it is a Creator or Business account. If this build is still in mock mode, connect the mock account so you can learn the editor; production uses Meta.

If connect “works” but events never arrive, you usually have a tester/app-review/permissions problem, not a copy problem. The dashboard health text is there on purpose.

Never type your Instagram password into a third-party form. API vs bots.

Step 2 — Pick a template

Xuios ships five:

• Send a link for a keyword — link, info
• Follow-gated freebie — free, guide
• Price questions — price, cost, how much
• Story reply → link
• Launch day — every comment

Pick the one that matches the next piece of content, not all five. You can add more later. Free allows 8 active automations.

Rewrite the DM. Delete the sample voice if it is not yours. Add a tracked link.

Step 3 — Comment on yourself

This is the step agencies skip on a client call, then bill you to “debug the API.”

Use the test action or literally comment the keyword. Watch the inbox. Confirm the public reply if you enabled it. Confirm the private text. Confirm the link opens.

Only then tell the audience the word.

Mistakes that eat the first hour

• Keyword too long. People will not type your slogan.
• Contains free on a political reel. You will match the wrong comments. Use exact for giveaways.
• Story automation on an account that cannot receive story events. Comments still work. Fix permissions or stick to comments.
• Follow gate on, no second tester. You only tested the happy path.
• Five links in one DM. Nobody taps the right one, so you think tracking is broken.

After it works

Add a second automation for a second job. Turn on follow gate only for the freebie. Put a different tracked link on the story. Read the inbox when a send fails instead of posting “the bot is down” on your story.

When you outgrow 1,000 DMs, Creator is $4.99 unlimited. When unmatched DMs need a brain, Pro is $8.99 with AI. Pricing, compare.

A first-week checklist

• Day 1: connect, one keyword, one test comment.
• Day 2: pin the keyword on the reel and say it on a story.
• Day 3: add a tracked link if you skipped it.
• Day 4: add follow gate only if the asset is a freebie.
• Day 5: read failed sends. Fix one permission or one keyword.
• Day 6: split PRICE from LINK if you mashed them together.
• Day 7: decide if 1,000 DMs is enough or if Creator is obvious.

That is more useful than a 40-node flow you will not maintain.

If you are setting this up for a client

Use their professional account, not yours. Put the keyword in their mouth on camera. Send them the inbox screenshot of the test, not a Notion doc. If they want WhatsApp too, they may still need ManyChat or Chatfuel. You are allowed to say that. Xuios is Instagram.