How to Set Up Follow to DM in ManyChat

Quick answer: Setting up Follow to DM in ManyChat takes about 15 minutes. You need a ManyChat Pro account, an Instagram Business account, and a welcome message. This guide walks through every step, including how to connect DM Tracker so you can track reply rates and A/B test different messages.

What You Need Before Starting

Before you set up Follow to DM, make sure you have:

1. Instagram Business or Creator account (personal accounts are not supported)
2. Facebook Page connected to your Instagram account
3. ManyChat Pro plan ($15/month minimum, Follow to DM is not on the free plan)
4. Your welcome message drafted and ready (we cover best practices below)

If you already have ManyChat connected to your Instagram, you can skip straight to the flow setup.

Step 1: Connect Instagram to ManyChat

If you have not already connected ManyChat to your Instagram:

1. Log in to ManyChat at manychat.com
2. Click Settings in the left sidebar
3. Click Instagram under Channels
4. Click Connect Instagram Account
5. Log in with your Facebook credentials
6. Select the Facebook Page linked to your Instagram Business account
7. Grant ManyChat the required permissions (messaging, page access)

ManyChat will verify the connection. You should see your Instagram account name and profile picture appear in the dashboard.

If you hit issues: Make sure your Instagram account is set to Business or Creator (not Personal), and that it is linked to an active Facebook Page. ManyChat uses Meta’s API, which requires both.

Step 2: Create a New Follow to DM Automation

Now let us build the actual Follow to DM flow:

1. In ManyChat, go to Automation in the left sidebar
2. Click + New Automation
3. Under trigger type, select Instagram Follow to DM
4. Give your automation a name (e.g., “Welcome New Followers”)
5. Click Create

You are now in ManyChat’s flow builder with the Follow to DM trigger already attached.

Step 3: Write Your Welcome Message

This is the most important step. Your welcome message determines whether new followers reply or ignore you.

Click the first message block and add your text. Here are three proven templates:

Template A: The Question Opener

Hey! Thanks for the follow. Quick question: are you looking to grow your business with Instagram, or are you just getting started?

Why it works: It is short, personal, and asks a question that requires a reply. Two clear options make it easy to respond.

Template B: The Value Offer

Hey, welcome! I put together a free guide on [your topic] that I think you will find useful. Want me to send it over?

Why it works: It offers immediate value and makes replying easy (just say “yes”). The guide creates a reason to continue the conversation.

Template C: The Curiosity Hook

Hey! Just noticed you followed. Curious, what made you hit follow? Always love hearing what people are working on.

Why it works: It is genuinely curious and feels human. People love talking about themselves, so this gets high reply rates.

Key rules for your message:

• Keep it under 3 sentences. Long messages get skipped.
• Ask a question. Questions invite replies. Statements do not.
• Avoid hard selling. This is a first impression, not a pitch.
• Use natural language. Write like you text a friend, not like you are writing a brochure.

Step 4: Add Buttons (Optional but Recommended)

ManyChat lets you add quick-reply buttons below your message. These make it even easier for followers to respond.

Example setup:

Message: “Hey! Thanks for the follow. What brings you here?”

Button 1: “Looking to grow my business” Button 2: “Just exploring” Button 3: “Someone referred me”

Each button can trigger a different follow-up message or flow. For example:

• “Looking to grow my business” leads to a qualifying sequence
• “Just exploring” leads to a helpful resource
• “Someone referred me” leads to a personal thank-you and introduction

Buttons increase reply rates because tapping a button is easier than typing a response.

Step 5: Set the Timing

ManyChat lets you control when the message sends after the follow:

1. In the flow builder, click the delay settings on the trigger
2. Choose your timing:
   • Instant (0 seconds): Message arrives immediately
   • 1 minute: Slight pause feels more natural
   • 2 minutes: Good balance of speed and authenticity
   • 5 minutes: Maximum delay before the moment passes

Our recommendation: Set a 1-2 minute delay. An instant DM can feel robotic (“How did they message me that fast?”). A short pause makes it feel like a real person noticed the follow and reached out.

Do not go beyond 5 minutes. The longer you wait, the more the follower’s attention moves on.

Step 6: Set Conditions (Optional)

ManyChat lets you add conditions to your Follow to DM trigger. This is useful for:

Exclude Existing Subscribers

If someone unfollows and re-follows, you might not want to send the welcome message again. Add a condition: “If subscriber is new, send message. If subscriber already exists, skip.”

Filter by Source

If you are running Instagram ads, you might want to send different welcome messages to ad-driven followers vs organic followers. Use conditions to route them to different flows.

Time-Based Rules

You can restrict Follow to DM to only send during certain hours. For example, if your business is in the US, you might only send between 8am and 10pm EST so followers do not get a DM at 3am.

Step 7: Test Your Automation

Before going live:

1. Click Preview in the flow builder to see how the message looks
2. Have a friend or team member follow your account from their personal Instagram
3. Verify the message arrives, timing is correct, and buttons work
4. Check that any follow-up flows trigger correctly

Do not skip this step. A broken link, missing image, or confusing message in your welcome DM is your first impression with every new follower. Test it.

Step 8: Publish and Go Live

1. Toggle the automation to Active in ManyChat
2. Your Follow to DM is now live
3. Every new follower will receive your welcome message automatically

ManyChat’s dashboard will show you how many messages were sent. But it will not show you how many people replied.

For that, you need the next step.

Step 9: Connect DM Tracker to Track Results

ManyChat shows you message volume. DM Tracker shows you what actually converts.

Here is how to connect them:

Set Up DM Tracker

1. Sign up at app.dmtracker.ai
2. Connect your Instagram account (via ManyChat integration)
3. DM Tracker imports your DM inbox, including all Follow to DM conversations

Time: About 5 minutes. $39/user/month with a 14-day free trial.

What DM Tracker Tracks

Once connected, DM Tracker automatically tracks every Follow to DM conversation:

• Reply rate: What percentage of new followers actually reply to your welcome message
• Outreach by reason: Filter by “New Follower” to isolate Follow to DM performance
• Follow-up status: Which followers replied, which went quiet, and who needs follow-up
• Team performance: If you have setters handling DM conversations, see who is responding fastest

The Follow-Up Board

When a new follower replies to your welcome DM, their conversation appears on DM Tracker’s follow-up board. If they go quiet after the first reply, DM Tracker automatically surfaces them for follow-up at the right interval (1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 30 days).

This is critical. Follow to DM starts hundreds of conversations. Without a system to track follow-ups, most of those conversations die after the first exchange.

Step 10: Set Up A/B Testing

This is the step that separates serious operators from everyone else.

How A/B Testing Works

1. In ManyChat, add a Randomizer block right after the Follow to DM trigger
2. Create two (or more) branches, each with a different welcome message
3. Set the split ratio (50/50 for two variants, 33/33/33 for three)
4. Tag each variant in DM Tracker so you can track them separately

Example Setup

Variant A (Question opener): “Hey! Thanks for the follow. Quick question: are you looking to scale your business or just getting started?”

Variant B (Value offer): “Hey, welcome! I have a free guide on Instagram DM selling that I think you will find useful. Want me to send it over?”

Variant C (Curiosity hook): “Hey! Just noticed you followed. What are you working on right now?”

Tracking Results

In DM Tracker, tag each conversation by variant (e.g., “Welcome A”, “Welcome B”, “Welcome C”). After 100+ followers per variant, filter by tag and compare reply rates.

If Variant B gets a 42% reply rate and Variant A gets a 28% reply rate, you have your winner. Pause the losing variants and run 100% on the winner, then test a new challenger.

This is how you systematically improve your Follow to DM performance over time. Most people never do this because ManyChat does not track reply rates. With DM Tracker, you have the data to optimize.

For a deep dive on A/B testing, see our Follow to DM A/B Testing Guide.

Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues

”My Follow to DM is not sending”

Check these in order:

1. Is the automation toggled to Active?
2. Is your ManyChat account on the Pro plan?
3. Is your Instagram account a Business or Creator account (not Personal)?
4. Is your Instagram connected to a Facebook Page?
5. Did the test follower actually follow (not just view your profile)?

”Messages are sending but nobody is replying”

Your message probably needs work:

• Is it too long? Keep it under 3 sentences.
• Does it ask a question? If not, add one.
• Is it too salesy? Tone down the pitch.
• Try A/B testing 2-3 different versions.

”I am getting replies but losing track of conversations”

This is the most common problem and exactly why you need a CRM. Connect DM Tracker to track every conversation, manage follow-ups, and see who needs attention.

What to Do After Setup

Follow to DM is running. Messages are sending. Now what?

Week 1: Monitor and Adjust

Check your DM Tracker statistics daily for the first week. Look at:

• How many new followers per day?
• What is the reply rate?
• What are people replying with? (This tells you if your message resonates)

Week 2: Start A/B Testing

If your reply rate is below 30%, test a different message. If it is above 40%, test to see if you can push it higher. There is always room to optimize.

Ongoing: Review Weekly

Every week, check your statistics dashboard:

• Reply rate trend (is it improving or declining?)
• Follow-up success rate (are you converting quiet leads?)
• Team leaderboard (who is handling Follow to DM replies best?)

The businesses that win with Follow to DM are the ones that treat it as a system, not a set-and-forget feature.

Related guides:

• What is Follow to DM? The Complete Guide
• Follow to DM Reply Rates: What to Expect
• How to A/B Test Your Follow to DM Messages
• 30 Follow to DM Welcome Messages That Actually Get Replies
• ManyChat CRM: The Missing Layer
• How to Track ManyChat Conversions