How to Automate Instagram DMs to New Followers and Track Your Reply Rates (with ManyChat + DM Tracker)

If you’ve ever tried to turn Instagram followers into paying clients, you know the struggle. Your inbox gets messy, replies get lost, and follow-ups fall through the cracks.

But what if you could automatically say “hi” to every new follower, instantly, while also tracking your reply rates, follow-ups, and conversions without lifting a finger?

That’s exactly what’s now possible thanks to ManyChat’s newest Instagram automation feature and how DM Tracker makes it smarter than ever.

A Major Shift in Instagram Sales Automation

For the first time, Instagram’s official Meta API allows creators, coaches, and agencies to automatically send a welcome message to new followers.

This isn’t a hack or a grey-area workaround, it’s 100% compliant, officially supported, and it changes everything. That means every new follower can instantly receive a personalized message like:

“Hey, how’s your training going lately?”

or

“Thanks for the follow! Curious, what’s your main goal right now?”

With ManyChat, you can now set up a “Say Hi to New Followers” automation that sends one-time DMs to every fresh follower, turning passive growth into active conversation.

But that’s just half of the game. Because what happens after that first message, the reply rate, the follow-ups, and the conversions, is what decides whether that new follower becomes a client or just another number.

That’s where DM Tracker comes in. It's completely free to start.

The Missing Piece: Tracking, Testing, and Follow-ups

In Emil’s latest Youtube video walkthrough, he highlights a problem most marketers ignore:

“Automation without tracking is just noise.”

With DM Tracker integrated into ManyChat, every single automated DM you send is logged, tracked, and analyzed in real time.

Here’s how it works:

1. Track every outreach message: DM Tracker records which outreach variation you sent, when it was sent, and to whom.

2. Measure reply rates: You’ll see which message performs best and which one needs improvement.

3. Follow up automatically: Leads that didn’t reply move into your “Follow-up Board,” where you can manage your outreach Kanban-style, like Trello, but built for DMs.

4. Never forget a lead again: DM Tracker reminds you who to follow up with, when, and why.

You can even split test multiple message templates in ManyChat, for example, three variations of your “Hey thanks for the follow” message and DM Tracker will automatically track reply rates for each variation. No guessing, no spreadsheets, no mental clutter.

The Setup: How to Build the ManyChat + DM Tracker Workflow

If you’re new to the setup, here’s a simplified breakdown of how Emil connects it all:

1. In ManyChat, open Settings → Instagram → Say Hi to New Followers.

2. Click Setup, then switch to Flow Builder mode.

3. Create three outreach message variations (for split testing).

4. In DM Tracker, go to Settings → Outreach and add the same messages as templates.

5. Copy your DM Tracker Authentication Token and Organization ID from the Connections tab.

6. Paste both values into ManyChat’s imported DM Tracker fields.

7. Add your email to the automation node (so messages link to your account).

8. Turn the trigger ON — and you’re live.

Every time someone new follows you, one of your messages is sent automatically. DM Tracker then tracks which version went out, logs it to your stats, and updates reply rates daily.

Why This Matters

This integration does more than just send DMs. It introduces data-driven outreach to Instagram sales, something that’s been missing for years.

You’re no longer just “hoping” your messages perform well. You can see exactly which ones convert better, which ones get ignored, and which ones deserve a rewrite.

With this setup:

• Your outreach becomes consistent.

• Your reply rate increases naturally.

• Your follow-up timing becomes predictable.

• And your stress drops dramatically.

It’s not about sending more messages, it’s about sending smarter ones.

The Next Step: Recover Missed Opportunities

Once your ManyChat + DM Tracker integration is live, you’ll start to notice a pattern.

You’ll see how many DMs went unanswered, how many needed follow-ups, and how much potential revenue was hidden inside those missed replies.

That’s why Emil calls this setup “a sales system, not a chat bot.”

Because with DM Tracker, you don’t just automate. You learn, adapt, and recover revenue you didn’t even realize you were missing.

Wrapping Up

Instagram automation is evolving, fast. ManyChat’s new follower feature gives you automation. DM Tracker gives you control.

Together, they create the perfect loop:

→ Automate outreach

→ Track every response

→ Improve with data

→ Convert with follow-ups

If you’re already using ManyChat and want to stop losing leads in your inbox, try connecting your account with DM Tracker today. It's completely free to start.

Once you see your first reply rate chart, you’ll wonder how you ever managed DMs without it.