How to Send Automatic Messages on Instagram

Setting up automatic messages on Instagram can feel like having a dedicated personal assistant - one who answers common questions and greets new followers so you can focus on growing your brand. This guide walks you through using Instagram’s built-in tools and provides practical strategies to create automated responses that feel personal, helpful, and completely on-brand, saving you hours every week.

Why You Should Set Up Automated Messages on Instagram

Before getting into the "how," it’s important to understand the "why." Automating direct messages (DMs) isn't about ignoring your community - it's about serving them more efficiently. For busy creators, entrepreneurs, and marketers, the benefits are immediate and impactful.

• Save Valuable Time: This is the biggest win. Instead of typing out the same answer to "what are your hours?" or "do you ship to Canada?" ten times a day, an automated message does the work for you. That time can be reinvested into creating content, engaging in high-value conversations, or planning your next campaign.
• Improve Customer Service: In a world of instant gratification, a quick response matters. Automated messages provide immediate acknowledgment, letting your audience know their message has been received. This simple step can dramatically improve a user's perception of your brand, making them feel seen and valued even before a human steps in.
• Maintain Consistency: When multiple people manage one account, it's easy for the brand voice or information to become inconsistent. Pre-approved automated messages ensure every follower receives the same accurate information, every time.
• Capture Leads 24/7: Your business doesn't sleep, and neither does your audience. An automatic response can acknowledge inquiries that come in after hours, providing initial information or telling them when they can expect a personal reply. It keeps potential customers engaged instead of leaving them waiting.

Getting Started with Instagram's Native Automation Tools

Many people think you need expensive, complicated third-party software to automate Instagram messages. The good news? You can accomplish a lot with the free tools Instagram provides directly within the app. To access these features, you must have an Instagram Business or Creator account. If you're still on a Personal profile, making the switch is free and only takes a minute in your account settings.

Instagram’s main native tools for automation are Saved Replies and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). Let's look at how to set up and use each one effectively.

Mastering Saved Replies for Common Questions

Saved Replies are your best friend for efficiency. Think of them as pre-written message templates that you can insert into a conversation with a quick shortcut. Instead of typing the same full paragraph over and over, you just type a shortcut word, and the full message appears.

How to Set Up Saved Replies

1. Open your Instagram profile and tap the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner to open the menu.
2. Go to Settings and privacy.
3. For Creator accounts, tap Creator tools and controls. For Business accounts, tap Business tools and controls.
4. Select Saved replies.
5. Tap the plus icon (+) in a circle at the top right to create a new one.
6. In the Shortcut field, enter a short, easy-to-remember word without spaces (e.g., "hours," "shipping," "collab"). This is the keyword you'll type to trigger the reply.
7. In the Message field, write out the full response you want to send. You can include links, emojis, and detailed information.
8. Tap the checkmark or Save in the top right corner to finish.

To use your Saved Reply, simply go to your DMs, type the shortcut word you created into the message box, and tap the blue speech bubble icon that appears. Your pre-written message will automatically populate the field, ready to send.

Real-World Examples of Effective Saved Replies:

• Shortcut: shipping
  Message: "Hi there! 👋 Thanks so much for asking about shipping. We offer standard shipping (3-5 business days) and expedited shipping (1-2 business days) across North America. You can find all the details and rates on our website here: [Your Link]"
• Shortcut: pricing
  Message: "Thanks for your interest in our services! Our packages start at $500 for a basic setup. I'd love to learn more about your needs to give you an exact quote. Can you tell me a little more about what you're working on?"
• Shortcut: collab
  Message: "We’re so happy you want to collaborate! Please send your media kit and proposal to our partnership team at collabs@yourbrand.com, and we’ll get back to you if it’s a good fit. Thank you! ✨"

Saved Replies cut down your response time dramatically, handling the repetitive work so you can focus on building genuine connections.

Guiding the Conversation with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQs are different from Saved Replies. They appear as tappable buttons for users who message your account for the first time. It's a proactive way to guide people toward the answers they are most likely looking for, preventing them from even having to type the question. This is a powerful tool for streamlining customer inquiries from the very start.

How to Set Up Frequently Asked Questions

1. Go back to your Creator or Business tools and controls section in your Settings.
2. Select Frequently Asked Questions.
3. Turn on the Show questions toggle.
4. Tap Add question. You’ll see a field for the question and an optional field for an automated response.
5. In the Question field, write one of your most frequently asked questions. Keep it short and clear.
6. (Optional but recommended) In the Automated response field, write the answer. When a user taps your FAQ button, this message will send automatically.
7. Tap Save. You can add up to four FAQs that will appear when a user opens a chat with you.

Examples of Smart FAQs for Different Businesses:

• For an E-commerce Store:
  • Q: Track my order?
  • Q: What is your return policy?
  • Q: Do you have any discounts right now?
• For a Local Restaurant:
  • Q: Can I see the menu?
  • Q: What are your hours?
  • Q: How do I make a reservation?
• For a Service-Based Business (e.g., a Coach or Consultant):
  • Q: How do I book a call?
  • Q: What services do you offer?
  • Q: Where can I see your client testimonials?

Done right, FAQs can answer a user's question before they have a chance to feel frustrated or impatient, creating a smooth and professional customer experience.

Best Practices for Writing Automatic Messages that Don’t Sound like a Bot

Automation is about efficiency, but it shouldn't come at the cost of personality. A poorly written automated message can feel cold and robotic, damaging your brand's reputation. Here’s how to create messages that feel helpful and human:

• Write with Candor and Personality: Use your brand's voice. If your brand is playful, use an emoji! If it's formal, keep the language professional. A simple "Hey there! Thanks for your message 👋" feels much warmer than "Your inquiry has been received."
• Set Clear Expectations: If an automated message is just a placeholder before a human response, say so. Manage expectations by giving a timeline. Example: "Thanks for reaching out! Our team is online a lot and we'll reply to your question as soon as we can, in under 24 hours. 😊"
• Be Genuinely Helpful: Don’t just acknowledge the message, provide a next step. Point them to a resource, like a link to your help center, a blog post, or a product page. Empower them to find the answer themselves while they wait. This provides instant value.
• Continuously Review and Improve: Your FAQs and Saved Replies are not set in stone. Review them quarterly. Are you getting new, repetitive questions that could be automated? Are your links still correct? Is the information still accurate? Keep them fresh.

When to Look Beyond Instagram’s Built-in Features

Saved Replies and FAQs are fantastic starting points, but they have their limits. They are manually triggered (for Saved Replies) or only appear for first-time messagers (FAQs). They can't, for example, send a welcome message to every new follower or automatically reply to a Story mention.

If your business is growing fast and DMs are becoming overwhelming, you might eventually need more powerful automation capabilities. Dedicated third-party tools offer features like:

• Keyword Triggers: Automatically send a pre-written message when a user DMs you a specific keyword (e.g., “DM us 'FREEBIE' to get our guide!").
• Comment Auto-Replies: Instantly reply or send a DM to users who comment on your posts with a certain word.
• Story Mention Replies: Automatically thank users who mention you in their Stories, boosting engagement and making your community feel noticed. For more on this, check out how to add mentions on Instagram Story.

For most brands, however, starting with Instagram’s powerful free tools is more than enough to radically improve DM management and win back countless hours.

Final Thoughts

Mastering Instagram's native tools for automation, like Saved Replies and an FAQ menu, turns your DMs from a time-consuming chore into an efficient customer service channel. By creating thoughtful, on-brand automatic messages, you save time and give your audience the fast resolutions they expect, allowing you to get back to building your community.

Once your DMs are humming along, managing all those inbound messages becomes the next priority. With Postbase, we designed a unified inbox to bring all your Instagram DMs and comments - plus messages from TikTok, Facebook, and more - into one clear feed. It helps teams collaborate and manage community conversations without the confusion of jumping between apps, ensuring no message ever gets missed.