How to Auto-DM New Instagram Followers Using ManyChat and GoHighLevel

Here's the move.

Someone follows you on Instagram. Within seconds, they get a DM from you. Not a generic "thanks for following" — a real conversation starter that feels personal.

That DM triggers a flow in ManyChat. ManyChat qualifies them with a couple quick questions. Then it sends their info straight into GoHighLevel, which kicks off a custom email sequence.

No manual DMs. No copy-pasting. No missed leads. All on autopilot.

Why Auto-DM Your New Followers?

Every new follower is a warm lead. They just raised their hand and said "I'm interested in what you do."

But most business owners do absolutely nothing with that moment. The follower scrolls away, forgets about you, and you never get another chance to start a conversation.

An auto-DM changes that. You catch them in the moment when they're most engaged — right when they hit follow.

The numbers:

• Instagram DMs have a 70-80% open rate (vs. 20% for email)
• Responding within the first minute increases conversion by 391%
• Most businesses never DM their followers at all — so you instantly stand out

What You'll Need

1. Instagram Business or Creator account
2. ManyChat account (free tier works to start)
3. GoHighLevel account (try it free for 14 days)
4. A Facebook Page connected to your Instagram (required for ManyChat)

Step 1: Connect ManyChat to Instagram

1. Log into ManyChat and go to Settings → Instagram
2. Connect your Instagram Business account
3. ManyChat will ask you to link through your Facebook Page — follow the prompts
4. Once connected, you'll see your IG account in the ManyChat dashboard

Step 2: Build the Auto-DM Flow in ManyChat

Create a new flow triggered by "New Follower":

Message 1 (Instant):

"Hey! Thanks for the follow. Quick question — are you a business owner or just here for the content?"

This does two things: starts a conversation and qualifies them.

If they reply "business owner":

"Nice! What kind of business do you run? I share a lot of automation tips that might help you save time."

If they reply "content":

"Love it. I drop tips on automation and business systems every week. Stay tuned!"

For business owners — follow up with:

"I have a free resource that shows business owners how to automate their first 5 tasks. Want me to send it?"

If they say yes, collect their email in the DM flow.

Step 3: Connect ManyChat to GoHighLevel

This is where it gets powerful. When someone gives you their email in ManyChat, you pipe it straight into GHL.

Option A: Webhook (Recommended)

1. In GoHighLevel, create an Inbound Webhook workflow trigger
2. Copy the webhook URL
3. In ManyChat, add an External Request action after the email capture step
4. Paste the GHL webhook URL
5. Map the fields: name, email, Instagram handle

Option B: Zapier

1. Create a Zap: ManyChat → GoHighLevel
2. Trigger: New subscriber in ManyChat
3. Action: Create/update contact in GoHighLevel

Step 4: Build the Email Sequence in GoHighLevel

Once the contact lands in GHL, trigger an automated email sequence:

Email 1 (Immediate):

Subject: "Here's that resource I mentioned"

Body: Deliver the free resource. Keep it short. Add value.

Email 2 (Day 2):

Subject: "Quick question"

Body: Ask what their biggest business challenge is. Start a conversation.

Email 3 (Day 4):

Subject: "This might help"

Body: Share a case study or success story relevant to their industry.

Email 4 (Day 7):

Subject: "Want to talk?"

Body: Soft CTA to book a call. No pressure. Just offer.

Step 5: Tag and Segment

In GoHighLevel, tag every contact that came from Instagram DMs:

• Tag: source:instagram-dm
• Tag: lead-type:warm

This lets you track which leads came from Instagram specifically and measure the ROI of your DM automation.

The Full Flow (Visual)

New IG Follower
  → ManyChat auto-DM (instant)
    → Qualifying questions in DM
      → Email captured
        → Webhook to GoHighLevel
          → Contact created + tagged
            → Email sequence triggers
              → Lead nurtured on autopilot

Pro Tips

• Don't be salesy in the first DM. Start a conversation, not a pitch.
• Keep the ManyChat flow short. 2-3 messages max before collecting the email.
• Personalize the GHL emails. Use their first name and reference Instagram.
• Monitor your DM open rates. If they drop, your first message needs work.
• A/B test your opener. Try different first messages and track which gets more replies.

What This Looks Like at Scale

With 100 new followers per week:

• 70+ see your DM (70% open rate)
• 30-40 reply and engage
• 15-20 give you their email
• 5-8 book a call within 30 days

That's 20-32 booked calls per month from Instagram alone. No ads. No cold outreach. Just automation working in the background.

Want us to build this entire ManyChat + GoHighLevel automation for you? Book a free strategy call and we'll set it up so your DMs make money while you sleep.