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Story Reply Automation lets you turn one of Instagram’s most personal touchpoints into an automated lead-capture moment. When a follower replies to one of your Stories, WilloSend instantly sends them a DM with your link, booking page, or lead magnet — no keyword required, no manual follow-through. You tease the value in the Story; WilloSend delivers it the second they reach out.

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How Story Reply Automation Differs from Comment-to-DM

Stories and posts attract different behavior, and WilloSend handles each accordingly.

Comment-to-DM

Trigger: A follower comments a specific keyword on a public post or Reel.Matching: Requires an exact keyword match.Visibility: The comment is public — anyone scrolling your post can see it.

Story Reply Automation

Trigger: A follower sends any reply to one of your Stories.Matching: No keyword needed — any reply fires the automation.Visibility: Story replies are private by nature, making the exchange feel 1-on-1.
Because Story replies are already private messages, WilloSend can respond to any reply — not just ones containing a specific word. This makes Story Reply Automation especially powerful for high-engagement Stories where you want to follow up with every single respondent.

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When to Use Story Reply Automation

Story Reply Automation works best when your Story includes a clear, low-friction call-to-action that invites a reply. Some examples:
  • “Reply INFO and I’ll send you the full breakdown 👇”
  • “Want the link? Just reply YES and I’ll send it over.”
  • “Reply GUIDE and get my free 5-step checklist straight to your DMs.”
  • “Ask me anything — I’ll answer every reply personally.” (great for building trust before pitching)
The CTA removes decision fatigue. Your follower knows exactly what to do and what they’ll get back — and WilloSend handles the delivery instantly.

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How to Set It Up

1

Create a new campaign

In your WilloSend dashboard, navigate to Campaigns and click New Campaign.
2

Select the Story trigger

Under trigger type, choose User replies to your Story.
3

Write your DM message

Compose the message WilloSend will send back. Include your link, next step, or any resource you promised in the Story. Keep it warm and direct — the reply was already a personal action, so match that energy.
4

Activate the campaign

Toggle the campaign to Active. WilloSend will now fire your DM for every new reply to your Stories while the campaign is running.
See the Create an Automation guide for a detailed walkthrough with screenshots.

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Tips for Effective Story CTAs

Use a Question Sticker

Instagram’s native question sticker invites replies in a familiar format. Pair it with your CTA (“Ask me anything — I’ll send the guide to everyone who asks”) to maximize engagement.

Keep the Ask Simple

One clear instruction outperforms a vague prompt every time. “Reply YES and I’ll send you the link” is more actionable than “Let me know if you’re interested.”

Post at Peak Hours

Check your Instagram Insights to find when your audience is most active. A Story posted in peak hours gets seen (and replied to) faster — meaning your automation fires more in less time.
Sequence your Stories for maximum reply rate: lead with a value-packed Story (a quick tip, a result, a behind-the-scenes clip), then follow immediately with a CTA Story asking for the reply. Warm them up before you ask.

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Plan Availability

Story Reply Automation is available on Pro and Growth plans only. The Starter plan does not include Story triggers. To access this feature, upgrade your plan from your account settings.