You plan. You post. You hustle to get new followers. But then what?
They follow you, like a post or two, then vanish into the algorithm forever. (No, please don’t go. 😔)
Time for some tough love: Having followers doesn’t grow your business. Talking to them does.
Many creators — especially those just starting — work hard to grow their accounts but don’t have a plan for what happens after someone hits the follow button. So, those newbies turn into ghosts: rarely commenting, never DMing, and definitely not buying your stuff.
It’s not their fault — the algorithm probably ghosted them first (more on that later). But if this sounds familiar, don’t worry: You can turn those ghost followers into active fans with just a little conversation.
The Problem: Nothing Happens After a User Hits “Follow”
The real growth loop on Instagram looks like this:
Follow → Engage → DM → Buy/Subscribe
For many creators, this loop breaks right after the first step. 😬
The problem isn’t that people don’t care about your content; it’s that Instagram doesn’t reward passivity. And unfortunately, most users are stingy with their clicks and taps these days.
Today, the average post engagement rate on Instagram is low, at just 0.45%. Likes and comments aren’t what they used to be.
So, where is the “social” part of social media happening today? In the DMs.
Up to 85% of meaningful creator–fan interactions now happen in direct messages. It’s where questions get answered, relationships deepen, and offers turn into sales.
If you don’t have a system for starting a conversation (and keeping it going), you’re leaving followers hanging and money on the table.
Bookmark for later: It Goes Down in the DMs: How to Grow Your Audience on Instagram
The Solution: Slide into the DMs
If the problem is silence after someone follows you, the solution is simple: Start a conversation.
As public engagement on Instagram declines, private, one-on-one interactions are taking center stage. There’s a good reason for this: Instagram DMs are the perfect place to make your pitch, and to make it personal.
Micro-influencers are converting up to 20% of their DMs into sales, while macro accounts struggle to reach even 3%. That’s a massive gap, but believe it or not, it has nothing to do with follower count. The difference is speed and personalization. Brands that reply to messages within one minute see 391% higher conversions than those that wait half an hour.
If you just gawked at the idea of responding to every message in less than 60 seconds, believe me: It’s possible. Keep scrolling.
The Pro Move: Use Manychat to Automate Your DMs
Even though the DMs are where real conversions happen, most users are only getting crickets in their inbox. 🦗 According to Manychat’s CEO, Mike Yan, 70% of inbound audience interactions go unanswered.
You don’t need me to tell you this, but there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to reply to every message manually. So, the best option is to automate, and if you want your automation to sound like you (but deliver at lightning speed), you need Manychat.
Meet Follow to DM 💬
Follow to DM is a new Manychat feature that helps you automatically start a relationship (or at least, get to the “talking stage”) with new followers.
Here’s how it works: When someone follows you on Instagram, Manychat instantly sends them a message. It could be a simple welcome, a thank-you note, or a small offer — like a freebie, discount, or exclusive content. That part is up to you.
To set up Follow to DM:
- Open your Manychat account and head to Automations.
🚨Note: You will need a connected Facebook account to use Follow to DM. This is because Instagram’s automation features (including Follow to DM) run through Meta’s official API, which is accessed via a Facebook Page connection.
- Once you’re in, hit + New Automation, then choose Say hi to new followers.
- Write your opening message. Keep it friendly and short. Choose whether you want to ask for an email address or send a link.
- Add a follow-up if you’d like — a gentle reminder to encourage them to take action.
- Push it live and watch the DMs flood in.
Learn more 💡How Follow to DM Welcomes Every New Follower for You
More ways to automate your inbox with Manychat
Follow to DM is just the beginning. There are many other Manychat automations you can use to create an always-on engagement system, like:
- Conversation Starters: Conversation Starters offer a way to break the ice the first time a user opens a DM with your account. They’ll only show up for users who don’t have a conversation history with you. You can add FAQs or link to your website — the idea is to use them to anticipate common requests.
Customize your Conversation Starters by heading to Settings. When a user hits one of the options, Manychat will launch them into your predefined flow.
- Keyword flows: Keyword flows start with a trigger word or phrase. When someone comments or messages you with the specific word (“pricing,” “hours,” “merch,” etc.), Manychat kicks off a tailored conversation.
Let’s say a user sends you a DM asking about “pricing.” You set “pricing” as a trigger keyword so Manychat automatically sends them your rates or a link to your pricing page.
Everyone loves the keyword feature; it’s what Manychat first became known for (yeah, we’re famous 💅). It’s easy to set up and can save you a ton of time (no more copying and pasting the same message for hours). And it’s great for your followers, because they get what they want — a link, promo code, schedule, whatever — instantly.
- AI Step: Manychat’s AI can do a lot. Fun fact: We recently used it to set up a haunted house experience in the DMs.
If you don’t want to scare people, you can use AI Step to answer FAQs, make recommendations, or route messages to you when they need a personal touch.
With some thoughtful prompting, it can even chit-chat with your regulars, convincing your followers you’re giggling at their jokes when in reality you’re fast asleep.
Make Sure No One Gets Left On Read 🙅
If you had a charming little shop on Main Street, you’d probably wave to everyone who walked through the door. Your DMs should be the same, with a friendly hello waiting for every new face that stops by. 👋
With Manychat, you can make that happen. Whether it’s a warm welcome, a helpful answer, or an irresistible offer, you can turn followers into familiar faces (err, profile pics?).
Sound like a good plan? Sign up for Manychat.
