Meta is testing auto DMs on Instagram ads

A high-performing ad can pull in more comments than anyone has time to answer. Meta’s latest test tackles exactly that.

Best practice says you should reply to comments on paid content just as you would on organic posts. In reality, plenty of advertisers don’t keep up, and we’ll admit it’s a struggle for us sometimes too.

The new test lets you pick up to five keywords or phrases in Ads Manager. When someone uses one of them in a comment on your promoted post, they automatically get a DM from you. Think ManyChat, but built into Meta’s ads.

Here’s where it gets useful. Say someone comments “how much?” or “I need this”. You could send them straight to the product, share a discount code or flag a two-for-one offer while they’re still interested. It saves time and turns a passing comment into a sales conversation.

It’s Instagram-only for now, and we’ll be watching to see if it comes to Facebook. As with any Meta test, it’s going to a small group first, so don’t expect it in your Ads Manager just yet.

We’re big fans of this one. What would your auto DM say?