Automate Instagram story replies

Follow up on story replies while the story is still live.

By DM SparkPublished Feb 12, 20262 min read

Updated Oct 13, 2026

Quick answer

Create a story-reply automation, choose whether it answers every reply or only replies containing a keyword like CODE, and write the DM. When someone replies to any of your stories, DM Spark sends the follow-up within seconds. There's no need to set it up again for each new story.

Why automate story replies

Stories disappear after 24 hours, and so does most of the interest they create. A reply sent within seconds reaches people while they're still looking at the story. A reply sent tomorrow often doesn't get read.

Replying to a story is also easy for viewers: it's one text box at the bottom of the screen. That makes stories a good place for quick offers and teasers.

How to set it up

Choose "replies to a story"
Create a Spark and pick the story trigger. It covers all of your stories, so there's no post to select.
Decide who gets the DM
Add keywords like CODE or YES to answer only those replies, or answer every story reply.
Write the follow-up
Write the message and add link buttons. Story Sparks can also send reminders to people who haven't clicked yet (Creator plan).
Post a story that asks for the reply
Put the keyword on screen: "Reply CODE for 20% off." Viewers reply using the message box at the bottom of your story. Answers to a question sticker don't count as replies.

Examples

Flash sale: "Reply CODE for today's discount."
Launch waitlist: "Reply WAITLIST and I'll send the sign-up link."
Behind the scenes: "Reply MORE for the full video."
Local business: "Reply BOOK to get our booking page."

Questions

Can Instagram automatically reply to story replies?

Instagram's app doesn't have this built in, but tools on Meta's official API can. With DM Spark, anyone who replies to your story, or replies with a specific keyword, gets an automatic DM.

Can I run different offers on different stories?

Yes. Create one Story Spark per keyword, like CODE for a sale and TOUR for a studio tour. Each keyword can only belong to one active Story Spark so the right message always goes out.