Prerequisites Checklist
Before you start, make sure you have these in place:
Instagram Professional Account
You need a Business or Creator account (not Personal). Switch in Settings → Account → Switch to Professional Account.
Connected Facebook Page
Your Instagram must be linked to a Facebook Page. This is required for Meta's API access. Connect in Instagram Settings → Account → Linked Accounts.
Primary Admin Access
You need admin access to the Facebook Page. If someone else owns the Page, have them grant you admin permissions.
Clear Automation Goal
Know what you want to automate first. Most creators start with comment-to-DM link delivery.
5-Step Setup Process
Follow these steps to set up your first automation in under 5 minutes:
Create Your CreatorFlow Account
Go to creatorflow.so/signup. The free plan includes 500 DM conversations/month—plenty to get started. No credit card required.
Connect Your Instagram Account
Click 'Connect Instagram' and authorize via Meta's secure OAuth flow. You'll grant permissions for messaging. This takes 30 seconds.
Choose Your First Template
Select from three starter templates: Comment-to-DM (link delivery), Story Reply (discount codes), or Keyword DM (FAQ responses). Templates are pre-configured and ready to customize.
Set Your Trigger and Message
Choose your trigger keyword (e.g., 'LINK'). Write your automated message. Add your link or email collection form. Preview how it will look.
Test and Go Live
Send a test trigger from another account (or ask a friend). Verify the automation works correctly. Click 'Go Live' to activate. You're done!
Common Issues & Fixes
Running into problems? Here are quick fixes for the most common issues:
"Can't connect Instagram"
Make sure your Instagram is a Professional account (not Personal) and is connected to a Facebook Page where you have admin access.
"Automation not triggering"
Check that your trigger keyword matches exactly (case-insensitive). Ensure the automation is set to 'Live' status, not 'Draft'.
"DM not being received"
The recipient may have message request filters. DMs from automations go to the Primary inbox if they've interacted with you before.
"Connection expired"
Meta tokens expire after 60 days. Go to Settings and re-authenticate your Instagram connection.
What's Next?
Once your first automation is running, here's how to expand:
Monitor Performance
Check your analytics dashboard for DMs sent, link clicks, and email capture rates. Optimize based on data.
Add More Automations
Create automations for different keywords, posts, or stories. Most creators run 3-5 automations simultaneously.
Enable Email Collection
Add email capture to your flows to build your list while delivering value.
Optimize Your Triggers
Test different keywords. 'LINK' works, but 'FREEBIE' or 'GUIDE' might convert better for your audience.