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Opening DM: Add a Personal Touch to Your Automations

3 min read

Opening DM sends a short, friendly intro message before delivering your main content. It makes your automations feel less robotic and more like a real conversation.

How Opening DM Works

  1. Someone triggers your automation (comments a keyword, replies to a story, etc.)
  2. CreatorFlow sends your custom intro message first
  3. After a short delay, CreatorFlow sends the actual content (link, message, etc.)

Setting Up Opening DM

  1. Go to the Automations page and open your automation (or create a new one)
  2. Scroll to the Pre-DM Options section
  3. Toggle Opening DM on
  4. Type your intro message in the text field and save the automation

Example Opening Messages

  • "Hey {first_name}! Thanks for your interest. Here's what I promised:"
  • "Glad you asked! Sending the link your way now."
  • "Thanks for commenting! Here's the info you requested:"

Keep it short and natural. One or two sentences is enough. The goal is to make the automation feel like a personal message, not a marketing blast.

When to Use Opening DM

Use Opening DMSkip Opening DM
You want automations to feel personal and conversationalSpeed is the priority and you want content delivered in one message
You're building a personal brand and tone mattersYou're running high-volume automations where extra DMs add up
You want to warm up the conversation before sending a linkYou're using Follow Gate or Email Gate instead

Opening DM is the lightest pre-DM option. It doesn't ask for anything (no follow, no email). It adds a human touch without any conversion trade-off beyond using one extra DM per interaction.

FAQ

Does Opening DM use an extra DM from my monthly limit?+

Yes. Opening DM sends one additional message before the main content. Each automation with Opening DM enabled uses 2 DMs per interaction instead of 1.

Can I use Opening DM with Follow Gate or Email Gate?+

No. Follow Gate, Email Gate, and Opening DM are mutually exclusive. You can only enable one pre-DM option per automation.

Can I use variables like {username} in the Opening DM?+

Yes. You can use {username} to insert your Instagram handle and {first_name} to insert the recipient's first name (if available from their Instagram profile).

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