What is AutoDM?
AutoDM monitors comments on your Instagram posts for specific keywords. When someone comments a keyword like "BOOK" or "INFO", the system automatically sends them a Direct Message with your booking link.
This turns casual engagement into bookings — no manual follow-up needed.
Plan Requirement
Instagram AutoDM is available on the Professional plan and above.
Connecting Your Instagram Account
- Go to
Dashboard → Settings → Instagram AutoDM - Click Connect Instagram
- Authorize Guidewinds to access your Instagram Business account
- Once connected, you'll see your account status at the top of the page
Business Account Required
AutoDM requires an Instagram Business or Creator account connected to a Facebook Page. Personal accounts are not supported by Instagram's API.
Pro Tip
Instagram tokens expire every 60 days. You'll see a warning when it's time to reconnect — just click the reconnect button to refresh.
Setting Up Keyword Rules
Each keyword rule defines a trigger word and what message to send when someone comments it.
- Go to
Dashboard → Settings → Instagram AutoDM - Click Add Rule
- Enter a keyword (e.g., "BOOK", "INFO", "DEAL")
- Optionally select a specific trip to link to — or leave blank to link to your full booking page
- Optionally customize the DM message — or use the default: "Hey! Here's your booking link: [URL]"
- Save the rule
Pro Tip
Use action-oriented keywords that match your post content. If you post about a fishing trip, use "FISH" as the keyword. If it's a general promo, "BOOK" works great.
Best Practices
- Keep keywords simple — Short, memorable words like "BOOK", "INFO", or "DEAL" work best
- Tell people what to comment — Include a call-to-action in your post caption: "Comment BOOK below to get your booking link!"
- Use specific keywords per trip — Link "SUNSET" to your sunset trip and "MORNING" to your morning trip
- Monitor your dashboard — Check which keywords get the most triggers and double down on what works
Engagement Boost
Posts with a clear call-to-action ("Comment BOOK below!") typically see 3-5x more comments, which also boosts your post in Instagram's algorithm.
Monitoring Performance
The AutoDM dashboard shows you key metrics:
- Total DMs sent — Overall volume of automated messages
- Top keyword — Which trigger word performs best
- Trigger counts — Bar chart showing activity per keyword
- Inactive rules — Keywords with zero triggers that may need updating
Limits
- Up to 10 keyword rules per business
- Keywords must be unique — you can't have two rules for the same word
- Keywords are case-insensitive (BOOK, Book, and book all match)
What's Next?
- Short Links — Create trackable links for offline marketing materials
- Email Campaigns — Reach past anglers with targeted emails
- Analytics — Track which channels drive the most bookings