Short answer: Use the Check if follower step. In the comment-to-DM quick setup, switch on a DM asking to follow you before they get the link. replient.ai asks the person to follow you, checks with Instagram when they tap the confirm button, and sends your link only after they follow you. This works on Instagram only. On Facebook, everyone counts as a follower and the step is skipped.
Before you start
DM automations need the Pro plan or higher (or the free trial).
Your Instagram account must be connected.
The check only works after the person has interacted with your DMs. That is why the follow request comes after the opening DM with its button.
Option A: Add the follow request in the quick setup
Use this for a comment-to-DM automation. If you have not built one yet, start with How do I send a DM when someone comments a keyword?.
In the quick setup, go to They will get and switch on a DM asking to follow you before they get the link (1).
Write the follow request. Then set the labels of the two buttons (2). Profile button opens your Instagram profile (default: "Go to profile đ"). Confirm button is what the person taps after following (default: "I'm following â "). Button labels can have up to 20 characters.
Write the Reminder if they confirm without following (3). replient.ai sends it when the person taps confirm but does not follow you yet.
Click DM below the phone preview. The block Only if they do not follow you yet (1) shows the messages that only non-followers receive.
Click Go Live.
What your contact experiences
They comment your keyword and get your opening DM. They tap its button.
replient.ai checks with Instagram whether they follow you.
If they already follow you, they receive your link right away. They never see the follow request.
If they do not follow you yet, they receive your follow request with the two buttons. They tap Go to profile đ, follow you and come back.
They tap I'm following â . replient.ai checks again. If they follow now, they receive your link. If not, they receive your reminder and can try again.
The check repeats up to the Maximum attempts (3 by default). After the last attempt, the person takes the branch If user doesn't follow (after max attempts).
In the quick setup, that last branch is empty. Nothing more is sent unless you add steps there in the builder, for example a friendly message. Typed replies do not count while the confirm button is on.
Option B: Add the step in the DM builder
Use this for any DM automation, for example one that starts with a story reply or a DM.
Open the automation in Automations â DM Automations.
Put an Ask a question step in front. People must interact with your DM before replient.ai can check.
Click + below that step. In Add a step, open the section Logic and choose Check if follower.
Fill in Initial message to non-followers and Follow-up message when they still don't follow (1).
Switch Profile button and Confirm button on or off (2). Without the confirm button, replient.ai checks again every time the person replies.
Set Maximum attempts (3), from 1 to 10.
Add your reward, for example Send Link, on the branch If user follows (4). Optionally add steps on the other branch.
Click Save.
Good to know
Instagram only. Facebook does not share follower status. If your automation runs on both platforms, Facebook users skip the check and get your link without a follow request.
If Instagram cannot answer, replient.ai treats the person as not following and sends the follow request.
Message length: Messages can have up to 640 characters.
Can I send a DM when someone follows me?
No. A trigger like "When someone follows my Instagram account, send a DM" is not available in replient.ai. Meta gives this trigger to a very small number of partners and does not offer it through its standard API. As soon as Meta opens it to all approved partners, we will look at adding it.
The follower check above is the closest option. The person starts the conversation (comment, story reply or DM), and you send your reward only to followers.