IGD
Step-by-Step Setup 10-15 minutes

Instagram DM

Conversations Intermediate
Need more detail? Read the full guide for config deep-dives and best practices.

Set Up Instagram Direct Messages

This guide walks you through connecting your Instagram Business account to GoHighLevel so all Direct Messages flow into your unified inbox.

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

  • An Instagram Business or Creator account (personal accounts cannot be connected)
  • A Facebook Page linked to your Instagram account
  • Admin or Editor access to the linked Facebook Page
  • Admin or agency-level access within your sub-account

Enable Instagram Messaging Access

Instagram requires you to grant permission for third-party apps to access your Direct Messages. This setting must be enabled before connecting to the platform.

  • Open the Instagram app on your mobile device
  • Go to your Business or Creator profile
  • Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines in the top right)
  • Select Settings
  • Select Privacy
  • Select Messages
  • Under Connected Tools, toggle On the option for “Allow Access to Messages”

This setting allows approved apps (like GoHighLevel) to read and send Direct Messages on your behalf.

Connect Instagram to the Platform

Link your Instagram account through the Facebook integration.

  • Navigate to Settings from the left sidebar in your sub-account
  • Click Integrations
  • Find the Instagram section (or Facebook & Instagram card)
  • Click Connect

A Facebook login window will appear:

  • Log in with the Facebook account that has admin access to the page linked to your Instagram
  • Review the requested permissions (manage messages, read Instagram profile, send messages)
  • Click Continue to grant access
  • Select the Facebook Page that is connected to your Instagram Business account
  • Confirm your selection and complete the authorization
  • Click Done to finish the connection

After connecting, the integration card will display a Connected status.

Verify the Connection

Confirm that Instagram DMs are flowing into your conversation inbox.

  • Navigate to Conversations from the left sidebar
  • Check for the Instagram icon in the channel filter options
  • Send a test DM to your Instagram Business account from a personal Instagram account
  • Wait 10 to 30 seconds
  • Verify the test DM appears in your Conversations inbox

If the message does not appear, double-check that:

  • Messaging access is enabled in the Instagram app
  • The correct Facebook Page was selected during connection
  • Your Instagram account is set to Business or Creator (not personal)

Set Up Instagram DM Auto-Reply Workflow

Create an automated response for every new Instagram DM.

  • Navigate to Automation > Workflows
  • Click Create Workflow
  • Select Start from Scratch
  • Add a Trigger and select Customer Replied
  • Under trigger filters, set Channel to Instagram
  • Optionally add a condition to check if this is the contact’s first message
  • Add an Instagram DM action below the trigger
  • In the action settings, write your auto-reply message (e.g., “Hi {{contact.first_name}}, thanks for reaching out! We will get back to you within a few minutes.”)
  • Click Save Action

Optional: Add More Actions

  • Add an Add Tag action to tag the contact as “IG Lead”
  • Add a Create Opportunity action to add the lead to your sales pipeline
  • Add an Assign to User action to route the conversation to the right team member

Once complete:

  • Click Save Workflow
  • Give it a descriptive name (e.g., “Instagram DM Auto-Reply”)
  • Toggle the workflow from Draft to Publish

All new Instagram DMs will now trigger this automated response.

Create Instagram Message Templates

Build reusable message templates for consistent, on-brand communication.

  • Navigate to Marketing > Templates
  • Click Create New Template
  • Select Instagram DM as the channel
  • Write your template content with personalization tokens (e.g., “Hi {{contact.first_name}}, here is the link you requested: {{custom_values.booking_link}}”)
  • Give the template a descriptive name (e.g., “IG Booking Link”)
  • Click Save Template

You can now insert this template when replying to Instagram DMs from the Conversations inbox or use it in workflow automations.

Configure Story Reply Workflow

Set up a special workflow for Instagram Story replies, which are high-intent interactions.

  • Navigate to Automation > Workflows
  • Click Create Workflow
  • Add a Trigger and select Customer Replied
  • Set Channel to Instagram
  • Add a condition to check if the message is a Story reply (use message content filters if available, or tag manually)
  • Add an Instagram DM action with a personalized follow-up (e.g., “Thanks for engaging with our Story! Can I answer any questions for you?”)
  • Add Add Tag action to tag as “IG Story Reply”
  • Add Create Opportunity to add the lead to your pipeline
  • Click Save Workflow and Publish

Set Up Lead Capture Workflow

Automatically capture and enrich Instagram leads by prompting for contact details.

  • Navigate to Automation > Workflows
  • Click Create Workflow
  • Add a Trigger and select Customer Replied on Instagram channel
  • Add a condition to check if the contact has an email or phone number on file
  • If No, add an Instagram DM action asking for contact details (e.g., “I would love to send you more details. What is the best email or phone number to reach you?”)
  • If Yes, add an Add Tag action to tag as “IG Qualified” and skip to pipeline creation
  • Click Save Workflow and Publish

This workflow ensures you collect contact information from Instagram leads early in the conversation.

Test Your Setup

Verify that your Instagram DM integration is working correctly.

Test Inbound DMs:

  • Send a test DM from a personal Instagram account to your Business account
  • Wait 10 to 30 seconds
  • Navigate to Conversations in your sub-account
  • Verify the test DM appears in your inbox with an Instagram icon
  • Confirm a new contact record was created automatically

Test Auto-Reply Workflow:

  • Send another test DM from a different Instagram account
  • Verify your auto-reply message is sent immediately (within the 24-hour messaging window)
  • Check that the contact was tagged and added to your pipeline (if configured)

Test Outbound Replies:

  • Open an Instagram conversation in Conversations
  • Type a reply in the message composer
  • Optionally attach an image or video
  • Click Send
  • Verify the reply appears in the Instagram DM inbox on the sender’s end

Test Story Replies:

  • Post a test Instagram Story with a call-to-action
  • Reply to your own Story from a different account
  • Verify the Story reply appears in your Conversations inbox
  • Confirm your Story reply workflow triggers correctly

Next Steps

Now that your Instagram DM integration is live, explore these related features:

Back to GHL Features Table Read Full Guide

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