Instagram Ads That Open a DM, Answered and Qualified
Click-to-Instagram-Direct ads send people from the ad straight into a DM with your business. AeroChat answers the first message in seconds, asks your qualifying questions, books the call or visit in Calendly or Google Calendar, and records the lead in HubSpot, Pipedrive or GoHighLevel with the ad as the source.
What happens today
The ad works and the DMs arrive, often in the evening and at weekends when people scroll. Many wait hours for a reply, and by then they have messaged a competitor or lost interest.
The leads that do get answered stay in the Instagram inbox. Nobody can tell which ad brought in which customer, so the ad budget is judged on clicks instead of sales.
How it runs on Instagram
- A person taps your ad and sends the pre-filled message, such as “Is this still available?”
- AeroChat replies at once, answering the question about the offer in the ad from your knowledge base.
- It asks two or three qualifying questions you set, such as budget, location or timing.
- It searches your CRM for the person, then creates or updates the lead with the ad name as the source and their answers in a note.
- Qualified leads get open times from Calendly or Google Calendar, and AeroChat books the one they pick.
- For products, it sends the item link or a payment link so the sale finishes in the DM.
- Hot leads, or anyone who asks for a person, go to your sales team in the inbox or on the mobile app, with the answers already recorded.
The recipe
Copy this into AeroChat
When someone messages us from our Instagram ad for the free skin consultation (example), follow these steps.
- Answer their first question about the consultation from our knowledge base.
- Ask: “What would you like help with?” and “Which of our two outlets is nearer to you?”
- Ask for their name and email.
- Search HubSpot for the contact by email. Create or update it with the source Instagram ad, the campaign name Skin consult November (example) and a note with their answers.
- Offer the next three open slots in our Calendly and book the one they choose.
- Confirm the booking with the date, time and outlet address.
- If they ask about medical conditions or ask for a person, hand the conversation to our team.
Reply within the first minute. Reply in the customer’s language.
Change the offer, questions and campaign name to match your ad. For Pipedrive or GoHighLevel, name that CRM instead and keep the steps.
Connect the systems behind it
- HubSpot. AeroChat creates or updates the contact with the ad as the source and the qualifying answers as a note.
- Pipedrive. AeroChat creates the person and a lead your sales team sees straight away.
- GoHighLevel. AeroChat creates the contact, adds tags and opens an opportunity in your pipeline.
- Calendly. AeroChat offers open times and books the call or visit in the DM.
Google Calendar, Shopify and Airwallex payment links are built in. Payment links come with the Growth plan and above.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
Meta’s rules on Instagram
When someone messages you from a click-to-Instagram-Direct ad, you can reply for up to 7 days from their first message. That is longer than the usual 24 hours after the customer’s last message, and gives time to qualify, book and follow up. Replies typed by your team have their own 7-day window. Comments on your ad post can also get one private reply each, within 7 days of the comment.
Also on WhatsApp, TikTok and web chat
The same ad-to-lead workflow runs on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, TikTok (direct messages and TikTok Shop buyer chat), Telegram, the chat on your website and email, and every lead lands in the same CRM with its source. See click-to-WhatsApp ad conversations.
Who uses it
Businesses that buy Instagram ads to win enquiries use it, including property agents qualifying leads, spas with first-visit offers, dental clinics and tuition centres booking trial classes.
Read more: conversational selling through Instagram DMs.
Questions
What is a click-to-Instagram-Direct ad?
It is a Meta ad whose button opens a DM with your business instead of a website. The person sends a message, and the conversation carries on in Instagram.
How long can I message someone who came from an Instagram ad?
Up to 7 days from their first message. Replying in the first minute makes the most of that window.
Can I see which ad a lead came from?
Yes. AeroChat records the campaign as the lead source in your CRM, so you can compare ads by leads and bookings, not only clicks.
Which AeroChat plan do I need?
Workflows via Skills are on every plan, Free included. Starter includes 500 AI responses and 3 seats, Growth 2,000 and 10 seats with payment links, and Advanced 5,000 and 25 seats.
Answer your next ad lead in the first minute
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On Shopify? Install AeroChat from the Shopify App Store.
Related: Instagram DM automation and Instagram after hours replies.