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How to Use Instagram Ads Trigger to Get Leads


What is the Click-to-Instagram DM funnel

The Instagram Ads Trigger sends leads from Instagram Ads to Instagram DM, where you can automate conversations by Manychat. It’s an easy way to attract a lot of new customers, fast.

This method requires you to create Ads inside Ads Manager and to create an automation inside Manychat, but you’ll learn how to do both in this guide.

How to set up Instagram Ads Trigger

First Message

The first step is to create the initial message inside Manychat. This message is the first thing customers will see after clicking on an Instagram Ad. This message should consist of a single block of text or media and include at least one button or Quick Reply.

Note that the very first message doesn't support variables (e.g., First Name field), Delay blocks, Buy Buttons, User Inputs, and Actions in URL buttons.


Add Ads trigger

After creating the initial message, add the Instagram Ads Trigger by clicking on '+ New trigger'. When you have finalized the automation's content, click 'Set Live' to activate it on Manychat side.

Note, if you deactivate the trigger, the Flow will disappear from the list in the Ads Manager.

In Ads Manager

Go to Ads Manager, create your Instagram ad with a call-to-action button that says ‘Send Message’. This button will open up a conversation with the user in Instagram DM.

In the Partner app section, select the 'Select message flow' option. Then, choose Manychat as the Partner app from the dropdown list. Next, select the specific automation in the Message flow.


You have set up your Instagram Ad, which will send an initial message to your potential or existing audience upon clicking. We highly recommend that you create additional messages or actions in your automation to continue the conversation after a customer clicks on the button in the very first message, but it is up to you to create.

Remember that Instagram users have to click any button or type something in response to your initial message to become a contact.

Troubleshooting

Note that on a whole, JSON works with "Messages", "Traffic", and "Conversion" Ads only.

There is also a limitation on the Meta side: if a Flow is used in an active Ad, it cannot be changed.

It means that you can't change & publish the Flow that is used in an active Ad and you can't turn off the Ads trigger linked to this flow.
If you want to change the Flow connected to your Ad, you need to turn off the Ad in Ads Manager on the Meta side, change the Flow in Manychat, and turn the Ads & the trigger back on.


That's all for now. We wish you a successful launch of your advertising campaigns.