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      How to Use Instagram Ads to Drive Email & SMS List Growth with Gatsby

      How to set up the "Engagement" ad type in Meta Ads to drive list growth.

      Running Instagram Ads that trigger Instagram DMs is a powerful way to grow your email and SMS lists - especially when paired with Gatsby’s automated DM keyword workflows.

      One great example of this strategy in action is Kulani Kinis, who used an Instagram ad with the keyphrase “summer souls” to drive 236 new Klaviyo SMS subscribers at a CAC of $3.39. Read the full case study →

      Here’s how to set it up:

      Step 1: Choose the Right Conversion Objective

      When building your Instagram ad in Meta Ads Manager, select “Engagement” as your campaign objective.

      • Choose Instagram Messenger as the Message destination:

       Screenshot 2025-03-28 at 9.59.50 am (1).png

      • Meta will require a welcome message and a question for Messenger-based campaigns. We recommend keeping it extremely simple - something like:

      “Want early access?”
      ✅ Yes

      “Want 20% off?”
      ✅ Yes

      Screenshot 2025-03-28 at 10.01.33 am.png

      Step 2: Choose Your Keyword and Configure Gatsby

      Your ad will include a clear call-to-action like:

      DM us "summer souls" to get early access.

      Screenshot 2025-03-28 at 10.02.08 am.png

      This keyword should match exactly with the trigger you configure in Gatsby.

      In Gatsby:

      • Go to DM Keywords

      • Create a new keyword trigger (e.g., “summer souls”)

      • Set up the auto-reply to say something like:

      “Awesome! Please reply with your email address or phone number so we can send you early access.”

      When a user replies with their contact info, Gatsby will capture and sync that data to your email/SMS/loyalty platform (e.g., Klaviyo, Attentive, Smile etc.).

      Step 3: Test the Flow

      Before going live, test the full ad flow:

      1. Trigger the Instagram ad DM with the keyword.

      2. Click “Yes” on the Messenger prompt.

      3. Ensure Gatsby’s automated reply is triggered as expected.

      4. Confirm that emails/phone numbers sync correctly.

      Best Practices

      • Use simple, brand-aligned keywords (e.g., “summer souls”, “vip access”, “gloopy”).

      • Keep the Messenger question short and clear.

      • Follow up with a Klaviyo flow to welcome and convert the new leads.

      • Track conversions from this campaign separately to optimize performance.

      Need help configuring your keyword trigger or want ideas for your next campaign? Reach out to us anytime — we’re here to help.