List Growth: Convert Instagram followers into Email & SMS subscribers

Quickly grow your email and SMS lists with Instagram giveaways and campaigns. Setup takes just 10 minutes.

Before Getting Starting:

1. Review Examples

Before you start setup, take a look at these short case studies to understand what you'll be creating. Most campaigns require creating 2 to 4 auto-replies in Gatsby.

Giveaway Example

Lingua Franca DM Example Gatsby List Growth

'Get Early Access' Example with Paid Ads

Kulani Kinis Summer Souls Graphic

2. Connect Gatsby with Instagram

In most cases, you will have completed this step before reaching this guide. However, if you haven’t, please follow these steps to connect Instagram:

3. Connect Gatsby to Your Email / SMS Provider

In most cases, you should have completed this step before reaching this guide. However, if you haven’t, please follow these steps to connect with Klaviyo or another provider.

It's best practice to connect Gatsby to your main newsletter list so that new subscribers collected through Instagram receive your standard marketing content. Later in this guide, we will walk through how to create a segment in Klaviyo based on the keywords users DM you on Instagram.

4. Ensure You Have an Active Plan or Free Trial

If you're not sure about your account status with Gatsby, follow these steps.

5. Decide your campaign type

Are you planning to add a simple evergreen offer to your Instagram bio or run a limited-time campaign, like a giveaway or early access? The setup is the same for both; it just comes down to the wording.

Evergreen offer added to Instagram Bio:

Evry Jewels Instagram Bio Gatsby List Growth CTA

Limited-time campaign promoted through a Post and Stories:

LF Birkenstock Story example

Step 1: Create Your Trigger Keyword Auto-Reply

To configure your trigger keywords or key phrases, you'll create one or two auto-replies based on whether you're triggering replies from a DM, comment, or both.

The purpose of these trigger keyword auto-replies is to inform users that they should reply with their email address or phone number.

Trigger DM auto-reply Comment

In Gatsby, go to the left sidebar, select Auto-Replies, and then click on New Auto-Reply.

Fill out the page to resemble the example below:

Comment Trigger Auto-Reply Step 1

The above screenshot shows that when an Instagram user comments on you post or reel with the keyword "FRESH," they will immediately receive a DM that says:

"Yay! To finish your entry, reply with your email or phone number and join our list!"


If you want to trigger the same reply for users who DM you the keyword instead of commenting, simply repeat this step by creating a second auto-reply, and copy/paste the same keyword and template reply into it.

Trigger DM autoreply

Important best practices on using Comment triggers, here.

(Please note that comments on Instagram Lives are not supported).

Step 2: Create your Email / SMS Capture Auto-Reply

Keyword auto-reply and sms capture auto-reply

Use the "Advanced Auto-Reply" feature to collect Email or Phone Numbers

1. Create New Auto-Reply

2. For the Trigger, choose "DMs"

3. To the right, toggle the switch on for "Advanced Auto-Reply"

Screenshot 2024-06-18 at 10.28.08 AM

4. In the middle of the page, toggle the switch on for "Phone Number" or "Email Address"

leave keyword field blank for advanved auto-replies

A keyword on this auto-reply means a person needs to send you another keyword and their contact info in the same DM to trigger this auto-reply.

This extra keyword field is typically used for multi-regional brands or to avoid support conversations from triggering the auto-reply.

 

5. Fill out the rest of the form to look something like this:

Lingua Franca SMS Capture Setup

Sample Text

Sample Body Text (Email)

Join our email list and complete your entry. By signing up, you agree to receive recurring marketing emails from [Company Name] at the email address you submitted in the DM. Consent is not a condition of any purchase.

Sample Body Text (SMS) - based on Klaviyo's Help Article on SMS Disclosure
By clicking this button and signing up for texts, you consent to receive marketing text messages (e.g. promos, cart reminders) from [Company Name] at the number provided, including messages sent by autodialer. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Msg & data rates may apply. Msg frequency varies. Unsubscribe at any time by replying STOP or clicking the unsubscribe link (where available). 

Sample Acknowledgement Message (Email)

You're in! Check your email in a few minutes for your confirmation. If you were already on our list, you might not receive it again.

Sample Acknowledgement Message (SMS)
You're in! Check your text messages for next steps and to confirm your subscription. If you're already subscribed to our texts, you might not receive the confirmation text again.

Not in the US or Canada?

SMS is currently only available for US and CA numbers, however you can still use the Advanced Auto-Replies for Email subscribers or to direct your customers to your website or a product page. For the latter, choose the "Link" option instead of "Gatsby Action"

For an FAQ on this feature, please visit the bottom of this page.

To schedule a call with us for setting up this feature, please book a time here.


Step 3: Create Segments In Klaviyo, Attentive etc

It's best practice to connect Gatsby with your main newsletter lists, so that your subscribers from receive your welcome series and other marketing. So you can use Segments to send targeted messaging related to the giveaway, early access, or other social media-centric content since the Keyword syncs to Klaviyo and other email marketing platforms:

DM Keyword Birk in Klaviyo

To create a segment in Klaviyo based on the DM keyword, follow these steps:

  1. Create New Segment
  2. Properties about someone
  3. DM_Keyword_Gatsby
  4. Select the keyword from the list. If you don’t see your keyword, ensure you complete your DM flow at least once so the keyword syncs with Klaviyo before creating your segment.

Birk keyword for segment

Then once you have your segment, you can send these people newsletters and flows personalized based on the keyword they DMed or campaign they entered.

Early Access to Birk Email

Please let us know if you have any questions on setup!