Episode Summary: Call Her Creator with Katelyn Rhoades

Episode 145: How to Use Instagram DM Automation to Grow Your Audience + Sales (Beginner to Advanced ManyChat Strategy)

Date: April 14, 2026
Host: Katelyn Rhoades
Guest: Heston Roberts, Social Varsity & ManyChat School

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode takes a deep dive into Instagram DM automation, focusing on the power of ManyChat—the industry-leading tool for automating Instagram direct messages. Katelyn and Heston break down what DM automation is, demystify common misconceptions, and share foundational-to-advanced strategies for creators and business owners to save time, build their email lists, nurture leads, and convert more sales—without spending hours in the DMs. The conversation is packed with practical advice, honest discussion about automation best practices, and actionable tips for beginners through seasoned marketers.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Heston’s Background & How He Entered Automation

• Heston has over 20 years’ experience in IT and web development, which set the stage for his love of automation.
• Discovered ManyChat during the pandemic while experimenting with Instagram growth and engagement.
• Realized the potential for both personal use and as a service for others.
• Quote:

  “They built it simple, but I could take it to the next level and help others utilize it in much more advanced ways.” — Heston (07:32)

2. What is ManyChat and What Problem Does It Solve?

• ManyChat automates Instagram DMs in response to triggers like comments, keywords, and more.
• Traditionally, creators have to answer hundreds of DMs manually; automation saves huge time and ensures consistency.
• Helps overcome platform limitations, increases engagement, and facilitates lead capture/sales.
• Quote:

  “ManyChat is an automation tool that sends messages on your behalf… For the creator, it will send an automated DM that they programmed and it would answer however the creator wants it to…” — Heston (08:02–09:03)

3. Who Should Use ManyChat? Is There a Minimum Follower Requirement?

• No minimum follower count; automation is useful even for new creators.
• Events like sudden viral growth often reveal the need for automation retroactively.
• ManyChat offers a free tier for up to 1,000 contacts.
• Quote:

  “As soon as you’re able to—why not?... Use it for free until you get to that point where you feel like, okay, now it’s time to step it up…” — Heston (10:14–11:22)

4. Instagram Comment Limits & Action Blocks

• Instagram has unstated limits on how many comments/accounts can be engaged with manually, risking action blocks.
• ManyChat, as a Meta-approved partner, can bypass these limitations for DMs, making automation safer at scale.
• For public comment replies, use with caution, especially on high-traffic viral posts—manual is safer when volumes spike.
• Quote:

  “With a large account or a piece of content that you know is really going to take off, I would say you possibly may want to take that feature [comment reply] off…” — Heston (15:05)

5. Beginner Strategy: How to Get Started with ManyChat

• Start manually answering DMs to understand your audience’s needs first.
• Simple starter workflow: set up an automation to deliver a link or resource upon commenting a keyword.
• Use ManyChat templates for a streamlined setup.
• Quote:

  “I think you should start doing DMs manually yourself… At that point, you kind of build an idea of how you would want to automate this process.” — Heston (17:35)

6. Advanced Tip: Email List Building Inside DMs

• Instead of driving users to an external landing page, collect names/emails directly within Instagram DMs via automation.
• DM-based collection converts as high as 85–90%, versus 30–35% on external forms.
• Integrations now enable automatic export to Google Sheets, Mailchimp, Flodesk, and more.
• Quote:

  “Do it all in the DMs, because the conversion rate is so much higher… In literally 10 seconds, you could have it all done.” — Heston (19:34–21:33)

7. Follower Growth Tactics Using Automation

• New ManyChat feature allows creators to require following before delivering a resource.
• Effective for high-value lead magnets, giveaways, or pre-launch incentives.
• Quote:

  “That’s a really great way to grow followers naturally…if they like your content and what you promised them is valuable, they’re going to stick around.” — Heston (23:25)

8. Revenue Impact & Real-World Examples

• Katelyn sees higher DMs and conversions since automating.
• Heston’s clients report substantial increases in email subscribers and sales—one videography client grew from 80/month to 100/day.
• DMs are highlighted as the fastest-growing interaction space on Instagram (echoing Adam Mosseri’s statements).
• Quote:

  “On Instagram…DMs is the biggest thing growing… Adam Mosseri…[says] DMs are the fastest growing surface on Instagram.” — Heston (26:22–26:58)

9. Welcoming New Followers: Tone, Timing, and Authenticity

• Heston sends a personalized, honest automated message 10–15 minutes after a new follow, acknowledges it’s automated, promises a human follow-up.
• 10-second delay after comments helps the interaction feel more natural, not “bot-like.”
• For keyword triggers in stories, space out to avoid interrupting the story flow (to avoid algorithm penalties for exits).
• Quote:

  “I literally tell them…this is an automated message, but if you have any questions… the next message…will be from me directly…” — Heston (28:17)

10. Using “Ref URLs” to Trigger Automation from External Platforms

• Use ManyChat’s “Ref URL” to generate a link trigger that can be posted outside Instagram (YouTube, Threads, email, website).
• Clicking the link opens Instagram DMs and starts the automation flow—great for list growth and cross-platform synergy.
• Quote:

  “I’ve actually used this link and I’ve put it on YouTube. I’ve put it in threads…When people click on it…it’ll open up their Instagram app and go straight to the DMs and start the automation as if they were on Instagram…” — Heston (35:00)

11. Measuring Success: Analytics & Optimization

• ManyChat offers built-in analytics/insights to check click rates, conversions, and flow performance.
• Review metrics regularly to optimize messaging—short, actionable copy performs best.
• Quote:

  “Those insights and analytics is pretty key. It lets you know if your chatbot is working or not.” — Heston (39:30–40:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You don’t have to be in a DM spending your time responding to all of those DMs…just have your chatbot respond to it.”—Heston (09:17)
• “If I do have a post that goes viral and I had the DM set up plus a comment reply…my account was kind of getting flagged…” — Katelyn (16:03)
• “The conversion rate is so much higher when it’s done in the DMs…it’s about 85 to 90% compared to…30 to 35% on a landing page.” — Heston (20:04)
• “DMs is the biggest thing growing on Instagram…Adam Mosseri…[says] DMs are the fastest growing surface on Instagram.” — Heston (26:58)

Recommended Resources, Freebies, & How to Connect

• Heston’s Free Guide: “12 Ways To Use ManyChat”—unpacks lesser-known automation triggers and strategies ([link mentioned at 34:55; details to be provided in show notes]).
• ManyChat School: Courses, templates, and a supportive automation community—now in English and Spanish.
• Heston’s YouTube Channel: Practical tutorials, strategy tips.

Contact:

• Instagram: [@socialvarsity]
• Website: unschool.com (ManyChat School)
• DMs open—Heston responds personally beyond the bot.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:50 – Heston’s background & tech journey
• 05:52 – Discovering ManyChat & automation lightbulb moment
• 08:02 – What is ManyChat & how it works
• 10:14 – Who should use ManyChat? (follower count & cost)
• 14:45 – Comment reply vs. DM auto-reply best practices
• 17:35 – First steps for beginners (manual to automated)
• 19:34 – Advanced: collecting emails in DMs (higher conversions)
• 23:25 – Using automation to increase followers
• 25:24 – Revenue & client results with DM automation
• 28:17 – Welcoming new followers (tone, authenticity, timing)
• 31:27 – Story mentions, automation etiquette, starting conversation
• 34:55 – “12 Ways to Use ManyChat” free guide & ref URL insight
• 39:09 – Analytics: why and how to track your flows

Tone & Takeaways

This conversation was real, practical, and non-hype—reflecting Katelyn’s philosophy of “action, not fluff.” Both host and guest are enthusiastic about the power of automation, but stress doing it thoughtfully and authentically: automation is to foster real connections, not replace them. Listeners leave equipped with actionable steps no matter their level, aware of common pitfalls, and motivated to use IG’s DMs as a lever for more engagement, leads, and sales.

If you want to spend less time glued to your DMs and more time growing your business, this episode gives you the why, the how, and pro-level tactics to transform your Instagram strategy—starting today.