Instagram DM Action: Quick Reference for Sparkforge

The Instagram DM workflow action sends a direct message to a contact through Instagram. The contact must have messaged your connected Instagram page within the last 24 hours, or the message won't deliver.

What it supports

• Pre-built templates or custom message text.
• Attachments via direct upload or URL.
• Use with the Customer Replied trigger when reply channel is Instagram DM.

The 24-hour rule

This action only fires successfully if the contact DMed your business in the last 24 hours. Triggers like Customer Replied guarantee you're inside that window.

Behavior with Instagram comment triggers

If you pair this action with the Instagram Comment(s) on Post trigger:

• If the contact recently commented on a post, the DM goes out as a Reply to Comment.
• If there's no recent comment, it sends as a direct DM — but only if the contact DMed your business in the last 24 hours.

Recommended: Instagram Interactive Messenger

For more control, use the Instagram Interactive Messenger action instead:

• Replying to a comment? Set Reply Type to Reply to Comment via DM.
• Sending a direct DM? Set Reply Type to Reply to DM.

Note on Meta's August 2024 change

Before August 31, 2024, you could DM any contact who commented on your Instagram post regardless of whether they had messaged your business. That was a Meta-side bug, now fixed. The 24-hour DM window is enforced.