DOCUMENTATION

Build better Instagram conversations.

Everything you need to connect an account, launch automations, and understand how FlowDM handles messages securely.

How FlowDM works

FlowDM listens for Instagram messages and comments through Meta webhooks, matches them to a published automation, and sends the configured reply using the connected professional account.

1Connect

Authorize a Business or Creator account with Instagram Business Login.

2Build

Choose a keyword trigger, write messages, and add or remove contact tags.

3Publish

New matching comments and DMs enter the flow automatically.

Connect Instagram

Open Settings → Channels and click Connect Instagram. You'll be redirected to Instagram to choose and authorize the professional account.

Account requirements

The Instagram account must be Professional (Business or Creator). Personal accounts cannot use the messaging API.

Permissions

instagram_business_basic identifies the connected account.
instagram_business_manage_messages receives and sends DMs.
instagram_business_manage_comments reads comments and sends private replies.

Automation triggers and steps

Start a flow when a comment contains or exactly matches a keyword, when a DM matches a keyword, or for any incoming DM. Published flows can send text messages and add or remove contact tags. Conditions, scheduled delays, media, buttons, and story-reply triggers are intentionally not shown until their delivery paths are durable.

Each contact is stored using their Instagram-scoped ID rather than a changeable username.

Messages and policy

People must initiate a conversation, and automated replies must follow Meta's messaging windows and platform rules. FlowDM does not permit arbitrary cold DMs.

Personalization variables

Insert these tokens in any text message. If a value is unavailable, FlowDM uses the documented fallback or leaves that token empty.

{{first_name}}First nameThe contact's first name, or “there” when it is unavailable.

{{name}}Full nameThe contact's display name, falling back to their username.

{{username}}UsernameThe contact's Instagram username without the @.

{{instagram_username}}Instagram usernameAn explicit Instagram username alias for integrations.

{{message}}Incoming messageThe message or comment that started this automation.

{{comment_text}}Comment textThe triggering comment; empty when this is a DM trigger.

{{channel}}ChannelThe channel that triggered the automation (Instagram).

{{account_username}}Connected accountThe Instagram username connected to this workspace.

Webhook security

The webhook verifies the setup challenge using a private verify token. Every event delivery is then checked against the X-Hub-Signature-256 HMAC signature, deduplicated, acknowledged quickly, and processed after the response.

API endpoints

GET    /api/health
GET    /api/instagram/connect
GET    /api/instagram/callback
GET    /api/webhooks/instagram
POST   /api/webhooks/instagram
POST   /api/automations
PATCH  /api/automations/:id
DELETE /api/automations/:id

Support

Email vladvibing@gmail.com for product, privacy, or data-deletion requests.