Help Center›Messaging›Welcome DM

Send a one-time message to every account that follows your client back — automatically, the moment it happens.

Welcome DM

~3 min read

Overview

Welcome DM sends a direct message to an account the first time they follow your client back. You write the message template once — Oxelio handles the sending whenever a followback is detected.

How it Works

The trigger is the same as Like After Follow: when Oxelio detects that a followed account has followed back, it sends the Welcome DM to that account. Every recipient gets the exact same message, so keep it short and human.

The page has a live preview so you can see how the message will look before enabling it, and template starters (Friendly, Question, Creator, Local business) to give you a starting point.

Welcome DM

Welcome DM settings showing message textarea, preview panel, and template starters

What to Expect

DMs are a higher-touch interaction than a follow — they open an actual conversation. A well-written message can meaningfully increase engagement with new followers. A generic or promotional one can feel spammy and trigger unfollows or blocks.

Warning: Write the message before turning the feature on — an empty template will go out as nothing. Nothing is sent or saved until you press Save.

How to Configure

  1. Open the account from the dashboard.
  2. Go to the Welcome DM page.
  3. Write your message in the template box. Use the preview on the right to see how it will appear to the recipient.
  4. Optionally use one of the template starters (Friendly, Question, Creator, Local business) as a base.
  5. Press Save.
  6. Toggle the feature on.
Tip: Keep it short and warm — something like "Hey, thanks for the follow! Good to have you here." is enough. Save the pitch for after they reply.

Best Practices

  • Write the message first, save, then enable — never the other way around.
  • Keep it under 150 characters. The limit is 1,000 but longer messages feel like a broadcast, not a greeting.
  • Don't include links in the first DM — Instagram is more likely to filter messages with links from accounts the recipient doesn't follow yet.
  • Monitor response rate. If very few people reply, the message isn't landing — test different copy.

FAQ

Does the DM look automated to the recipient?
No. It appears as a normal direct message from the client's Instagram account.

Can I send more than one DM per follower?
Welcome DM sends one message per new follower only. Follow-up messages need to be sent manually.

Does it work for people who followed before the feature was enabled?
No — only followbacks detected after saving and enabling the feature trigger a DM.

Troubleshooting

IssueNext Step
DMs aren't sendingMake sure you pressed Save after writing the message — the toggle alone isn't enough. Check the Activity Log to confirm.
Account hit a DM rate limitReduce the daily interaction range in Dynamics — fewer follows means fewer followbacks and fewer DMs per day.

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