Create an automation

Builds a comment-to-DM automation on one of your posts or reels. It is always created as a draft, so nothing reaches anyone until you set it live.

The post decides the workspace and the account, so media_id is the one id you need. A post runs one live automation at a time; if another is already live on it, the call is refused with 409 live_automation_on_media rather than leaving you a draft that can never go live.

The response is the automation as saved, which is not always exactly as asked for. caveats names anything that was adjusted. Read from the response, not from your request.

Needs a full key.

POST /automations

Create an automation

cURL

curl --request POST \
  --url https://api.indm.social/v1/automations \
  --header 'Authorization: Bearer <token>' \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data @- <<EOF
{
  "media_id": "3d2a7f10-9c4e-4b8a-a1f2-6e0b5d7c9a31",
  "keywords": [
    "GUIDE"
  ],
  "dm_message": "Here's the spring planting guide. Enjoy it."
}
EOF

201

Example

{
  "id": "9a4b1c7e-2d3f-4a5b-8c6d-1e2f3a4b5c6d",
  "name": "Spring guide reel",
  "status": "live",
  "trigger": "comment",
  "binding": "specific",
  "account_id": "6f1c2a9e-3b7d-4e21-9a55-0c8d2f4b7e10",
  "keywords": [
    "GUIDE"
  ],
  "dm_sent_count": 182,
  "created_at": "2026-11-05T09:02:11Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-05T09:04:30Z",
  "dm_message": "Here's the spring planting guide. Enjoy it.",
  "button_label": "Send me the guide",
  "public_replies": [
    "Sent it to your DMs."
  ],
  "links": [
    {
      "url": "https://example.com/spring-guide",
      "title": "Open the guide"
    }
  ],
  "opener_message": "",
  "opener_plain_text": false,
  "follow_gate": false,
  "email_gate": false,
  "follow_gate_message": "",
  "follow_gate_visit_label": "",
  "follow_gate_following_label": "",
  "email_gate_message": "",
  "followup_message": "",
  "followup_delay_minutes": 0,
  "caveats": [
    {
      "code": "followup_goes_to_everyone",
      "message": "The follow-up goes to everyone who received the first message, including people who already tapped the link."
    }
  ],
  "media_id": "3d2a7f10-9c4e-4b8a-a1f2-6e0b5d7c9a31"
}

Authorizations

Authorization · string · header · required

An API key from Settings → API keys in the inDM app, sent as Authorization: Bearer indm_.... Keys belong to one workspace and carry a scope: read for GET routes and the validate dry run, full for everything. Keep keys on your server; never ship one to a browser or a mobile app.

Body

application/json

A new automation. media_id, keywords and dm_message are required.

media_id · string<uuid> · required

The post or reel to attach it to, from List media.

Example:

"3d2a7f10-9c4e-4b8a-a1f2-6e0b5d7c9a31"

keywords · string[] · required

The words that trigger it. Case-insensitive, so GUIDE also matches guide. A keyword belongs to one automation. Up to 20.

Required array length: 1 - 20 elements

Example:

["GUIDE"]

dm_message · string · required

The direct message the fan receives, carrying the link. Write it in the language your audience reads; an automation sends in whatever language its copy is in. With an opener set, this becomes the second message. Up to 1,000 characters.

Maximum string length: 1000

Example:

"Here's the spring planting guide. Enjoy it."

account_id · string<uuid>

Optional. inDM takes the account from media_id, so you can leave this out.

name · string

A short name for your own list in inDM.

Example:

"Spring guide reel"

button_label · string

The opt-in button's label. Up to 20 characters.

Maximum string length: 20

Example:

"Send me the guide"

public_reply · string

A public reply posted under the fan's comment. Up to 2,200 characters.

Maximum string length: 2200

Example:

"Sent it to your DMs."

link_url · string<uri>

The one link the DM delivers. Starts with https:// or http://. For more than one link, use links instead.

Example:

"https://example.com/spring-guide"

link_title · string

The label on the link's button. Up to 20 characters.

Maximum string length: 20

Example:

"Open the guide"

links · object[]

Two or three links, in the order the fan sees them, instead of link_url. One message carries at most three links; that ceiling is Instagram's. How many a workspace can attach depends on its plan.

Maximum array length: 3

Show child attributes

opener_message · string

An opt-in message sent first. When set, dm_message becomes the second message and the fan receives it only after they reply. You don't need an opener to deliver a link: the one private reply a comment earns can carry the link on its own. An opener makes the link follow a yes, and the fan's reply opens the 24-hour window for anything sent after it. Up to 1,000 characters.

Maximum string length: 1000

opener_plain_text · boolean

Send the opener as plain text with no button, so any reply counts as the opt-in. Only meaningful with opener_message.

follow_gate · boolean

Ask the fan to follow the account before the link arrives. Needs a link. After four asks the link is delivered anyway.

follow_gate_message · string

Your own words for the follow ask, in place of inDM's. Needs follow_gate.

follow_gate_visit_label · string

The label on the button that opens your profile. Up to 20 characters. Needs follow_gate.

Maximum string length: 20

follow_gate_following_label · string

The label on the button a fan taps once they follow. Up to 20 characters. Needs follow_gate.

Maximum string length: 20

email_gate · boolean

Ask the fan for an email address before the link arrives. Needs a link.

email_gate_message · string

Your own words for the email ask, in place of inDM's. Needs email_gate.

followup_message · string

A second message sent later, to everyone who received the first one. It can't be held back from people who already tapped the link. It needs something that opens the 24-hour window first, so an opener_message, follow_gate or email_gate. Whether it sends depends on the workspace's plan. Up to 1,000 characters.

Maximum string length: 1000

followup_delay_minutes · integer

How long after the first message the follow-up goes out, from 30 minutes to 20 hours (1,200 minutes). The ceiling is Instagram's 24-hour window minus headroom. Required with followup_message.

Required range: 30 <= x <= 1200

Response

201

application/json

The automation, saved as a draft.

The automation as saved, and anything that was adjusted on the way in.

id · string<uuid> · required

Example:

"9a4b1c7e-2d3f-4a5b-8c6d-1e2f3a4b5c6d"

name · string · required

Example:

"Spring guide reel"

status · enum<string> · required

Available options: draft, live, paused

Example:

"live"

trigger · string · required

What fires it, such as comment.

Example:

"comment"

binding · string · required

How it is attached to content: specific for one post, next for the next post the account publishes, any for every post.

Example:

"specific"

account_id · string<uuid> · required

Example:

"6f1c2a9e-3b7d-4e21-9a55-0c8d2f4b7e10"

keywords · string[] · required

The words that trigger it, as stored.

Example:

["GUIDE"]

dm_sent_count · integer · required

DMs this automation has sent since it was created.

Example:

182

created_at · string<date-time> · required

Example:

"2026-11-05T09:02:11Z"

updated_at · string<date-time> · required

Example:

"2026-11-05T09:04:30Z"

dm_message · string · required

The message carrying the link. With an opener, this is the second message.

Example:

"Here's the spring planting guide. Enjoy it."

button_label · string · required

The opt-in button's label.

Example:

"Send me the guide"

public_replies · string[] · required

The public replies inDM posts under a fan's comment, one per comment. Empty when there are none.

Example:

["Sent it to your DMs."]

links · object[] · required

The links the DM delivers, in the order the fan sees them. Empty when there are none.

Show child attributes

opener_message · string · required

The opt-in message sent first. Empty when there is no opener.

Example:

""

opener_plain_text · boolean · required

Whether the opener is sent as plain text with no button.

Example:

false

follow_gate · boolean · required

Whether the fan is asked to follow before the link arrives.

Example:

false

email_gate · boolean · required

Whether the fan is asked for an email address before the link arrives.

Example:

false

follow_gate_message · string · required

Your own words for the follow ask. Empty when inDM's wording is used.

Example:

""

follow_gate_visit_label · string · required

The label on the button that opens your profile. Empty for inDM's.

Example:

""

follow_gate_following_label · string · required

The label on the button a fan taps once they follow. Empty for inDM's.

Example:

""

email_gate_message · string · required

Your own words for the email ask. Empty when inDM's wording is used.

Example:

""

followup_message · string · required

The second message sent later. Empty when there is no follow-up.

Example:

""

followup_delay_minutes · integer · required

How long after the first message the follow-up goes out. 0 when there is no follow-up.

Example:

0

caveats · object[] · required

Anything about the saved automation that differs from the request, or that is worth knowing before it goes live. Empty when there is nothing to add.

Show child attributes

media_id · string<uuid>

The post it is attached to. Present when binding is specific.

Example:

"3d2a7f10-9c4e-4b8a-a1f2-6e0b5d7c9a31"