Instagram is a popular social media platform that can be an effective marketing channel for certain businesses, particularly those in consulting or real estate.
We previously looked at different use cases for using Instagram automation. In this article, we explain in more detail how to build an Instagram sales funnel using automation.
What is an Instagram Sales Funnel?
An Instagram Sales Funnel is a strategic approach to guide potential customers through various stages of engagement towards making a purchase, using Instagram as the primary platform. This funnel typically consists of several key stages:
- Awareness: The top of the funnel where potential customers first encounter your brand, often through Instagram posts, stories, ads, or influencer partnerships.
- Interest: Users show interest by engaging with your content, following your account, or responding to your stories or posts.
- Consideration: At this stage, you engage interested users more deeply, often through direct messages, targeted content, or personalized interactions.
- Intent: Users show a clear intent to purchase, possibly by inquiring about products or services, or by engaging with product-specific content.
- Conversion: The final stage where the interested user makes a purchase, often facilitated by directing them to an Instagram shop or external website.
- Loyalty: Post-purchase engagement to build loyalty, encouraging repeat business and referrals, typically through continued engagement, customer service, and tailored content.
Throughout these stages, tools like Instagram DM automation can be used to streamline and personalize the customer journey, making the process more efficient and effective.
Should Instagram Sales Funnel be automated?
That’s a valid question. “What if it loses your personality?” Yes, it can be a cause for concern, but I’d argue that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Here’s why.
With Instagram automation, you can easily qualify and engage with your leads much more efficiently. Instagram is no longer just a social platform; it’s a sales powerhouse and Instagram automation will help you build a strong platform to qualify your leads.
Gone are the days when you have to manually respond to every comment and DMs. You don’t have to be overwhelmed with your DMs being full. Here are some reasons why you should consider implementing Instagram automation:
- Efficiency: Automation saves time and resources by handling repetitive tasks, such as responding to direct messages or comments, allowing businesses to focus on more strategic activities.
- Consistent Engagement: Automated tools ensure prompt and consistent engagement with followers, helping to maintain a lively and interactive presence on the platform.
- Lead Qualification: Automation can help in sorting and qualifying leads more effectively, ensuring that businesses focus their efforts on potential customers who are more likely to convert.
- Personalized Experience: Advanced automation tools can provide personalized interactions based on user behavior, enhancing the overall customer experience.
- Scalability: Automation allows businesses to handle larger volumes of interactions than would be possible manually, crucial for scaling up marketing efforts.
- Data Collection: Automated systems can collect and analyze data from interactions, providing valuable insights for refining marketing strategies and understanding audience preferences.
But how do you go about setting up With ManyChat’s automation? How can you create an Instagram Sales Funnel?
How to Create an Instagram Sales Funnel
Creating a sales funnel on Instagram requires a lead qualification process. It generally goes through 3 main stages as outlined in the table below.
| Funnel Stages | What is it? | Instagram Sales Funnel |
| Top of the funnel | Focus is on creating brand awareness and getting targeted followers to your Instagram profile | Create content using Reels, Carousels or Stories to improve reach and impressions. |
| Middle of the funnel | Qualify leads and draw them closer to a sale through comments or DMs. | Use ManyChat’s Keyword automation to help with this (see below) |
| Bottom of the funnel | Give the extra push to make customers take the necessary action (register, download, subscribe or buy). | Build a creator store that allows them to seamlessly take action. |
Top of the Funnel
At the top of the funnel, potential customers discover a brand on Instagram and decide whether or not to follow it. To succeed at this stage, brands can:
- Create Instagram Stories to showcase their brand and products.
- Host contests and run giveaways to increase engagement and attract new followers.
- Invest in ads to reach a wider audience.
- Partner with an Instagram influencer to promote their brand.
Instagram automation can also capture leads and send them into the qualification process. For example, Instagram DM Automation by ManyChat can automatically send a direct message to anyone that replies to an Instagram Story or mentions a brand in their Story. This puts the user directly into the predetermined flow, even if it’s their first time interacting with the brand.
Automation can also help with contests and giveaways. According to Tailwind, accounts on Instagram that frequently ran giveaways and contests experienced a 70% faster growth rate compared to those that did not engage in such activities. Additionally, these contests and giveaways garnered 3.5 times more “likes” and received 64 times more comments than the typical post on the platform.
Middle of the Funnel
Once followers are in the funnel, brands can use the following tactics to qualify leads and draw them closer to a sale:
- Interact with Instagram Story viewers: More than 50% of messaging starts from an Instagram Story. Brands can use ManyChat’s Keyword Automation feature to provide quick responses to messages to complement their top funnel strategy. For example, a brand promoting an eBook lead magnet can set a specific keyword to trigger a conversation from Stories. When someone messages the brand with the keyword, it initiates a conversation with them via direct message.
- Use Comments Automation to trigger a conversation via direct message with anyone who engages with the brand’s content. Brands can also use Comments Automation to increase follower interactions for giveaways or signups.
- Spark conversations with Story mentions: Brands can automatically send a direct message when someone mentions their brand in their Instagram Story. This is an excellent tactic for brands who get lots of Story mentions but can’t respond to everyone at once. ManyChat’s Story Mentions trigger can help follow up and engage with excited fans, as well as identify new brand ambassadors for future digital marketing campaigns.
- Get the conversation going: Followers who have not messaged the brand before may need a little jumpstart when opening Instagram Messenger. Conversation Starters help make the process a little easier. When followers open a Messenger conversation with the brand for the first time, they’ll see pre-filled buttons. Once followers tap a button, it starts a conversation with the brand. Conversation Starters are perfect for providing quick answers to common questions.
Bottom of the Funnel
At the bottom of the funnel, customers know they want to buy something but may need a little extra push. The goal here is to create a frictionless customer experience to clinch the sale. Brands can engage with potential customers in the following ways:
- Have a live chat conversation: Sometimes people need a helping hand to complete a purchase. An easy way to provide support is through a ManyChat Live Chat conversation. A support rep can manage the Instagram Messenger conversation from ManyChat and clear up any customer issues, minimizing or eliminating the barriers to purchase.
- Send links to an optimized creator store built with StanStore, Pensight or Gumroad. Whether qualifying a lead via live chat or through an automated conversation, direct that person to a product page where they can make a purchase. Using ManyChat, send a link to your creator store that will allow them to take the action you need (register to an event, buy a course, download your digital product etc.)
By following these tactics, brands can create a successful sales funnel on Instagram, from creating brand awareness to clinching the sale.
Instagram DM Automation Lead Qualification Examples
Using Instagram DM Automation for lead qualification can help you collect information from potential leads and score them based on their interests. Here are some examples of how to use automation for lead qualification:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Use Instagram automation to capture leads and send them into your qualification process. |
| 2 | Ask users to type a keyword into your DMs or in the comment section of a post to lead them into your sales funnel. |
| 3 | Use pre-built automation to trigger a message in their DMs and collect their contact information. |
| 4 | Ask them questions about their interests to score and qualify them as leads. |
| 5 | Use the information collected to create a contact on the backend of the CMS and use it anytime you contact them. |
You can customize the questions to fit your marketing efforts and ensure that you are collecting the information you need to qualify leads. With Instagram DM Automation, you can collect valuable information from potential leads and use it to improve your sales funnel.
Wrap Up
In conclusion, creating an Instagram marketing funnel can greatly benefit businesses by finding potential customers, engaging with them, and building relationships that lead to sales. ManyChat offers Instagram Automation tools to optimize sales funnels and customer experience.
By automating tasks such as sending messages and responding to inquiries, businesses can save time and generate revenue from Instagram automatically. It is important to note that individual results may vary. The contents of this blog are for informational purposes only and the opinions expressed are those of the author.
Overall, businesses can enhance their Instagram marketing strategy by implementing automation tools to streamline their sales funnel and improve customer experience.