Guides

Instagram automation

Pre-release v1, published 2026-09-14. This page commits to the shape of the API, not to a date. We will build exactly what is documented here. The shape can still change until 2026-10-14; after that, changes follow Versioning and stability.

The banner comes off one page at a time as each route goes live. While it is here, build against the contract and assume the route is not callable yet.

Automation rules are Instagram only. They let your customers automate replies without raising a support ticket with you, or with us. A rule belongs to one Instagram channel and fires on a direct message or a comment on a post or reel.

A DM rule

curl -X POST https://api-chat.parstechai.com/v1/robots/rbt_8fK2mQ/channels/chn_3pQ7xL/rules \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer pk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Price enquiry to catalogue",
    "trigger": { "on": "dm", "keywords": ["price", "how much", "cost"], "match": "contains" },
    "actions": [
      { "type": "text", "body": "Hello! Here is our catalogue." },
      { "type": "link", "url": "https://shop.example/catalogue", "label": "Catalogue" }
    ],
    "is_active": true
  }'
Response
{
  "id": "rul_7nQ2xK",
  "name": "Price enquiry to catalogue",
  "trigger": { "on": "dm", "keywords": ["price", "how much", "cost"], "match": "contains" },
  "actions": [
    { "type": "text", "body": "Hello! Here is our catalogue." },
    { "type": "link", "url": "https://shop.example/catalogue", "label": "Catalogue" }
  ],
  "is_active": true,
  "created_at": "2026-09-20T11:12:00Z"
}

Keywords match in any language the channel supports. Write them the way your customer’s audience actually types.

FieldValues
trigger.ondm or comment
trigger.matchcontains or equal
actions[].typetext, image, link, delay

The actions vocabulary is closed: text, image, link, delay. An unknown type returns 422. An open-ended array would turn every future action type into a silent breaking change for anyone who guessed.

A comment rule does three things

{
  "name": "Comment on launch post, public reply and DM",
  "trigger": {
    "on": "comment",
    "keywords": ["available", "in stock"],
    "match": "contains",
    "media_id": "17895695668004550"
  },
  "reply_in_comment": { "body": "Yes, it is in stock. Details sent by DM." },
  "then_send_dm": [
    { "type": "text", "body": "Hello! This product is available." },
    { "type": "link", "url": "https://shop.example/p/1042", "label": "Buy" }
  ],
  "is_active": true
}
media_idScopes the rule to one post or reel. Omit it and the rule applies to every post.
reply_in_commentPosts a public reply under the comment
then_send_dmFollows up privately, which is what turns a public comment into a private sale

Your customer picks the post themselves, exactly as our own users do, so you will want to show them a post list to choose from. That is what the media endpoint is for.

Follow gating

A rule can withhold its answer until the commenter follows the page. It is a core Instagram growth mechanic.

{
  "name": "Price enquiry, follow first",
  "trigger": { "on": "comment", "keywords": ["price", "1"], "match": "contains" },
  "reply_in_comment": { "body": "Your answer has been sent by DM." },
  "then_send_dm": [
    { "type": "text", "body": "Hello, message us for more help." }
  ],
  "require_follow": {
    "enabled": true,
    "prompt": "Follow the page first, then tap the button below.",
    "button_text": "I followed",
    "retry_prompt": "We checked, and the follow is not confirmed yet. Follow the page, then tap again."
  },
  "is_active": true
}

When require_follow.enabled is true and the sender does not follow the page, the rule holds its payload. It sends prompt with a button instead, then delivers the real response once the follow is verified. retry_prompt covers someone tapping the button before actually following.

The button is a postback, a tap inside Instagram rather than a link out. You do not implement the verification round-trip. The rule engine does.

A held response expires after 24 hours

After that, the person has to trigger the rule again.

Checking follow status

curl "https://api-chat.parstechai.com/v1/robots/rbt_8fK2mQ/channels/chn_3pQ7xL/follow-status?user_id=iguser_88213" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer pk_live_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
Response
{ "user_id": "iguser_88213", "follows_business": true, "checked_at": "2026-09-20T11:30:00Z" }

follows_business is three-valued: true, false, or null. null means Meta did not confirm the relationship. It does not mean “does not follow”.

null is not false. We fail open: on null, the answer is sent. A withheld answer to a genuine follower reads to the end user as the automation being broken, which is worse than answering someone who has not followed. Treat null the same way.

Managing rules

MethodPath
GET/v1/robots/{robot_id}/channels/{channel_id}/rules
GET/v1/robots/{robot_id}/channels/{channel_id}/rules/{id}
PATCH/v1/robots/{robot_id}/channels/{channel_id}/rules/{id}
DELETE/v1/robots/{robot_id}/channels/{channel_id}/rules/{id}

List is paginated and filterable by is_active and on. To pause a rule without losing it, patch is_active to false.

Full parameters and a live playground: Automation reference.

Errors

StatusMeaning
403Plan does not include automation, or the role is missing
404No such rule, or not yours
422A comment rule with neither reply_in_comment nor then_send_dm, an unknown action type, or empty keywords