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A free guide by Lauren Dallas Instagram
The ManyChat Setting That Secretly Gets Me 1000 Followers
When someone comments a keyword to request your freebie, ManyChat can ask them to follow your account before delivering it. It is a simple bridge between attention and an audience that can keep learning from you.
While everyone tells you to post more. Comment more. Show up more. I found one setting that did more for my follower count than any of that - and it took less than 5 minutes to turn on.
The setting is called Follow to Get - and it belongs before the freebie delivery message.
It does not create random followers. It helps convert people who already want a resource into relevant followers, provided you explain the exchange clearly and deliver what you promised immediately afterward.
Instead of delivering the freebie straight away, it asks the person to follow me first. Once they follow, the automation sends the resource.
It's not a magic button that conjures followers out of nowhere. It's a bridge - it turns the attention your content is already getting into followers who've actually raised their hand for something you created.
If your freebies have been getting attention, but your follower growth remains stuck, you are probably missing one of these 8 steps:
It does not create random followers. It helps convert people who already want a resource into relevant followers, provided you explain the exchange clearly and deliver what you promised immediately afterward.
Instead of delivering the freebie straight away, it asks the person to follow me first. Once they follow, the automation sends the resource.
It's not a magic button that conjures followers out of nowhere. It's a bridge - it turns the attention your content is already getting into followers who've actually raised their hand for something you created.
If your freebies have been getting attention, but your follower growth remains stuck, you are probably missing one of these 8 steps:
Step 1
Create A Freebie With A Specific Payoff
The follow request works best when the resource solves one immediate & specific problem.
“Comment BIO for my Instagram bio checklist” is stronger than a generic “comment INFO for a free guide” because the person understands exactly what they will receive.
A generic "social media guide" won't get the same response as something like:
"Comment PLAN for the 30-day content calendar"
"Comment BIO for the Instagram bio checklist"
"Comment PROMPTS for the 50 caption prompts"
Make it useful enough that the right person is genuinely happy to follow you for it.
“Comment BIO for my Instagram bio checklist” is stronger than a generic “comment INFO for a free guide” because the person understands exactly what they will receive.
A generic "social media guide" won't get the same response as something like:
"Comment PLAN for the 30-day content calendar"
"Comment BIO for the Instagram bio checklist"
"Comment PROMPTS for the 50 caption prompts"
Make it useful enough that the right person is genuinely happy to follow you for it.
Step 2
Set Up The Keyword Trigger
Create a ManyChat keyword automation and connect it to the Story, Post, or Reel where you promote the freebie. Use one memorable keyword and repeat the instruction consistently: “Comment BIO and I’ll send you the checklist.”
Make the call to action obvious and use the same keyword everywhere, so there's zero confusion about what to type.
Make the call to action obvious and use the same keyword everywhere, so there's zero confusion about what to type.
Step 3
Add The Follow To Get Request Before The Freebie
Here's the setting most people miss (& the secret setting that is getting me 1000 followers).
Inside the automation, place ManyChat’s Follow to Get step before the message containing your link or file. The person is prompted to follow your Instagram account, and the resource is released once the follow is detected. Interface labels may change, so look for the Instagram step that requests or requires a follow before the next message.
Inside the automation, place ManyChat’s Follow to Get step before the message containing your link or file. The person is prompted to follow your Instagram account, and the resource is released once the follow is detected. Interface labels may change, so look for the Instagram step that requests or requires a follow before the next message.
Be Transparent:
Tell people they need to follow to receive the freebie. Do not disguise the follow request as part of the resource.
Step 4
Keep The Follow Message Simple
Don't make the request feel like a negotiation.
Try:
Quick step before I send it: tap Follow so I can deliver the freebie - and so you don't miss the next resources I share here 👇
Then add a clear button - an "I've Followed" or similar follow action.
They already asked for the resource. You're simply making the exchange clear: follow, then receive.
Try:
Quick step before I send it: tap Follow so I can deliver the freebie - and so you don't miss the next resources I share here 👇
Then add a clear button - an "I've Followed" or similar follow action.
They already asked for the resource. You're simply making the exchange clear: follow, then receive.
Step 5
Deliver The Freebie Immediately After The Follow
Once the follow is confirmed, send the resource without any unnecessary friction.
Keep the delivery message short: “You’re in! Here’s your [freebie name] → [freebie link]. Start with [page or section] to [specific result].” Do not make people complete an unnecessary sales sequence to receive something you promised.
Keep the delivery message short: “You’re in! Here’s your [freebie name] → [freebie link]. Start with [page or section] to [specific result].” Do not make people complete an unnecessary sales sequence to receive something you promised.
Watch Out
Don't turn a promised freebie into a five-message sales sequence.
Step 6
Make The New Follower A Reason To Stay
A new follower should quickly understand what to expect from you next.
After delivering the freebie, invite a reply, point to one highly relevant post, invite an optional reply or tell them what kind of content you share. Give them a reason to remember why they followed.
A follow is only useful when the new follower quickly understands why your account belongs in their feed.
For example:
If you're working on your Instagram growth, reply GROW and I'll point you to the best place to start.
Keep this optional and relevant. The follow request should never be disguised as something else.
After delivering the freebie, invite a reply, point to one highly relevant post, invite an optional reply or tell them what kind of content you share. Give them a reason to remember why they followed.
A follow is only useful when the new follower quickly understands why your account belongs in their feed.
For example:
If you're working on your Instagram growth, reply GROW and I'll point you to the best place to start.
Keep this optional and relevant. The follow request should never be disguised as something else.
Step 7
Test Every Entry Point
Test the automation from a Story, Post, and Reel before sending people to it.
Check that the keyword triggers correctly, the follow request appears before the freebie, the follow gets recognized, the link works, and that messages look clean on mobile.
Also confirm your setup follows the platform's current messaging requirements.
Check that the keyword triggers correctly, the follow request appears before the freebie, the follow gets recognized, the link works, and that messages look clean on mobile.
Also confirm your setup follows the platform's current messaging requirements.
Step 8
Track Follows And Freebie Delivery
Don't judge the sequence by follower count alone.
Track:
Keyword comments or triggers
Follow requests shown
Follows completed
Freebies delivered
Replies and link clicks
Unfollows after delivery
If lots of people request the freebie but few follow, improve the value of the freebie or clarify the follow message. If people follow but don't engage afterward, strengthen your profile promise and your follow-up content.
Track:
Keyword comments or triggers
Follow requests shown
Follows completed
Freebies delivered
Replies and link clicks
Unfollows after delivery
If lots of people request the freebie but few follow, improve the value of the freebie or clarify the follow message. If people follow but don't engage afterward, strengthen your profile promise and your follow-up content.
More Followers Are Not The Goal. More Relevant Followers Are.
This setting is most powerful when the freebie, profile promise, and follow-up content all attract the same person. Use it ethically, follow current Meta and ManyChat requirements, and measure whether the new audience actually engages.
Reality Check
The payoff
This setting doesn't replace content that attracts the right people. It just adds a smarter bridge between "I want that free resource" and "I'm now following this account."
Use it ethically: tell people clearly they need to follow to receive the freebie, deliver what you promised, and don't use the follow as permission to send unrelated promotional messages.
The strongest growth system is still simple: create content that reaches the right people, offer a resource that solves an immediate problem, and give new followers a reason to stay.
If you want to learn more than one strategy to grow your following, Grab My All-New Masterclass, Free!
Use it ethically: tell people clearly they need to follow to receive the freebie, deliver what you promised, and don't use the follow as permission to send unrelated promotional messages.
The strongest growth system is still simple: create content that reaches the right people, offer a resource that solves an immediate problem, and give new followers a reason to stay.
If you want to learn more than one strategy to grow your following, Grab My All-New Masterclass, Free!
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