---
title: "Instagram DM automation for events and ticket sales"
description: "Instagram DM automation for events: ticket links, presale codes, lineup drops and day-of info for festivals, venues, conferences and promoters."
url: https://replyrep.io/for/events
updated: 2026-10-19
---

# Instagram DM automation for events, venues and promoters

Instagram DM automation for events sends the ticket link, presale code or set times to anyone who comments a keyword like TICKETS under an announcement. ReplyRep answers in seconds on Meta's official API and queues the overflow when an on-sale post spikes, so fans who comment at the busiest minute get the same link as the first.

## What do people comment under an event announcement?

A lineup drop or a conference speaker announcement brings "when do tickets go on sale", "link?", "is it all ages", "how much are VIP", "is there a payment plan" and "sold out already??". Closer to the date it shifts to "what time do doors open", "is there parking", "can I bring a bag" and "set times when". Event comments arrive in sharp spikes around announcements and on-sales, not in a steady trickle.

Spikes are where manual replies fail completely. Nobody can answer 2,000 "link" comments in the first hour of an on-sale, and that hour is when people are most ready to pay.

## Which automations should events set up first?

**Presale sign-up before tickets go on sale**
- Comment keyword: PRESALE
- Public reply: You're on the presale list.
- DM: Presale opens Thursday at 10am, 24 hours before general sale. What email should we send your presale code to? /  / Follow us so you see the set times when they drop.
- Follow up: Presale is live. Your code is in your inbox, and here's the ticket page: [ticket link]

**Ticket link on the on-sale post**
- Comment keyword: TICKETS
- Public reply: Ticket link sent, check your DMs.
- DM: Tickets for Saturday 14 June are here: [ticket link] /  / General admission, VIP with lounge access, and a payment plan on orders over two tickets. The price shown at checkout includes all fees.

**Day-of information**
- Comment keyword: INFO
- DM: Doors 5pm, first act 6pm, curfew 11pm. Clear bags only, no larger than 12 x 12 inches. Parking and shuttle details: [info page] /  / Your ticket is in the app; screenshots are not accepted at the gate.

**Vendor and volunteer applications**
- Comment keyword: VENDOR
- Public reply: Application link sent.
- DM: Thanks for your interest in trading at the market. Applications for food, craft and drinks stalls are open until 1 May: [application form] /  / Want to volunteer instead? Reply VOLUNTEER.

The presale template pairs well with [follow-to-get-link](https://replyrep.io/features/follow-to-get-link): fans follow to get the presale code, so the account grows with every announcement and the next lineup drop reaches more of them.

## How do you set it up before an on-sale?

1. **Connect the event or venue account.** Meta's official login connects it in about four minutes. If the promoter and the venue run separate accounts, connect both.
2. **Prepare the automation on the post before it goes live.** Automations can be set on posts before you publish them, so the on-sale post answers from its very first comment.
3. **Plan the phases.** PRESALE before, TICKETS during, INFO in the final week. Edit each message as the phase changes, including a "sold out, join the waitlist" version.
4. **Cover story replies.** On-sale countdown stories get "link" replies by the hundred. [Story reply automation](https://replyrep.io/features/instagram-story-reply-automation) answers them the same way as comments.
5. **Thank people who tag you.** [Story mention auto reply](https://replyrep.io/features/instagram-story-mention-auto-reply) sends a thank-you and the early-bird link for next year to every attendee who posts the event and tags you.

## What happens when an on-sale post goes viral?

Meta limits how fast any tool can send DMs. When comments arrive faster than that, ReplyRep's [viral post DM queue](https://replyrep.io/features/viral-post-dm-queue) holds them in order and sends as fast as Meta allows, and SendBack goes back for anything that was skipped or delayed. Every fan who commented gets the link; some get it a little later than others. Read [how to handle a viral Instagram post](https://replyrep.io/guides/how-to-handle-a-viral-instagram-post) for what that looks like in practice.

## Which other features matter for events?

- [Ad comment automation](https://replyrep.io/features/instagram-ad-comment-automation) for promoted on-sale posts, so paid reach gets the ticket link too.
- [Global Triggers](https://replyrep.io/features/global-keyword-triggers) for "parking", "age" and "refund", answered on every post through the season.
- [Email collection](https://replyrep.io/features/instagram-email-collector) for the presale list, which is a channel you control when the feed does not show your announcement.

## What should events get right in ticket DMs?

- Show the full price. In the US, the FTC's fees rule requires live-event ticket sellers to show the total price, including mandatory fees, up front. Do not quote a lower face value in the DM than buyers will see at checkout.
- State age limits and ID rules clearly, especially for events with alcohol.
- Send only official ticket links, and tell fans so. Scammers comment fake resale offers under popular events; a DM from the official account with the real link is a useful counter.
- Update the message the moment you sell out. A ticket link to a sold-out page frustrates people more than a clear "sold out, here's the waitlist".

**Be ready before the on-sale** Set PRESALE on your announcement post and let the list build itself before tickets go live.

## Which plan handles event spikes?

| Organizer | Plan | Monthly DMs | Accounts |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Small venue or a monthly club night | Lite | 10,000 | 1 |
| Promoter with a few event brands | Boost | 40,000 | 3 |
| Festival or conference with a big on-sale | MAX | 400,000 | 5 |

Size the plan on your on-sale month, not your quiet ones. Free includes 2,000 DMs, enough to test a keyword on a smaller event, but the overflow queue and SendBack start on Lite.

Sources:
- [FTC: Rule on Unfair or Deceptive Fees, frequently asked questions](https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/rule-unfair-or-deceptive-fees-frequently-asked-questions)

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I send presale codes through Instagram DMs?

Yes. A PRESALE keyword can send the code directly, or collect an email and send the code there, which also builds your list. Pair it with a follow check so every fan who wants the presale also follows the account.

### What if thousands of people comment at the on-sale?

Meta caps how fast DMs can be sent, so on a big on-sale some fans wait. ReplyRep queues everything over the limit in order and sends it as fast as allowed, and SendBack retries anything skipped, so nobody who commented is dropped.

### Can the automation tell people the event is sold out?

Yes. Edit the TICKETS message to say the event has sold out and link the waitlist or the official resale page. Every new comment gets the updated message straight away.

### Does it work for conferences, not just concerts?

Yes. Conferences use the same pattern with different keywords: AGENDA for the schedule, TICKETS for registration, SPEAK for the call for speakers. Group rates and sponsorship inquiries work well as a short DM flow.

Last updated 2026-10-19. Source: https://replyrep.io/for/events