From DM to CRM: Turn Instagram Comments into Klaviyo Email Subscribers

Picture this. Someone comments “ACCESS” under your Instagram Reel.

Before they’ve even left Instagram, they’re on your Klaviyo subscriber list - neatly tagged, consented, and ready for your next email marketing campaign.

Sounds too good to be true?

With Klaviyo’s new Social Auto-Reply feature (the result of their acquisition of Gatsby), you can now collect email and SMS contacts directly from Instagram. 

No third-party tools. No manual imports. 

Just sweet intel from a leading Melbourne email marketing agency.

Quick summary of updates.

• What’s changed? Klaviyo Social lets you set a keyword (e.g. “access”) that auto-replies within Instagram, and captures email or SMS. No form required.
• Where does it work? DMs and comment sections (*comments trigger a DM).
• What do you get? New profile fields (incl. handle, follower count, follows‑you status, last keyword used, subscription source) and events you can build with.
• Who should care? Brands with seasonal offers or product launches (drops, waitlists), VIP or creator communities, or those that already invest in lifecycle marketing and want a single source of truth.

Here’s why this matters.

Beyond just getting more sign-ups, paid social ads drive discovery.

Email and SMS drive customer retention and revenue.

When you can connect those dots - welcoming, nurturing, and supporting fans in context - you stop blasting and start compounding.

It’s the missing link between social intent and your B2C CRM.

And with new Klaviyo profile properties like:

• InstagramFollowerCount
• InstagramUsername
• InstagramFollowsYou
• InstagramKeyword

… plus events like Started/Ended Automation and Submitted Email/Phone, social context becomes segmentation fuel and your email marketing strategies can get far more granular.

That means instant branching, personalised CRM flows, and interest and behavioural segments that reflect how people engage across all channels.

Before you dive in…

• Availability: Still in limited beta. If you don’t see “Social” in your Klaviyo navigation portal, you can request access.
• Account Structure: One Instagram account per Klaviyo account for now. Plan for regions or sub-brands accordingly.

Three key CRM strategies we’re rolling out now?

Launch waitlist via DM keyword.

Keyword: “access” (or your preferred campaign codename).

• Build a segment from InstagramKeyword = “access.”
• Pre‑drop reminders → Launch blast → Low‑stock alerts.
• Branch VIPs (follows‑you = true) for early access.
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Always‑on “Perks” capture.

Bio line: DM “PERKS” for a treat.

• Capture email first for higher‑margin offers, SMS second for instant perks.
• Stamp subscribers with InstagramKeyword = Perks for future upsells.
• Flow idea: Welcome → “Choose your perk” → Product quiz → First‑purchase nudge.
  ‍

Community builder.

• Segment followers (InstagramFollowsYou = true, InstagramFollowerCount ≥ N).
• Invite into referral or UGC programs, and nurture with creator‑led content.
• Drop quarterly VIP surprises to keep the flywheel spinning.

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If this is sounding like a whole lot of mumbo jumbo to you, we’re happy to take a deep dive into your Klaviyo account and implement the best of our playbook for you.

Speak to an expert here, or your Account Manager if you’re an existing client.

Where this is going?

Klaviyo’s Gatsby acquisition wasn’t just about adding another app. 

It was about making social media platforms and activity a native signal.

That means mapping DMs, mentions, and UGC back to real profiles you can act on, including automated email flows, support, analytics, and all. Expect more features that connect discovery → checkout → retention seamlessly inside Klaviyo itself.

Soon, social data will power everything, from VIP eligibility to post-purchase education.

Our take.

This isn’t about adding another channel. It’s about removing silos.

One customer. One profile. Now enriched by the ease and ubiquity of social media, which is obviously something a full-service digital marketing agency like us loves.

If you’re keen, our CRM specialists and can help you:

• Configure Social Auto‑Replies
• Architect segments and flows that react to DMs and comments
• Build story or bio prompts that feel native to Instagram but pay off in email and SMS
• Tie it all back to revenue and retention (not vanity engagement)

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Want this live for your next promo or product launch? Have email campaigns in the works that can benefit from more eyes, more engagement, more interested recipients? 

Chat with our team and we’ll map the plan.