> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.clianta.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# DM Automation

> How Clianta sends direct messages with human-like behavior

Clianta sends Instagram DMs automatically while mimicking natural human behavior — randomized delays, realistic typing, and gradual engagement before messaging.

## How a DM is sent

When Clianta sends a message to a lead, it follows a natural sequence:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Visit the lead's profile">
    Opens the lead's Instagram profile, just like a real person would before messaging someone.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Engage naturally">
    If enabled, follows the lead and likes 1–2 of their posts. This builds a natural interaction before the DM.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the conversation">
    Navigates to the DM composer and searches for the lead.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Type and send">
    Types your message character by character with realistic speed and natural pauses, then sends it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the session">
    Saves the browser session and logs the activity.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You can add a delay between the engagement step (follow + likes) and the actual DM. This makes the outreach look more organic — your account follows someone, browses for a while, then comes back to message them later.
</Tip>

## Message templates

Create multiple message variants in your group's **Outreach** tab. Clianta rotates between them so your outreach doesn't look repetitive.

### Placeholders

Use placeholders to personalize each message:

| Placeholder    | What it inserts                                             |
| -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| `{name}`       | The lead's display name (falls back to username)            |
| `{username}`   | The lead's Instagram handle                                 |
| `{source}`     | Where the lead came from (e.g., "followers of @competitor") |
| `{competitor}` | The competitor account name                                 |

### Per-list custom messages

Individual lead lists can have their own message templates. When enabled, leads in that list receive those messages instead of the group defaults. This is useful for tailoring your outreach based on where leads came from.

## Follow-ups

If a lead doesn't reply, Clianta can send follow-up messages automatically.

* **Number of follow-ups** — Set how many follow-up messages to send (e.g., 2 follow-ups after the initial DM)
* **Delay between follow-ups** — Configure a different delay for each step (e.g., 24 hours for the first, 48 hours for the second)
* **Auto-cancel on reply** — If the lead replies at any point, remaining follow-ups are canceled automatically
* **AI-generated follow-ups** — When AI is enabled, follow-ups are written based on the conversation context instead of using templates

<Note>
  Follow-ups skip the engagement step — they go straight to the inbox to send the message, since your account already interacted with the lead.
</Note>

## Send strategies

Control how DMs are paced throughout the day in your group's **Settings** tab:

| Strategy             | How it works                                                              |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Smart distribute** | Spreads DMs evenly across your working hours. Recommended for most users. |
| **Fixed delay**      | Sends one DM per fixed time interval (minimum 7 minutes).                 |

## Daily limits and safety

| Limit                   | Value                                  |
| ----------------------- | -------------------------------------- |
| Maximum DMs per hour    | 10 per account                         |
| Minimum gap between DMs | 7 minutes                              |
| Daily cap               | Configurable per account (default: 35) |
| Workspace cap (Free)    | 10 DMs/day total                       |
| Workspace cap (Scale)   | 250 DMs/day total                      |
| Workspace cap (Power)   | Unlimited                              |

<Tip>
  During [warmup ramp-up](/features/warmup), daily limits start much lower and increase gradually. Don't override them — the ramp-up system manages limits automatically.
</Tip>

## Stopping AI for a lead

If you want to take over a conversation manually, click **Stop AI** next to the lead in your queue. Clianta will stop auto-replying to that lead.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="AI Auto-Reply" icon="robot" href="/features/ai-auto-reply">
    Configure AI to handle replies automatically
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scheduling" icon="clock" href="/features/scheduling">
    Set working hours and timezone
  </Card>
</CardGroup>