# Reply to story replies and collect emails automatically

Answer every Instagram story reply with a DM, ask for an email first, and see who you reached.

3 min read. Updated 21 Oct 2026. Pro and Max only.

## Before you start

- [Connect your social accounts](https://sociorolla.com/help/getting-started/connect-accounts)

## Steps

1. Click **New automation** and pick **Answer story replies**. The trigger is set to **Story reply**, which only Instagram offers, and the DM is already written. Everything stays editable.

   ![Step 1: Answer story replies with a template.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/52539a8ca9909d42fdbe73be8800605e97bea75f-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

2. Go back to the templates and pick **Trade a freebie for an email**. The DM asks a question, and the link goes out once the person answers with an email address. Tick **Also keep their name** under the question and ask for both, such as "What is your name and best email?". People answer in one message.

   ![Step 2: Ask for the email, and the name too if you want it.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/a40d438d8449574964af27d99007c992a7d3bab6-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

3. Open an automation from the list. **People reached** lists everyone it sent a DM to, with their email when they gave one. The totals above the list count comments captured, DMs sent, link clicks and emails collected.

   ![Step 3: See who it reached.](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vy53y317/production/1f1d1727f71ea140b4b1b7bd44880ffdb15ebaac-2880x1800.png?w=1600&sharp=25&q=90&auto=format)

### Story replies

**Answer story replies** is a template for the **Story reply** trigger. It is available on Instagram only, and it sends one DM per person for each story they reply to.

### Collecting emails

The **Trade a freebie for an email** template adds an **Ask for their email** step. The person answers the question in the DM, the thank-you message follows, and the link goes out. If what they type isn't an email address, the retry message asks again.

### Keeping the name too

Tick **Also keep their name** under the question and ask for both, for example "What is your name and best email?". The person answers in one message, and SocioRolla takes the name from what is left once the address and the words around it are out. If no name can be read, the list shows their handle instead.

### Who shows in People reached

The name they gave comes first, then the name on their conversation, then their @handle. The email sits beside it. Instagram comments now save the commenter's handle, so people reached before this change may still show as an Instagram user.

### Where the emails go

Answers appear in **People reached** and in the CSV. Nothing is sent to an email tool, so treat the list as one you collect.

### Plans

Automations are on the Pro and Max plans. Exporting the CSV is on Max.

## Related articles

- [Send a DM automatically when someone comments](https://sociorolla.com/help/inbox-and-automations/comment-to-dm-automation)

Source: https://sociorolla.com/help/inbox-and-automations/story-reply-and-email