How to Ask people to follow before sending a link
Use a follow gate to send your freebie only to followers, with a friendly follow request and an I'm following button for everyone else.
When a reel reaches people who don't follow you yet, a follow gate turns that reach into followers. Followers get the link straight away; everyone else is asked to follow first.
Steps
- 1
Pick Follow first, then freebie
Open Automations, click Browse templates and filter by Grow your followers. Click Follow first, then freebie.
app.awwtomation.com/automations
- 2
See how the flow works
The comment goes to a Follow gate that checks whether they follow you. Following carries on to a tag and the freebie. Not following is left empty on purpose: that's what sends the follow request.
app.awwtomation.com/automations
- 3
Set the keyword
Click the trigger and set the words people will comment, like
guideorfree. Choose Specific posts if it's for one reel.app.awwtomation.com/automations
- 4
Write the follow request
Click the Follow gate step and write one friendly line in Ask them to follow. It's sent with an I'm following button while nothing is connected to Not following. The preview shows exactly what non-followers see.
app.awwtomation.com/automations
- 5
Write the reward
Click the Send message step at the end of the Following branch. Thank them and add the button with your link.
app.awwtomation.com/automations
- 6
Test and go live
Click Test to try a comment. The result lists every step, with the follow check assumed to pass. Then click Go live and tell people: "Follow and comment GUIDE."
app.awwtomation.com/automations
app.awwtomation.com/automations
How the check works
When someone comments, Awwtomation asks Instagram whether they follow you. Followers get the link at once. Everyone else gets your request and the I'm following button; tapping it runs the check again, and the link follows as soon as they do.
Questions
Is this allowed on Instagram?
Yes. Checking follow status through Meta's API and asking people to follow is allowed. Keep the reward worth the follow.
Does it work on Facebook Pages?
No. The follow gate is for Instagram only, so it isn't offered on Facebook Page automations.
Try it on your account
Build it now. Nothing is sent until you pick a plan.