How I Finally Stopped Losing followers on my Instagram (And Started Making Money)

How I Finally Stopped Losing Followers on Instagram

How I Finally Stopped Losing followers on my Instagram (And Started Making Money)

Discover how automation transformed my Instagram engagement and revenue

Author

Sarah Johnson

Social Media Strategist & Small Business Owner

Three weeks ago, I posted a reel that I thought was my best reel ever. It was about productivity tips for small business owners, something I’m genuinely passionate about. Within one hour, I had 215 comments. People were asking questions in the comments, sharing their own struggles, and basically trying to reach out for help.

I was on phone frenzy with clients all day.

By the time I checked my phone at night, those 215 engaged potential customers on my reel had moved on. Most people probably forgot they even commented. I lost what could have been my biggest lead generation day ever because I couldn’t reply to people when they cared.

That night, I sat in my kitchen feeling completely defeated. What’s the point of creating content if you can’t capture from your leads automatically?

Overwhelmed by Instagram notifications
The feeling of being overwhelmed by engagement you can’t respond to

The Instagram Catch-22 That’s Killing Small Businesses

This is what nobody talks about. Instagram rewards instant engagement, but running a business requires you to work and not doom scroll all day.

The Instagram algorithm loves it when you respond to comments instantly, and your audience also loves it. But if you’re a real entrepreneur with real responsibilities, you can’t be on Instagram all day, but that’s exactly what’s required nowadays to be successful.

I tried practically everything. Setting phone reminders. Hiring people to monitor my comments was a disaster; they had no idea how to respond to questions. I Even considered giving up on Instagram entirely.

Above all these, the worst part was that I knew I was creating good content. My engagement rates were good, my followers were growing, but I was bad at turning that engagement into profit.

The $2,000 Lesson That Changed Everything

Two months ago, I had a potential client comment on my reel about website design. She asked if I did e-commerce sites. that’s literally my specialty, and I charge $2,000+ for those projects.

I didn’t see her comment for 3 days.

When I finally responded, she’d already hired someone else. 3 days. That’s all it took to lose a $2,000 project because I was too busy working on other projects.

I realized something had to change. I couldn’t keep losing money because I was too busy making money and doing projects.

Missed opportunity
Business owner stressed

My Automation Awakening (And Why I Was Wrong About It)

I’ll be honest with you. I used to think automation was spammy. Like, wasn’t the whole point of social media to be social? Wouldn’t people know if I wasn’t personally typing every response?

But after that $2,000 wake-up call, I started researching. Not the spammy tools I’m talking about, smart automation that actually helps people get the information they need when they need it.

That’s when I discovered this amazing, easy-to-use Instagram automation tool: the best Instagram accounts aren’t run by people sitting on their phones all day. They’re run by smart systems.

Automation discovery
The moment I realized automation could solve my problems

What I Learned About Instagram Timing

Here’s what I wish someone had told me earlier: when someone comments on your post, you have maybe 15 minutes before they forget about it and move on. After that, even if you respond, they will ghost you.

Think about you. When you comment on someone’s reel, how long do you wait for a reply? If they haven’t replied by the next time you check Instagram, you’ve probably moved on, right?

But here’s the thing: the person who commented on your reel is hot. They’re interested in what you’re offering right now. They’re not scrolling randomly; they engaged with your content because they like what you posted.

That’s your window. Miss it, and you’ve likely lost them.

Don’t Lose Another Lead to Slow Responses

Start capturing Instagram leads automatically with MaaDiy’s free plan

Get Started Free

1,000 free messages monthly – no credit card required

The Tool That Saved My Sanity (And My Bank Account)

After researching about a dozen different automation tools, I found MaaDiy. What caught my attention wasn’t the fancy features it was how simple the core concept was.

Instead of trying to automate everything, MaaDiy focuses on one crucial thing: making sure every person who comments on your posts gets an immediate, helpful response via DM.

Here’s how it works in practice:

Someone comments on my post about web design → MaaDiy instantly sends them a DM with a link to my portfolio and a special offer → They click, browse my work, and many of them reach out about projects.

The whole thing happens in seconds, not hours or days.

Automation workflow
The automation workflow that transformed my business

My Setup Process (The Good, Bad, and Ugly)

I’m not gonna lie I was skeptical when I first signed up. The free version seemed too good to be true, and I was convinced people would immediately know the responses were automated.

Week 1: The Learning Curve

My first message templates were terrible. Way too salesy, way too long. I was basically writing mini-essays as automatic responses. Nobody clicked anything.

Week 2: The Adjustment

I rewrote everything to be shorter and more helpful. Instead of pitching my services immediately, I focused on providing value first. Better response rates, but still not great.

Week 3: The Breakthrough

I realized I needed different templates for different types of reels. Someone commenting on a design tip needs a different response than someone commenting on a business strategy post. Once I segmented my templates, everything took off.

Week 4: The Results

I started tracking everything. Link clicks, website visits, and actual inquiries. The numbers were amazing.

Tracking results
The moment I saw the numbers improving

The Numbers Don’t Lie (But They Surprised Me)

5-10%
Conversion before automation
35-40%
Conversion after automation
300%
Website traffic increase
2-3
Qualified leads per week

But here’s what really matters: I’m not stressed about missing opportunities anymore. Whether I’m in meetings, working on projects, or just living my life, I know every comment is getting a response from MaaDiy.

What Actually Works (And What Doesn’t)

What Works

  • Short, helpful messages that provide immediate value
  • Different templates for different types of content
  • Including links to relevant resources
  • Following up automated messages with personal responses when needed

What Doesn’t Work

  • Long, salesy messages that feel like spam
  • Generic responses that don’t match your post
  • Trying to close deals entirely through automated messages
  • Ignoring the conversation after the initial automated response

Think of automation as your assistant, not a replacement. It handles the initial response so you can focus on the deeper conversations.

The Features That Actually Matter

I’ll be honest, I only use very features of MaaDiy’s features. But the ones I do use are game-changers for my business

Multi-Account Management

I run three Instagram accounts. Managing comments across all three used to be impossible. Now it’s automatic.

Analytics That Help

I can see exactly how many people clicked my links, visited my website, and took action.

Template Scheduling

I can set up different automated responses for different campaigns.

Click Tracking

I can see which messages get the most clicks and optimize accordingly.

Multi-account management
Analytics dashboard

Ready to Transform Your Instagram Results?

Join thousands of creators who are automating their Instagram engagement

Start Free with MaaDiy

No credit card required – 1,000 free messages monthly

The Stuff They Don’t Tell You

  • It’s Not Magic: You still need good content that gets comments in the first place.
  • Templates Need Work: Don’t expect to set it up once and forget it.
  • Instagram Rules Matter: The automation needs to provide genuine value.
  • You Still Need to Show Up: The automated message is just the conversation starter.

My Biggest Mistake (And How You Can Avoid It)

I initially tried to automate everything. Every comment got the same generic response with a link to my website It felt robotic.

The breakthrough came when I realized different comments need different responses. Someone asking about pricing gets a different message than someone complimenting my work. Now I have about 15 different templates for different scenarios.

Template customization
Creating customized templates for different scenarios

Is It Worth It? (The Honest Answer)

For me? Absolutely. I’ve probably made an extra $15,000 in the past two months just from leads I would have missed otherwise.

But it’s not for everyone. If you’re getting less than 10 comments per post, you might not need automation yet. If you’re already converting most of your comments into conversations, you’re probably doing fine manually.

It’s for creators who get 100+ comments on each reel but were terrible at follow-up. If you’re losing opportunities because you can’t respond fast enough, this can save you 10+ hours of your life weekly.

Successful entrepreneur
The freedom to focus on your business instead of constant notifications

The Free Version Reality

Here’s something I appreciate about MaaDiy they actually offer a free version that’s useful. It’s not just a 7-day trial that expires right when you start seeing results.

The free version gives you 1000 DMs and automation featuers for one account. Perfect for testing whether this approach works for your audience before committing to anything.

I used the free version for about a month before upgrading. Once I saw the results, the paid version was a no-brainer.

Setting Up Your Own System

If you want to try this approach, here’s what I’d recommend:

  1. Start with one account and one type of reel. Don’t try to automate everything at once.
  2. Track everything. You need to know what’s working and what isn’t.
  3. Be patient with the optimization. My first templates were terrible.
  4. Don’t disappear after setting up automation. The automated message is just the beginning.

Why I’m Sharing This (And Why It’s Not Sponsored)

I’m sharing it because I wish someone had told me about this approach six months ago. I wasted so much time and lost so many opportunities trying to manually manage Instagram engagement.

If you’re struggling with the same things I was, good content, decent engagement, but terrible at converting comments into business results, this is exactly what you need.

The tool itself is at maadiy.com if you want to check it out. Start with the free version and see if it works for your audience before committing to anything.

The Bottom Line

Instagram isn’t just a content platform anymore; it’s a lead generation machine. But only if you can respond to engagement quickly and effectively.

I spent months trying to do everything manually and failing. Now I have a system that works even when I’m not actively on Instagram.

Your future self will thank you for setting this up. Mine sure does.

Stop Losing Potential Customers

How many potential customers have you lost because you couldn’t respond fast enough? For me, that number was way too high. Now it’s basically zero.

Start Free Today
Author

Sarah Johnson

Social Media Strategist & Small Business Owner

© 2023 MaaDiy. All rights reserved.

Made for creators, solopreneurs, and small business owners

Facebook
X
LinkedIn
WhatsApp