=== Auto DM Studio by LidnTech ===
Contributors: eliddon, freemius
Tags: instagram automation, instagram auto reply, dm automation, auto responder, facebook auto reply
Requires at least: 6.8
Tested up to: 7.1
Stable tag: 2.0.0
Requires PHP: 8.3
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Instagram/Facebook DM automation and auto-reply plugin for WordPress. Use keyword triggers to grow engagement and drive followers back to your site.

== Description ==

Auto DM Studio, also written AutoDM Studio, turns Instagram and Facebook comments, DMs, and engagement into website traffic, newsletter subscribers, and customers with keyword-triggered automation.

Create powerful automation rules directly from your WordPress dashboard and send instant replies through your connected Meta accounts.

Auto DM Studio by LidnTech helps creators and businesses automate Instagram and Facebook conversations while driving traffic back to their WordPress site.

Perfect for creators, marketers, and businesses looking for an Instagram Auto Reply or Facebook DM automation tool for WordPress.

Start automating your Instagram and Facebook DMs in minutes.

### Why Auto DM Studio is Different

**Built for WordPress, not social platforms.** Unlike generic chatbot tools, Auto DM Studio helps turn Instagram and Facebook engagement into newsletter subscribers, customers, and repeat visitors on your own website.

**Why Use Auto DM Studio?**

* Built specifically for WordPress creators and businesses
* Turn comments and DMs into website traffic
* Grow your newsletter without third-party landing pages
* Deliver lead magnets automatically
* Answer customer questions instantly
* Save hours of manual messaging
* Keep your audience inside your own WordPress ecosystem
* Send followers directly to WooCommerce products, checkout pages, and special offers.

### Key Features

* Keyword-triggered **Instagram DM automations**
* **Unlimited** conversations (subject to platform limits)
* **Facebook Messenger auto replies**
* Instagram comment keyword automation
* Facebook comment keyword automation
* **Capture newsletter subscribers directly from Instagram and Facebook conversations** (Mailchimp, MailPoet, The Newsletter Plugin, MailerLite, FluentCRM, Omnisend)
* Automated replies with text, links, images, carousels, buttons, audio, video, or PDF responses
* Advanced flows (Multi-step conversation flows and scripted responses)
* Preview Instagram and Facebook auto-replies before publishing
* Bring Instagram and Facebook followers back to your WordPress site
* Built for creators, businesses, and marketers
* Secure Meta account authorization
* Cloud-powered processing keeps automation fast without adding load to your website.

### Premium Features

* Build advanced Facebook and Instagram chatbot experiences
* Conversation starter prompts (Ice Breakers)
* Add Persistent Menus to Instagram and Facebook
* Follow-Gate and Subscriber-Gate content
* Advanced Flow Logic (IF-Then-Else, A/B Testing, SubFlows)
* 90-day Analytics Dashboard to track conversations, trigger performance, and measure follower engagement
* Save custom user flow data to Google Spreadsheets, MailChimp, MailPoet, The Newsletter Plugin, MailerLite, FluentCRM, and Omnisend

### Example Automation Scenarios

Here are a few ways creators and businesses use Auto DM Studio by LidnTech:

* **Send website links automatically**  

  When someone messages "recipe", "menu", or "pricing", automatically reply with a link to the relevant page on your WordPress site.

* **Deliver downloads or lead magnets**  

  Automatically send a link to a free guide, PDF, or download when followers message a specific keyword.

* **Answer common customer questions**  

  Automatically reply with store hours, booking links, or support information.

* **Guide users through options with persistent menus**  

  Use Instagram and Facebook DM menus to let users quickly access links, offers, or resources.

* **Start conversations with Ice Breakers**  

  Conversation starter prompts encourage followers to begin messaging and engaging with your brand.

* **Turn social media engagement into website traffic**  

  Send followers directly to blog posts, product pages, or landing pages on your WordPress site.

* **Sell Products Through Social Media**

  * Automatically send product links
  * Share discount codes
  * Route followers to WooCommerce product pages
  * Recover interest from comments and DMs

### Free vs Creator Version

The free version of Auto DM Studio by LidnTech includes essential automation tools to get started.

**Free Version**

The free version is designed for small creators and businesses getting started with DM automation.

* Keyword-triggered DM automation
* Facebook & Instagram automation access
* Unlimited simple automation rules
* Newsletter Subscription flow for (MailChimp, MailPoet, The Newsletter Plugin, MailerLite, FluentCRM, and Omnisend)
* Includes subtle "Auto DM Studio by LidnTech" attribution on automated messages

**Creator (Premium) Version**

Upgrade to unlock expanded automation capabilities:

* Persistent menus in Facebook & Instagram
* Advanced automation flows
* Removes the "Auto DM Studio by LidnTech" attribution
* Save custom user flow data to Google Spreadsheets, MailChimp, MailPoet, The Newsletter Plugin, MailerLite, FluentCRM, and Omnisend

Learn more about the **[Premium/Creator version](https://autodmstudio.com)**

### How It Works

1. Connect your Instagram Professional account or Business Facebook Page.
2. Create a keyword rule (example: **"menu"** or **"pricing"**).
3. When a user sends that keyword in a DM, Auto DM Studio by LidnTech will automatically reply with your pre-built response.

Your rules are stored securely and processed through the connected automation backend to ensure fast and reliable message delivery.

### Popular Use Cases

* Send recipe links automatically when followers message a keyword
* Deliver coupons or promotions through Instagram DMs
* Turn social media engagement into website traffic
* Automatically respond to common customer questions
* Capture leads through Instagram and Facebook conversations
* DM autoresponders for creators and brands

### Subscriber/Newsletter Integrations
- **[Mailchimp](https://mailchimp.com/)** 
- **[Mailerlite](https://www.mailerlite.com/)** 
- **[MailPoet](https://wordpress.org/plugins/mailpoet/)** 
- **[The Newsletter Plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/newsletter/)** 
- **[FluentCRM](https://wordpress.org/plugins/fluent-crm/)** 
- **[Omnisend](https://www.omnisend.com/)** 

== Installation ==

1. Upload the plugin files to `/wp-content/plugins/auto-dm-studio/`, or install the plugin through the WordPress plugin page.
2. Activate the plugin through the **Plugins** screen in WordPress.
3. Navigate to **Auto DM Studio > Instagram or Facebook > Authenticate**.
4. Connect your Instagram or Facebook account through Meta authorization.
5. Create your first keyword automation rule.

== External services ==

Auto DM Studio by LidnTech relies on external services to connect social accounts, sync automation settings, process incoming messages, and manage optional account/licensing features. No production assets are loaded from external CDNs.

= Auto DM Studio Gateway API =

Service domain: `https://api.autodmstudio.com`

This plugin connects to the Auto DM Studio Gateway API, provided by LidnTech, to bootstrap secure plugin credentials, refresh API tokens, authenticate and reconnect social accounts, publish and sync automation rules and supported messaging features, load connected account status, and retrieve analytics shown in the WordPress dashboard.

Data sent to this service depends on the action being performed. It can include the plugin install ID, install type, site locale, authentication status, selected Facebook Page, Instagram Professional account, or TikTok Business Account identifiers, automation rule settings, trigger keywords, reply text, button titles, button URLs, media attachment references or URLs, supported account messaging settings, webhook subscription status, account status, and diagnostic details needed to complete the requested action.

Data is sent when an administrator initializes the plugin, connects or reconnects a supported social account, refreshes account status, publishes or syncs rules or supported account messaging settings, refreshes analytics or insights, or when stored API credentials need to be refreshed. TikTok token refresh may occur during an authorized API operation near token expiry or through the cloud service's scheduled background renewal process. Scheduled account tasks contain no credentials. If a rotated token cannot immediately be saved, recovery data contains encrypted token ciphertext and account-state metadata rather than plaintext credentials; the refresh queue and its dead-letter queues use SQS-managed encryption.

This service is required for the plugin to operate because automated message processing happens through the Auto DM Studio cloud service rather than on the public WordPress site.

Terms of Service: https://autodmstudio.com/terms-conditions

Privacy Policy: https://autodmstudio.com/privacy-policy

= Meta APIs for Facebook and Instagram =

Service domains include `https://www.facebook.com`, `https://graph.facebook.com`, and related Meta/Facebook/Instagram API endpoints used during account authorization, webhook subscription, profile lookup, insights retrieval, and messaging operations.

This plugin and the Auto DM Studio Gateway API use Meta APIs to connect the Facebook Page or Instagram Professional account selected by the administrator, subscribe to messaging events, retrieve account/profile information, retrieve insights where available, and send automated replies through the connected account.

Data sent to Meta can include authorization requests, selected account identifiers, access tokens supplied by Meta during authorization, webhook subscription requests, profile and insights requests, and message-send requests needed to deliver the automation configured by the site administrator.

Data is sent when an administrator starts or completes Facebook/Instagram authentication, reconnects an account, refreshes connected account status or insights, publishes webhook-related settings, or when an incoming supported message event matches a published automation rule and a reply is sent.

Meta Platform Terms: https://developers.facebook.com/terms/

Meta Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/

= TikTok Business Messaging API =

Service domains include `https://www.tiktok.com`, `https://business-api.tiktok.com`, and related TikTok endpoints used for Business Account authorization, account and messaging-capability checks, webhook management, token refresh or revocation, media upload, and message delivery.

For eligible paid plans, this plugin and the Auto DM Studio Gateway API use TikTok's Business Messaging API to connect the TikTok Business Account selected by the administrator, receive supported direct-message webhook events, manage supported messaging settings, and send automated replies through that account.

Data exchanged with TikTok can include authorization requests and codes, the selected Business Account identifier, access and refresh tokens issued by TikTok, requested messaging scopes, webhook registration details, recipient and conversation identifiers, reply text, buttons or links, and image media required to deliver an administrator-configured automation. Supported inbound webhook data received from TikTok can include account, sender, conversation, message, timestamp, and capability details needed to match a rule and enforce TikTok messaging limits.

Data is exchanged when an administrator connects, reconnects, checks, configures, or disconnects a TikTok account; when TikTok delivers a supported webhook event; when an event matches a published automation; and when the cloud service renews a token near expiry or during its scheduled background renewal process. TikTok access and refresh tokens are stored by the Auto DM Studio cloud service using install-scoped envelope encryption and are not returned to WordPress account-status responses. Background account-discovery tasks do not contain credentials, and any durable token-recovery task contains encrypted token material rather than plaintext.

TikTok Terms of Service: https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/row/terms-of-service/en

TikTok Privacy Policy: https://www.tiktok.com/legal/page/row/privacy-policy/en

= Freemius =

Service domains include `https://api.freemius.com` and `https://freemius.com`.

This plugin includes the Freemius SDK for optional account, licensing, update, and diagnostic features.

If an administrator opts in to Freemius account or diagnostic services, Freemius may receive limited install and environment information such as the site URL, WordPress version, plugin version, PHP version, and license/account identifiers for premium-package management.

Data is sent during optional Freemius opt-in or account actions, premium-package license management, plugin update checks for paid packages, and optional diagnostic/usage-insight features only when enabled by the administrator.

The WordPress.org free plugin does not use Freemius to unlock local plugin functionality.

Freemius Terms of Service: https://freemius.com/terms/

Freemius Privacy Policy: https://freemius.com/privacy/

== Source Code and Build Instructions ==

Readable source and build tooling for generated admin assets are included in this plugin package.
The production plugin package includes `package.json`, `assets-src/`, and `tools/build-vendor.mjs`, so these assets can be rebuilt from the submitted package without access to a private repository.
See `docs/source.txt` and `docs/third-party-notices.txt` for additional build and dependency details.

Generated files:

* `assets/vendor/js/app.js` is built from `assets-src/js/vendor-core.js` using `tools/build-vendor.mjs`.
* `assets/vendor/js/datatables.js` is built from `assets-src/js/vendor-datatables.js` using `tools/build-vendor.mjs`. DataTables' build-time `jquery` import is resolved to WordPress's built-in `window.jQuery`; the plugin does not include or bundle jQuery.
* `assets/vendor/css/admin-vendor.css` is built from the readable npm package stylesheets for Bootstrap, DataTables Bootstrap 5 integration, and Flatpickr using `tools/build-vendor.mjs`.

To rebuild the vendor assets from the plugin directory:

`pnpm install`
`pnpm run build:vendor:prod`

For readable, non-minified JavaScript output. CSS output is always readable:

`pnpm run build:vendor`

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Does this send messages without user consent? =
No. Messages are only sent after a user initiates a conversation with your Instagram account or Facebook Page, and only if it matches a rule you've created for a trigger word or phrase.

= Which accounts are supported? =

* Instagram Professional account
* Facebook Business Page connected to Messenger

= Does this work with Instagram or Facebook comments? =

Yes, we will match your keyword on comments or direct messages. If the match is found in a comment, the response is sent as a private reply.

= Where are my automation rules stored? =
Rules are configured from your WordPress dashboard and synced with our servers so they can be processed through the Auto DM Studio by LidnTech automation service.

= Is this plugin lightweight? =

Yes. The plugin runs inside your WordPress Admin Dashboard, and all the processing happens on Auto DM Studio by LidnTech servers. By doing this we can ensure quick responses without slowing down your publicly accessible WordPress website.

= Does this plugin communicate with external servers? =

Yes. See the `External services` section above for the service domains, what each service is used for, what data is sent, when data is sent, and links to each service's terms and privacy policy.

= Does this plugin collect any data? =

Yes. Auto DM Studio by LidnTech sends only the data needed to connect your selected Facebook, Instagram, or eligible TikTok account and sync automation settings with the Auto DM Studio by LidnTech cloud service. Optional Freemius account/diagnostic data is sent only as described above.

Optional Freemius insight data may include:

* Website URL
* WordPress version
* Plugin version
* PHP version

See the `External services` section above for a breakdown of which service is contacted, what data is sent, when it is sent, and why it is required.

= Does the free version include attribution? =

Yes. The free version adds a subtle "— Flow by Auto DM Studio" attribution only to automated direct messages sent through supported social platforms such as Instagram or Facebook. Nothing is added to your WordPress website, theme, pages, posts, or front-end content. The attribution appears only in the social message response itself and is removed in the Creator version.

= Where can I review the terms and conditions and privacy policy? =

Terms & Conditions: https://autodmstudio.com/terms-conditions
Privacy Policy: https://autodmstudio.com/privacy-policy

== Supported Automation Types ==

* Instagram DM Automation
* Instagram Auto Reply
* Instagram Comment Automation
* Facebook Messenger Automation
* Facebook Auto Reply
* DM Autoresponder
* Social Media Automation
* Lead Generation Automation
* Newsletter Signup Automation

== Screenshots ==

1. Monitor Instagram and Facebook automation performance with real-time charts, conversation tracking, and follower growth analytics.
2. Set up keyword-triggered Instagram auto DMs in minutes – create rules, preview responses, and publish to Meta with one click.
3. See how your Instagram/Facebook auto DMs will look – preview responses in a realistic chat interface before publishing rules.
4. Securely connect your Instagram and Facebook accounts – authenticate with Meta to enable automated DMs and real-time message routing.
5. Centralize your Auto DM Studio by LidnTech management – control platform connections, user access, and data settings all in one place.
6. Easily connect Mailchimp, MailPoet, and other email platforms to collect and manage subscribers from Instagram and Facebook automations.

== Changelog ==

= 2.0.0 =

New Features

* Added Advanced (Multi-step) Flows for scripted responses
* Added cron to check authentication status twice daily and email admin if error.


= 1.2.1 =

New Features:

* Added "Images (Multiple)" to response types for Instagram and Facebook. This is an alternative to an "Image Carousel".

Fixes:

* Added URL validation for Messages (invalid URLs would prevent Meta from sending messages.)
* Removed the response message field from "Image" resonse type. Meta does not allow multiple messages as a response to a comment, this prevents having missed messages for the simple rules.
* Added some small styling tweaks to Add/Edit rule modal.

= 1.2.0 =

New Features:

* Added Granularity to Rule Trigger selection (Now you select between Post Comments, Reel Comments, Story Comments, Live Comments, Ad Comments, and Group Comments (facebook) instead of just comments)
* Added Facebook Image Grid Message template
* Added Email Settings For admin messages.

Fixes:

* Improved dashboard onboarding, automation statistics, top rules reporting, and newsletter subscription analytics.

= 1.1.0 =

New Features:

* Added custom panel in post/page settings sidebar to allow quick creation of simple rules.
* Updated The Newsletter Plugin integration to allow default lists.

Fixes:

* Added Note for Cloudflare users, documentation on setting up a security rule for using MailPoet, The Newsletter Plugin, and FluentCRM.
* Clean up Subscriber Integration paged so hidden elements for other platform don't show.
* Fixed bug on Facebook Authentication (throwing error during page selection)
* Changed dashboard to use Apache ECharts instead of Apexcharts for faster rendering.

= 1.0.1 =

### Improvements

* Added a new onboarding checklist to guide users through the initial setup process.
* Refined the Simple Rule creation experience with improved styling and usability enhancements.
* Expanded platform authentication help content with additional setup guidance and troubleshooting resources.
* Rule start and end dates now display using your WordPress site's configured timezone for improved clarity and consistency.

= 1.0.0 =
* Initial public release
* Instagram and Facebook DM keyword automation
* Message templates (Text, Image, Image Carousels, Audio, Video, PDF )
* Simple Newsletter Subscription Rule for Email Services (MailChimp, MailPoet, The Newsletter Plugin, MailerLite, FluentCRM, and Omnisend)
* Analytics Dashboard
* Logging system
