Instagram Automation During Diwali: A Festive Campaign Plan
A Diwali Instagram campaign with automation is a calendar, not a single post. You schedule a teaser automation that collects emails, a launch automation that sends a checkout page, and a final story-reply automation for last orders, each starting on a date and pausing itself when the stock or the deadline is reached. The Viralyze app supports date-based starts, auto-pause after N DMs or on a date, and a Home screen that shows which reel brought the most DMs, so the plan runs while you pack boxes.
When should the campaign start?
About three weeks before Diwali, which gives buyers time to receive gifts. For a brand shipping sweets or diyas, delivery cut-offs decide the end date, so set the final auto-pause a few days before the festival.
Build the three automations in one sitting and schedule each, so nothing depends on you remembering a date.
Phase one: the teaser and the waitlist
Post a reel of the gift box being packed, with "comment GIFT for early access". Set the DM to a lead magnet that collects an email and promises first dibs. One example line for a dry-fruit brand in Amritsar: "Early access list for the Diwali box, 300 boxes only. Drop your email and you will hear 24 hours before anyone else."
The emails sit in your contacts with a source tag, so phase two starts with a warm list.
Phase two: the launch with a stock cap
1. Create the gift box as a product; the checkout page takes UPI, cards and net banking at 0% platform fee. 2. Schedule the launch automation to start on a date and time. 3. Keywords: ORDER, BOX and "box chahiye". 4. DM: price, what is inside, delivery cut-off date, and the checkout page. 5. Set auto-pause after 400 DMs, slightly above the 300-box stock, and watch the funnel. 6. Turn on the public reply so late viewers see "Sent you a DM 💌" and comment too.
If the funnel shows many clicks but few orders, the DM may be missing the delivery date; edit it and keep going.
Phase three: last orders by story
Two days before the cut-off, post a story with "reply LAST for the final boxes" and set a story-reply trigger on that specific story. Set it to auto-pause on the cut-off date. Replies that ask about delivery land in your Inbox with context so you can answer inside the 24-hour window.
What about festive greetings without selling?
Automation does not have to sell. On Diwali day, a reel wishing followers well with the keyword SHUBH can send a free downloadable PDF, perhaps a rangoli pattern or a sweets recipe, with open tracking. It keeps the account warm during a week when nobody wants a sales pitch.
How do you review the campaign afterwards?
Open the Home screen and set the range to 30 days. DMs sent, link clicks, follower growth and revenue sit on one view, and top reels by DMs tell you which creative to repeat for Holi. Export contacts to CSV so next year's teaser goes to everyone who bought this year.
Frequently asked questions
**Can I run the teaser and launch automations on the same reel?** Yes, with different keywords; GIFT can send the email form and ORDER the checkout, and you can pause GIFT once the launch is live.
**What if orders exceed my stock before auto-pause kicks in?** Set the DM cap a little above stock, as not every DM converts, and switch the automation to Paused by hand the moment you sell out.
**Does Viralyze charge extra during a high-volume festival week?** No. Plans are flat with unlimited Auto-DMs; a Diwali spike costs the same as a quiet month.
Start a 7-day free trial of Viralyze, no card needed, and schedule your Diwali campaign before the first box ships.