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How are you guys dealing with the zero social proof issue before a launch?

  • May 4, 2026
  • 2 comments
  • 266 views
harrison_media

Running into a frustrating bottleneck with new clients lately and wondering how you guys handle it.

I'll spend hours building out a solid comment-to-DM flow. But then the client hands over an IG page that is an absolute graveyard. Im talking 200 followers and maybe one or two likes per post. So we turn the traffic on, real people land on the profile, see it looks completely abandoned and they just bounce. Nobody bothers typing the keyword. The lack of social proof absolutely murders the bot conversion rate.

Past few weeks I started forcing a "warm up" phase before I even connect the Manychat triggers. I just use fameviso to throw some engagement at their last few posts so the account doesnt look so embarrassing. As soon as the page looks somewhat active, people actually start commenting and the flows work great.

Is anyone else doing this behind the scenes for clients with dead accounts? Im seriously debating just hiding the panel cost inside my onboarding fee from now on. How are you guys dealing with the zero social proof issue before a launch?

      2 replies

      Fabio Gaulke
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      • Fabio Gaulke
      • Community Moderator
      • May 6, 2026

      Hi, ​@harrison_media 

       

      I can feel your pain 🫠… It is a very common challenge when working with smaller or newer accounts. You are right that social proof plays a massive role in how users interact with automation. If a page looks inactive, users often hesitate to engage because they lack the trust that anyone is actually "home" on the other side of that keyword.

       

      The approach of ensuring a baseline of engagement before launching a full Manychat strategy is a smart way to protect your conversion rates. Many agency owners manage this by including a content strategy or an engagement phase as part of their initial onboarding. If the profile doesn't look credible, even the best automation in the world will struggle to convert.

       

      Instead of just focusing on the numbers, some people also find success by running a small round of targeted Instagram ads (engagement/ awareness) to the specific post where the automation is active. This can help build that initial momentum with real potential customers while simultaneously triggering your flows.

       

      Another great tip is to have your clients maintain active Stories. When a visitor sees that colorful ring around the profile picture, it immediately signals that the account is live and active in real-time. This simple visual cue builds trust and reduces the "abandoned" feel. Plus, you can set up Manychat triggers specifically for Story replies; often, the reach and engagement on Stories can be much better than on a feed post for a profile that has been inactive for a while.

       

      Wish you luck and success! 🙌

      @fabio.gaulke | @monada.ag
        cata_rendon
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        • cata_rendon
        • Community Moderator
        • May 12, 2026

        Hi, ​@harrison_media 

         

        I can feel your pain 🫠… It is a very common challenge when working with smaller or newer accounts. You are right that social proof plays a massive role in how users interact with automation. If a page looks inactive, users often hesitate to engage because they lack the trust that anyone is actually "home" on the other side of that keyword.

         

        The approach of ensuring a baseline of engagement before launching a full Manychat strategy is a smart way to protect your conversion rates. Many agency owners manage this by including a content strategy or an engagement phase as part of their initial onboarding. If the profile doesn't look credible, even the best automation in the world will struggle to convert.

         

        Instead of just focusing on the numbers, some people also find success by running a small round of targeted Instagram ads (engagement/ awareness) to the specific post where the automation is active. This can help build that initial momentum with real potential customers while simultaneously triggering your flows.

         

        Another great tip is to have your clients maintain active Stories. When a visitor sees that colorful ring around the profile picture, it immediately signals that the account is live and active in real-time. This simple visual cue builds trust and reduces the "abandoned" feel. Plus, you can set up Manychat triggers specifically for Story replies; often, the reach and engagement on Stories can be much better than on a feed post for a profile that has been inactive for a while.

         

        Wish you luck and success! 🙌

        Very good advice ​@Fabio Gaulke . I think you are right, you should help your account with Ads, this way you attract real potential customers. In addition, you can star follow and comment people who you target so this way they will follow you back and are more willing to know about you. 

        https://www.dominariai.com | www.linkedin.com/in/catalina-rendon-gamboa
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