Alright so I have a fairly good IG profile (step 1) and get a pretty good follow back ratio from girls I add cold (step 2). I've experimented with different types of openers and story replies and have gotten fairly good at getting responses from this as well (step 3), but I'm breaking down after that.

I've found best types of openers are either short and direct (to make sure you get a response) or some sort of story reply that is relevant to whatever she's posting. I can feel my funnel starting to break down here though, and where my funnel DEFINITELY breaks down is transitioning after the opener.

Since it's not a specifically outright dating app (like tinder/bumble/hinge). It "feels" like a different premise and I'm not sure how to navigate it smoothly. Meaning, in Tinder or Bumble it's easy to transition to setting up a date or screening ("what are you looking for on here?") but in IG things are a LOT murkier.

So I tried basically two things. One, going over the top with directness "how I have not met you yet" or something of that nature, and #2 something very vanilla and logistical to start getting the ball rolling into a conversation/vibing topic ("are you from orlando"). Neither spiking nor trying to encourage investment with easy questions seem to work.

What's the transition here? Go more direct? Go less direct? How do I balance the line from "i'm clearly hitting on you" (which to her is a "haha ok, now what" kind of response) and a "talking about random shit" vibe that isn't relevant to our attraction to each other and advancing the conversation?

Feeling pretty close to a breakthrough but this has been tough - getting left on "seen" constantly after good initial messages.

And also, absolutely crucial she adds you back. If you don't you're pretty dead in the water although I OCASSIONALLY get a response, but really not worth it because the ratio is so low and your message will go to her spam inbox instead of regular inbox if she's not following you.

Attached 6-7 sample conversations of getting left on seen. Anything glaringly obvious or any tips? Been able to use IG to get dates from tinder/app leads or real life leads, but only a handful of times from cold dms and dont have this down to a science. Definitely think this could be very useful if solved.

What do you think?