Start from a template
In Automations, pick a template, fill in the blanks and switch it on. The studio only offers the templates your connected account supports:
- Comment-to-DM templates (link, lead magnet): Instagram, Facebook.
- Follow to unlock: Instagram only.
- AI assistant in DMs: Instagram, Facebook, X.
- Broadcasts: Instagram, Facebook, X.
- Threads, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn have no private reply to a comment, so comment-to-DM can't run there.
| Template | What happens |
|---|---|
| Comment to get a link | Someone comments your word; they get a public reply and a DM with your link. |
| Lead magnet + email | They get your freebie and are asked for their email, which is saved to your list. |
| Follow to unlock | Only followers get the link. Expect some non-followers to stop at the follow step. |
| AI assistant in DMs | Answers questions in your voice, with facts you provide, a spending cap and hand-off to you. |
What happens, step by step
Each template below is drawn from the first message to the result. The bubbles are what your follower sees. The line marked You set under a step is the setting you control there.
Comment to get a link
People comment a word. They get your link in DMs within seconds.
When to use it
Use it when a post promises something: a guide, a free download, a product page. Say “Comment GUIDE to get it” in the caption and it runs by itself.
Lead magnet + email
Give a freebie, then ask for their email in the same chat.
When to use it
Use it when you want people you can reach outside Instagram. They get the freebie first, so the ask feels fair, not pushy.
Follow to unlock
Only followers get the freebie. Non-followers are asked to follow first.
When to use it
Use it when growing followers matters more than reach. Expect some non-followers to stop at the follow step, and you'll see how many.
AI assistant in DMs
Real questions get a reply in your voice. Big asks come to you.
When to use it
Use it when DMs pile up with the same questions. You tell it about you and your offers once. It never touches personal chats.
More patterns, like pairing a link with the AI assistant, are drawn on the Automations page.
Each setting, in plain words
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Keyword | The word people comment, like GUIDE. Capitals don't matter. Leave it empty and any comment counts, which also catches typos and emoji. |
| Which posts | One or more posts, your next post, or any post. A flow on your next post switches on when that post goes live. |
| Public reply | A short reply under their comment, worded differently each time and never with a link. If the DM can't be sent, the reply asks them to message you instead. |
| Opening DM | The one private message Instagram allows per comment. It has a button, plus “reply SEND” for people on a computer. For audiences that mostly don't follow you, it asks for a reply word instead of a button. |
| Follow check | Follow to unlock only, Instagram only. Non-followers get a follow card, and we check again when they tap “I've followed”. |
| What they get | Your link as a card with a button. Clicks are counted. You can add a longer message or a video. |
| Follow-up delay | One more message at a random time inside the range you pick, always within Instagram's 24-hour window. |
| Email capture | Lead magnet only. Asks for their email once, only if you don't have it, saves it to your list and tags it with the post. |
| AI replies | Answers real questions in your voice using facts you give it. It skips thanks, emoji, personal chats and story replies, and stays quiet for 12 hours in any chat where you type yourself. |
| Credits | Template messages and public replies cost 1 credit per 10 sent. Each AI-written reply costs 1. Messages the AI skips cost nothing. |
Attach one to a video
On the create screen, switch on Send a DM to everyone who comments a keyword, enter the keyword and what they get. The automation arms itself when the post goes live, and the caption tells people what to comment.
What automations cost
| What | Credits |
|---|---|
| Template DMs and public comment replies | 1 per 10 sent |
| AI-written DM replies | 1 each |
| Posting and scheduling | Free |
There's no limit on how many automations you run, on any plan — you pay only for what they send. If you run out of credits, AI replies pause and template DMs keep going. Broadcasts (one message to a group of your contacts) live in the Broadcasts tab of Automations — see Inbox & broadcasts.
Platform rules to know
- Instagram lets a business send one private reply to a comment within 7 days of it.
- After someone messages you or taps a button, you can message them freely for 24 hours.
- Only message people who commented, messaged or tapped — never cold DMs. See the Acceptable Use Policy.
Conversations show up in Inbox, split into ones the AI handled and ones that need you. The people your automations talk to are your audience: tell them how you use their details, for example in your own privacy notice.