Guide: Start a flow from story replies and mentions
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/start-a-flow-from-story-replies-and-mentions
Topic: Flow starts
Time: about 3 minutes
Who can do it: Owner, Administrator or Manager
Author: https://anantgupta.xyz (Anant Gupta, founder of CommentWatchDog)
Start in the app: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox
Result when done: Replies to your stories and mentions in theirs start the flow.
Context: On Instagram, a reply to your story arrives as a DM, and so does a mention of you in someone else's story. Either can start a flow, and since the chat is already open, the flow answers straight away: a thank-you, a code, a question.

Before you start:
1. Instagram only.
2. Meta sends no event for GIF or sticker replies to a story, or for tags on regular posts.
3. A Highlight keeps its story, so replies to it still count.

Steps:
Step 1 of 4: Open a flow and pick the start.
Where: Automation, then New automation and Start from a blank canvas; the window Start automation when… lists the Triggers. The story start reads Story reply or mention (Someone replies to your story). To change the start of a flow you already have, click its first card and press Change beside Starts with.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox (Open the app)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-flow-starts.en.webp (Start automation when…: every start of the page.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-flow-starts-more-phone.en.webp (The end of the list of starts on a phone.)
You should see: The start lands as the first card, and the panel on the right, Trigger, opens its settings.

Step 2 of 4: Choose the story events.
Where: Trigger panel, Which story events: A reply to your story, or a mention in theirs (both); A reply to your story; or A mention in their story.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-story.en.webp (Which story events: replies, mentions or both.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-story-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The start card names the events.

Step 3 of 4: Choose which stories.
Where: Trigger panel, Which stories: Any story, or Stories I choose (up to 50, from the stories live now). With chosen stories, only replies to them start the flow; mentions happen in their own stories, so they never do.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-story.en.webp (Which stories: any, or the ones you choose.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-story-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Chosen stories show as tiles.

Step 4 of 4: Filter the replies by words, if you like.
Where: Trigger panel, Which replies, under the chosen stories: Any reply, Has a keyword, or Is exactly. With the last two, a field for your keywords opens under it. Mentions cannot be filtered by words.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-story-more.en.webp (Which replies, under the story tiles.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-story-more-phone.en.webp (Which replies on a phone, under Which stories.)
You should see: The card says which replies count.

If something is off:
Problem: Someone replied with a GIF and nothing happened
Fix: Meta does not send GIF or sticker replies to a story. Only text and other replies arrive.
Problem: A mention never started the flow
Fix: With Stories I choose, mentions never start it, because a mention is in their story, not one of yours. Choose Any story, or answer replies only.
Problem: It does not show on the Facebook page
Fix: Story starts are Instagram only.

Common questions:
Question: Do replies to a Highlight count?
Answer: Yes. A Highlight keeps its story, so replies to it still start the flow.
Question: Does a tag in a regular post start a flow?
Answer: No. Meta sends an event only for story mentions, not for tags on posts.
Question: Can the flow send messages straight away?
Answer: Yes. A story reply or mention opens the chat, so the flow can message, ask and branch at once.

Related guides:
- Start a flow when someone sends a keyword: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/start-a-flow-when-someone-sends-a-keyword
- Send a message with buttons and quick replies: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-steps/send-a-message-with-buttons-and-quick-replies
- Thank people who reply to or mention your story: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/thank-people-who-reply-to-or-mention-your-story

Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/start-a-flow-from-story-replies-and-mentions.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt