Guide: Start a flow when someone shares your post
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/start-a-flow-when-someone-shares-your-post
Topic: Flow starts
Time: about 2 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: A post or reel of yours sent to you in a DM starts the flow (Instagram).
Context: People send a reel to the account behind it to ask about it: "how much?", "do you ship?". The shared-post start answers that DM. The share opens the chat, so the flow can send the link, the price or a question straight away.

Before you start:
1. Instagram only.
2. Only your own posts and reels count.
3. The chat is open from the share, so every message step works at once.

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 shared-post start reads Shared post (Someone shares your post with you). 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 which posts.
Where: Trigger panel, Which posts: Any post or reel, Pick posts, or Your next post.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-share.en.webp (Which posts, here set to Any post or reel.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-share-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The start card names the posts.

Step 3 of 4: Say how often one person can start it.
Where: Trigger panel, How often per person, under Which posts: Every time, Once ever, Once a day or Once a week. Someone who already went through it is skipped quietly.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-share.en.webp (How often per person.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-start-share-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: A second share from the same person follows your rule.

Step 4 of 4: Add what to send back.
Where: From the Steps panel, Send: a Message with a link button, Cards, or an Image, video or file. Wire it after the start.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-flow-palette.en.webp (Send: the steps that answer in the chat.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-flow-palette-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The answer sits after the start.

If something is off:
Problem: Someone shared another account's post and nothing happened
Fix: Only shares of your own posts and reels start it.
Problem: It is not offered on the Facebook page
Fix: The shared-post start is Instagram only.

Common questions:
Question: Does the person have to write anything?
Answer: No. Sending one of your posts or reels to you in a DM is enough to start it.
Question: Can it answer only for one reel?
Answer: Yes. Pick posts and choose that reel; shares of other posts do not start it.

Related guides:
- Start a flow when someone comments: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/start-a-flow-when-someone-comments
- Send a message with buttons and quick replies: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-steps/send-a-message-with-buttons-and-quick-replies
- Send cards: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-steps/send-cards

Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/start-a-flow-when-someone-shares-your-post.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt