Guide: Reply under the comment
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-steps/reply-under-the-comment
Topic: Flow steps
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 public reply under their comment, in several wordings, with an @mention.
Context: Public reply answers under the comment that started the flow, for everyone to see: "Sent you a DM!" before the private reply is the classic. Up to five wordings are picked at random, so the replies under one post do not look automated.

Before you start:
1. Only in a flow started by a comment, and before the private reply.
2. Up to 5 variations, each up to 500 characters.
3. On Instagram a public reply cannot follow a hide.

Steps:
Step 1 of 3: Add Public reply to your flow.
Where: Open the flow (Automation, then the flow's row). In the Steps panel on the left, under On the comment (scroll the panel down), drag Public reply onto the canvas, or select the step it should follow and click Public reply. On a phone: Add step at the top left of the canvas, then Public reply under On the comment. It goes before the private reply.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox (Open the app)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-flow-palette-more.en.webp (The Steps panel: Public reply, under On the comment.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-flow-palette-more-phone.en.webp (On a phone, Add step lists the same steps: Public reply, under On the comment.)
You should see: The Public reply card is on the canvas and its settings panel is open (a sheet on a phone).

Step 2 of 3: Write the reply and its variations.
Where: Panel: the reply, then Add variation, up to 5. One variation is picked at random each time.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-node-public.en.webp (The reply, two more variations under it, then Add variation.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-node-public-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The card counts the variations.

Step 3 of 3: Choose whether to mention them.
Where: Panel, Mention them (on by default): on Instagram the reply starts with @their username, so they are notified; on Facebook it mentions them by name.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-node-public.en.webp (Mention them.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/dm-node-public-more-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The preview starts with their name.

If something is off:
Problem: Instagram doesn't allow replies to a hidden comment
Fix: Put the public reply before the Hide the comment step.
Problem: A reply to a reply landed under the first comment
Fix: On Instagram, replies go under the top-level comment.

Common questions:
Question: How long can a public reply be?
Answer: Up to 500 characters. Meta documents no limit; 500 is CommentWatchDog's own.
Question: Can it come after the private reply?
Answer: No. It acts on the comment, so it goes before the private reply; the canvas refuses it after.

Related guides:
- Send the private reply: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-steps/send-the-private-reply
- Hide the comment from a flow: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-steps/hide-the-comment-from-a-flow
- Start a flow when someone comments: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-starts/start-a-flow-when-someone-comments

Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/flow-steps/reply-under-the-comment.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt