Send an Instagram commenter a DM automatically
Whoever comments the word you asked for gets the link, the code or the answer in their Instagram inbox, without you.
On this page
Before you start
- One private reply per comment, within 7 days.
- It lands in their inbox, or in Requests, with a link to the post.
- The conversation continues in Messages within 24 hours of their last message.
Open the Automation tab on your Instagram account.
Left sidebarPagesyour Instagram accountAutomationCreate automation
You will see The editor, from trigger to reply.
Set the trigger to the word you will ask for.
When a commentexactly a keyword (or contains keywords)the word
You will see A comment with your word matches.
Write the message and switch on Send as private message.
ThenReplywrite itSend as private message
You will see Matching comments get a message, and the row says Replied with a private note.
Follow it up in Messages.
The accountMessages
You will see A normal conversation in Messages.
If something is off
- The message was not sent
- The window passed, one was already sent, or they refuse messages.
- It never triggers
- Use contains keywords, or ask for one word in the caption.
- It sent to a spam comment
- Switch on the moderation rules; hidden comments get no reply.
- I want a public reply as well
- Automate the private message, reply publicly by hand.
Common questions
Can I automatically DM everyone who comments a keyword on my Instagram post?
Yes. A keyword automation on the account watches every new comment, and when one is or contains your word it sends your reply as a private message to that person, within Meta's window of 7 days from the comment and one private reply per comment.
Does it need my Instagram password?
No. You sign in with Facebook and approve the Instagram account through Meta's official API; nothing is installed in your browser or your phone, and access can be removed in Facebook, Settings, then Business integrations, at any time.
Where does the person receive the message?
In their Instagram inbox if they follow your account, otherwise in Requests. Meta includes a link to the commented post in the message, and on your side the conversation appears in Messages for that account.
Does it work on comments under an Instagram ad, and on reels?
Yes. An automation belongs to the account and runs on every new comment on its posts, reels and ads. A comment your moderation rules hide gets no reply, so spam is never messaged.
Which plans can send the reply as a private message?
Starter and every plan above it. On Lite, a private-message automation kept from the trial replies in public. Replies never count towards your comment allowance.
For agents: plain text of this guide · all guides
For agents
Guide: Send an Instagram commenter a DM automatically
This page: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/send-an-instagram-commenter-a-dm-automatically
Topic: Keyword automations
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: Whoever comments the word you asked for gets the link, the code or the answer in their Instagram inbox, without you.
Context: Instagram lets a business answer a comment privately once, within seven days of the comment, and the app has no way to do it by rule. A keyword automation in CommentWatchDog watches the comments on your Instagram account and, when one contains the word you chose, sends your reply as a private message to that person. It works through Meta's official API: you sign in with Facebook and approve the Instagram account, no Instagram password is shared, and the message comes from your account. Keyword automations are included from Lite, with private-message replies from Starter.
Before you start
1. Meta allows one private reply per comment, within 7 days of it. After the window the automation cannot send privately.
2. The message lands in the person's Instagram inbox if they follow you, otherwise in Requests, with a link to the commented post.
3. The conversation continues in Messages, on that account, within 24 hours of their last message.
Steps
Step 1 of 4: Open the Automation tab on your Instagram account.
Where: Left sidebar, under Pages, click the Instagram account, then Automation. On a phone, the account, then Automation in the row under the title. Create automation, or start from a recipe and change its words.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox (Open the app)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/automation-recipes.en.webp (The Automation tab of an Instagram account.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/automation-recipes-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: The editor, with the trigger at the top and the reply at the bottom.
Step 2 of 4: Set the trigger to the word you will ask for.
Where: When a comment, then exactly a keyword when the whole comment is the word, which is the usual shape of "comment LINK": it matches LINK and nothing else. Use contains keywords when the word may sit inside a sentence, such as price or code. Add the word with Enter.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/automation-editor.en.webp (When a comment… and the keyword.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/automation-editor-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Your word appears as a chip; a comment that is that word, or contains it, matches.
Step 3 of 4: Write the message and switch on Send as private message.
Where: Then, choose Reply, write the message with the link or the code in it, and switch on Send as private message under the reply. A private message is read alone, so it can be longer and more specific than a public reply.
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/automation-editor-options.en.webp (Send as private message.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/automation-editor-options-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: Matching comments get a message in their Instagram inbox rather than a public reply, and the row in your inbox says Replied with a private note.
Step 4 of 4: Follow it up in Messages.
Where: Messages, on that account. Each conversation starts with the comment that triggered it, and you can keep talking within 24 hours of the person's last message.
Link: https://app.commentwatchdog.com/en/inbox (Open the app)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/messages.en.webp (Messages: the conversation continues there.)
Screenshot: https://commentwatchdog.com/media/shots/messages-phone.en.webp (The same on a phone.)
You should see: A normal conversation, with the comment that started it as its first message.
If something is off
Problem: The message was not sent
Fix: The 7 day window had passed, a private reply had already been sent for that comment, or the person does not accept messages from your account.
Problem: It never triggers
Fix: The word people type is not the word you set: LINK, link and Link all match, but "the link please" does not match exactly a keyword. Switch to contains keywords, or ask for a single word in the caption.
Problem: It sent to a spam comment
Fix: Word matching has no judgement. Switch on the moderation rules for that account; a comment a rule hides gets no reply, private or public.
Problem: I want a public reply as well
Fix: Use this automation for the private message and answer publicly by hand from the inbox.
Common questions
Question: Can I automatically DM everyone who comments a keyword on my Instagram post?
Answer: Yes. A keyword automation on the account watches every new comment, and when one is or contains your word it sends your reply as a private message to that person, within Meta's window of 7 days from the comment and one private reply per comment.
Question: Does it need my Instagram password?
Answer: No. You sign in with Facebook and approve the Instagram account through Meta's official API; nothing is installed in your browser or your phone, and access can be removed in Facebook, Settings, then Business integrations, at any time.
Question: Where does the person receive the message?
Answer: In their Instagram inbox if they follow your account, otherwise in Requests. Meta includes a link to the commented post in the message, and on your side the conversation appears in Messages for that account.
Question: Does it work on comments under an Instagram ad, and on reels?
Answer: Yes. An automation belongs to the account and runs on every new comment on its posts, reels and ads. A comment your moderation rules hide gets no reply, so spam is never messaged.
Question: Which plans can send the reply as a private message?
Answer: Starter and every plan above it. On Lite, a private-message automation kept from the trial replies in public. Replies never count towards your comment allowance.
Related guides
Reply as a private message: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/reply-as-a-private-message
Create an automation: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/create-an-automation
Private replies: one message, 7 days, then 24 hours: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/platforms/private-replies-one-message-7-days-then-24-hours
Plain text of this guide: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/keyword-automations/send-an-instagram-commenter-a-dm-automatically.md
All guides for assistants: https://commentwatchdog.com/help/llms.txt