How to set up comment-to-DM

Someone comments your keyword on a post or reel; HyperDM replies under the comment and sends them a DM with the link. It is the fastest automation to pay off, and the one the setup page leads with.

Before you start

• Instagram is connected — Connect Instagram.
• You are an owner, admin or agent on the workspace.
• You know which post (or posts) the keyword should work on, and what link the DM should carry.

Open the builder

1. Go to Automations in the sidebar (under Automate).
2. A workspace that has built nothing yet shows six starter cards. Click Comment → DM. Otherwise click New automation and pick the trigger in the next step.

You can also get here from Growth tools → Comment-to-DM → Configure; it opens the same builder with the comment trigger already selected.

Fill in the form

The builder is a numbered form with a live phone preview on the right. Optionally, type a sentence in the box at the top and click Draft it for me — it fills the fields, and you edit them as normal.

1 — When

1. Choose Someone comments a keyword.
2. Enter up to 5 keywords, comma-separated, e.g. GUIDE, LINK. Matching ignores case. The Price, Link and Shop chips fill the box with one tap.
3. Choose the match mode: contains the keyword or is exactly the keyword.
4. Optionally add but doesn't contain words, e.g. refund. A comment containing one of these is skipped even when the keyword matched.
5. Under Where can the comment happen?, leave Organic posts and reels for comments on what you post yourself. Choose Instagram ads or Both if the post is boosted or runs as an ad — instagram-ad-comments.md walks that job end to end.
6. Under Listen on, choose which posts this applies to:
   • Specific posts or reels — a picker with thumbnails opens; tick the posts.
   • All posts & reels — every comment on anything you post.
   • Your next post or reel — arms now and binds to the first post that gets a matching comment.

2 — Reply publicly under the comment

1. Write the public reply, e.g. Sent you a DM 💌. This is what appears under their comment on the post.
2. Click + Add a variation for up to 3 replies. HyperDM rotates them at random so they do not look copy-pasted. One reply is fine; three is advice.

3 — Send this DM

1. Write the DM, e.g. Hey {{first_name}} — here's the free style guide. Use Insert variable for First name, Last name, Username and any custom field.
2. Add up to 3 links, one per line. Every link is tracked, so you can see who taps.
3. Under When to send the link, keep After they reply for a new automation: HyperDM sends your message with a quick prompt, and the link once they reply. Their reply opens Instagram's DM window, so the link actually lands. In the first message puts the link straight into the DM.

Optional extras

• Capture their email — asks for an email and saves it onto the contact. Write the ask and the Confirmation after they send it.
• Nudge if they don't tap — sends one more DM later if they never open the link. Set Wait N hours. Needs a link in the DM above.
• Only for followers shows Coming soon and cannot be switched on yet. To gate on following today, use the flow builder's Follow gate step mid-conversation.

Save

1. Name the automation in the box at the bottom left.
2. Click Set live. Save draft keeps it without running it.

Test it on Instagram

1. From a different Instagram account, comment the keyword on one of the posts the automation listens on. The Test on Instagram button on the form spells this out for the trigger you chose.
2. Within a few seconds the public reply appears under the comment and the DM lands in that account's inbox — and in your Inbox in HyperDM.

Three Instagram limits to know while testing:

• Only comments made after the automation went live are processed.
• Instagram allows a private reply to a comment only within 7 days of the comment.
• On collab posts, comment events go to the original author's account, so a collaborator's automation will not see them.

A DM to someone who has never messaged you can land in their Requests folder.

After it is live

The row on the Automations list shows a Live badge, its funnel (triggered → clicked → emails) and when it last fired. Two live automations that share a keyword get ↑ / ↓ arrows in the Priority sort; the higher one wins. Delete stops it immediately and it stays restorable for 30 days under Recently deleted.

Common problems

It did not fire. Check, in order: is it Live; does the comment actually contain the keyword; is a but doesn't contain word in it; is a higher-priority automation catching it first; is it bound to that post; was the comment made after it went live. More in troubleshooting.md.

I boosted the post and the boosted comments get no reply. Instagram keeps the comments on the boosted version separate. Set Where can the comment happen? to Both and Listen on to All posts & reels.

I want to change the trigger. The trigger is locked on edit. Create a new automation.

Full reference for every field: automations.md.