Post and Reel automations

Create a comment-to-DM automation on an Instagram post or Reel. Pick media, set keywords, add a public reply, and design the Direct message.

Listen to top-level comments on one post or Reel. Nested replies under someone else's comment are skipped so threads do not burn your sends.

Two ways in

Existing media. New automation, then Post or Reel comments, then pick from your grid.
New media. Post something new, or Automations, then New post. Publish or schedule, and attach the keyword DM in the same flow. See Schedule posts.

Pick an existing post or Reel

Choose New automation, then Post or Reel comments.

On Choose a post (step 2. Post), filter All or Reels.

On a card, choose View to preview, or Use to attach the rule. Badges can read Already automated, Not automated, or Reel.

Or choose Post something new if the media is not live yet.

On New automation (step 3. Setup), set Name, optional Active from and Active to, keywords, public replies, DM content, and audience.

Choose Create. Toast: Automation created.

This pick-a-post flow saves a silent draft as you leave fields or change the post. There is no toast. Coming back restores the selected post and the form. The draft clears after a successful Create. Story, live, and compose do not use this draft.

Change post later in the flow opens Change post? Buttons: Change post, Keep this post.

Set the trigger

On Trigger, leave Send DM to all comments off and add keyword pills, or turn the switch on to DM every non-empty top-level comment.

Defaults on create: link, links, dm, send, product, price. Matching is case insensitive. Any listed keyword can trigger the DM. There is no exact vs contains picker. See Keywords and triggers.

Public reply (required)

Post and Reel rules post one phrase under the matching comment. Title: Public reply. Lede: Posted under the matching comment on this post or reel. One phrase is chosen at random.

Defaults:

Sent to your DMs! 💬
Check your inbox 📥
Just DMed you ✨
Link is in your DMs 🔗
Sent ✓

Add more with Add. You need at least one phrase. Error: Add at least one public reply phrase. Emojis are fine.

Story and live cannot use a public comment reply.

Design the private reply

On DM content, start inline (the create flow does not auto-pick a template).

Text and Text + link (buttons) work on every plan, Basic included. Up to 3 link buttons.
Media and Carousel need Growth or higher. Hover: Upgrade needed, then View plans.

Audience: by default a welcome message goes first, with the button Yes, send it over. You can turn the welcome off. Optionally turn on Only DM people who follow you, and (Growth+) Name, Email, Phone. Details: How the DM runs and who gets it.

Pick-a-post draft default offer text: Here's your link:

After it is live

Matching top-level comments run these steps within Meta rules and your plan meters. Open the rule to edit, turn it off or delete it, or see its events under Recent events, All events (see Events).