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Turn Instagram comments into automatic DMs

Build the setup from our reel with ManyChat or GoHighLevel—with step-by-step instructions, messages you can copy, and a simple way to track replies.

  1. Comment “DM”
  2. Opening DM
  3. Tap to receive
  4. Resource link

The exact setup from the reel. Open access. No email required.

One comment.
A clear next step.

Walk through the exchange your audience will experience. Try the button to see what happens next.

Illustrated exampleNo messages are sent
Comment on your reel

DM

Keyword matched

A public comment opens
the door to a private message.

Play the demo or choose a step.
01 / 05

Someone comments your keyword on the selected reel. That starts the automation.

Choose your tool

You only need one tool handling a particular reel. Pick the one you already use, and make sure another automation isn’t replying to the same comments.

  1. Connect your Instagram account

    Connect the account that owns the reel in ManyChat and check that its permissions are current.

  2. Open Auto-DM Links from comments

    Go to Automations → My Automations → + New Automation, then choose Auto-DM links from comments.

  3. Choose the specific reel

    Select A specific post or reel and pick the reel offering your resource.

  4. Set your keyword

    Use DM for this example. Match the keyword you ask viewers to comment.

  5. Add a public reply

    Use the public-reply message below to point people to their inbox.

  6. Enable the Opening DM

    Turn on Opening DM and add the Send the setup interaction button. Keep email collection, follow requests and reminders off for this simple flow.

  7. Add your resource message

    Put your live resource URL in the link message. With Opening DM enabled, it sends after the recipient taps its button.

  8. Preview, test, then activate

    Check the messages and destination in preview before Go Live. A real comment-trigger test requires activation: use a controlled test reel/account first, run the checklist, then activate your campaign.

Official instructions: ManyChat Quick Automation

Copy the messages

Use these as a starting point. Substitute your own keyword, resource and destination; replace [YOUR RESOURCE LINK] with a live URL anyone can open.

Public reply

Check your inbox for the setup 👋

Opening DM

Want the comment-to-DM setup from the reel? Tap below and I’ll send it over.

Button label

Send the setup

Resource delivery

Here’s the setup guide: [YOUR RESOURCE LINK]. It includes the steps, copyable messages and a testing checklist.

Optional conversation starter

Which are you using—ManyChat or GoHighLevel?

The conversation starter is optional. Send it only within the supported messaging window; it is not a reminder for people who never interacted.

Simple GHL tracking

One pipeline, Resource DMs. Exactly two stages. Keep every opportunity Open with a value of zero.

DM sent

The initial private-message send action succeeded. This does not mean the resource was opened or read.

Replied

The person sent a conversational reply. The original public comment, a link click, and the required “Send the setup” interaction do not count.

  • Use Find Opportunity for the contact in Resource DMs. If none exists after a confirmed successful send, use Create Opportunity in DM sent.
  • Keep one opportunity per contact across resource campaigns. Add resource tags or notes for later requests, and record resource sending separately.
  • For an eligible conversational reply, find the existing card and use Update Opportunity to move it to Replied. Keep backward stage movement off. Never move Replied back to DM sent.
  • Limit the reply workflow to campaign participants and the Instagram DM channel. Exclude the required button/quick-reply interaction; if filters cannot distinguish it reliably, use manual review.
  • Review re-entry and duplicate-opportunity settings. Test repeated comments and concurrent runs; do not assume a find-then-create sequence or a tag check alone prevents a race.

Confirm send success from a supported result or delivery log. Workflow entry, a timeout, or reaching the next step is not proof of a successful send. If your account cannot reliably branch on success, leave this part for manual configuration and review.

Official references: Find Opportunity · Update Opportunity · Duplicate opportunity controls

Let GHL AI draft the workflow

Fill in the inputs, then paste this prompt into GHL AI. Its output needs review and testing; account connections, reliable send-success checks, reply filters and duplicate prevention may need manual configuration.

Open the copyable GHL AI prompt
Build a draft Instagram comment-to-DM automation for my business.

Inputs:
Business: [BUSINESS NAME]
Instagram account: [CONNECTED ACCOUNT]
Reel: [REEL URL OR ID]
Keyword: [KEYWORD]
Resource: [RESOURCE NAME]
Destination: [LIVE RESOURCE URL]

Create or reuse one pipeline called Resource DMs with exactly two stages: DM sent and Replied. Keep one opportunity per contact in this pipeline, status Open and value zero. Track resource interests with tags/notes. Do not add sales stages or duplicate cards.

Create a delivery workflow for the selected Instagram account, reel and keyword. Send a public reply, then an opening private DM using Instagram Interactive Messenger and Reply to Comment via DM. Include a Send the resource interaction button (Perform Action) or quick reply.

After the initial DM send succeeds, use Find Opportunity to find the contact’s opportunity in Resource DMs and Create Opportunity in DM sent if none exists. Preserve Replied for existing contacts. Failed sends must not be recorded as successful. If a reliable send-success condition is unavailable, flag it for manual setup; do not infer success from workflow entry or timeout.

After the user interacts, send the resource URL using Reply to DM. Record resource sending separately. End quietly if they do not interact; do not add reminder sequences.

Create a reply-tracking workflow for incoming Instagram conversational replies from participants in this resource campaign. Find their existing opportunity and use Update Opportunity to move it to Replied. Exclude public comments, outbound messages, link clicks and the required resource-delivery button interaction. If that distinction cannot be configured reliably, flag it for manual setup rather than counting every interaction as a reply.

Prevent repeated comments and concurrent workflow executions from creating duplicate cards or messages. A request for another resource should reuse the same card.

Respect opt-outs and Instagram messaging restrictions. Leave workflows unpublished. List missing inputs and any steps AI cannot configure. Provide tests for new comments, repeated comments, failed sends, button-only interactions, actual replies and returning contacts already in Replied.

This is a build brief, not an importable workflow. Keep the AI-created workflows unpublished until you have reviewed the missing inputs and tested the setup.

Test your setup

Use a controlled test reel and a separate Instagram account. Tick each item as you verify it. These checks stay in this browser view and reset when you reload.

Also test a failed send: it must not create a successful DM sent record. Preview alone cannot prove a live comment trigger works.

Troubleshooting

Why didn’t the DM arrive?

Check the account connection and permissions, selected reel, keyword match and activation status. Look in message requests and the workflow execution log. Resource delivery requires the opening-message interaction and a valid messaging window. ManyChat’s comments trigger only runs for a person’s first comment on that post; use a fresh tester for a clean test.

Why did someone receive duplicate replies?

Check for overlapping ManyChat and HighLevel automations, broad all-post triggers and workflow re-entry. Assign one tool and one delivery workflow to each reel. Review duplicate-opportunity settings and repeat/concurrent runs; a tag check alone is not a guarantee against simultaneous executions.

Why didn’t the opportunity move?

Confirm the initial send succeeded, the contact belongs to this campaign and Find Opportunity targets Resource DMs. Update Opportunity needs an existing opportunity in context. A button tap is deliberately excluded from Replied. Inspect execution logs and reply filters; use manual review if conversational replies cannot be separated reliably.

Why is the wrong resource being sent?

Check the reel and keyword filters, the URL on the interaction branch and any reused snippets or custom values. Check for another active automation matching that comment. Save/publish your intended changes and test the destination while logged out.

Instructions checked against the official documentation linked above on 17 September 2026. Labels can vary as tools update.

Want us to set this up for your business?

We can connect the comments, resource delivery and reply tracking for you.

Share a little context, then choose a call time. You can also go straight to our booking page.

Book a call

Tell us what you want to set up

Optional. We’ll email you a confirmation and booking link, and get in touch about your setup.