Instagram Comment to DM Automation for Posts, Reels and Ads
Comment to DM automation sends a private Instagram message to people who comment on your post, reel or ad. AeroChat sends that private reply, carries on the conversation in the DM, sends the product or sign-up link, and adds the person to Klaviyo, Mailchimp or HubSpot when they share their email.
What happens today
A post asks people to comment “LINK” or ask a question. Dozens of comments come in. Someone on the team replies to each one by hand, or asks people to check their DMs and then sends the same message again and again.
Comments that come in at night or after the post goes quiet get no reply at all. The people who asked for the link never get it, and the post’s reach does not turn into sales or sign-ups.
How it runs on Instagram
- Someone comments on your post, reel, story or ad post with your keyword or a question.
- AeroChat sends one private reply to their DM, with the answer or the link they asked for.
- If the person replies, the conversation carries on in the DM. AeroChat answers follow-up questions from your knowledge base.
- For product posts, it reads the item from Shopify or your Google Sheet and confirms the price and stock.
- If they want updates or a free download, it asks for their email and adds them to Klaviyo or Mailchimp with the post name as a tag.
- For service enquiries, it creates the lead in HubSpot with a note of what they asked.
- If the person asks for someone on the team, it hands the conversation over in the inbox or on the mobile app.
The recipe
Copy this into AeroChat
When someone comments “GUIDE” (example) on our Instagram post about skincare routines (example), send them a private reply. Then follow these steps.
- In the private reply, say: “Thanks for your comment. Here is the routine guide you asked for. Want me to send you our weekly tips too?” and include the guide link.
- If they reply yes, ask for their email.
- Add them to our Klaviyo list “Instagram leads” (example) with the tag skincare-guide.
- If they ask about a product in the guide, look it up in our store and tell them the price and whether it is in stock.
- If they ask something we cannot answer, hand the conversation to our team.
Send only one private reply per comment. Reply in the customer’s language.
Change the keyword, the link and the list name to your own. For Mailchimp or HubSpot, name that system instead and keep the steps.
Connect the systems behind it
- Klaviyo. AeroChat adds people who share their email to your list, tagged with the post they came from.
- Mailchimp. AeroChat adds the subscriber to your audience with a tag for the campaign.
- HubSpot. AeroChat creates the contact as a lead with Instagram as the source and a note of the question.
- Google Sheets. AeroChat logs each commenter and what they asked for, so you can see which posts bring in leads.
Shopify is built in, so product prices and stock come straight from your store.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
Meta’s rules on Instagram
Meta allows one private reply per comment, sent within 7 days of the comment. It works on comments on posts, reels, stories, Live and ad posts. Comments on a Live broadcast can only get a private reply while the broadcast is on. Once the person replies to your DM, you can send follow-up messages within 24 hours of their reply, and your team has a separate 7-day window for replies typed by hand.
Also on WhatsApp, TikTok and web chat
The same follow-up workflow runs on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, TikTok (direct messages and TikTok Shop buyer chat), Telegram, the chat on your website and email, so leads from every channel land in the same list. See WhatsApp lead capture.
Who uses it
Brands that post content to drive sales or sign-ups use it, including beauty stores, fashion stores, spas with first-visit offers and tuition centres.
Read more: Instagram comment to DM sales automation.
Questions
How does comment to DM automation work on Instagram?
When someone comments on your post, AeroChat sends them a private reply in their DMs through Meta’s private replies feature. If they reply, the conversation carries on in the DM like any other chat.
How many DMs can I send to one commenter?
One private reply per comment, within 7 days of the comment. After the person replies, you can keep the conversation going within 24 hours of their latest message.
Does it work on reels and ads?
Yes. Private replies work on comments on posts, reels, stories, Live and ad posts.
Can I collect emails from comments?
Yes. AeroChat asks for the email in the DM and adds it to Klaviyo, Mailchimp, HubSpot or a Google Sheet, with a tag for the post the person came from.
Turn your next post’s comments into leads
Start your 7-day free trial. No credit card needed.
On Shopify? Install AeroChat from the Shopify App Store.
Related: keyword DMs for giveaways and launches and Instagram Live comment replies.