Quick Automation: Auto-DM links from comments

Quick Automations provide a simpler, more intuitive way to build automations while integrating seamlessly with established Manychat tools like the Basic Builder and Flow Builder. This approach speeds up the automation creation process, making it ideal for newcomers to Manychat, while still offering experienced creators the flexibility and power needed to refine and scale their strategies.

Auto-DM Links from comments allow you to automatically reply to Instagram comments and manage key interactions effortlessly. Use it to boost engagement, capture email addresses, send follow-up offers, and more. By automating these actions, you save time and create more meaningful, timely connections with your audience.

Set up automated comment replies via Quick Automations

To make setting up and managing this automation simpler, we’ve added several entry points throughout Manychat. This allows you to access and update the automation at any time, even after the initial setup is complete.

From the Home tab:

1. Open your Manychat workspace and go to the Home tab.
2. Find the Start Here section.
3. Click the Auto-DM Links from comments card.

From the Automations tab:

1. Click the Automations tab in the sidebar.
2. Select My Automations.
3. Click +New Automation.
4. In the pop-up that opens, select Auto-DM links from comments or click + Start From Scratch and select Post or Reel Comment.

From here, you can set up or edit the automation. You’ll be taken directly to the Quick Automation setup page, where you can customize your automation.

1. Select a post or reel that will trigger the automation. As the first step you will be asked to select the post or reel comments from which will trigger a DM message to the user. There are three options here:
   • A specific post or reel: only comments under this post or reel will trigger the automation.
   • Any post or reel: any comment under any post will trigger this automation. 
   • Next post or reel: the automation will be triggered when users leave comments under the next post or reel you publish after setting the automation live. Note that you can run only one next post or reel automation at a time. Once it’s triggered by a new post or reel, you’re free to set up a new one.
2. Then decide which words a comment must include to trigger the automation, or allow it to run for any comment.
3. You can also add a public reply under the post so commenters feel noticed and appreciated. Create up to three custom messages that Manychat will automatically shuffle to keep interactions dynamic and personal.
4. Next, set up a direct message called the Opening DM. This message is sent to contacts after they engage with the selected post or reel. Think of the Opening DM as a quick “Hey, are you available to chat?” before starting a conversation. When recipients tap the button in the Opening DM, they opt in to the conversation, confirming they’re ready to talk. This action allows you to send them additional messages within the next 24 hours. Note that the Opening DM is optional. You can enable or disable it at any time by toggling the switch on or off, depending on whether you want to include it in your automation.
5. Optional: Ask users to follow you before receiving the link. Manychat can check whether a user already follows your Instagram account. If they don’t, an additional DM will prompt them to follow you before the link is sent. This helps encourage audience growth while ensuring your content is shared with engaged followers only.
6. Optional: Ask for their email address. You can also request an email address via DM to stay connected beyond Instagram. This message is sent either after the Opening DM (if enabled) or as the first message in the automation (if the Opening DM is disabled). It’s an easy way to grow your subscriber list and continue engaging with your audience outside of social media.
7. Next, choose what contacts will receive in their DMs. If the Opening DM is disabled, this message becomes the very first DM contacts receive after they engage with the selected post or reel.
   • You can send a message that includes a link. If the Opening DM is enabled, this message is sent automatically after contacts tap the button in the Opening DM. You can customize this message with up to three links, making it easy to direct users to multiple destinations such as business pages, product details, or affiliate content.
   • Prefer a simpler approach? You can also send a text-only message without any links.
8. Optional: Send a follow-up DM if the link isn’t clicked. Set up a follow-up message to re-engage contacts who didn’t click the link. This helps keep the conversation going and increases the chances of turning initial interest into action.
9. Once your setup is complete, click Go Live in the top-right corner to activate the automation.

When all available features are enabled, messages are sent in the following order:

1. Opening DM
2. Email collection
3. Follow request
4. Main message with the link
5. Follow-up reminder

Setting up Auto-DM links from comments on mobile

You can set up the Auto-DM links from comments automation directly from the Manychat mobile app. It works on both iOS and Android and only takes a few minutes to complete.

Follow the steps below to get started:

1. Log in to the Manychat app on your mobile.
2. Under Create your own automation select Comment.
3. Alternatively, tap on Automation.
4. Tap +New Automation button.
5. Select Post or reel comments automation.
6. Next, follow the same steps as you would while setting up this automation from the browser.
7. Once you’re finished, tap the Preview And Go Live button. Make sure that the messages are just as you want them in the preview window, and tap Go Live.

Edit or stop your automation after it goes live

If you need to make adjustments to your automation after it has gone live, you can easily return to the setup page.

1. Open the Automations tab and find the Auto-DM links from comments automation in the list.
2. Click on it to open the automation’s page.
3. Next, click the Edit button in the upper-right corner. Once you're in edit mode, make the necessary changes.
4. When you're done, click the Update button to publish your changes. Afterward, you'll be redirected back to the Insights tab to monitor your updated automation's performance.

If you decide to stop the automation at any time, click the Stop button in the upper-right corner of the automation’s page.

If you want to reactivate it later, click the Go Live button in the same location to bring your automation back online instantly.

Check your automation’s performance in the Insights tab

Once your automation goes live, you’ll be redirected to the Insights tab, where you can monitor its performance.

Here, you’ll find key metrics such as Sends, Clicks, Click-through Rate (CTR), and the number of emails collected. These insights give you a quick overview of what’s performing well and where there may be opportunities to optimize.

Below is a breakdown of each metric, so you can better understand what your automation data is showing:

• Sends: The total number of automated DMs sent from your account.
• Clicks: The number of times recipients clicked a link in your message.
• CTR: The percentage of recipients who clicked a link after receiving your message.
• Emails: The number of email addresses collected through DMs.

This information helps you evaluate engagement and fine-tune your automation for better results.

Runs vs. Sends

Another important metric to be aware of, and one that often causes confusion, is Runs.

Unlike the performance metrics shown in the Insights tab, Runs can be found in the Automations tab. Simply scroll to the relevant automation, and you’ll see the Runs count displayed next to its name.

You may notice that the number of Runs doesn’t always match the Sends count in the Insights tab. This difference depends on how your automation is set up, and there’s a clear reason for it.

• If the Opening DM is enabled:
  • Runs represent the number of times the Opening DM was sent.
  • Sends represent the number of times the DM containing the link was sent.
• If the Opening DM is disabled:
  • Both Runs and Sends are counted based on the DM with the link, since it becomes the first message in the automation.

This distinction exists because when the Opening DM is disabled, certain automated direct messages can’t be sent, including:

• A DM asking the contact to follow you before receiving the link
• A DM requesting the contact’s email address
• A follow-up DM if the link isn’t clicked

In this case, the only available option is the public reply under the post, which applies to comments rather than direct messages.

Why do Runs and Sends differ?

Runs represent the total number of times your automation is triggered, specifically, how many times the Opening DM (the first message in the automation) is sent. Sends, on the other hand, count only how many times the DM with the link is delivered.

Not every contact who receives the Opening DM will reach the message containing the link. For example, some users may receive the Opening DM but choose not to tap the button, causing them to drop off before the link is sent. In these cases, the Run is counted, but a Send is not.

The Opening DM isn’t just a technical starting point, it plays an important role in driving engagement. It opens the conversation and encourages users to interact right away. When someone taps the button in the Opening DM, they’re not simply moving forward in the automation, they’re actively opting into a two-way conversation with your business.

This interaction unlocks more than just the ability to send a link. It allows you to create a more personal, conversational experience, build trust, and increase the likelihood that users will continue engaging with your automation, including clicking the link.

So while the difference between Runs and Sends may seem technical at first, it actually provides valuable insight into how your audience is interacting with your automation, and why using an Opening DM can be a strategic choice.