Comment automation lets a Gym Lead Machine workflow respond on its own when someone comments on one of your Facebook or Instagram posts. You choose the post and the phrase you are watching for, then the workflow can reply to the comment publicly, send the commenter a direct message, or both. Every commenter who triggers the workflow is saved to your contacts.
What you can do with comment automation
Trigger a workflow when someone comments on a Facebook or Instagram post
Watch a single post or every published post on your page
Match comments by exact wording or by phrase
Limit the trigger to top-level comments only
Reply publicly to the comment and optionally like it
Send the commenter a direct message with a template or a custom message
Attach a file to the message
Add up to three buttons that open a link, dial a number, or continue the workflow
Save every commenter as a contact automatically
Connect Facebook and Instagram
Your Facebook account has to be connected before the comment triggers become available.
Go to Settings.
Go to Integrations.
Find the Facebook and Instagram section.
Connect your account.
Once the account is connected, the Facebook - User comments on a post and Instagram - User comments on a post triggers are available in the workflow builder.
Set up the comment trigger
Create a workflow and click Add Trigger.
Search for the trigger you want, or scroll to the Facebook/Instagram events category and select it there.
In the sidebar that opens, select the Page.
Select the Post Type, either Published or Custom.
Enter what you are looking for in the comment, using either Contains Phrase or Exact Match.
Turn on the first-level comments toggle if you want only top-level comments to start the workflow, rather than replies to other comments.
Page is is the first filter to set, and every other filter in the trigger depends on it. Deleting the Page filter deletes all the others with it.
Published posts and custom posts
Post type | What it covers | How you select the post |
|---|---|---|
Published | Every post on your business page, including text, photo, video, and live video posts | Choose from the Published Posts tab. A View on Facebook link opens the post so you can confirm you have the right one. |
Custom | One specific post you identify yourself | Select Custom, add the Post is filter, and paste the post's Facebook URL or ID into the field. |
Contains Phrase vs. Exact Match: which should you use?
Exact Match fires only when the comment is word for word what you entered. Contains Phrase fires when your phrase appears inside a longer comment, but the phrase itself still has to be uninterrupted. Use Exact Match for one-word triggers like a keyword you are promoting, and Contains Phrase when people will wrap the phrase in other words.
Setting | What you entered | The comment | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
Exact Match | Price | Price | Triggers |
Exact Match | Share the Price | Share the Price | Triggers |
Exact Match | Share the Price | Please share the Price | Does not trigger |
Contains Phrase | I bought from you | I bought from you | Triggers |
Contains Phrase | I bought from you | I bought from you yesterday | Triggers |
Contains Phrase | I bought from you | I bought one from you | Does not trigger |
Send a direct message with the Interactive Messenger action
Facebook Interactive Messenger and Instagram Interactive Messenger are workflow actions in the Communications category. They send the commenter a direct message and can carry buttons the commenter taps to keep the conversation going.
Add the action and open its sidebar.
Select the Reply Type.
Choose a pre-existing template or write a custom message.
Click Add attachment to attach a file, either from your files or by entering a URL.
Click Add Button to add buttons, up to three per action.
Enter the Button Name, select the button type, then enter the phone number or URL if the type needs one.
Set the Default Wait Time. This step is required. It defaults to one minute and you can change it.
Reply types
Reply type | When to use it |
|---|---|
Reply to DM | You want to send a message based on a direct message the customer sent you. Also used for every action after the first one in a workflow that started with Reply to comment via DM. |
Reply to comment via DM | You want to send a message based on a comment the customer left on a post. This is the first action in the workflow. |
Button types
Button type | What it does |
|---|---|
Open website | Opens the URL you enter when the customer taps it |
Call Number | Dials the number you enter |
Perform Actions | Continues the conversation, so you can add workflow actions after it |
The Default Branch
Every Interactive Messenger action has a Default Branch. A contact moves to it when no reply comes back within the wait time, or when the customer taps a Call button.
Reply publicly with the Respond on comment action
The Respond on comment action replies to the comment the customer left, in public on the post.
Add more than one reply and the system picks one at random each time it fires, so your replies do not read as automated.
Turn on the toggle to like the comment as well as reply to it.
Frequently asked questions
Which triggers do I use for comment automation?
Facebook - User comments on a post and Instagram - User comments on a post. Both sit in the Facebook/Instagram events category when you click Add Trigger, and you can search for them by name instead of scrolling to the category.
Does someone who comments get saved as a contact?
Yes. Anyone who comes through the trigger is saved as a contact, with their first name and last name stored. You do not need a separate action to create the contact.
Why did all my trigger filters disappear?
You deleted the Page filter. Page is is the first field you set and every other filter depends on it, so removing it removes the rest. Select the page again and rebuild the filters underneath it.
Why did my direct message fail to send?
Both reply types have a time limit, and messages outside it fail. Reply to DM checks whether you have had a conversation with that person in the last 24 hours and only sends if you have. Reply to comment via DM has a seven-day window, so a reply to a comment older than seven days will not be delivered.
Can I add more actions after a Call button?
No. Nothing can follow a Call button. Once the customer taps it, they move straight to the Default Branch.
What happens if the customer never taps a button?
They wait out the default wait time and then move to the Default Timeout branch. The wait is one minute unless you change it. Note that if a contact never replied to the first Interactive Messenger action, a further Interactive Messenger action placed in the Default Timeout branch will not run.
Helpful tips
Select the page first, since every other trigger filter depends on it
Use the View on Facebook link to confirm you picked the right published post
Test your phrase against the wording customers actually use before you publish the workflow
Turn on first-level comments to ignore replies people leave on each other's comments
Put Reply to comment via DM first and use Reply to DM for the actions that follow it
Keep to three buttons per message, which is the maximum
Lengthen the default one minute wait if you want to give people a real chance to respond
Add several variations to a Respond on comment action so your public replies vary
If you have questions about comment automation in Gym Lead Machine, our Support team is happy to help. Reach us at hello@usekilo.com.