Keyword triggers for Instagram DMs, with examples
A keyword trigger is the simplest automation there is: when a message contains a word, send a specific reply. It is also the one people get wrong most often, because the hard part is not the setup. It is choosing a word that fires exactly when you want it to.
How matching works
In Chat33, a keyword trigger looks at the text of an incoming message and checks whether the keyword appears in it as a whole word. Three details decide everything:
- Case and accents do not matter.
PRICE,Priceandpriceare the same keyword, andcenaalso matches "ćena". - The keyword can appear anywhere in the message, at the start, the end or in the middle of a long sentence.
- It has to be a whole word. A keyword never fires on a piece of a longer word.
guiddoes not match "guide", andsaledoes not match "sales".
| Keyword | Message | Fires? | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
price | "What's the PRICE?" | Yes | Case is ignored |
guide | "can I get the guide pls" | Yes | Anywhere in the message |
free guide | "send me the free guide" | Yes | Several words work when they appear in that order |
price | "pricing for 2 people" | No | "pricing" is a different word |
guide | "guides please" | No | The plural is a different word too |
hi | "is this still available" | No | "this" is not the word "hi" |
info | "more information please" | No | "information" is not "info" |
The rows that say No are the ones to plan for. Plurals and longer forms of a word do not match, so if people are likely to write "guides" or "pricing", set up a trigger for each form you expect, or ask for one exact word in your post ("comment GUIDE").
The upside of whole words: short keywords like hi, link or sale no longer fire on "this", "LinkedIn" or "sales". The downside: a keyword only catches exactly the word you typed, so think about the forms people will actually write. To check a keyword against a few sample comments, use the free comment keyword tester.
Where keyword triggers apply
The same matching runs on three kinds of trigger:
- dm keyword: any direct message.
- comment keyword: comments on your posts, optionally only on posts you pick (comment-to-DM guide).
- story reply: replies to your stories (story reply guide). When a story reply matches a story reply trigger, your DM keyword triggers are skipped for that message, so the person does not get two answers.
When several triggers match
One message starts at most one flow. If it matches keywords from several triggers, the longest keyword wins, because it is the most specific: with triggers on price and price list, "can I see the price list?" runs the price list flow only. If the keywords are the same length, a trigger set on this exact account wins over one set on every account, and then the oldest flow wins.
So "Price and shipping to Canada?" with triggers on price and shipping sends one answer, the shipping flow, because it is the longer word. If people often ask both at once, build one flow that answers both, or make the reply mention the other keyword ("For shipping, reply SHIPPING").
When two flows use the same keyword, the editor warns you as you type it. That is almost always a mistake, usually a forgotten campaign that is still active.
And if nothing matches, the channel's default reply answers instead, if you set one. How to set up auto reply on Instagram covers how to write it.
Choosing good keywords
Specific beats short. CHECKLIST only appears when someone wants the checklist. list will not fire on "playlist" or "wishlist", but it still appears in plenty of sentences that have nothing to do with your offer ("is there a waiting list?").
Use a word from the offer. If the post says "comment RECIPE", the keyword is recipe. People type what they see.
One campaign, one keyword. When a campaign ends, pause its trigger or give the next one a new word. Old posts keep getting comments for months.
Watch for other languages. A keyword that is harmless in English can be a common word in another language your audience speaks.
Test with real sentences. Before turning a trigger on, write down five messages you expect to receive and five you do not, and check them against the keyword by eye.
20 keyword ideas by niche
Creators and educators
GUIDE: sends a free guide or PDFPRESET: sends a download link for presets or templatesWAITLIST: sends the signup link for a course or product launchCOACHING: sends a booking link with quick-reply questions firstSOURCES: sends the links you mentioned in a video
Online stores
price: product prices, or a carousel with pricesshipping: delivery times and countriessize: a size guide imagerestock: confirms you noted the request and tags the contact, so you know who asked when the product returnsdiscount: a first-order code, if you offer one
Service businesses
booking: booking link with available times (prefer this overbook, which people also type for a book club or a different offer)quote: a few quick-reply questions, then a form linkhours: opening hours and addressmenu: an image of the current menulocation: a map link
Everyone
refund: policy and how to start a requestcollab: a partnership form linkhuman: a message saying a person will reply, and a tag so your team can find these contacts quicklystop: better handled by Opt-out Automation in channel settings than by a flowhelp: a quick-reply menu of your other keywords
Tell people the keywords exist
A keyword nobody knows about never fires. Put them where people will see them:
- in the post or story that asks for it ("Comment GUIDE")
- in your default reply ("Reply PRICE for our price list")
- in a pinned story highlight or your bio
DM, comment and story reply keywords on the official Instagram API, with conflict warnings in the editor and a default reply for everything else.