Use case
The Reel already has the comments.
You do not have to wait for the next post. On Pro, run the keyword rule on the comments that are already on the Reel.
3 minute read
Order of work
Write the keyword rule first. Then run it on that Reel. New comments after that still use the live rule.
Keep the DM specific. A viral thread is a bad place for a vague “thanks for commenting.”
Triage a spike without promising every commenter a message
Start by finding the Reel and reading the caption that brought people there. If it asks for PLAN, build a post-scoped PLAN rule whose private reply delivers the plan. If that Reel is not published yet, choose Next post or Reel and turn the rule on first. Enable the live rule for new qualifying comments, then use Pro replay for recent existing comments. This separates incoming traffic from the backlog. Keep the initial reply concise and ask for an actual reply if the next step needs an ordinary conversation window.
Do not turn a viral discussion into an unrelated sales blast. Emoji-only comments and people who never requested the offer are not automatically matches. A replay scan is bounded by eligibility, cooldowns, deduplication, available quota, and provider behavior. Inspect outcomes before repeating the sweep. A paid uncapped plan removes the plan DM ceiling, not Meta rate limits or recipient restrictions. Keep alternative access to the resource in your bio for people who cannot receive the private reply.
Prepare a test before asking your audience
Connect an eligible professional Instagram account through Meta login, or a Facebook Page on Pro or above. Select the intended account before editing a rule. Confirm the destination opens on a phone and that the offer matches what the caption promises. Use a second, eligible account for a real trigger test; an editor preview cannot prove provider delivery.
Inspect the public reply, private message, and destination separately. A successful public reply does not prove that the DM was delivered. Keep a record of the test time and inspect activity when something fails. Check permissions and rule scope before repeatedly triggering the same recipient. Disable a stale campaign rather than leaving an expired offer running.
Capacity, permissions, and realistic outcomes
Free includes one account, 1,000 DMs per month, 100 contacts, and 10 captured leads. Pro is $9 per month for three accounts and adds the follow gate, one follow-up nudge, scheduling, product cards, older-comment replay, and Facebook Pages. Growth is $14 for three accounts with 1,000 monthly AI credits. Business is $29 for ten accounts, five seats, and 2,500 AI credits. Paid messaging, contact, and lead quotas are uncapped in the plan configuration; Meta restrictions still apply. Sheets is a Business entitlement and needs provider authorization. Direct Meta Ads audience export is disabled, including on Business.
A comment can qualify for one private reply, subject to Meta eligibility and time limits. It does not itself open a general 24-hour conversation window. The recipient must reply before ordinary follow-up messaging can use that window. A link click or a new follow is not a substitute for an inbound message. Delivery also depends on account permissions, token health, recipient settings, and provider rate limits.
Questions
Only comments that match the rule. An emoji with no keyword does not match a keyword rule.
No. Match the resource people actually requested and keep a public alternative route for people who cannot receive the private reply.
Check the actual trigger, delivery activity, recipient reply, and destination separately. A scan, queued job, or link tap is not a completed sale. Use your booking or checkout system to confirm the final outcome.