Story replies, story mentions and Live comments

Instagram has three triggers of its own. None of them exist on Facebook, TikTok, YouTube or Threads, so the trigger panel says Instagram only.

Someone replies to your story

A reply to a story arrives as a direct message, so the conversation is already open: you can send several messages, ask for an email and check they follow, within 24 hours of their reply.

The Story reply giveaway template uses it: everyone who replies is tagged giveaway and gets "You are in!" at once. Later you can find them all in People by the tag.

To set it up yourself, pick Someone replies to your story under Starts when, choose the accounts, and add your steps. It answers replies to any of your stories while it is live, so pause it when the story ends if it was only for one story.

Someone mentions you in a story

Starts when someone tags your account in their own story. Use it to thank them, send a small discount, or tag them so you can find your best fans later in People. Like story replies, the chat is open, so you can send more than one message.

Someone comments on your Live

Starts from a comment on your Instagram Live, with a word you choose or any comment, just like a post comment trigger.

The rules are stricter than for posts:

• Instagram lets you send the private message only while you are live. Once the broadcast ends, it can no longer go out.
• Steps that need an answer (Ask for email or phone, Check they follow) are not available here: the board says "Only while you are live".
• Instagram does not allow hiding comments on a Live, so those comments stay up whatever your moderation settings say.

A good Live campaign is short: one DM with the link or code, sent while viewers are still watching.