> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.socialsyncs.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Triggers & Actions

> Every trigger, targeting option, and DM action in the automation builder

Each automation has **one trigger** (chosen when you click **Create Automation**) and is configured through the four-step builder. This page is the full reference for every option you'll see.

## Triggers

When you create an automation you first answer *"What should trigger this automation?"* and pick one of three:

| Trigger                           | Fires when…                                 | Can post a public reply?   |
| --------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- |
| **Comments on your Post or Reel** | Someone comments on your post or reel       | Yes                        |
| **Replies to your Story**         | Someone replies to your story               | No (replies arrive as DMs) |
| **Sends you a DM**                | Someone sends your account a direct message | No                         |

## Step 1 — Choose the content (Post / Story)

This step decides which posts or stories the automation watches.

**Comments trigger:**

* **Specific posts or reels** — pick exactly which ones (select at least one from the grid).
* **Any post or reel** — applies to all your posts.
* **Upcoming posts** — applies to everything you publish from now on.

**Story trigger:** the same three choices for stories — **Specific stories**, **Any story**, **Upcoming stories**.

**DM trigger:** has no content to choose, so this step is skipped (it just prompts you to continue).

## Step 2 — Targeting & keywords

Decide which comments or messages qualify:

* **Comments / Messages containing specific keywords** — only fires when the text contains one of your keywords.
* **Any comment / Any message** — fires on everything, regardless of content.

When matching on keywords:

| Option                             | Details                                                                                 |
| ---------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Keywords**                       | The words to match — up to **25**. Matching is case-insensitive.                        |
| **Excluded keywords**              | Optional. If the text contains any of these, the automation is skipped.                 |
| **Allow partial keyword matching** | Also matches text that is close to your keywords, even with typos or slight variations. |

### Auto-reply publicly to comments

Available **only with the Comments trigger**, this toggle lives in the Keywords step. When on, SocialSyncs posts a **public reply** under the comment.

* Add up to **5** reply variants — one is picked at random each time so replies don't look repetitive.
* Each variant can be up to 500 characters.

## Step 3 — The DM flow (Actions)

The Actions step is titled **"Set up your DM flow."** It has three toggles, run in order:

### Send a welcome message

An opening DM with a button the person taps to opt in (Instagram requires this opt-in before you can fully message someone).

* **Message** — the main text, up to **640** characters, with personalization variables.
* **Subtitle** — optional, up to **80** characters.
* A fixed **"Let's Chat! 💬"** button (label editable; the button itself can't be removed).

### Ask to follow first

Invites the person to follow you before continuing. **Locked until "Send a welcome message" is enabled.**

* **Message** and **Subtitle**, same limits as above.
* Two fixed buttons: **"Visit profile"** and **"✅ I am following."**
* SocialSyncs verifies the follow before moving on, and skips this step if the person already follows you.

### Send the primary DM

The main payoff message. Pick a **DM format**:

| Format             | Description                                                  |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Text + Buttons** | A message with optional quick-reply or link buttons.         |
| **Image / Video**  | A single image or video with no text body.                   |
| **Carousel**       | Up to **10** swipeable cards, each with a title and buttons. |

Each message/card supports up to **3** buttons, which can be a **link** (URL) or a **quick reply** (postback).

<Note>
  None of the three DM actions are mandatory. You can build a comment automation that only posts a public reply, or one that sends a single primary DM with no welcome step.
</Note>

## Personalize with variables

In any message field, use **Insert** to drop in a variable that's filled per person:

| Variable         | Inserts                                                       |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **First name**   | `{{first_name}}` — first name from the username               |
| **Username**     | `{{user_name}}` — the person's Instagram username             |
| **Trigger date** | `{{last_updated}}` — when the automation was triggered        |
| **Comment text** | `{{comment_text}}` — the comment they left (Comments trigger) |

<Info>
  The available variables match the trigger — for the Story and DM triggers, the message text variable reads **Story reply text** / **DM text** instead of **Comment text**.
</Info>

<Tip>
  A high-converting comment flow: enable **Auto-reply publicly to comments** (Step 2) → **Send a welcome message** → **Send the primary DM** (Step 3). Add **Ask to follow first** in between if you want people to follow you before they get the link.
</Tip>