In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to set up a fully automated system in GoHighLevel that instantly sends a Facebook or Instagram DM when someone comments a specific keyword on your post. This is one of the most effective engagement strategies for social media marketers and local businesses looking to increase conversions directly from organic posts.

Why Automating Comment Keywords Works

You’ve probably seen it before — someone comments “INFO” or “DEAL” on a post and immediately receives a message with a special offer.
This strategy boosts engagement, improves your post’s reach, and creates a seamless funnel from social engagement to conversion — without needing to manually reply to every comment.

When someone comments your chosen trigger keyword, GoHighLevel can automatically:

  • Reply publicly to their comment.

  • Send them a direct message (DM) with your offer, link, or coupon code.

  • Add them to your CRM for future follow-ups or automations.

Step-by-Step Setup in GoHighLevel

1. Connect Your Facebook & Instagram Accounts

Before starting, make sure your Facebook Page and Instagram Business Account are properly connected inside GoHighLevel under Settings → Integrations.
This ensures the platform can monitor and reply to your posts.

2. Create a New Workflow

Go to Automations → Workflows → + Create Workflow and start from scratch.
You’ll be building two separate workflows — one for Facebook and one for Instagram — to keep things clean and error-free.

3. Add the Comment Trigger

Choose the trigger “Facebook – User comments on a post” or “Instagram – User comments on a post.”

  • Under Filters, choose Contains Phrase or Exact Match depending on how strict you want the keyword match to be.

  • Example keyword: BOGO or INFO.

👉 Tip: Select a specific post rather than “All Published Posts.” Otherwise, any comment with that word will trigger the automation sitewide.

4. Add a “Reply in Comments” Action

Next, go to Actions → Communication → Reply In Comments.
This allows you to publicly acknowledge the comment with something like:

“Hey {{contact.first_name}}! Check your DMs — I just sent you the offer!”

You can even toggle the option to automatically Like the comment for added visibility.

5. Send the DM

Now add another action: Send Message → Facebook/Instagram Direct Message.
This is where the real magic happens.

You can send a personalized message such as:

“Hey {{contact.first_name}}, thanks for your interest! Click below to claim your BOGO offer and download our app 👇”

Include buttons, links, and even an image or coupon graphic to drive action.

Pro Tip: Use AI to Personalize Replies

Want to level it up? Add a GPT action before the “Reply In Comments” step.
By feeding the user’s comment into the AI, you can dynamically generate personalized responses or adapt tone automatically.

Example prompt:

“Write a friendly, casual reply thanking the commenter for engaging and encouraging them to check their DMs for a special offer.”

Testing Your Workflow

After publishing your post, comment using your chosen keyword (e.g., “BOGO”) to verify that:

  1. The comment receives an automatic reply.

  2. A direct message is sent to your inbox.

  3. The contact record is created in your CRM.

If it all checks out — you’ve successfully built your first social keyword DM automation in GoHighLevel.

Why This Strategy Is a Game-Changer

This automation is more than a time-saver — it’s a conversion booster.
You’re capturing attention while engagement is fresh, moving users instantly from public interaction to private conversation.

It’s perfect for:

  • Running giveaways or limited-time promotions

  • Collecting leads from social comments

  • Boosting post reach through engagement triggers

  • Building retargeting audiences for ad campaigns

Final Thoughts

With GoHighLevel’s automation workflows, you can transform social comments into meaningful customer conversations.
Once set up, it’s completely hands-free — and it works 24/7.

Try it out with your next post:
Ask followers to comment a keyword like “BOGO” or “INFO”, and watch your DMs fill up with engaged leads.

If you have questions or want help setting up your automations, drop a comment below or connect with me at GO Agency — we help businesses turn clicks into customers through smart automation strategies.