Perroly’s 7 Automation Triggers, Explained

1. The first-contact triggers

Two triggers handle the very first exchange with a person, whether they write during your active hours or outside of them:

• The welcome message: it goes out the first time a person writes, to introduce yourself and steer the conversation. Example: a shop that greets every new message with a welcome note and a link to its catalog.
• The away message: it activates outside the hours you define, to say when a human reply will arrive instead of leaving silence. Example: a creator letting people know they reply personally within 24 hours, even at night or on weekends.

2. The triggers tied to comments and stories

Three triggers activate outside of regular messaging, from a public interaction:

• The comment keyword: someone comments a specific word under a post and automatically receives a link or piece of information by private message. Example: “Comment GUIDE to get the free PDF.”
• The story mention: an automatic thank-you goes out when someone mentions you in their story. Example: a short, sincere message sent to anyone who shares your content.
• The story reply: an automatic acknowledgment goes out when someone replies directly to one of your stories. Example: confirming the message was received, and pointing to the inbox if the question needs more detail.

3. The triggers that filter private messages

Two triggers step directly into a private conversation, to sort or steer requests:

• The DM keyword: a specific word received in a private message triggers a tailored automatic reply. Example: someone who writes “PRICE” instantly receives the pricing sheet, with no need to wait for a manual reply.
• The quick-reply menu: clickable buttons offer the person a few choices to steer the rest of the conversation. Example: “Product question”, “Order status”, “Something else”, each leading to a tailored reply.

4. How to choose your first triggers

There is no need to turn on all seven triggers on day one. For most accounts, two are enough to start: the welcome message, which guarantees no first contact goes unanswered, and the comment keyword, if your activity regularly generates engagement under your posts. How the comment keyword works is covered in our comment-to-DM guide, and the structure of a good welcome message in our dedicated article. The remaining triggers can be added over time, as needs come up.

5. Building more advanced scenarios

These seven triggers can also be combined in a visual editor to build richer scenarios: for example, a comment keyword that opens a conversation, followed by a quick-reply menu to steer the request. Our complete guide to messaging automation gives an overview of every building block, and our article on the rules to follow to automate without getting banned is a good reminder of the boundaries to stay within.