The keyword is the smallest part of an automation and the part that fails most often. Pick a word people do not type, and the automation sits idle. Pick a word they type by accident, and strangers get your sales link. Here is how to choose well.
How matching works
Most tools, DM Flow included, match like this:
- Capital letters do not matter.
PRICE,priceandPriceare the same. - The keyword can be inside a sentence. "can u send price pls" matches
price. - Whole words only.
pricedoes not match "priceless". This stops accidental matches. - Several keywords per automation. Any one of them triggers it.
So you do not need to list every sentence people might write. You need to list the words they use.
Start from what people already type
Before you choose, open your last ten posts and read the comments. You will find your audience's real vocabulary. For an Indian fashion reseller, it often looks like:
- price, rate, kitna, how much, cost
- details, info, dm
- size, sizes
- available, stock
If people already write "rate" more than "price", use rate. You are not training them. You are listening to them.
Hinglish and regional words
Indian audiences mix languages. Useful keyword sets:
| Intent | Keywords to add |
|---|---|
| Price | price, rate, kitna, kitne, cost, prize |
| Details | details, detail, info, dm |
| Availability | available, stock, milega |
| Size | size, sizes, measurement |
prize looks like a mistake, but it is a common spelling of "price" in comments. Adding it costs nothing.
Avoid these keywords
- Praise words: nice, love, beautiful, wow. People type them without wanting anything.
- Very short words:
hi,ok. Too common. - Words that appear in your own replies. If your public reply says "Sent the link!" and your keyword is
link, you might match your own reply. Good tools ignore your own comments, but it is better not to rely on it.
One automation, many keywords, or many automations?
Use one automation with several keywords when they all want the same thing. price, rate and kitna all want the price list.
Use separate automations when the answer is different. SIZE should send the size chart, PRICE the price list.
If one comment matches two automations, DM Flow picks the most specific: an automation on that exact post beats one on every post, and a keyword automation beats an "any comment" one.
Emojis as keywords
You can use an emoji, for example "comment 🔥 for the link". Emoji keywords match wherever the emoji appears in the comment. They are fun and language-neutral, but harder to say in a voice-over. Use them for giveaways and fun drops, and words for product information.
Tell people the keyword clearly
Even the perfect keyword fails if people do not know it. Say it in the reel, show it as on-screen text, and put it in the first line of the caption:
Comment PRICE and I'll send the full price list 👇
Test your keywords
From a second account, comment a few realistic variations:
- "Price?"
- "pls send price"
- "rate kitna hai"
- "nice 😍" (should not trigger)
Check which ones fired in your activity log. Add what was missed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a phrase as a keyword?
Yes, but phrases fail more often because people change the words. Single words are more reliable.
Does it match misspellings automatically?
No. Matching is exact on the word, ignoring capitals. Add common misspellings as extra keywords.
How many keywords can I add?
DM Flow allows up to 20 per automation, which is more than enough.
Can I trigger on every comment?
Yes, choose "any comment". Use it for giveaways or posts that ask everyone to comment.