Almost everyone does this on day one: set up the automation, comment PRICE on your own reel, and wait. Nothing comes. The automation is fine. Instagram simply does not let an account send a DM to itself.
Why it cannot work
A comment-to-DM tool replies to a comment by sending a private message from your account to the person who commented. When the commenter is your account, the sender and receiver are the same. Instagram does not allow that, so there is nothing to send.
Good tools recognise your own comments and skip them. In DM Flow the activity log shows a note: your own comment, test from a different account.
The right way to test
- Use a second Instagram account: a friend's, a family member's or a spare account of your own.
- Make sure the automation is live and watching the right post.
- From the second account, comment your exact keyword.
- Within seconds you should see the public reply (if on) and a DM on the second account.
- Tap the button in the DM and check the link opens.
- Try a misspelling and a capitalised version too: "Price?", "PRICE pls".
Testing checklist
- Keyword spelled the way your audience writes it
- Opening message reads well on a phone
- Button text fits (short, clear)
- Link opens inside Instagram
- Follow-gate behaves as expected for a non-follower and a follower
A longer version: test your Instagram automation before going live.
Related reading
- Set up your first comment to DM automation
- Why some commenters got the DM and others did not
- Instagram comment to DM tool
Frequently asked questions
Can my business partner test from their account?
Yes, as long as it is a different Instagram account from the one connected to the tool.
Will test comments count towards my DM limit?
Yes, each DM sent counts. A few tests make no real difference.
Should I delete my test comments afterwards?
You can. Deleting the comment does not delete the DM that was already sent.