You can set an automation to answer people who reply to your Instagram Story or mention you in theirs. In VivaDialog it is a rule limited to Replies to my Story or Mentions of me in a Story, and five templates exist for it. One caveat comes first. The Story triggers are built and pass our automated tests, but those tests use sample Story payloads written from Meta’s reference. As of the project notes we checked on 3 November 2026, we have not yet run the triggers against a real Story reply delivered by Meta. Treat them as available and not yet proven in live use. The sections below separate what we checked in code from what only a live Story can show.
For comment automations, see the Instagram comment automation guide.
What we have checked, and what we have not
| Question | Answer | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Does a Story reply reach VivaDialog? | It should arrive as an ordinary DM event with a marker that says it replies to a Story | Code and test with a sample payload; no real Story reply yet |
| Does a Story mention reach VivaDialog? | It should arrive as a DM event with an attachment of type Story mention and no text | Same |
| Can a rule be limited to Story replies only? | Yes | Automated test: a keyword rule limited to Story replies ignores ordinary DMs |
| Does a mention need a keyword? | No. A mention has no text, so the rule runs on every mention | Code and the hint shown in the rule editor |
| Is the reply a DM? | Yes, so the 24-hour DM rule applies | Limits table in the auto reply guide |
| Has a real Story reply from Meta been tested end to end? | Not yet | Project notes: “built, not tested with a real Meta payload” |
If you rely on this for a launch, run one real test first (see the last section) and read the result in the rule’s History before you promote the Story.
Five templates for Story replies and mentions
Each template is a rule with the origin already set. Pick one with Use this, replace the text in square brackets, and save.
| Template | Starts when | Reply | Also does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reply LINK to your Story, get the link | A Story reply contains “link” | Sends your link | Nothing else |
| Reply BOOK to your Story, get the booking link | A Story reply contains book, booking, or appointment | Sends your booking link | Tags the contact booking-request |
| Collab requests from Story replies | A Story reply contains collab, collaboration, partnership, sponsor, or work together | Says where to send the proposal | Tags the contact collab |
| Replies to your Story, answered by AI | Any Story reply | AI answers from the facts you write | Uses one AI reply from your quota |
| Thank people who share you in their Story | Someone mentions you in their Story | Sends a thank-you | Nothing else |
The wording, ready to edit
For the link template:
Here’s the link from our story: [paste your link]
For the booking template:
Here’s where to book: [paste your booking link]. Reply here if you’d rather we find a time with you.
For the collab template:
Thanks for reaching out! Please send your idea and dates to [your email or form link] and we’ll reply there.
For the mention template:
Thank you so much for sharing us in your story! It means a lot.
The AI template does not send fixed text. You fill in one box with the facts it may use, for example: “What we sell: [write your products]. Prices: [write your prices]. How to order: [write how to order].” It answers only from that text.
Keywords are separated by commas and capital letters do not matter, so “LINK” and “link” both match. Ask people for the exact word in the Story itself, for example a text sticker that says “Reply LINK”.
Set up a Story reply automation
You need a connected Instagram account and an owner or admin role in the workspace.
- Open Automations, click New rule on the Rules tab, and choose one of the five templates with Use this.
- Check that the rule starts on New DM and that Only from, under Advanced settings, shows Replies to my Story (or Mentions of me in a Story).
- Replace the placeholder text in the reply, and the keywords if you want different words.
- Click Save rule. The Test it first box types a plain DM or comment, so for a rule limited to Story replies it can only answer that the rule runs on Story replies. It cannot stand in for a real Story reply, which is why the last section has a manual test.
How automations work covers exceptions, waits, and reminders.
What to expect
- Every reply is a DM, so Meta’s 24-hour rule applies: a tool can answer within 24 hours of the person’s last message. Replying to Instagram DMs after 24 hours explains the two exceptions.
- VivaDialog does not auto-reply to anything older than 24 hours, and an item gets at most one automatic reply, even when several rules match.
- Your own account never triggers a rule.
- Replies count toward your plan’s monthly conversation quota. What counts as a conversation has the rules, and the quotas are on the pricing page.
- The Story options belong to Instagram. They are not available for Facebook or Threads.
Run one real test before you rely on it
- Save the rule and keep it on.
- Post a Story that asks for a reply word, or use a Story you already have.
- From a second Instagram account, reply to the Story with the word.
- Open the rule’s History. A row for your test reply, with the reply marked as sent, means the trigger works for you. A reason such as “Outside Meta’s 24-hour messaging window” tells you what stopped it.
- If nothing shows up in History and the Inbox, the Story reply never reached VivaDialog. Write to [email protected] with the time of your test so we can check it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I auto-reply to Instagram Story replies?
VivaDialog has a rule option for it and five templates. It has not yet been tested against a real Story reply from Meta, so run the test above before you depend on it.
Can I auto-reply when someone mentions me in their Story?
Yes, with the thank-you template or your own rule limited to Mentions of me in a Story. A mention has no text, so the rule runs on every mention.
Can AI answer Story replies?
Yes. The AI template answers from the information you write and uses one AI reply from your monthly quota for each answer.
Does a Story reply count as a conversation?
It is a DM, and automatic replies to it count toward your monthly conversation quota. Replies your team writes by hand are never counted.
For comments instead of Stories, see how to send an automatic DM when someone comments on Instagram.
VivaDialog is in early access right now, and participants get the Growth plan free for 30 days. The pricing page has the details.