Hi ManyChat Community,
I'm experiencing a strange and frustrating issue with my Instagram comment automation, and I'm hoping someone has encountered something similar.
My setup:
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ManyChat Free plan (contact limit not reached)
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Public Instagram Business account
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Automation targeting one specific Instagram Reel
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Reel boosted directly through the Instagram app
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Trigger originally set to the Arabic keyword "أوامر" (also tested with "Any comment")
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Automation actions: Public comment reply + automatic DM containing a link
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Three public reply variations configured with identical text
The problem:
The automation works inconsistently. Some users comment and receive both the automated public reply and DM, while others comment on the same Reel and receive absolutely nothing.
The failed comments are visible on the original Reel, but neither the public reply nor the DM is triggered.
Initially, I suspected this only affected non-followers. However, at least one non-follower successfully triggered the automation, so follower status doesn't seem to be the determining factor.
Here's the most interesting discovery:
I've noticed a consistent pattern involving Instagram's notification system:
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When the automation works, tapping that user's comment notification opens the Reel normally.
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When the automation fails, tapping the comment notification displays "This reel is unavailable."
However, the Reel is NOT unavailable! I can open it directly from my Instagram profile and see the exact same comment.
This seems to correlate with every failed automation I've checked.
I have screenshots demonstrating both scenarios.
Troubleshooting already performed:
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Refreshed Instagram permissions in ManyChat.
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Confirmed the automation works for some users, including a non-follower.
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Tested the "Any comment" trigger.
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Confirmed that the ManyChat Free plan contact limit was not reached.
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Confirmed that both the public reply and DM always succeed or fail together.
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Verified that the Reel and failed comments remain accessible.
My questions:
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Has anyone experienced intermittent Instagram comment automation failures specifically on boosted Reels?
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Could comments originating from the boosted advertisement use a different Instagram media/post ID that ManyChat doesn't recognize?
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Has anyone encountered the "This reel is unavailable" error when opening comment notifications, even though the Reel and comment are accessible directly?
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Could using identical text in all three automated public reply variations trigger Instagram spam restrictions?
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If Instagram blocks an automated public reply, could this prevent ManyChat from sending the DM as well?
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Is there a known workaround or a way to determine whether ManyChat is receiving the comment webhook?
I'd particularly appreciate feedback from anyone who has experienced this issue with boosted Instagram Reels or from ManyChat moderators who may know whether this is a known Meta integration issue.
I'm attaching screenshots showing the successful and failed notification behavior.
Thanks in advance for any help or suggestions!
Mohammed