# Reply to Comments

Automatically reply to comments on your TikTok videos, then invite viewers to send a keyword by DM.

This automation replies to comments that match your keywords right in the comments of your TikTok video. The reply doesn't send a DM, so use it to invite viewers to send a certain word by DM, then make a [Reply to DMs](/dashboard/tiktok/automation/balas-dm) automation for that word.

{% comment-demo name="Kopi Senja" username="kopisenja" video="Kopi Senja's new menu" caption="A viewer comments PRICE, gets a reply, and is pointed to the DMs" %}
comment: dewi.ananda: PRICE
reply: Sure! Send us MENU by DM and we'll reply with the price list 📩
{% endcomment-demo %}

Make sure you meet everything in [Before you start](/dashboard/tiktok/automation#before-you-start). Open **TikTok** › **Automation**, click **Create automation**, then choose **Start from scratch**. Fill in the **Automation name** at the top left, for example *Reply to price comments*.

#### 1. Choose the video

In the **Trigger** step:

![Choose a video](/assets/dashboard/tiktok/tts-a1-video.png)

1. **Automation target**:
   - **Specific post**: only comments on one video you choose.
   - **All posts**: applies to comments on all your videos. If you choose this, skip number 2.
2. **Choose video**: click the video you want. Click **See all videos** if you can't see it.

***

#### 2. Set the keywords

![Matching rule and keywords](/assets/dashboard/tiktok/tts-a2-kata.png)

1. **Matching rule**:
   - **Contains**: matches when the keyword appears anywhere. *what's the price?* matches the keyword *price*.
   - **Exact match**: matches only when the whole comment is the keyword.
   - **Starts with**: matches when the comment starts with the keyword.
   - **Any words**: every comment triggers the automation, whatever it says.

   Click the question mark icon next to it to see examples of each rule.
2. **Keywords**: for example *PRICE*. Separate several words with commas. Upper and lower case are treated the same.

When several automations match at once, the order is: **Exact match**, **Starts with**, **Contains**, then **Any words**.

***

#### 3. Write the comment reply

Click the **Comment reply** step.

![Comment reply](/assets/dashboard/tiktok/tts-a3-balasan.png)

1. **Reply variations**: one variation is picked at random for each reply, up to 150 characters each. Invite viewers to send a certain word by DM, for example *Send us MENU by DM*. Write `@{username}` to mention the person who commented, or `{Hi|Hey|Hello}` so one reply has several word choices. Click **Add variation** to add more replies.
2. **Like the comment**: when on, matching comments also get a like.

{% hint style="warning" %}
To avoid being flagged as spam by TikTok: fill in several reply variations, change the text from time to time, and pause the automation when a video is getting very busy.
{% endhint %}

Click **Create automation** at the top right. The automation starts right away.

***

#### 4. Test it, then check the comment log

1. From another TikTok account, open the video and write a comment with the keyword, for example *what is the price?*.
2. Wait a moment, then check the reply under that comment.
3. In the dashboard, click the automation's name to open its detail page, then look at the **Comments** tab.

![The TikTok comment log](/assets/dashboard/tiktok/tts-c1-log.png)

1. The test comment shows up in the **Comment log** with its **Reply status**: **Sent**, **Failed**, or **Not sent**. If it says **Failed**, click the icon next to it to see why. The log holds comments from the last 14 days and updates automatically every 5 seconds.

The label under each comment and reply shows who can see it: **Visible** (everyone), **Friends only**, or **Hidden**. Click the eye icon at the end of the row to show hidden comments from that person again.

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | Fix |
| --- | --- |
| The test comment gets no reply | Make sure you commented from another account, on the chosen video, and that the keyword fits the **Matching rule**. Also check the automation isn't paused. |
| You can't save: *Choose one video.* | Under **Specific post**, click one of the videos, or switch to **All posts**. |
| You can't save: *Already used by another automation: …* | That keyword is already used by another automation. Change the keyword, or edit the old automation. |
| *Up to 150 characters.* | Shorten the reply. |
| Viewers don't get a DM | Comment replies don't send DMs. Make a [Reply to DMs](/dashboard/tiktok/automation/balas-dm) automation for the word you mention in the reply. |