# Message Types

Choose the DM format: Template Button, Text, or Carousel.

Messages sent through Comment to DM come in three formats: **Template Button**, **Text**, or **Carousel**. This guide builds on the automation from [Set Up Comment to DM](/instagram/comment-to-dm), so create your first automation there first.

| Type | Best for | Strengths | Keep in mind |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Template Button** | One product, one link | Clean look, button clicks are tracked in statistics | Buttons can't be tapped on Instagram desktop, mobile browsers, or some devices |
| **Text** | Making sure everyone can open the link | Links are more reliably clickable, Quick Replies are supported | Link clicks aren't tracked in statistics |
| **Carousel** | Several products at once | Visual cards with images, up to 9 slides, clicks are tracked | Like Template Button, it can't be tapped on every device |

{% hint style="info" %}
Not sure which to pick? If it matters most that everyone can open the link, choose **Text**. If click statistics matter more, choose **Template Button** or **Carousel**.
{% endhint %}

## Changing the message type

1. On the **Instagram Comment to DM** page, click the **⋮** icon on the automation you want to change, then choose **Edit**.

![Open the automation menu, then Edit](/assets/instagram/jenis-pesan-01-ubah.png)

2. In the **Message Sent After Comment** section, click **Message Type**, then choose the type you want.
3. Click the **?** icon next to Message Type to see a comparison of the three message types right in the app.

![Message Type options](/assets/instagram/jenis-pesan-02-pilihan.png)

![Message type comparison in the app](/assets/instagram/jenis-pesan-03-perbandingan.png)

## Template Button

This is the default message type used in [Set Up Comment to DM](/instagram/comment-to-dm): message text (up to 640 characters) plus buttons below it.

- One message can have **up to 3 buttons**. Click **Add More Button** to add one.
- Each button has two possible actions:
  - **Open Website**, to open a link, such as a product page on Lynk.id.
  - **Send Text**, to reply with another text message when the button is tapped.
- The default button label is *Click Here*. Choose **Custom** under **Label** to write your own, for example *Buy Ebook*.

## Text

4. Choose **Text** under Message Type. The message can be up to 1,000 characters. Existing buttons are kept, but sent as text: the button label followed by its link. You can see the result in the **Preview**.

![Text: the link is sent as text](/assets/instagram/jenis-pesan-04-teks.png)

5. **Optional:** add **Quick Replies**, ready-made answer options that appear below the message. Click **Add Quick Reply**, fill in the label (what the customer sees), then the reply text. When a customer taps a Quick Reply, that reply is sent automatically. One message can have up to 3 Quick Replies.

![Quick Replies in Text](/assets/instagram/jenis-pesan-05-quick-reply.png)

{% hint style="info" %}
Quick Reply ideas for a digital product: *"Is there a print version?"*, *"Can I pay with a card?"*, or *"How long do I get access?"*. Common questions get answered right away without you replying manually.
{% endhint %}

## Carousel

A carousel shows several swipeable cards with images, which is great when you want to offer several products at once.

Choose **Carousel** under Message Type, then click **Choose Image** on Slide 1. The agent's file library opens.

6. Choose an image from the list. If the image isn't there yet, click **Upload New File** first.
7. Click **Select**.

![Choose an image for the slide](/assets/instagram/jenis-pesan-06-pilih-gambar.png)

8. Fill in the slide's **title** (required), **subtitle**, and **button**, for example a *Buy Ebook* button with the *Open Website* action pointing to its Lynk.id link.

![Fill in the carousel slide](/assets/instagram/jenis-pesan-07-carousel.png)

9. Click **Add Slide** for the next product, then fill it in the same way.

![Add the next slide](/assets/instagram/jenis-pesan-08-tambah-slide.png)

10. Once every slide is filled in, click **Update Automation**.

![Save the changes](/assets/instagram/jenis-pesan-09-simpan.png)

Carousel rules:

- 1 to 9 slides.
- If one slide has an image, **every slide must have an image**.
- **Every slide must have the same number of buttons**, from 1 to 3.
- Images must be JPEG, PNG, or GIF, up to 3 MB. The recommended size is 512×512 px (square).
- Titles and subtitles can each be up to 80 characters.

## Click statistics

Button clicks in **Template Button** and **Carousel** are tracked on the automation's detail page, as long as **Enable Link Tracking** in Additional Features is on (it's on by default). Link clicks in **Text** aren't tracked.

***

More ways to build on your automation are in [Set Up Comment to DM](/instagram/comment-to-dm), under "Want to do more?".