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Creating Your First Automation

This guide covers everything you need to know about creating automations in Lazyspond, from basic setup to advanced options.

What is an Automation?

An automation is a rule that tells Lazyspond: "When someone does X, automatically send them Y."

For example:

  • When someone replies to my Story with "GUIDE", send them a link to my free guide
  • When someone comments "PROMO" on my posts, send them a discount code
  • When someone mentions me in their Story, send them a thank you message

Creating a Basic Automation

Step 1: Navigate to Automations

  1. Log into your Lazyspond dashboard
  2. Click Automations in the left sidebar
  3. Click "Create New" button

Step 2: Define Your Automation

You'll see a form with these fields:

Keyword

The word or phrase that triggers your automation. Examples:

  • GUIDE — for sharing resources
  • PROMO — for discount codes
  • BOOK — for booking links
  • INFO — for general information

Rules:

  • Keywords are case-insensitive (GUIDE = guide = Guide)
  • Keywords use substring matching (users don't need to type it exactly)
  • Minimum 2 characters, maximum 50 characters
  • Can include spaces (e.g., "FREE GUIDE")

Reply Message

The exact message Lazyspond will send when the keyword is triggered.

Tips:

  • Keep it friendly and conversational
  • Include emojis for personality
  • Add links, promo codes, or resources
  • Maximum 1,000 characters
  • Use Dynamic Placeholders for personalization

Example:

Hey {Name}! 👋 Thanks for the interest! Here's your free guide: https://example.com/guide

Let me know if you have any questions!

Trigger Type

Choose where Lazyspond should listen for your keyword:

Trigger TypeWhat It DoesBest For
Story KeywordsActivates when users reply to your Stories with the keywordQuick engagement, time-sensitive offers
Comment KeywordsActivates when users comment the keyword on your Posts or ReelsEvergreen content, ongoing offers
BothActivates for both Story replies and commentsMaximum reach
tip

Most users choose "Both" to capture leads from all engagement types. You can always change this later.

Step 3: Save Your Automation

Click "Save Automation" and your automation is now live! Lazyspond will start listening for your keyword immediately.

Advanced Options

Dynamic Placeholders

Make your replies feel personal by using placeholders that automatically insert user information.

Available Placeholders:

  • {Name} — User's Instagram display name
  • {Username} — User's Instagram handle (without @)
  • {Date} — Current date
  • {Time} — Current time

Example:

Hey {Name}! 👋 Thanks for reaching out. Here's your exclusive offer: https://example.com/promo

This was sent on {Date} at {Time}. Enjoy!

When a user named "Sarah" triggers this automation, they'll receive:

Hey Sarah! 👋 Thanks for reaching out. Here's your exclusive offer: https://example.com/promo

This was sent on March 22, 2024 at 2:30 PM. Enjoy!
info

Placeholders are available on Starter plan and above. Free plan users can still use static messages.

Reply Variations

Send different messages to different users to test what works best. This is called A/B testing.

How it works:

  1. Create multiple reply messages for the same keyword
  2. Lazyspond randomly rotates between them
  3. Track which version gets better engagement in Analytics

Example:

  • Variation 1: "Hey {Name}! Here's your guide: [link]"
  • Variation 2: "Thanks for asking! Check out this resource: [link]"
  • Variation 3: "Perfect timing! I just created this for you: [link]"
tip

Use reply variations to test different tones, CTAs, and messaging. After a week, check your analytics to see which version performs best.

Plan Limits:

  • Free: 1 variation
  • Starter: 2 variations
  • Pro: 3 variations
  • Premium: 3 variations

Icebreakers (Conversation Starters)

Icebreakers are quick-tap buttons that appear when users open a chat with you for the first time. They're a great way to guide new visitors toward your automations.

Example:

  • Button 1: "Send me your guide" → triggers GUIDE automation
  • Button 2: "Tell me about pricing" → triggers PRICING automation
  • Button 3: "I want a discount" → triggers PROMO automation

See Icebreakers for detailed setup instructions.

Managing Your Automations

Viewing All Automations

  1. Go to Automations in your dashboard
  2. You'll see a list of all active automations
  3. Each automation shows:
    • Keyword
    • Trigger type
    • Number of times triggered this month
    • Status (Active/Paused)

Editing an Automation

  1. Click on the automation you want to edit
  2. Modify any field (keyword, message, trigger type)
  3. Click "Save Changes"

Changes take effect immediately.

Pausing an Automation

  1. Find the automation in your list
  2. Click the pause icon next to it
  3. The automation will stop listening for the keyword

You can reactivate it anytime by clicking the play icon.

Deleting an Automation

  1. Find the automation in your list
  2. Click the delete icon (trash can)
  3. Confirm deletion
warning

Deleting an automation is permanent. All historical data for that automation will be archived but no longer visible in your dashboard.

Plan Limits

Different plans have different automation limits:

FeatureFreeStarterProPremium
Active Automations37UnlimitedUnlimited
Monthly Replies1005002,0006,000
Reply Variations1233
Icebreakers12UnlimitedUnlimited
Dynamic Placeholders❌✅✅✅
Webhook Exports❌✅✅✅
tip

If you hit your monthly reply limit, your automations will safely pause. You'll receive an email notification and can upgrade anytime.

Best Practices

1. Use Clear, Specific Keywords

  • ✅ Good: GUIDE, PRICING, DEMO
  • ❌ Bad: HI, OK, YES (too generic, will trigger accidentally)

2. Keep Messages Concise

  • Aim for 1-3 sentences
  • Include one clear call-to-action
  • Use emojis for personality

3. Test Before Going Live

  • Use a test account to trigger your automation
  • Verify the message looks good
  • Check that links work

4. Use Multiple Keywords for Different Offers

Instead of one generic automation, create specific ones:

  • GUIDE → Free guide
  • PROMO → Discount code
  • DEMO → Demo video
  • BOOK → Booking link

This lets you track which offers resonate most with your audience.

5. Monitor Your Analytics

  • Check your dashboard weekly
  • See which keywords get the most triggers
  • Identify top-performing reply variations
  • Adjust your strategy based on data

Troubleshooting

Automation Not Triggering?

Check these things:

  1. Is the automation status "Active"? (not paused)
  2. Did you spell the keyword correctly?
  3. Have you hit your monthly reply limit?
  4. Is your Instagram account still connected?

See Automations Not Triggering for detailed troubleshooting.

Users Not Receiving Replies?

This usually means you've hit the 24-hour messaging window. See Understanding the 24-Hour Messaging Rule.

Next Steps