40 Instagram comment keyword ideas for comment-to-DM, by goal
"Comment GUIDE and I'll send it to you" is now one of the most common lines on Instagram. The format works, and the keyword is a bigger part of why than it looks. A good one is short, obvious, and tells people what they will get. Below are 40 that do, grouped by what you are trying to achieve.
Use a word your audience already knows, one per post, and say what arrives in the DM. The best keyword is the one nobody has to think about.
What makes a keyword work
Short. One word, ideally under eight letters. People type it on a phone with one thumb.
Hard to misspell. LINK beats ACCESSORIZE.
Matches the reward. If the DM sends a recipe, the keyword is RECIPE.
Different on every live post, so you can see which post brought the messages and avoid sending the wrong thing.
Not a word people use anyway. YES or LOVE will catch ordinary comments and send them your DM by accident.
Selling a product
Keywords for sales posts
Keyword
Use it for
SHOP
A link to the product or collection
LINK
Any post where people ask "where can I buy this?"
SALE
A discount code during a sale
CODE
A coupon on its own
PRICE
Answering the price question in DMs rather than in public
SIZE
A size guide, then the product link
RESTOCK
Telling people when an item is back
DROP
A new collection or limited release
Lead magnets and free resources
Keywords for free downloads
Keyword
Use it for
GUIDE
A PDF guide or ebook
FREE
Any free resource, when the post makes clear what it is
PLAN
A meal plan, workout plan or content plan
RECIPE
The full recipe from a cooking reel
TEMPLATE
A Notion, Canva or spreadsheet template
LIST
A checklist or resource list
SCRIPT
Scripts, prompts or captions
PRESET
Photo or video presets
Bookings and services
Keywords for service businesses
Keyword
Use it for
BOOK
A booking link for a call, class or appointment
CALL
A discovery call with a coach or consultant
QUOTE
A form to request a price
SLOT
Limited availability this month
MENU
A restaurant or salon menu with prices
TRIAL
A free first session or trial class
AUDIT
A free review of the viewer's profile, site or plan
INFO
Details for a course or programme
Launches, waitlists and events
Keywords for launches and events
Keyword
Use it for
EARLY
Early access before a launch
WAITLIST
Joining a waitlist
LAUNCH
The launch-day link
TICKET
Event tickets
LIVE
A reminder or link for a live stream
WEBINAR
Webinar registration
VIP
A private list or community
REMIND
A message when something opens
Engagement and community
Keywords for conversations
Keyword
Use it for
PART2
Sending the rest of a series
TIPS
More tips on the topic of the reel
STEPS
A step-by-step version of a tutorial
SOURCE
Links to the sources behind a claim
GEAR
The equipment or products used in a video
COLLAB
Brands or creators who want to work with you
JOIN
A group, newsletter or challenge
HELP
Starting a support conversation
Words to avoid
Everyday words: YES, LOVE, WOW, NICE. They appear in ordinary comments.
Long or clever phrases. If people have to scroll back up to copy it, many won't.
Anything that sounds like a giveaway when it isn't. "Comment WIN" for a discount code disappoints people.
The same keyword on two live posts, unless you want both to send the same DM.
Setting it up
In a comment-to-DM tool you choose the post, type the keyword, and write the DM. Set a short public reply too ("Sent, check your DMs"), because new viewers who see replies under the comments are more likely to comment themselves. On HookSend this works on every plan, including Free, which includes 8,000 DMs a month on one account.
Questions people ask about this
What is a good keyword for Instagram comment-to-DM?
A short, common word that matches what the DM sends, such as LINK, GUIDE, SHOP or BOOK. Use a different keyword on each live post.
Does the keyword have to be in capitals?
No. Write it in capitals in the caption so it stands out, and match it in any case in your automation so sale, Sale and SALE all work.
Can I use more than one keyword on the same post?
Yes. Most tools let one campaign respond to several keywords, or to any comment at all. One clear keyword in the caption still gets the most comments.
Why should every post have its own keyword?
So you can see which post brought in the messages, and so a keyword from an old offer does not send the wrong DM.
