If followers suddenly stop receiving automated DMs, should account authorization or comment keywords be checked first?

If your followers suddenly stop receiving automated DMs, you should always check your account authorization first before looking at your comment keywords.

This is because your account authorization is the fundamental connection between your automation tool and your Instagram account. Think of it like the main power switch for your house; if it's off, it doesn’t matter if an individual lightbulb is working or not, because nothing will get electricity. Similarly, if the tool is no longer authorized to act on your behalf, none of your automations can run, regardless of how perfectly you’ve set up your keywords.

Why Account Authorization is the First Priority

The connection between your automation tool and Instagram is managed through Meta's official API. This connection, or “token,” can sometimes expire or be revoked for several common reasons:

• You recently changed your Instagram or Facebook password.
• You updated your two-factor authentication settings.
• Meta performed a routine security check that requires you to re-approve permissions.

When this happens, the tool loses its permission to see new comments or send DMs from your account. Re-authorizing your account is a quick fix that often resolves the issue for all your automations at once.

When to Check Your Comment Keywords

After you have confirmed that your account connection is active and healthy, the next step is to investigate the specific automation that's failing. This is when you should check your comment keywords. An issue with a keyword will typically only affect one specific workflow, not your entire system.

Common keyword problems include:

• A simple typo in the trigger word.
• Setting the trigger to “exact match” when followers are using the keyword in a longer sentence.
• Using special characters or emojis that Instagram doesn't process correctly as part of the trigger.

A Simple Troubleshooting Workflow

When your automations stop, follow these steps in order to diagnose the problem quickly:

1. Re-authorize Your Account: Go to your automation platform’s settings and find the option to refresh or reconnect your Instagram account. This will re-establish a secure connection with Meta’s API.

2. Inspect the Specific Automation: If re-authorizing doesn't work, review the workflow settings. In your StarLovin dashboard, for example, you would open the specific Comment-to-DM and Link Delivery automation that has stopped. Ensure the correct post is selected and that your trigger keywords are spelled correctly.

3. Run a Live Test: Have a friend or use a separate Instagram account to leave a comment with the exact keyword on your post. This will confirm whether the trigger itself is the source of the problem.

By checking your main account connection first, you can solve the most common and widespread cause of failure before spending time on the minor details of a single keyword.