This article explains how to automate your Instagram Story replies using ZEPIC. To illustrate this, imagine PapaEarth—a brand that wants to automatically respond to any user who replies to their story asking for pricing details.

Before You Start

Make sure your Instagram Business Account is connected to ZEPIC. If it isn’t, follow: How to Integrate Your Instagram Business Account with ZEPIC.

Why You Need Instagram Automation

Brands receive hundreds of Instagram comments and replies every day - messages like:

• “Price please”

• “Rate?”

• “PP”

• “Rate karo”

• “How much is this?”

These all mean the same thing, but users phrase them differently.

This is where Zenie AI shines. It automatically understands the user’s intent—no matter the wording—and triggers the correct automation.

Let’s Set Up Your First Automation

Step 1: Go to your ZEPIC account

Log into your ZEPIC dashboard.

Step 2: Navigate to Instagram

On the left menu, click Instagram.

Step 3: Choose Your Instagram Account

If you have multiple accounts connected, select the one you want to automate.

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Step 5: Click the Stories Tab and Choose Your Story

Pick the story where you want the automation to run.

Step 6: Click “Create Automation”

This opens the automation builder.

Understanding Your Automation Structure

An automation has three main parts:

1. When should it start?
   (Intent-based, keyword-based, or any comment)

2. What actions should happen after it starts?
   (Reply, send intro DM, follow request, collect user data)

3. What is the final goal?
   (Send a link or send a product)

1. When Should the Automation Start?

Option A: When Zenie AI Detects an Intent (Recommended)

Zenie AI understands meaning — not just keywords. By default, ZEPIC can identify intents such as:

• Price Enquiry

• Buying Intent

• Sales Inquiry
  
  

This means if a user writes any version of a price question in any language, ZEPIC will automatically detect it and start the automation.

Option B: When Someone Replies with Specific Words?

Useful if you want the automation to trigger only for certain exact words.

Option C: Any Words

Triggers on any comment — helpful when you want to engage every user.

What Actions Should Happen After It Starts?

B. Send an Introduction DM (Optional)

C. Ask the User to Follow You (Optional)

If you run follower-exclusive deals, you can require the user to follow your account.ZEPIC will wait up to 24 hours. If they don’t follow, they won’t get the link or product.

D. Collect User Information (Optional)

Instagram only gives you:

• Name

• Handle

• User ID

To build long-term engagement, you can collect:

• Email

• Phone number

This allows you to connect with them through:

• Email

• WhatsApp

• Instagram
  
  

All inside ZEPIC — making it a complete omnichannel experience.

3. What’s Your Final Goal?

Choose what you want to deliver at the end of the automation.

1. Send a link 

2. Send a product 

Send a link

Option 1: Send a Link

Perfect for sending product URLs, discount links, or checkout pages.

`https://myshopifystore.com/discount/FALL10?redirect=/products/blue-shirt&utm_source=email`

https://community.shopify.com/t/how-to-insert-discount-code-into-url-so-discount-is-auto-applied-to-all-prices/1178/2

Send a product

Option 2: Send a Product

If you're integrated with:

• Shopify

• WooCommerce

• Magento
  
  

You can simply choose the product and send it. Not integrated?  You can manually upload the product details too.

Simplified Summary:

In this example, the automation is configured to:

• Send an introduction DM

• Ask the user to follow (with smart follow detection)

• Collect email and phone number

• Send the product details

Flow:

When someone replies to your story with pricing intent → they receive an intro DM → ZEPIC verifies if they follow → collects email/phone → sends product details.