Replying to Instagram Comments: What You Should and Shouldn't Say

• Thank people for leaving positive comments. Engage with users even more by personalizing responses for each comment.
• Answer any questions that users have on your posts. Either reply to the comment or send a DM if the question is more personal.
• Take valid concerns you receive seriously. Apologize if you need to and try to correct any issues the user has.
• ​​Report and block comments that are spammy or hateful so other users won’t engage with them.

Thank users for sharing their thoughts.

Your audience will engage more if they know you appreciate them. Users are taking the time to view your posts and respond to them, so don’t take them for granted. If they left a positive comment, take the time to say thanks and that you care about them. Reply to the comments individually so each user gets a notification that you responded to them. “Thanks for such a nice compliment!” “Thank you for sharing!” “It means so much that you checked this out. Thank you!” “I appreciate your support so much!” “Thanks for stopping by! So glad you’ve enjoyed my account!”

Engage with followers with personalized replies.

Personalizing helps you build connections quicker. If users see you’re active and chatting in your responses, you may gain more followers who want to be a part of your community. Take a moment to really read their comment or check out their profile before you respond. Reference something they said or have recently posted to show that you’re building that connection with them. If a user gives advice in response to a question: “That’s such a good suggestion! I’ll definitely have to try that soon!” If a user compliments your outfit: “Checked out your profile and you have an amazing sense of style too! I’ll definitely be watching you for more inspo!” If a user tells you a personal travel story: “Thank you so much for sharing! I’m so jealous you’ve been to Paris. When I plan a trip for myself, I know who to ask for suggestions.” If a user tells you about a good customer experience: “That’s amazing to hear! Glad we were able to help you out!”

Encourage users to browse your page.

Drive more traffic to your page to get more followers. If you see users leaving comments that aren’t in your follower list, you have a prime opportunity to grow your audience. Respond by letting them know that you have a lot of similar posts on your page and that they should check out other things you’ve shared. If they like the rest of your content, they may follow you to see your updates in the future. “If you thought this post was cool, you should def check out the rest of my page.” “There are tons more pics like this if you browse my page!” “Thanks for checking this post out! Follow for more fun updates from me!” “I just posted more about this in my story, so give it a watch!” “Be sure to scroll through my past posts for more inspo and advice!”

Answer questions in replies or DMs.

Your audience will appreciate you helping them out when they ask. If a user leaves a thoughtful question in your comments, try to respond as soon as you can to show that you’re responsive. Give them a full answer if you can in the comments since other users might have similar issues. If they have a really specific or personal question, send a DM instead to make the convo private. If a user asks how you’re doing: “I’ve been pretty busy, but I’m finally finding the time to post again! Thanks for checking in, and I hope you’re doing well too!” If a user asks about what’s happening in your post: “OMG it was the most fun. There was a free concert in the park this weekend and we had to go check it out!” If a reader asks where they can get a product: “Great question! Just check the link in my bio for all of the store links!” If a user has an in-depth or personal question: “I sent you a DM so we can chat about it more!”

Use emojis for a short, simple reply.

An emoji response shows people how their comments made you feel. You can reply to a short comment just using an emoji or you can include one in a more personalized response. Emojis are especially helpful to empathize with readers so they feel more emotionally connected with you and your posts. If someone posts a comment about how excited they are, try responding with ????, ????, or ????. When you’re replying to a compliment, try ????, ????, or ????. If a user leaves a funny comment, respond with ????, ????, or ????.

Like comments to let users know you saw them.

A quick like makes your audience feel like you’re connecting with them. Tap on the heart icon on the right side of the comment to like it. The person who left the comment will get a notification that you engaged with them, so they’ll see that you’re actively trying to connect with your followers. Leaving a quick like is perfect for one-word or emoji comments that don’t give you anything to reply to.

Pin comments you want more people to see.

Users will love seeing their comments highlighted on your post. If a user left a comment with an uplifting story or an important question, pinning it ensures other people see it. Swipe right on the comment and tap on the pin icon. When someone taps on your post, they’ll see your pinned comments at the top of the page. You can have up to 3 pinned comments on an Instagram post.

Leave tagged comments without a response.

Comments tagging other users don’t require any personalized replies. If someone leaves a comment with an @-tag with another person’s username, there’s not a lot for you to reply to. The user just wants to show your page to someone they know since they may like the content too. The only exception is if the person the original user tagged replies to the comment first. If they say something like, “This is so neat, thanks for tagging me!” you can reply by saying something like, “Thanks so much for checking it out! I have tons of other posts like this on my page.”

Apologize if someone posts a valid concern.

Users will appreciate it if you address issues as soon as possible. There’s bound to be a time when a user doesn’t like a post or product that you’re promoting, so don’t worry if you see someone posting their concerns. Let the user know you saw the post and that you’re so glad they brought it to your attention. If there’s anything you did wrong, apologize and let your audience know that you’re responsive to feedback. “Thanks for calling this to my attention and I’m sorry that you didn’t enjoy this post. I appreciate your feedback.” “Thanks for your feedback. I’m sorry this post wasn’t what you were expecting, but your input has been very helpful. Let me know if there’s anything I can do." “I’m sorry that this post made you feel upset. Your feedback is really important to me, and I’ll take your suggestions into consideration.” “I appreciate your input on the topic. I’m sorry this post doesn’t resonate with you, but thank you for telling us the reasons why.” “I’m so sorry that you aren’t happy with the product. I’d love to do something to make it right again. Send me a DM and we can discuss it more.”

Block and report spam comments.

Getting rid of spam will make your Instagram page cleaner and safer. When someone leaves a comment that's disrespectful or potentially off-topic (such as tagging you for no reason or using hateful language), it’s better not to engage with them. Tap on the comment and click the icon that has an exclamation point inside a bubble to report them. Click on “Report this comment” and select the reason why you want to remove it. After that, you have the option to block the user from your account. Alternatively, you can delete an inappropriate comment by tapping on it and clicking on the trash can icon. The user can still post another comment unless you block them.