Tracking influencer campaigns with comment-to-DM
Most influencer reporting stops at views and likes, which say little about sales. Comment-to-DM gives you a better signal: people who asked for the product, people who clicked, and people who bought with the creator's code.
This guide shows how to set it up so you can compare creators on what matters.
The setup
- Give each creator a keyword: their name or a short word, such as RIYA or GLOW.
- Give each creator a unique discount code.
- Ask the creator to say the keyword in the video and caption: "Comment GLOW for the link".
- Set a comment-to-DM rule for that keyword that sends the product and the creator's code.
- Tag every link with the creator's name in tracking parameters.
Whose account runs the automation?
Comments land on the creator's post, so the comment-to-DM has to run on the account that owns the post. Either the creator connects the tool on their account for the campaign, or you run a collab post on your own account where comments reach you. Agree this before the post goes live.
What to measure
| Metric | Source |
|---|---|
| Comments with the keyword | Comment-to-DM tool |
| DMs sent and links clicked | Comment-to-DM analytics |
| Orders with the creator's code | Your store |
| Revenue per creator | Your store, by code |
Compare creators fairly
Compare cost per order, not cost per view. A small creator whose audience comments and buys can beat a large one whose audience watches and scrolls. Run each creator at least twice before judging; one post can be lucky or unlucky.
Disclosure
ASCI's influencer guidelines ask creators in India to label paid, gifted and affiliate content with a clear tag such as "Ad", "Collaboration", "Affiliate" or "Free gift", not buried among hashtags. Make sure the creator labels the post, and that your DM does not suggest otherwise.
A brief for creators
- Say the keyword out loud in the first few seconds of the video.
- Put the keyword in the first line of the caption.
- Pin a comment with the keyword.
- Use the agreed disclosure label.
- Do not promise anything the brand's DM will not deliver, such as a price that has changed.
Send the brief with the product, and check the post before it goes live where your agreement allows.
What the DM should say
Mention the creator by name: "Here is the serum Riya talked about, with her code for you." It ties the DM to the post the buyer just watched and makes the code feel personal. Then the product, price and one button.
Paying creators on results
Once you can trace orders to each creator's code, you can offer a fee plus a share of sales, or a bonus above a target. Creators who believe in the product tend to accept; it also rewards the ones who drive real buying, not just views.
Common mistakes
- One keyword for every creator, so you cannot tell them apart.
- Codes shared between creators.
- A keyword the creator forgets to say in the video.
- Judging on likes instead of orders.
Our pick: Tadlo AI
Tadlo AI
Our top pick
Best for: Brands measuring creator campaigns
Tadlo AI supports several keyword rules per post, sends the product with the creator's code as a carousel or link, and reports DMs, clicks and leads per flow. Unlimited DMs mean a creator whose post takes off costs nothing extra.
Price: Free forever plan with no card needed. Paid plans start at ₹249 a month in India or $5 a month elsewhere. Every plan, including Free, has unlimited automations and unlimited DMs (no monthly DM quota and no per-contact charge; sends are paced within Instagram's limits).
Strengths
- Unlimited DMs and automations on every plan, including Free, so a viral reel never raises your bill
- Verified follow gate: checks through Instagram's API whether the commenter really follows you before sending the link
- Comment-to-DM on any comment or chosen keywords, story reply automation and DM keyword flows in a visual flow builder
- Email capture, comment-to-product carousels and a link-in-bio page in the same tool
- Connects with Instagram Business Login on the official API, so no Facebook Page is needed
- AI reel analysis and analytics on paid plans
Limitations
- Facebook comment-to-DM and Messenger keyword replies are still being added
- Newer than ManyChat, so the template library and tutorial community are smaller
- The Free plan covers one Instagram account
- The Free plan adds a "via Tadlo" line to DMs and limits lead export to 100 leads
Frequently asked questions
How do I track influencer campaigns on Instagram?
Give each creator a unique comment keyword and discount code, and measure DMs, clicks and orders with each code.
Can comment-to-DM run on an influencer's post?
Only on the account that owns the post. The creator connects the tool for the campaign, or you use a collab post that reaches your account.
How long should an influencer keyword stay active?
Keep it live for as long as the post gets comments, often several weeks. Old reels can keep sending buyers, so do not switch the rule off the day after posting.
Do influencer posts need a disclosure label in India?
Yes. ASCI's guidelines ask for a clear label such as "Ad" or "Collaboration" on paid, gifted and affiliate content.
Sources
- tadlo.ai: Tadlo AI plans and features. Plans, follow gate, A/B testing, carousels and analytics checked 16 October 2026.
- ASCI influencer advertising guidelines,
ascionline.in/social/guidelines.