Test it first so you know exactly what happens. Comment your keyword, or DM it, from another account. Don't use the account you connected to Ellipsend. Then match what you saw to a section below.
Nothing Sends at All
Work down this list.
The automation is switched off. Open Automations and check the Active column. An automation saved as inactive stays off until you turn it on.
The keyword doesn't match what people type. With Exact Match, the whole comment or message has to be the keyword. "GUIDE!" and "GUIDES" won't trigger a keyword of "GUIDE". Add common misspellings, or switch to Message Contains. The Test your keywords dropdown at the bottom of the Keywords step shows what matches. More in Add Keyword(s).
It's built for a different trigger. An automation only runs for the trigger it was built with: Comment, Direct Message (DM), Story Reply, Live Comment, or Ads Message. A Comment automation does nothing when someone DMs you the keyword. Build a second automation with the other trigger.
Another automation matches the same keyword. When two active automations match the same comment or message, the result is unpredictable. Both may run, or only one, and it may not be the one you expected. Give each automation its own keywords.
Someone on your team messaged that contact. By default, automations pause for a contact for 1 day after a teammate sends them a message. That keeps an automated reply from landing in the middle of a real conversation. It can also catch you while testing, if you messaged your test account from the inbox. Change the length or turn it off under Pause Automations After Agent Sends Message in Settings → Inbox → Inbox Settings.
Another DM tool is connected to your Page. This is the cause we see most in support. If you've used ManyChat, GoHighLevel, or another DM tool on this account, now or in the past, follow How to Give Ellipsend Control of Your Conversations.
The connection dropped. Go to Settings → Connections. The Meta card should show your Facebook Page and your Instagram account as Connected. If something looks off, click Refresh Facebook permissions. Reconnect After a Password Change, a Disconnect, or Expired Permissions has the steps.
Messaging is turned off on your Facebook Page. This one only affects Facebook automations. See How to Enable Messages in Facebook Settings.
The First Message Sends, Then It Stops
There are two reasons this happens.
The contact hasn't responded yet. On an automation triggered by a comment, Meta allows one automated DM until the contact engages. That first message is the Opening DM. The rest sends after they tap its button, choose the quick reply, or send a message. If the automation uses Single Message instead, there are no follow-ups at all. The Opening DM explains both.
They tapped the button and nothing came. Another app is holding the conversation, so Ellipsend can't send the next message. The fix is in How to Give Ellipsend Control of Your Conversations.
It Sends Twice
Something else is replying to the same trigger.
Another DM tool on the same Page. If no default routing app is set and another tool is connected, both tools get every message and both can reply. Make Ellipsend the default routing app using How to Give Ellipsend Control of Your Conversations. If you keep the other tool, make sure it isn't replying to the same keyword.
An automated reply set up in Meta's own tools. Meta doesn't tell Ellipsend about those, so both send. Turn off the one you don't want.
Two of your own automations match the same keyword. Both may run. Give each automation its own keywords.
To find out which one is sending, change the wording in one of them and trigger it again.
Still Stuck
Click the Need Help? tab on the right edge of the screen and send us these four things.
The name of the automation.
The keyword you tested with.
The username of a contact it missed or messaged twice.
The post or story it happened on.