Actions

Actions are the operations your workflows perform when triggers fire and conditions match. Each action interacts with platform APIs to moderate comments, send replies, or manage messages.

Available Actions

Reply

Post a public reply to a comment or mention.

Configuration:

• Reply text — Message to post as reply
• Variables — Insert dynamic content (see below)

Example:

Reply text: "Thanks for your comment, {{author.name}}! Check out our FAQ for more info."

Platform support: All platforms with comment API

Hide

Hide a comment from public view. The comment author can still see it.

Configuration:

• No additional configuration needed

Use cases:

• Hide spam without deleting evidence
• Soft-moderate while reviewing
• Temporary moderation before final decision

Platform support: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube (see matrix below)

Delete

Permanently remove a comment.

Configuration:

• No additional configuration needed

Use cases:

• Remove clear spam or abuse
• Remove personal information
• Clean up duplicate comments

Platform support: Most platforms (see matrix below)

Warning: Deleted comments cannot be recovered. Consider hiding first.

Send DM

Send a direct message to the comment/mention author.

Configuration:

• Message text — Content of the DM
• Variables — Insert dynamic content

Example:

Message text: "Hi {{author.name}}! Thanks for reaching out. Here's the info you requested..."

Platform support: Instagram, Facebook, X, Bluesky

Platform Capability Matrix

Not all actions work on all platforms. Here's the complete support matrix:

Legend:

• ✅ Fully supported
• ⚠️ Limited support (see notes)
• ❌ Not supported by platform API

Platform Notes

X/Twitter:

• Can only hide replies to your own posts
• Cannot hide replies to others' posts

Threads:

• No hide action available
• Use delete instead (irreversible)

YouTube:

• No DM API available
• Comments moderated via YouTube Studio

LinkedIn:

• Organization pages only
• No DM API for pages

TikTok:

• Limited comment API
• No DM API available

Pinterest:

• No comment API available
• Cannot automate comment moderation

Using Variables

Insert dynamic content into your replies and DMs using double curly braces:

Syntax: Wrap variable names in double curly braces, e.g., author.name becomes the author's display name.

Example with multiple variables:

Hi {{author.name}}! 👋

Thanks for commenting on our post. You asked about {{comment.text | truncate:50}}.

Visit {{post.url}} for more details, or DM us for personal assistance.

— The {{channel.name}} Team

Variable Modifiers

Chaining Actions

You can connect multiple actions in sequence:

[Comment Received]
        ↓
[Text Contains: "spam"]
    ↓ Yes
[Hide Comment]
        ↓
[Reply: "Comment hidden for review"]

Execution Order

Actions execute in the order they're connected:

1. First action executes
2. If successful, next action executes
3. Continues until all actions complete or one fails

Handling Failures

If an action fails:

• Subsequent actions are skipped
• Error is logged in Execution History
• Workflow marked as failed

Common failure reasons:

• Rate limit exceeded
• Token expired
• Comment already deleted
• User blocked you

Rate Limiting

Platform APIs have rate limits. Fanbeam respects these limits automatically:

When rate limited:

• Action is retried after cooldown
• Workflow sleeps until rate limit resets
• You're notified if retries exhausted

Reply Best Practices

Keep It Short

Platform users expect quick, concise responses:

Good: "Thanks for asking! Check our bio for pricing info."

Bad: "Thank you so much for your comment! We really appreciate you taking the time to reach out to us. Regarding your question about pricing, we have a comprehensive pricing page that you can find by clicking the link in our bio..."

Be Consistent

Use templates for common responses to maintain brand voice.

Avoid Spam Triggers

Some phrases can trigger platform spam filters:

• Excessive links
• ALL CAPS text
• Too many hashtags
• Repetitive content

Personalize When Possible

Use variables to make automated replies feel personal:

"Hi {{author.name}}!" vs "Hello!"

DM Best Practices

Get Consent First

Don't send unsolicited DMs. Use the "DM Received" trigger or send DMs only in response to comments asking for more info.

Respect Privacy

DMs should contain helpful information, not promotional content.

Include Context

Reference why you're messaging:

"Hi {{author.name}}! You commented on our post asking about pricing. Here are the details..."

Troubleshooting

Action Not Executing

1. Verify platform support (see matrix above)
2. Check your channel permissions
3. Ensure tokens are not expired
4. Review rate limit status

Reply Not Appearing

1. Check for platform spam filters
2. Verify reply length is within limits
3. Ensure no banned words in reply
4. Check if comment was deleted

DM Failed to Send

1. Verify user hasn't blocked you
2. Check DM permissions on platform
3. Ensure conversation isn't restricted
4. Review platform DM limits

Variable Not Rendering

1. Check variable syntax (double curly braces around variable name)
2. Verify variable is available for trigger type
3. Check for typos in variable name
4. Ensure field exists in trigger context