How to Build a Simple Funnel: Reel, Comment, DM, Checkout

You do not need a landing page builder, an email tool and a flow chart to sell from Instagram. The simple Instagram funnel is four steps: a reel that asks for a comment, a comment that triggers a DM, a DM that carries a link, and a checkout page that takes money. Viralyze provides the last three steps in one app; you provide the reel.

What are the four steps, in order?

1. Reel: one idea, one ask, one keyword. 2. Comment: the viewer types the keyword. 3. DM: an automatic message with the link arrives in about a second. 4. Checkout: a page that takes UPI, cards or net banking and delivers the product.

Everything else is optional. Build these four, measure them, and only then add extras like a follow-gate or a lead magnet.

Step one: the reel

The reel's only job is to earn the comment. Show the outcome of your product, not the product itself. A Notion-template seller should show the weekly planner filled in, not the sales page.

End with a direct instruction: "Comment PLANNER and I will DM you the template." Say it out loud and put it on screen. Pin a comment with the same line.

Step two and three: the comment and the DM

Here is the setup inside the Viralyze app for that template seller.

1. Pick the reel and add the keywords "planner", "template" and "link". 2. Write the DM: "Here is the weekly planner template. It is ₹299, works in free Notion, and you get the file right after payment." Attach the checkout link. 3. Turn on AI variations so each DM reads a little differently, and set the public reply to "Sent you a DM 💌". 4. Use the live tester with "Planner please 🙏" to confirm it fires. 5. Schedule to start now and auto-pause after 30 days.

Does the checkout page need a website?

No. Viralyze makes a checkout page for each product: digital download, physical item, online course or 1:1 session. The buyer pays through an RBI-authorised aggregator, the platform fee is 0%, and payouts reach your bank weekly.

For the planner, the page holds a short description, a preview image, the price and the pay button. The file is delivered after payment. That is the entire back end.

Which numbers tell me the funnel is working?

The per-automation funnel shows the whole chain: comments, matched, delivered, clicked, signed up. Each drop tells you which step to fix.

• Low comments: the reel's ask is weak or buried.
• Comments high, matched low: people typed other words; add them.
• Delivered high, clicked low: the DM copy is not compelling.
• Clicked high, bought low: the checkout page or price needs work.

The home screen adds revenue and link clicks over 7, 30 or 90 days, and "top reels by DMs" tells you which reel to copy.

How do I grow the funnel after it works?

Add one layer at a time. First, turn on the "any post" trigger so the keyword works across every reel. Second, add a free lead magnet under a second keyword to collect emails from people not ready to buy. Third, export contacts to CSV and send a follow-up.

Resist adding a second product until the first one converts predictably. One reel, one word, one page.

Frequently asked questions

**Can I run the funnel without a Business account?** No. Auto-DM requires an Instagram Business or Creator account connected via Meta's official login.

**Is there a transaction fee on the checkout?** Viralyze charges a 0% platform fee; payment is processed through an RBI-authorised aggregator.

**Can the same reel sell two products?** Yes. Set two keywords and each one sends a different DM with a different checkout link.

Start the 7-day free trial of Viralyze, no card needed, and have your first four-step funnel live before the next reel goes up.