Automations in Substy allow you to send smart, targeted messages to fans automatically — and now do much more. This guide explains how to set them up, what each option means, and how to use them strategically for agency accounts.
Step 1: Create a New Automation
Go to Tools > Automation > Create automation in your Substy dashboard. You'll see a five-step process on the left:
Trigger — define what activates the automation
Audience — choose who receives it
Start Automation — decide when it begins
Frequency — control how often it sends
Actions — configure what happens when triggered
Step 2: Set the Trigger
A trigger is what causes your automation to start. Available triggers: Fan comes online, Fan just subscribed, Fan purchased a media, Fan subscription expired, Fan resubscribes after break, Fan birthday, Fan sends a message.
Tip: If multiple automations share the same trigger, Substy will randomly choose one to send, ensuring your messages stay varied.
Keyword Filtering (Fan sends a message trigger)
When using the "Fan sends a message" trigger, you can optionally filter by keywords. Add words or phrases and choose Contains (matches anywhere in text) or Exact match (entire message equals keyword). Keywords are case-insensitive. Leave the keyword list empty to trigger on every inbound message.
Step 3: Define Your Audience
You can target specific fan groups. Use the search bar or select from your default lists: Fans (all current subscribers), Recent (last 24 hours), Following (people who follow but aren't paying subscribers). Each list can be toggled to Include, Exclude, or stay Neutral.
Step 4: Add Include and Exclude Filters
Include Filters: Total Spend, Tips Received, Subscription Duration, Online Status. Exclude Filters: Recently Messaged Fans, Media Viewers, Unread Messages, Creator Accounts. These filters help prevent spammy repetition and keep your automations feeling human.
Step 5: Choose When to Start
Start right away triggers immediately when conditions are met. Wait random delay adds a delay before sending, useful to avoid simultaneous bursts for multiple fans.
Step 6: Configure Frequency and Scheduling
Send once per fan only triggers the first time a fan meets the condition. Send every time triggers each time the condition is met. Then choose when to send (Immediately or Scheduled date) and expiry (Never expire or Scheduled expiry).
Step 7: Configure Actions
This is where you define what happens when the automation triggers. You can enable multiple actions simultaneously.
Available Actions: Send a message, Stop AI chatbot, Notify employee on Telegram, Add fan to a list.
Send a Message
Deliver a templated or AI-generated reply automatically. You can create multiple messages in a sequence, set delays between messages, and optionally generate with AI. Use Unsend messages to automatically delete sent messages after a delay. Use Stop message sequence to stop further messages if the fan replies.
Stop AI Chatbot
Temporarily pause AI replies for a specific fan. The AI chatter automatically disables for the targeted fan and hands control back to your team. Useful for custom content requests, complex negotiations, sensitive conversations, and high-value fan interactions.
Notify Employee on Telegram
Send a Telegram ping to your employees when the automation triggers. Select recipients, add an optional note, and use dynamic variables: + Price, + Conversation URL, + Fan Name.
Add Fan to a List
Automatically enroll the fan into one of your segments. Fans are appended to the selected list(s) immediately after the automation runs. Useful for organizing fans by behavior, building segments for future campaigns, and creating multi-step automation workflows.
Best Practices
Use Exclude Filters to avoid over-messaging.
Combine multiple actions for powerful workflows (e.g., stop AI + notify + add to list).
Use keyword filtering carefully — avoid common words that might trigger false positives.