Automate Your ManyChat Funnels with Claude Code

| Date | Keyword | Content Name | Resource URL | Flow Name | Status |
|------|---------|-------------|-------------|-----------|--------|

---
name: manychat
description: Create ManyChat comment-to-DM funnels for Instagram using browser automation. Use when you need to "create a funnel," "set up a comment trigger," "ManyChat flow," "comment to DM," "keyword trigger," or "DM funnel."
user-invocable: true
allowed-tools: Read, Write, Edit, mcp__playwright__browser_navigate, mcp__playwright__browser_click, mcp__playwright__browser_type, mcp__playwright__browser_fill_form, mcp__playwright__browser_snapshot, mcp__playwright__browser_take_screenshot, mcp__playwright__browser_wait_for, mcp__playwright__browser_evaluate, mcp__playwright__browser_run_code, mcp__playwright__browser_press_key, mcp__playwright__browser_hover, mcp__playwright__browser_handle_dialog, mcp__playwright__browser_tabs, mcp__playwright__browser_navigate_back, mcp__playwright__browser_select_option, mcp__playwright__browser_close
argument-hint: <keyword> for <content description>
---

# ManyChat Funnel Creator

Duplicate a template flow in ManyChat, swap in new copy and keyword, activate it. Fully automated via Playwright.

## How the Template Flow Works

Before using this skill, you need a reusable template flow set up in ManyChat. The template has this structure (comment replies and flow structure stay the same every time — only the content-specific parts change):

1. **Trigger:** Comment/story reply/DM containing a keyword (e.g. "FREEBIE")
2. **Comment reply** (stays the same): A short reply telling them to check their DMs
3. **Opening DM:** Teaser message + button (e.g. "Hey! Want the FREE [resource]?" → button "Yes please!")
4. **Link DM:** Delivers the actual link (e.g. "Here you go!" + URL button)
5. **Follow-up DM:** Nudge if they don't click

**What changes each time:** keyword, opening DM text, button label, link DM text + URL, follow-up DM text. Comment replies stay the same.

---

## Setup: What You Need Before Using This Skill

### 1. Create Your Template Flow
Build a single "master" flow in ManyChat that you'll duplicate every time. It should include:
- A keyword trigger (use a placeholder like "TEMPLATE")
- 2-3 randomised comment replies (e.g. "Check your DMs!" / "Sent! Check your DMs")
- An opening DM step with a button
- A link delivery DM step with a button
- A follow-up DM step (triggered if they don't click within a set time)

Put this template in its own folder (e.g. a folder called "templates") so it's easy to find and stays untouched.

### 2. Create Your Reference Files
Create these files in your Claude skill folder (`~/.claude/skills/manychat/references/`):

**voice-guide.md** — Your brand voice rules for DM copy. Include:
- How you talk (casual? professional? emoji-heavy?)
- Words/phrases you always use
- Words/phrases you never use
- Example DMs that sound like you

**ui-selectors.md** — Notes on ManyChat's UI elements (button locations, menu names). Update this whenever ManyChat changes their interface.

**podcast-config.md** (optional, podcast only) — Your podcast show URLs:
```
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/YOUR_SHOW_ID
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/YOUR_SHOW_URL
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@YOUR_CHANNEL
```

### 3. Create Your Funnel Log
Create `~/.claude/skills/manychat/funnel-log.md` with this header:
```
| Date | Keyword | Content Name | Resource URL | Flow Name | Status |
|------|---------|-------------|-------------|-----------|--------|
```

---

## Step 1: Gather Info

User may provide input as `$ARGUMENTS` (e.g. `/manychat CHECKLIST for AI tools checklist`).

Ask for anything not provided:
- **Content name** — what the resource is (e.g. "AI Tools Checklist", "Podcast Ep 47")
- **Content type** — podcast / lead magnet / free resource / workshop replay
- **Keyword** — trigger word (e.g. "CHECKLIST"). Must be uppercase.
- **Resource URL** — the link to deliver (skip if podcast — we'll scrape it)
- **Custom DM copy** (optional) — or let the skill write it in your voice

---

## Step 2 (Podcast Only): Scrape Episode Links

Only runs when content type is "podcast". Read show URLs from `references/podcast-config.md`.

**Spotify:**
1. Navigate to the Spotify show page
2. Snapshot to find the latest (top) episode
3. Click the episode to get its URL (`https://open.spotify.com/episode/...`)
4. Note the episode title

**Apple Podcasts:**
1. Navigate to the Apple Podcasts show page
2. Snapshot to find the latest episode
3. Click to get its URL (`https://podcasts.apple.com/.../id...?i=EPISODE_ID`)

Confirm with user: "Latest episode is [title] — is that the right one?"

---

## Step 3: Generate Copy

Generate copy for the **three parts that change** (comment replies stay the same):

### Opening DM (2-3 options)
- Short question that builds excitement
- Include a button label
- e.g. "Hey! Want the FREE [resource]?" → button "Yes please!"

### Link DM (2-3 options)
- Short, friendly — they've already said yes
- **NO inline URLs in the message body** — all links go as BUTTONS
- For podcasts: add buttons for each platform (e.g. YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts)
- For lead magnets: add 1 button with the resource URL
- Button labels max 20 characters

### Follow-up DM (1-2 options)
- Gentle nudge if they don't click
- Not pushy
- **NO inline URLs** — refer them back to the buttons
- e.g. "Hey! Did you get a chance to check out [resource]? Tap the button above to grab it"

**Rules:** Write in YOUR voice. Read `references/voice-guide.md` for tone and style. Keep DMs short and conversational.

Present all copy grouped by section. Wait for approval before touching ManyChat.

---

## Step 4: Browser Automation

Once copy is approved, automate ManyChat setup via Playwright.

### Rules
- Snapshot after EVERY action to verify
- Never type passwords — ask the user to handle login/SSO manually
- If stuck: screenshot + snapshot, describe what failed, ask to retry/skip/abort
- Wait for elements to load (ManyChat is a React SPA — elements may take a moment)

### 4a. Login Check
1. Navigate to `https://manychat.com/`
2. Snapshot — if logged in, continue. If not, navigate to login and ask the user to handle authentication manually. Wait for confirmation.

### 4b. Navigate to Flows
1. Navigate to automations/flows page
2. Snapshot to verify

### 4c. Duplicate Template
1. Navigate to the template folder inside Automations
2. Find the template flow, click 3-dot menu → Duplicate
3. Snapshot to confirm

### 4d. Move Flow Out of Template Folder
1. The duplicated flow will be inside the template folder — it needs to be moved out
2. Click the 3-dot menu on the duplicated flow → "Move to" → select the root/general automations folder
3. Only the original template should remain in the template folder
4. Snapshot to verify the flow is now in the general folder

### 4e. Rename Flow
1. Rename to: `[KEYWORD] - [Content Name] - [DD/MM/YYYY]`
2. Snapshot to verify

### 4f. Set Keyword
1. Open the flow editor
2. Click the trigger step → open settings
3. Change the placeholder keyword to the new keyword
4. Save, snapshot to verify

### 4g. Edit Opening DM
1. Find the opening DM step
2. Update the message text with approved copy
3. Update the button label
4. Save, snapshot to verify

### 4h. Edit Link DM
1. Find the link delivery step
2. Update message text with approved copy — **NO inline URLs in the text body**
3. Edit the existing link button (click it to open modal, update label + URL)
4. Add additional link buttons via "Add a link" button if needed (e.g. for podcasts: YouTube, Spotify, Apple)
5. Button labels max 20 chars. Save each button via its modal.
6. Snapshot to verify

### 4i. Edit Follow-up DM
1. Find the follow-up step
2. Update message text with approved copy
3. Save, snapshot to verify

### 4j. Activate
1. Click Publish/Activate
2. Handle any confirmation dialog
3. Snapshot + screenshot for records

Confirm: "Flow is live! Keyword: [KEYWORD]. Test it by commenting on a post from a different account."

---

## Step 5: Log It

Append to `~/.claude/skills/manychat/funnel-log.md`:
```
| [DD/MM/YYYY] | [KEYWORD] | [Content Name] | [Resource URL] | [Flow Name] | Active |
```

---

## Step 6: After Delivering

> "Want me to tweak the copy, or are you good to go?"

---

## Error Handling

- **Login:** Never type passwords. Ask the user to handle authentication manually.
- **Element not found:** Screenshot + snapshot → describe what's visible → try alternatives → ask user after 2 attempts.
- **UI changed:** Try to adapt, update `references/ui-selectors.md` if successful, offer manual handoff if not.
- **Flow editor too complex:** Try `browser_run_code` for precise Playwright scripts. Last resort: manual handoff for editor-specific steps.

---

## Quality Checks

Before browser automation:
- Keyword uppercase and memorable? Not already used? (check `funnel-log.md`)
- DM copy under 500 chars? Sounds like you?
- URL valid?
- Copy matches your brand voice?

---

## Customisation Guide

Make this skill yours by updating these things:

1. **Template flow name** — Replace references to "LEADMAGNET TEMPLATE" with whatever you name your template flow
2. **Template folder name** — Update if your folder is called something other than "templates"
3. **Placeholder keyword** — Update what keyword your template uses as the default (e.g. "TEMPLATE", "STARTER")
4. **Comment replies** — Customise the randomised comment replies in your template flow to match your voice
5. **voice-guide.md** — This is the most important file. Fill it with YOUR voice, YOUR phrases, YOUR vibe.
6. **Content types** — Add or remove content types based on what you actually promote (e.g. if you don't have a podcast, remove the podcast steps entirely)
7. **Button labels** — Update the example button labels to match your style
8. **Naming convention** — Change the flow naming format in Step 4e if you prefer a different structure

---

## Continuous Improvement

Update this skill as you go:
- UI changes → update `references/ui-selectors.md`
- Copy preferences → update `references/voice-guide.md`
- Workflow tweaks → simplify this file