Responding to customers
Replies you send from Sift post back to the original platform automatically - you never copy-paste into X or Instagram. The composer at the bottom of every conversation is where you write, and it adapts to the kind of reply the conversation calls for.
At a glance
| Replies post back to the source platform automatically | ✅ |
| Public reply (tweet reply, post comment) | ✅ |
| Private message / DM | ✅ |
| Internal comment (team-only, customer never sees it) | ✅ |
| Color-coded mode so public vs. private is always obvious | ✅ |
Saved responses (pre-written templates, shortcut V) | ✅ |
| AI-assisted drafts | ✅ |
| Attach media (images; video/files where supported) | ✅ |
What you're looking at
The composer sits under the conversation. Type a message, and Sift sends it to the customer on their source platform as the connected account. The composer's color and label tell you what kind of message you're about to send, so a private note never goes out in public by accident.
Reply types
Sift distinguishes three kinds of message, each color-coded so the mode is always obvious:
- Public reply: posts publicly on the source platform (a reply to a tweet, a comment on a post). Reserved for channels where the conversation is public.
- Private message / DM: a direct message to the customer (Instagram DM, WhatsApp, Messenger). Only the customer sees it.
- Internal comment: a note for your team that the customer never sees. Use it to hand off context, flag something for a manager, or leave a reminder on the conversation.
Switch modes in the composer before you send. The send button restates the mode (e.g. a public reply uses the public-reply color) as a last-second check.
Saved responses
For questions you answer constantly, saved responses are pre-written templates you drop in with a shortcut instead of retyping. Open them from the composer (or press V), pick one, edit if needed, and send. Saved responses are managed by your team in Configure so everyone uses consistent, approved wording.
AI-assisted drafts
Sift can draft a reply for you based on the conversation and your team's knowledge base, so you start from a solid first pass instead of a blank box. Review and edit the draft before sending - the agent is always the one who hits send. See AI Responses for how drafting works and how to tune it.
Attachments
You can attach media (images, and where the platform supports it, video or files) to a reply. The customer receives them natively on their platform.