Send an automatic greeting to first messages

An automatic greeting is a message that goes out on its own when someone writes to your Instagram, Messenger or WhatsApp account for the first time. It's sent in the language detected from that person's first message. This article explains how to set it up.

How does it work?

• The setting is separate for each channel. For example, your WhatsApp number and your Instagram account can send different messages.
• The message is sent once, in reply to the first message the person sends you. If the same person writes again later, it isn't sent again.
• The person's language is detected, and the text you wrote for that language is sent. If there's no text in that language, the text in the language you marked as default goes out.
• If you like, you can have the message sent only within a certain time window.

Step by step

1. Open Integrations from the left menu and click the WhatsApp Business, Instagram or Facebook card, depending on the channel.
2. On the account's card, click Manage, then Meta Auto Message in the panel that opens.
3. Type your message in the box for each language you want to send it in. Languages you leave empty count as having no message.
4. Turn on the Default switch for one of the languages you wrote a message in. When there's no text in the detected language, the message in this language is sent.
5. If you want the message to go out only at certain hours, turn on the Auto Message Time Control Enabled switch and enter a Start Time and End Time.
6. Click Save.

You can also reach the same screen from the Meta → Meta Tools → Meta Channel list: select the channel and click Meta Auto Message.

Tips for a good greeting

• Keep it short: say who you are and when you'll get back to them.
• Ask for a piece of information that helps you, such as which service they're interested in.
• If you have international customers, add separate text for the languages people write in most.

Frequently asked questions

Is the message sent for every new conversation?

No. The message goes out only when the person writes to you for the very first time. Someone who has messaged you before doesn't get the greeting when they write again.

What if the detected language is wrong?

The message is sent with the text for the detected language. Language detection can get short messages wrong, so set your default language to the one you speak with customers most. You can correct the chat's language later on the customer card. See Use the shared inbox.

What happens if I turn off the time window?

With time control turned off, the message is sent at any time of day.