Please, Stop Sending Chat Blasts — The Right Way to Broadcast on Facebook Messenger

The time has come for me to make a plea — please, stop sending chat blasts aka Facebook Messenger broadcasts.

Now, don’t panic! I’m not telling you to roll up your Messenger marketing or put a fork in Messenger broadcasting altogether. I’m just making a simple request — ease up on the Facebook Messenger broadcast messages.

Yes. I have my reasons. And no, I’m not upset.

My purpose in this article isn’t just telling you to stop doing something. It’s a strategic explanation of how to start doing something smarter, better, and more effective. And it starts with understanding Facebook Messenger broadcasts, what’s changed, and what you need to do.

Wait, What? What are you telling me to stop doing? Facebook Messenger Broadcasts Explained

First off, let’s make sure we know what Facebook Messenger broadcasts are.

In the background of a Facebook Messenger marketing platform like Customers.ai, we’re pulling levers and turning knobs connected to Facebook’s Messenger APIs.

When you send a chat blast in Customers.ai, we’re either using the Send API or the Broadcast API.

What’s the diff?!

With the Send API, businesses can send a message 1:1 — for example your bot responds to a message or reply from a customer.

Meanwhile, broadcasting on Facebook Messenger is a way to send a message to a whole audience of Messenger contacts.

Nota bene: Facebook rules reserve the Broadcast API for approved pages to send non-promotional subscription messages. 

Messenger broadcasts act a lot like email blasts where you send an email to a whole group of contacts.

But it’s also different because Messenger broadcasts on Facebook often elicit an instant response and generally provide you with ridiculously high engagement rates.

100% not bragging here, but when we send broadcast messages on Facebook, we get 70+% engagement rates on the regular. 

That’s the kind of reach and effectiveness that broadcast messages possess.

How to Broadcast a Message on Facebook Messenger

Here’s how to send a broadcast message on Facebook Messenger.

1. Log in to Customers.ai. If you’re not a Customers.ai user, sign up now, it’s free.
2. From the menu, click Marketing Automation then Chat Blaster. This opens the chat blaster wizard.

3. From the chat blaster, select the dialogue or chat sequence that you want to use, the type of message, and when to send it.

That’s the simplicity and beauty of broadcast messages on Facebook Messenger with Customers.ai.

Because they are simple, quick, and effective, it’s easy to overuse (or misuse) chat blasting. That’s why I’m cautioning you — please, stop sending chat blasts.

What?! But, but…chat blasting is like the cornerstone of Facebook Messenger marketing!

Yes, chat blasting is a core functionality of Facebook Messenger marketing, but things have changed.

I’m a digital marketer. You’re a digital marketer. And we all know that digital marketing is always changing.

The shift in broadcast messaging is one of those changes. And it’s a good thing!

In April of 2019, Facebook announced that they are only allowing broadcast messaging for users whose pages have been specifically approved for subscription messaging.

Put another way, if you want to send Messenger broadcasts, your page needs approval first.

This official policy goes into effect for Customers.ai users after July 31, 2019.

What should you do in the meantime?

First, by all means, send promotional chat blasts during the time that you’re allowed to — within the first 24 hours after a contact subscribes to your list, plus an additional promotional message after 24 hours. This is known as the 24+1 rule. It’s free, Facebook-condoned promotional messaging. 

But after that window closes? 

Only send non-promotional messages using the subscription messaging broadcast tag and use the promotional tag for messages as Facebook intends:

• Within the first-24-hours engagement window (plus one additional message outside that window),
• Or as a sponsored message, aka the Customers.ai Promo Blaster.

More on both of these useful uses below.

But wait, there’s more!

Don’t worry. Broadcast messaging is not dead and gone!

The good news is this — subscription broadcast messaging on Facebook is alive and well.

There’s only one barrier to entry: getting approved for subscription messaging.

And, luckily, it’s not much of a barrier.

To apply for subscription messaging, navigate to your Facebook Business’s Page Messenger Platform.

Scroll down to Advanced Messaging Features and click the Request.

This brings you to a short application form.

Get the full read on how to apply and get approved for subscription messaging. And if you don’t get greenlighted in a week, read our guide on what to do when your request is for subscription messaging is not approved.

Broadcasting on Facebook Messenger — How to Do It Right

As it turns out, I’m not against Facebook Messenger broadcasts in toto. I’m against doing it for the wrong reasons.

But there are some really good reasons to chat blast. I’ll explain each of them.

Subscription Message

Subscription messaging is available to pages that have applied for and been approved for it.

What kind of messages can you send?

Broadly, there are three main types of messages you can send under subscription messages. Facebook calls them “eligible use cases” and describes them thus:

• News: Integrations whose primary purpose is to inform people about recent or important events, or provide information in categories such as sports, finance, business, real estate, weather, traffic, politics, government, non-profit organizations, religion, celebrities, and entertainment.
• Productivity: Integrations whose primary purpose is to enable people to manage their personal productivity with tasks, such as managing calendar events, receiving reminders, and paying bills.
• Personal trackers: Integrations that enable people to receive and monitor information about themselves in categories such as fitness, health, wellness, and finance.

When sending a subscription message, you’ll simply select “Subscription Message” when categorizing your message from the chat blaster. 

This entire process becomes seamless and easy when you do it using Customers.ai.

But I still want to send promotional messages!

Good! You should want to. After all, we’re in marketing! How can you even market unless you’re promoting something?

First, you can send promotional messages as chat blasts to your new contacts in the first 24 hours after they subscribe, plus another promotional message after that 24 hours has transpired. 

You can also send sponsored messages at any time.

Sponsored messages are an ad type. So, yes, they cost. The cost is considerably lower than what you would spend on conventional display ads or even click-to-Messenger ads. Facebook’s recommended bid is $30 per 1,000 impressions.

Customers.ai supports this ad format with the new “Promo Blaster” feature. It is available under the Advertising tab.

In a subsequent post, we will do a deep dive on the Promo Blaster, showing you exactly how it works, best practices, and techniques for honing the art of the blaster.

Ridiculously good Facebook Messaging Marketing: 3 things to do right now

• If you haven’t yet, sign up for Customers.ai. This is the starting point for all the power and potential of Messenger marketing.
• Join the Customers.ai Facebook group. If you need help or inspiration with chat blasting, sponsored messages, or just Facebook Messenger marketing in general, this is the place to find it.
• Check out our learning center for free classes, advanced training, and summits that we have planned to help further your knowledge of chatbots and Messenger marketing.