About automated responses in Meta Business Suite Inbox

Custom keyword automated responses are only available on the Meta Business Suite desktop experience at this time.

Automated responses are a way to more quickly respond to people who message your business across Facebook, Messenger and Instagram. When automated responses are turned on, the person who messaged your business will automatically get a response. This Inbox tool can help you save time, while making sure that you answer every potential customer's message with a response.

The types of automated responses available are:

• Custom keywords: Create your own customised automated responses to messages that include up to five specific keywords. For example, you can create an automated response to send someone who sends your business a message that contains the word "sale". They'll get a response with information about your business's current sale or promotion. Note that keywords are case sensitive and an automated message will not be sent unless the keywords match exactly. Also, the same keyword or phrase can only be used in one keyword automated response. With custom keyword automated responses, you can:

  • Add photos, videos, buttons, links and other personalisations to your message
  • Set the timing of when you want to send an automated message. Only after the chat is inactive for this period of time, Inbox will automatically send a response to the person who messaged your business. For example, if you set the timing to an automated response to 15 minutes, that automated response will be sent as a reply only after you haven't sent any replies for 15 minutes.
• Suggested presets: Use our recommended automated responses for up to five frequently asked questions that you get from people about your business. You can also set up an instant reply, which lets you create a customised response that will send instantly to the first message someone sends your business. You can also set a message for when you receive a job application and for when you're away from Inbox. Other options include:

  • Automated responses about your contact information, location and business hours
  • Automated responses to send when you've received a job application on Facebook
  • Automated responses for when you're away from Inbox.

Turning on automated responses can help you communicate with your existing and potential customers about important information they may need in order to do business with you. You can edit and turn off automated responses at any time by going to your Inbox.

Note: When a custom keyword automated response and a suggested preset automated response are turned on and triggered, we'll send the suggested preset automated response but not the custom keyword automated response.

For example, if someone sends you a message with a keyword that matches a custom keyword automated response and you've also turned on your away message, we'll send the away message. This applies for any and all suggested preset automated responses that are turned on.