Ads that click to message on Facebook

Facebook provides the opportunity to reach a large audience and many tools that allow businesses to connect, increase interaction, and build good relationships with target customers. Click-to-message advertising on Facebook is one of the powerful tools that helps businesses increase their reach, interaction, and conversion rates into sales. If you don’t know how to take advantage of the power of this type of advertising, don’t miss the following article from Ad Support!

Introduction to ads that click to message on Facebook

Compared to traditional ads, ads that click to message include a Send Message button. When users click on the ad, they are instantly directed to a conversation with your business on Messenger, Instagram, or WhatsApp. During the ad creation process, you can select multiple messaging apps as destinations for conversations, such as Instagram or WhatsApp, allowing you to engage your target audience on the platforms where they are most likely to interact.

When setting up this type of ad, you’ll need to design the ad along with a message template that will be sent to the customer through their chosen messaging app once they click on the ad. The messaging experience and ad features will vary depending on the destination app and the placement of the ad. Customers will know the destination messaging app before they click on the ad. The budget for ads that click to message will be allocated across the selected platforms based on the likelihood of conversation occurring.

Three main types of ads click to message: Click to Messenger ads, Click to Instagram Ads, Click to WhatsApp Ads

The destination app will determine where the ads are displayed, with popular placements including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. If the target audience hasn’t installed the messaging app you’ve selected, Facebook will direct them to an alternative platform. For instance, users who haven’t installed WhatsApp will be redirected to Messenger.

Based on the destination app you select for your ad, messages from customers will appear in the relevant inbox. You can set up the Inbox on your Page to consolidate messages from both Instagram and Facebook in one place. However, messages from WhatsApp will only appear in the inbox of WhatsApp Business.

How to create ads that click to message on Facebook

Using Ads Manager

Ads that click to message support the following objectives: traffic, engagement, leads, and sales. You will need to create the ad and the welcome message experience that people will see when they click on the ad when creating ads that click to message.

Create ads that click to message with a traffic, engagement, or sales objective

Go to Ads Manager and select +Create, then the new campaign creation interface will appear. Next, select the appropriate campaign objective including traffic, engagement, or sales, then click Continue. Next, select the ad category if the product or service you are advertising falls into a special category. Now, complete the campaign details including the objective, campaign spending limit, Advantage+ budget, Advantage+ catalog ads, and A/B testing with Reporting.

After you click Continue, on the next screen, you will set up the ad group. Name the ad group and select the conversion location in the Conversion section. Here, select Messaging Apps and then select the Fanpage to run the ad.

In the Messaging Apps section, select Messenger. Next, select the performance goals including: Maximize conversions, and Optimize conversations. Or you can choose other goals including maximizing clicks, Maximize impressions, and Maximize daily unique reach. When choosing a performance goal, select Cost per result goal.

Next, set up your budget and advertising schedule. Here you have 2 options: daily budget and lifetime budget. When you choose a lifetime budget, choose a start date and an end date.

Next, target your audience based on factors such as age, behavior, interests, etc. to increase the likelihood of your ad being displayed to the right audience. For your ad campaign to achieve maximum performance, choose Advantage+.

Then, choose the ad placement, including Advantage+ placement and manual placement. If you want to maximize visibility, choose Advantage+. If you want to optimize your budget, customize the ad placement and then click Next to move to the Facebook click-to-message ad creation interface. 

In the next screen, name the ad template, then in the Identity section, select the Fanpage running the ad or connect to the Instagram account. In the ad settings section, select the ad creation source as Manual Upload. Next, select the appropriate ad format including One image or video, Carousel, and complete other options (if needed).

For the Create Ad Content section, upload your image or video and complete the ad details including text, image, and video. In the Ad Content section, under the Call to Action button, select Send Message. In the Message Template section, you can select Create New or Use Existing Template.

If you choose to use an existing template, select the template you want to use from the drop-down menu. If you choose to create a new template, you can choose Start a Conversation to let people tap on the suggestions they want in a Messenger conversation. Or choose Automated Chat to collect information in Messenger from people interested in your business using a question-and-answer process.

You can select Custom Experience under Advanced Settings to customize the experience people see in Messenger after clicking your ad. Next, click +Create to create a flow, edit the Greeting and Question, then click Save and Finish when you’re done. Once you’re done editing your ad, click Publish to publish your ad. Once your ad is approved by Facebook, it will start showing in the placements you selected.

Create ads that click to message with a lead generation objective

Go to Facebook Ads Manager and click +Create then select lead generation objective and click Continue. Next, name your ad campaign, select your ad category, and complete the campaign settings including Advantage+ budget and A/B testing with Reporting, and click Continue.

In the ad group settings section, name the ad group and select the conversion location. In the conversion section, click on Messenger and select the Fanpage to run the ad. Next, choose the appropriate bidding strategy, set the budget and schedule, target the audience and the ad display location, and click Continue.

On the next screen, create the ad template by naming your ad and selecting the Identity, such as the Facebook page running the ad or connecting an Instagram account. Then, set up the ad template by choosing the ad format and uploading images or videos to include in the ad.

In the Message Template section, you can create a new template or use an existing template. Click Create new, then click +Create and complete the details of the message template to add to the ad including the welcome message, Question, Completion message, Disqualification message, and Privacy policy,… then click Save to save the message template.

Complete the Tracking section, then review your ad campaign and make adjustments (if necessary). Once you’ve finished editing your ad, click Publish. After Facebook approves your ad, it will be distributed and displayed in the locations you’ve selected. If a user clicks on the ad, a welcome message and a Messenger conversation will appear.

Create ads that click to message from your Facebook Page

If your business wants to have more conversations with potential customers, you can promote existing Facebook posts from your Business Page. However, to be able to chat with customers, customers must interact with your business, such as by commenting on a post on your page, clicking on an ad that opens Messenger, or opting in to receive messages on or outside of Meta’s technology. 

To create an ad, select an existing post on your Facebook page and click the Promote Post button. If the Promote Post button is grayed out and unclickable, the ad will not run. Under the Objectives section, select Change, select the Increase Messages objective, and click Save.

Under the Button, select the button label and edit the welcome message. Then, select the audience you want to reach or click Create New Audience. You will now have the option to create an audience based on criteria: age, interests, and behavior. Then, complete the budget and schedule setting up the ad and choose the main payment method. Finally, click Promote Post Now to run the ad.

How to create ads that click to message on Instagram

For ads that click to messages on Facebook, the ad will appear in the Instagram Feed or Instagram Stories, allowing people to start chatting with the business immediately after clicking on the ad. You can then directly interact with people to complete purchases, answer questions, or provide customer support. You need to target people 18 years of age and older when running this type of ad.

To create an ad, create an Instagram Business account. If you don’t have a Facebook page, create a Business Manager account and add an Instagram account. Here are the details on how to create an ad:

Go to Facebook Ads Manager, select +Create to create a new campaign, and select Engagement as the objective. Next, name the campaign and complete the details of the ad campaign, including the Advantage+ budget and A/B testing and Reporting similar to above, then click Continue.

On the next screen, set up your ad group by naming the ad group and selecting the Messaging App conversion location, then selecting the Fanpage to run the ad. In the Messaging App section, select the destination as Instagram. Here, connect to your Instagram account and select the performance goal as well as complete the ad group setup. Including setting the Budget and Schedule, Targeting the audience and selecting the appropriate Ad Display Location, then clicking Continue.

In the next interface, set up the ad template, including naming the ad. In the Ad Identity section, connect your Instagram account. Next, set up the ad template by selecting the ad format and uploading images or videos to add to the ad.

For Message Templates, select Create New or Use an Existing Template. Click +Create to create a welcome message template process with questions and answers to questions. Once created, click Save and Finish. When you’re done editing your ad, click Publish to publish your ad.

Once your ad is approved by Facebook, it will appear in the locations you choose. When a user clicks on the ad, it will open a chat on Instagram.

How to create ads that click to message on Facebook

You can add a Send Message button to your Facebook or Instagram ad to open a conversation in the WhatsApp Business app. Customers can then connect with your business on WhatsApp after clicking the Send Message button on your ad.

If you want to create a click-to-message ad on WhatsApp, you’ll need to create a business account by downloading the WhatsApp Business app or integrating with the WhatsApp Business API. You’ll also need to connect your WhatsApp account to your Facebook page and make yourself an admin of the page, or connect WhatsApp to your Business Manager.

Access Ads Manager

In the Ads Manager interface, select +Create to create a new campaign and select the appropriate campaign objective. Common objectives that support Facebook to WhatsApp click-to-message advertising campaigns include engagement, traffic, sales, etc. When choosing the appropriate objective, name the campaign and complete the campaign details including Advantage+ budget, Advantage+ catalog ads (only available for sales objectives), and A/B test with Reporting, then click Next. The next screen will appear, where you complete the ad group settings that match each selected campaign objective.

Create WhatsApp ads that click to message on Facebook with an engagement objective

After you select Engagement as your campaign objective, name your ad group and select Conversion Location in the Conversions section. Here, select Messaging Apps, then WhatsApp, and select Performance Objective. Next, set your Budget and Schedule, Target Audience, and Select Placements, then click Next. 

In the ad settings section, name your ad. In the Identity section, select the WhatsApp account you want to connect to the campaign. Now select the appropriate ad format and complete the ad setup process. Next, click +Create to start creating a message template to add to the ad by clicking the Edit button and clicking Save. Next, complete the ad campaign setup and select Publish to publish the ad campaign.

Creating ads that click to message for WhatsApp on Facebook with traffic and sales objectives

When creating an ad with traffic and sales objectives, you can select the campaign budget and click Continue. In the Conversion Location section, choose WhatsApp. Then, select the appropriate Facebook page and ensure that the WhatsApp account is connected to your Facebook page. Afterward, complete the ad details: audience, ad placement, budget, and schedule, and click Continue.

Next, choose the ad format that suits your needs and finish the ad setup process. Click +Create to start creating the message template to add to the ad and then click Save. Afterward, complete the Tracking section, review the entire campaign, make adjustments if necessary, and click Publish to launch your ad.

Alternatively, you can create a campaign with an Engagement objective, choosing the Website as the conversion location and setting up the performance goals in the ad group setup. Then, complete the budget and schedule settings, target audience, and ad placement, and click Continue.

In the Ad Setup section, name your ad under Identity, choose the Facebook page for the ad, or connect to your Instagram account. Then, complete the ad setup by choosing a suitable ad format: Single Image/Video, Carousel, or Collection. Next, create ad content by selecting Upload Images/Video and completing the ad details.

In the Destination section, input your website URL and display the link. In the Browser add-ons section, select Messaging App and check WhatsApp to connect it to your WhatsApp account. Then, set the language, and in the Ad Tracking section, set up website events, app events, or offline events as needed. Finally, review your entire campaign and make any necessary adjustments, then click Publish to post your ad campaign.

Tips for creating effective ads that click to message on Facebook

With ads that click to message, businesses can turn conversations into business growth opportunities by directly connecting with potential customers. You can create ads that click to message across multiple platforms including Facebook Pages, Instagram, WhatsApp Business app, Ads Manager, or Meta Business Suite. To enhance the effectiveness of your ads that click to message, apply the following tips:

Create a welcome message for people in conversations on Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram Direct. This helps increase professionalism and makes a deep impression on target customers. Businesses can encourage people to interact and chat with free, automated messaging tools and features.

Link your Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram accounts to increase your online presence and make it easier for customers to find your business. Furthermore, you can link your WhatsApp Business account to your Facebook Page from the WhatsApp Business app or Facebook settings. Then you can access features to improve campaign performance: advanced targeting.

Choosing the right campaign setup specifically means selecting the Engagement objective in Ads Manager when creating a post and ad to send your audience to start a conversation.

Use conversation management tools if your business wants to grow, and manage more conversations with your audience on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Test different post-click experiences and ad creatives to determine which combination works best. Also use a combination of video and images to deliver a clear, concise message that aligns with your advertising goals. You can also add text like Message us to learn more about the promotion and use a call-to-action button like Send Message or Chat Now.

Ads that click to message on Facebook campaigns are a useful tool to help businesses connect with target customers, and increase interaction and conversion rates. With the information we’ve shared above, you now have more valuable knowledge and a better understanding of this type of advertising, as well as how to implement an effective advertising campaign.

Frequently Asked Questions