Facebook Messenger’s quick replies feature allows businesses to provide preset response options for common questions or requests. Quick replies make conversations more efficient by eliminating the need for customers to type out responses. They are easy to set up and can be used to guide customers or collect information through Messenger.
Benefits of Quick Replies
There are several key benefits to using quick replies on Facebook Messenger:
- Faster response times – Customers can simply tap a quick reply rather than typing out a message.
- Improved customer experience – Quick replies provide a more conversational flow and guide customers through common questions/requests.
- Higher completion rates – Preset options increase the chances customers will complete desired actions like sharing contact info.
- Consistent messaging – Quick replies let you control the messaging customers see.
- Structured data collection – You can use quick replies to gather specific info from customers like emails, phone numbers, etc.
How to Set Up Quick Replies
Setting up quick replies requires just a few simple steps:
- Access your Facebook Business Page and go to the “Messages” tab
- Open the menu in the upper right corner and select “Templates”
- Choose “Quick Replies” from the template options
- Give your quick reply category a title
- Add individual quick reply options with titles and buttons
- Arrange quick replies into the order you want
- Click “Save” when finished
And that’s it! Your quick replies are now ready to be inserted into Messenger conversations. Let’s go over these steps in more detail:
Step 1: Access Facebook Business Page Messages
First, you’ll need to navigate to your Facebook Business Page and then go to the Messages section. You can access this a couple different ways:
- From your Business Page, click “Messages” in the left sidebar
- Or go to facebook.com/messages/t/[page-id] replacing [page-id] with your Page’s ID number
Step 2: Open the Quick Replies Template
Once in Messages, click the ellipses menu in the upper right corner of the screen. Choose “Templates” from the menu options.
This will open the templates menu. Select “Quick Replies” to start creating a new quick reply category.
Step 3: Title Your Quick Reply Category
Give your quick reply category a descriptive title. This helps you identify the category later when selecting quick replies to insert.
For example, you may want quick reply categories like “Order Assistance,” “Return Help,” “Shipping Q&A,” etc. Be specific with your titles.
Step 4: Add Individual Quick Replies
Now you can start adding individual quick reply options under your category title. Each quick reply needs:
- A title – Shown to you when selecting the quick reply to insert
- A button title – Text customers see on the quick reply button
Make your quick reply titles and buttons clear and descriptive. For example:
Add quick replies tailored to common questions, requests, or actions for your business. You can include up to 13 quick replies per category.
Step 5: Arrange Quick Replies
Drag and drop to arrange your quick replies into the ideal order. Put the most common options first.
Proper ordering ensures the most useful quick replies are easy for your team to access in conversations.
Step 6: Save Your Quick Reply Category
When finished, click “Save” at the bottom to save your new quick reply category. You can now start inserting these quick replies into Messenger conversations.
Later, you can edit existing quick reply categories or create new ones by following these same steps.
Inserting Quick Replies Into Messenger
Once you’ve made some quick reply templates, using them in Messenger is simple:
- When in a Messenger conversation, click the plus icon to open the quick replies menu
- Select the category you want
- Choose the specific quick reply to insert
- The quick reply button will be sent in the conversation
Your team can then use these to quickly respond to common customer questions or requests.
The quick reply button customers see may vary slightly in size depending on device. But the text remains the same.
Tips for Effective Quick Replies
To get the most out of Facebook Messenger quick replies, keep these tips in mind:
- Use concise, descriptive titles so reps understand when to use each quick reply
- Put the most common or highest priority options first
- Limit quick replies to urgent or frequently asked questions/requests
- Create categories for different conversation topics like orders, shipping, returns, etc.
- Revisit quick replies over time and adjust them as needed
- Have a fallback quick reply like “Please explain your issue” for when none apply
- Avoid overusing quick replies so conversations don’t feel robotic
Messenger Platform Policy Requirements
When creating quick replies, be sure to follow Facebook Messenger’s platform policies. Specifically:
- Have at least 2 quick reply options per category
- Keep button titles under 30 characters
- Don’t include urgent words like “now,” “asap,” etc. in titles
- Don’t use quick replies for promotional content or sales
Review Facebook’s Messenger policies for full details. Following the requirements helps ensure approval and prevent policy violations.
Analyzing Quick Reply Performance
In the Page Insights section of your Facebook Business Page, you can view metrics on your quick replies:
- Impressions: Number of times quick reply buttons were displayed
- Clicks: Number of times users tapped a quick reply option
- Click-through rate: Percentage of impressions that resulted in clicks
Compare these metrics for each quick reply option to see which get the most engagement. Use the data to refine your quick replies over time.
Adding Quick Replies Via API
For businesses managing many Messenger conversations, you may want to set up quick replies using the Facebook Business SDK or Messenger API.
Key steps include:
- Get Page access token with pages_messaging permission
- Define quick_replies array for each message
- Pass quick_replies while sending messages
This allows quick replies to be added dynamically via code rather than manual setup. Refer to Facebook’s developer documentation for details on the Quick Replies API.
Troubleshooting Quick Replies
If you’re having issues with quick replies, here are some things to check:
- Facebook app or page access – Confirm your Facebook app has pages_messaging permission and the Page has authorized your app.
- Page subscription – Make sure your Page is subscribed to the pages_messaging webhook event
- Message tagging – Try removing any message tags associated with the messages containing quick replies.
- Policy compliance – Review policies and ensure your quick replies are compliant.
You can also refer to Facebook’s troubleshooting guide for quick replies. Reach out to Facebook support if issues persist.
Conclusion
Facebook’s quick replies offer an easy way to speed up conversations and guide customers on Messenger. Follow the steps to set up preset quick replies tailored to your business. Insert them into Messenger conversations to provide fast, consistent support. Analyze performance over time and continue optimizing based on messaging insights.
When used effectively, quick replies help businesses deliver prompt, personalized service and create smoother customer experiences on Messenger.