The Welcome Message is your business’s first impression — a friendly handshake that sets the tone for the entire user experience. It’s the very first automation that greets your audience when they interact with your account for the first time, providing an opportunity to introduce your brand, set expectations, and guide users toward their next steps.
Currently available for Messenger and Telegram, the Welcome Message helps you deliver a seamless experience on these platforms. Whether you want to share essential information, provide quick navigation options, or simply create a warm and friendly greeting, the Welcome Message ensures every user feels valued and supported.
In this article, we’ll guide you through how to set up and replace the Welcome Message, explain the role of the Get Started button, and cover all limitations and troubleshooting tips to make everything effective and aligned with your goals.
How to set up the Welcome Message
The setup process for the Welcome Message is the same across all supported channels. In this example, we’ll use Messenger to walk you through it.
- Open your Manychat account and click on Settings in the sidebar.
- Select Messenger from the list of channels.
- Scroll to the Welcome Message section and select one of two options:
- Click Create New Reply to create the automation from scratch.
- Click Select Existing to add an existing automation to be used as a Welcome Message.
- If you select to create a new automation, the Flow Builder opens, where you can set it up.
- The trigger is automatically added to the automation. Click on it and switch on the toggle to activate it.
- Next, click on the Welcome Message node to edit it.
- Make sure that the Send within 24 hours option is selected. Since the user already opted in to receive messages from you, you have to communicate with them within the allowed 24-hour period.
- You can select to simply reply with a text message, or add a button, Quick Reply, link, or any other available content block.
- After configuring the first reply, you can continue building the rest of your automation as needed.
- To see how it works, you can click the Preview button at the top of the Flow Builder.
- You can choose to preview the automation either in Manychat or directly on Messenger.
- The second option lets you see everything exactly as your audience will experience it. Click the arrow icon next to the Preview button to select the preview mode.
- Once you’ve finished setting up the automation, click the Set Live button.
If you choose to use an existing automation, a pop-up will appear where you can select the one you want. You can also preview it in the same window before confirming. Click Pick This Automation to set it as your Welcome Message. Note that only automations that are already live can be selected.
Alternatively, you can set up the Welcome Message by going to the Automation tab, switching to the Basic tab, and selecting Welcome Message from the list. Then click Set Up to configure it. This option is available for all channels that support this feature.
How it works
In this Welcome Message example for a vet clinic, the Quick Reply buttons play a crucial role in creating an organized and user-friendly experience. These buttons act as clear, actionable prompts that help guide users toward the information or assistance they need, reducing confusion and streamlining navigation.
Each Quick Reply is connected to a Start Automation step, which launches the relevant automation designed specifically for that button. For example:
- Book an appointment directs users to an automation where they can select a time and date for their visit.
- Emergency assistance connects users to immediate resources for urgent situations.
- Contact our team starts an automation that provides contact details or enables users to leave a message.
- Our services triggers an automation that provides a detailed overview of the clinic's offerings.
By linking each Quick Reply to a dedicated automation, you ensure that users are quickly redirected to the appropriate workflows, keeping the overall experience organized and efficient.
| Note: The Welcome Message is sent only once — at the very start of a user’s interaction with your Messenger or Telegram account, when they click the Get Started or Start button. It won’t be triggered again during the same conversation. The only way for the Welcome Message to be sent again is if the user deletes the conversation on their side and starts a new one from scratch. |
How to delete or replace the Welcome Message
- Open Settings.
- Select the channel for which you want to delete or replace the message.
- Scroll to the Welcome Message section.
- Click the X button next to the automation’s name.
After you delete the Welcome Message, you can select a new one to replace it.
What’s the role of the Get Started button for the Welcome Message?
The Get Started button is the gateway to the first interaction between your business and a user. It appears when someone opens your Messenger for the first time and serves as the starting point for initiating a conversation.
It is a mandatory feature for business pages in Messenger and cannot currently be disabled. This requirement is set by Meta to ensure that users explicitly opt in before interacting with a bot.
In Telegram, this functionality is handled by the Start button, which serves the exact same role as the Get Started button in Messenger — it triggers the Welcome Message for the Telegram channel and initiates the first interaction.
The Get Started button is directly connected to your Welcome Message, acting as its trigger. Once a user clicks it, your Welcome Message is sent, creating a smooth and guided first experience.
Without this click, the Welcome Message won’t be delivered, as it’s designed to send only after the user opts in.
While the design of the Get Started button itself cannot be changed, the Welcome Message it triggers can be fully customized to suit your business needs.
| ⚠️ Note: If the Welcome Message is not set up, clicking the Get Started button will not display any content, leaving the user without direction. |
Troubleshooting
The Get Started button doesn’t appear in Messenger
If the Get Started button doesn’t appear, try refreshing your connection with Facebook:
- Refresh your Manychat permissions using the Help button.
- Go to the automation selected as a Welcome Message, turn it off, and then turn it back on.
⚠️ Note: These steps must be completed by the Account Owner or an Admin with full control of the connected Facebook page.
This will restore the connection between Manychat and Facebook, and the Get Started button should appear.
The Welcome Message is not triggered
If your Welcome Message isn’t sending, start by refreshing your Manychat permissions using the Help button, and make sure all setup steps have been completed.
Next, check that the automation connected to the Welcome Message is published. If you see a small yellow dot next to the automation name, it means there are unpublished changes — be sure to update it.
Also, confirm that the Welcome Message is enabled in your trigger settings in the Flow Builder.
If everything looks correct, review your Conversation Routing setup. A common reason messages aren’t sent is that Manychat doesn’t have control of the conversation on Facebook.
Make sure Conversation Routing is configured properly as described in this article, and refresh your permissions again after setting it up.
Incorrect automation triggered for the Welcome Message
If the Welcome Message isn’t the one you configured in Manychat, it’s likely being sent by another tool connected to your Facebook page or by Facebook’s own automated responses.
To fix this, go to Meta Business Suite → Inbox → Automations and make sure all automated response toggles are turned off.
You should also check your Business Integrations to see if any other apps are connected to your Facebook page. If needed, disable any apps that might be sending messages instead of your Manychat Welcome Message.
If you are encountering any issues with the Welcome Message, check out this article: Manychat is sending wrong messages, or contact our Support Team.