Utility Messages on Messenger

A Utility message is a ready-to-use non-promotional message template that helps you send important updates to your customers. You can use it for order confirmations, shipping updates, account notifications, and appointment and event reminders.

These messages aren’t generic: you can personalize them with details such as the customer’s name, order number, tracking link, appointment date, location, and more. The template includes placeholders that automatically fill in the correct information when the message is sent, so each customer receives a message tailored specifically to them.

How to create Utility Message Templates

1. Open Settings.
2. Select Messenger from the list of channels.
3. Switch to the Utility Message Templates tab.
4. Click on the +New template button.
5. If this is your first time creating a Utility Message template in Manychat, you will be prompted to share your permissions with Meta. Note that only the Manychat account owner who is also the owner of the connected Facebook Page can approve and grant permissions for Utility Message Templates.
   • Click the Grant permissions button in the pop-up window.
   • Next, you’ll be redirected to Meta’s site. Select to continue as the account |conneced to Manychat.
   • Select the pages you want to grant access to. In order for Utility Messages templates to work, select to opt in to all current and future Pages and click Continue.
   • Next, check the permissions you granted and click Save.
   • Click Got it to go back to Manychat.
6. Click the +New Template button again to start creating a template.
7. Add a name for the template and select the template’s language.
8. Next, add a header for your message and enter the text of the message. You can use custom fields in your message, and if you do you will be asked to fill out the examples of the custom fields to use in a message.
9. Optional: You can add an image to your template. Keep in mind that every image must include header text, images cannot be submitted on their own.
10. Optional: Add a URL button and fill in the required fields. You can also insert a variable to generate a dynamic URL.
11. When your message template is ready, click Send to Review to submit it to Meta for validation.

Message Template validation process

After submitting your Utility Message Template, you can check its status by opening Settings, selecting Messenger in the list of channels, and switching to the Utility Message Templates tab. Each template will have one of the following statuses:

• Review — The template has been submitted and is awaiting approval.
• Approved — The template has been approved and is ready to use.
• Declined — The template has been rejected by Meta.

Reasons for rejection

If your Utility Message Template is rejected, it may be due to one of the following reasons:

• Incorrect parameter formatting. Check out the official Meta documentation for more information.
• Too many variables compared to the message length.
• Template qualifies as Marketing, not Utility: The content includes promotional or marketing language, so it does not meet the requirements for Utility Messages. 
• Your template violates the Content and Policy terms

To see the specific reason for rejection, check your Meta Business Manager.

How to send Utility Message Templates

Once your Utility Message Templates are approved, you can use them in Manychat in the following ways:

• Send as part of an automation — Add the Utility Message Template to your automated workflows for timely and consistent communication.
• Send via broadcast — Use Message Templates to message multiple contacts at once.

Sending Utility Message Templates via automation

1. Start creating a new automation by clicking Automation in the sidebar.
2. Next, click the +New Automation button and select the Start From Scratch option.
3. Add a first node for your automation by selecting the User sends a message trigger from the Messenger tab.
4. In the panel that opens, select Detect specific word in a message option.
5. Add the keywords that should trigger the Utility Message Template sending. For example, you can select words such as “order”, “status”, and “delivery” when creating the automation for the order delivery Utility Template.
6. Click Create.
7. Next, in the Send message node, click Add text to edit the message.
8. Make sure to select the outside 24-hour window option.
9. Select the Utility Message Template option under the Content type.
10. Click the Choose message template button and select the template that you want to use in the automation.
11. Click Set Live.

URL buttons in message templates can only direct users to an external link, they cannot be connected to another automation step or node within Manychat.

Sending Message Templates via Broadcasts

Sending a Broadcast with Utility Message Templates is the most effective way to reach out to your contacts outside the 24-hour messaging window. To get started, go to Broadcast, click the Broadcast from Automation button, select one of your automations, and click Pick This Automation.

To set up targeting, click on the broadcast in the list to edit it, and add conditions in the Target Audience section.

Here, you can customize your broadcast by applying conditions such as Tags and Custom User Fields to refine your audience based on your specific needs.