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Channels FAQs

Why should you use the WhatsApp chatbot channel?

WhatsApp chatbots is one of the fastest growing chatbot messaging channels today. It gives brands a great potential to reach out, enagage and support their customers on the channel consumers are.
What can a customer share on WhatsApp chatbot?

- A simple text message
- An image in JPEG or PNG format
- An audio recording, video or GIF
- Can attach a document in PDF or docx format
- Can attach a contact or location
In what ways can a WhatsApp chatbot respond?

- A simple text message
- An image in JPEG or PNG format
- An audio recording, video
- Can attach a document in PDF or docx format
- Can attach a contact (via API) or location
What is not possible with WhatsApp chatbot today?

- Cannot send promotional or marketing notifications.
- Does not have ‘buttons’ option during conversations.
- Cannot send notifications without getting opt-in consent.
What is a conversation?

A single conversation is an exchange messages within 24 hours between a user and the chatbot.
What is a notification?

Notification is an outbound message (chatbot-initiated) sent by the chatbot to a particular WhatsApp user.
What is the difference between a notification and a conversation?

A conversation is an exchange of messages between the chatbot and a user, initiated either by the user or the chatbot. Notification triggers chatbot-initiated conversation.
Is it possible to send marketing or promotional notifications on WhatsApp?

No, in order to send a regular notification, the user's opt-in is required.
Are buttons allowed within the conversation?

No, WhatsApp can approve a button that is included in a notification template.
What is a template?

A template is a notification message that needs to be approved before it is sent to users.
What is the pricing model of WhatsApp?
Can WhatsApp chat bot support multiple languages?

Yes, the WhatsApp chatbot can support multiple languages during conversations. For notifications, while sending for approval, we can opt for required languages.
Is there a restriction on WhatsApp for any location or country?

WhatsApp chatbot is applicable in all the regions where WhatsApp channel is currently operating.
What are the top use cases brands can leverage the WhatsApp chatbot for?

WhatsApp chatbot will be useful for proactive notification-based outreach, timely reminders, engaging suggestions on products or services, sales and support.
What is the commerce or business policy of WhatsApp?

The updated commerce policy can be found here.
The updated business policy can be found here
Is it possible to connect two phone numbers associated with different business manager accounts to a single bot?

You cannot connect two phone numbers of different WABA or Facebook business manager to a single bot.
Is it possible to remove the current WABA number and link to the new WABA or FBM?

WABA numbers cannot be migrated from one BM (Business Manager) to another. It can only be migrated from one BSP (Business Service Provider) to another, or from one WABA to another, by retrieving the same BM ID attached to both WABAs
Is it possible to change the color of the email ID to black in WhatsApp chatbot?

No. By default, the email address is blue in color.
Is the speech-to-text (STT) feature supported in WhatsApp?

No, the STT feature is not supported for WhatsApp.
Can we have multiple bots in a single subscription, with different WABAs connected to each?

Yes, you can have multiple bots under a single subscription, and each bot can have a different WABA connected to it. It is also possible to have multiple numbers connected to a single bot, but all the numbers have to be under the same WABA ID in this case.
Is it possible to select multiple answers at once on a WhatsApp channel using the quick reply button?

WhatsApp does not support Multi select in list or button messages. You can use the Multi Select prompt, which displays the options in the form of a text message, to share the options via text. For example, the bot shared a few options with 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on. and the user has to respond back with the selection as 1 or 3 in a specific accepted format to validate and get the user's selection. This is a workaround that is used in the case of WhatsApp.
Does WhatsApp support sharing locations?

Yes, users can share their location by clicking this 📎 icon on WhatsApp and sharing their current location. The bot will receive the latitude and longitude of the user, based on which the user's location can be identified. Note that live location sharing won't work for this case.
Is it possible to display a thumbnail from an URL in WhatsApp?

Yes, WhatsApp will render URLs with thumbnails, and you will be able to preview them. URL previews are rendered in the following cases:
• The business has sent a message template to the user.
• The user initiates a conversation with a Click to chat link.
• The user adds the business phone number to their address book and initiates a conversation.
How to configure welcome message for WhatsApp?

The welcome message will not be displayed automatically in WhatsApp. You need to train an intent with “hi” or “hello” and configure it in a journey to trigger the flow.
What can a user share on FBM chatbot?

- A simple text message
- An image in JPEG or PNG format
- A video, an audio or a sticker
- A GIF or an emoji
In what ways can a FBM chatbot respond?

- A simple text message
- An image in JPEG or PNG format
- A video or GIF
- Can attach files in PDF or docx format
- Can share card or card carousel
- Can trigger Quick reply buttons for users to click
- Via various message template
What is not possible with FBM chatbot today?

Cannot send notification before the user initiates the conversation.
What is a standard message?

One conversation is an exchange of messages within 24 hours between one user and the chatbot.
What is a one-time notification?

Notification is an outbound message (chatbot-initiated) sent by the chatbot to a particular Facebook Messenger user outside the 24-hour window if the user opts-in for the same.
What is a private reply?

When an FB user comments or makes a visitor post, the brand can privately reply to the user on the FBM in context with the user inquiry.
Is it possible to send marketing or promotional messages on FBM?

The promotional message can be sent as a standard message within a 24-hour window. To send promotional messages outside a 24-hour window, "sponsored messages" will be useful.
What is a message template?

A message template is a predefined message structure that is convenient to showcase products, receipts, and so on. To know more, click here
What is the pricing model of FBM chatbot?

Contact [support](mailto:[email protected]) for pricing information.
Can FBM chat bot support multiple languages?

Yes, the FBM chatbot can support multiple languages.
How to get onboarded to FBM chatbot and what are the prerequisites?

Refer this document
How to make users discover and start using your brand’s chatbot?

Some discovery points include:
* Drop the CTA to FBM chatbot on the brand’s webpage
* Sponsored ads to FBM chatbot CTA
* Organic posts to FBM chatbot CTA
* FB or Instagram posts having Messenger chatbot CTA
What all are the potential use-cases of FBM chatbot?

Timely reminders on carts and payments, sales and support, and proactive suggestions are some good usecases.
Does the Facebook channel support WebView?

No, the Facebook channel does not support WebView.
How can we share a location on Facebook Messenger?

It is not possible to directly share a location in Facebook Messenger. However, there is an alternative approach you can take:
• Ask for City/Zip Code: Instead of sharing the location directly, you can prompt the user to provide their city, zip code, or any other relevant location information.
• Use Geolocation API: Once the user provides the location information, you can use the Geolocation API to retrieve the coordinates or specific details about that location.
Is it possible to get the user’s mobile number in the WhatsApp channel?
Yes, to get the mobile number when a user is connected to the bot, you need to use a system variable called sender as shown below.

{{{sender}}}

Is it possible to get user details through payload in the Facebook Messenger bot?

Currently, you can retrieve the name and profile picture (if available) for Facebook users using the payload.
Why do we need GBM chatbot channel?

The first thing we do when we look for some product or service is to 'Google them'. 90% of overall search traffic globally is using Google. The ability to engage with the potential customers right then when they search is powerful. In other words, GBM helps with fantastic Discovery-to-Engagement.
What can a user share on GBM chatbot?

- A simple text message
- An image in JPEG or PNG format
In what ways can a GBM chatbot respond?

- A simple text message
- An image in JPEG or PNG format
- Can send URLs to files of PDF or docx
- Can share interactive cards about products or service offerings
- Can trigger Quick reply buttons for users to click
What is not possible with GBM chatbot today?

- The GBM chatbot is not supported in desktop or laptop view but only on mobile phones.
- Videos cannot be embedded. Any type of custom, for example, a Slider or dropdown is not available.
- The Thumbview or preview link is not possible through GBM chatbot.
Which industries are allowed to use GBM?

Please go through this document for detailed industry-wise solution
Is there a restriction on GBM for any location or country?

There is no restriction on location or countries where the product would not work yet.
Where can I find data and security details?

Click here
Does a brand need to have a specific location mapped to the Google My Business account to use GBM?

For time being, countries except for the US, a brand must have a verified location associated with its Google My Business Account to use GBM.
How much time would it take to deploy a chatbot for a customer in GBM?

If the bot is ready (Changes to be made for GBM specific bot) and the pre-requisite to onboard a customer is available, the whole process from registration to verification till launch with relevant Google and Brand approval should be tentatively around 3-4 business days in an ideal scenario.
Can GBM support Multiple languages?

The multi-language support is not there in the shell of the product for example, the CSAT score popup. Also, a welcome message will have to be in English. But if the bot is multilingual it can handle the language conversation in different languages during conversation messages.
What is the pricing model of GBM?

Contact [support](mailto:[email protected]) for pricing information.
What are all the discovery points of GBM chatbot channel?

These are the possible entry points to GBM channel.

General FAQs​

What is session timeout?

A session lasts for 24 hours and includes any number of interactions the user has in a 24-hour window from the start of the session.
What is session duration?

Session duration is based on the time of each user response. It resets if there is a 30-minute gap between responses. The total session duration is the sum of all user response times.