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Choose the first reply for chats from ads
When someone taps your WhatsApp ad and sends a message, you can have a flow from Flow Studio answer first, for example a menu or a few questions. Set it for one ad, or for all your ads. Without a choice, your usual replies answer as before.
Before you begin
- Make a flow in Flow Studio and turn it on. Only flows that are on can be picked. If you have none, the picker tells you to make one first.
- Only workspace admins can save a first reply.
- It works for WhatsApp ads (ads where people message you on WhatsApp).
- Flow Studio is part of the Pro plan.
Set the first reply for one ad
01
Find the ad
Go to Grow → Ads and find the ad in Your ads.
02
Click the lightning bolt
At the end of the row, click the lightning bolt button. The First reply for this ad window opens.
03
Choose a flow
Pick Start a flow and choose one of your flows in the list, then click Save. The row now shows First reply with the flow's name.
To go back to normal, open the same window, pick Usual replies and click Save.
Set one first reply for all ads
In the Ad tools on the Ads page, click Reply to people from ads. Choose Start a flow, pick the flow and Save. It answers new chats from any ad that has no first reply of its own. An ad with its own first reply (set with its bolt button) uses that one instead.
What to expect
- Usual replies means your AI Agent or flows answer, as for any chat.
- Only the first message after someone taps the ad starts the flow.
- If a teammate is already handling the chat, or the person is in the middle of a flow, nothing changes.
- If the flow you chose is turned off, your usual replies answer. The ad's row then shows the flow as "a flow that is off". Turn the flow back on in Flow Studio.
Tip. Give each big ad its own flow, for example one that asks about the product shown in that ad. Use the all-ads reply as the safety net for the rest.
Common questions
There is no bolt button on my ad
The button shows on WhatsApp ads that have a Meta ad ID. Ads of other kinds, such as website or lead form ads, do not have one.
"Couldn't save the first reply"
"Only workspace admins can change this" means your role cannot change it. Ask an admin.
The flow list is empty
Only flows that are on appear. Make or turn on a flow in Flow Studio.
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