Facebook Messenger Sponsored Messages: Handling the Replies
Sponsored messages are paid Messenger messages from your Page that Meta delivers outside the usual 24-hour window and labels as Sponsored. You create and pay for them with Meta. AeroChat does not send them. It handles what comes next: when someone replies, AeroChat answers about the offer, checks stock or free slots, sends a payment link or books them in, and records the result in HubSpot, GoHighLevel or your Google Sheet.
What happens today
A sponsored message goes out with an offer. Replies come back in a burst, often in the evening, and land in the Page inbox with every other message.
Someone works through them the next day. The people who replied “how much?” or “can I book?” have moved on, and there is no record of who replied to which campaign.
How it runs on Messenger
- You send the sponsored message with Meta. Each campaign has its own wording, such as “Reply BOOK for the October facial offer” (example).
- A person replies. Their reply opens a new 24-hour window, and AeroChat answers straight away.
- It reads their reply to see which campaign they are answering, and answers questions about the offer from your knowledge base.
- It checks what it needs in your systems: stock in Shopify or your Google Sheet, or free slots in your calendar.
- It takes the order with a payment link, or books the slot the person picks.
- It writes back: the contact in your CRM gets the campaign as the source and a note of the outcome, or a row goes into your campaign sheet.
- Replies that are complaints, opt-out requests or anything outside the offer go to your team in the inbox.
The recipe
Copy this into AeroChat
When someone replies to one of our sponsored messages, follow these steps.
- Work out which campaign they are replying to. “BOOK” or a question about the facial means the October facial offer at S$68 (example).
- Answer their questions about the offer from our knowledge base, including the price, what is included and when it ends.
- If they want to book, ask for their name and phone number, check free slots in our Google Calendar, and offer three.
- Book the slot they pick and send a payment link for the S$20 deposit (example).
- Create or update the contact in HubSpot with the source Sponsored message October (example) and a note of the outcome.
- If they ask not to receive messages, or complain, hand the conversation to our team.
Only talk about offers that are in our knowledge base. Reply in the customer’s language.
Add one line per campaign to the first step, and change the price, deposit and source to your own.
Connect the systems behind it
- HubSpot: AeroChat records the campaign as the source on the contact, so you can see which sponsored messages bring sales.
- GoHighLevel: AeroChat tags the contact with the campaign, books the appointment and opens an opportunity.
- Google Sheets: a campaign sheet AeroChat adds a row to for each reply, with the outcome. Connect your Google account.
- Stripe: creates the payment link for the deposit or order and confirms when it is paid. Airwallex payment links are built in.
Using a different system? If it has a public API, it connects to AeroChat the same way: describe what you want, paste in its key, and it runs.
Can’t find your tool? Message us in the chat on this page and we’ll tell you how it connects.
Meta’s rules on Messenger
Sponsored messages are a Messenger feature, not available on Instagram. They can reach people outside the 24-hour window, and Meta labels them Sponsored. Once the person replies, the standard rules apply: your Page can reply within 24 hours of their last message, and a person on your team has a separate 7-day window for replies they type. Meta expects automated replies within 30 seconds of a message, or it can limit your messaging.
Also on WhatsApp, TikTok and web chat
On WhatsApp, the matching tool is a broadcast to opted-in customers with an approved template, which AeroChat sends on the Growth and Advanced plans. The replies are handled the same way on WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok (direct messages and TikTok Shop buyer chat), Telegram, web chat and email, with the same connections behind them.
Who uses it
Businesses that run offers to past customers, including spas with first-visit offers, fashion stores, beauty stores and restaurants and caterers.
Questions
What are sponsored messages on Facebook?
They are paid messages your Page sends in Messenger to people outside the usual 24-hour window. Meta labels them Sponsored. They are available on Messenger only.
Does AeroChat send sponsored messages?
No. You create and pay for them with Meta. AeroChat answers the people who reply, takes the order or booking, and records the result.
How long can I reply after someone answers a sponsored message?
Their reply opens the standard window: your Page can reply within 24 hours of their last message. A person on your team can reply within a separate 7-day window.
Can I see which sponsored message brought a sale?
Yes, if each campaign has its own wording or reply keyword. AeroChat reads the reply, knows the campaign, and records it as the source in your CRM or sheet.
Turn sponsored message replies into bookings and orders
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On Shopify? Install AeroChat from the Shopify App Store.
Related: click-to-Messenger ads.