How to Change an Automated Message on a Facebook Business Page

Setting up an automated message on your Facebook Business Page is a great first step, but that “set it and forget it” message can quickly become outdated. This guide walks you through exactly where to find and how to change your automated messages using Facebook’s latest tools, so you can keep your customers informed and provide a stellar first impression every time.

First, Understand the Different Types of Automated Messages

Before changing your message, it’s helpful to know what your options are. Facebook - or Meta, more accurately - doesn't offer just one type of automated response. The main ones you’ll want to focus on live inside Meta Business Suite and can be used across both Facebook Messenger and Instagram DMs linked to your business account.

• Instant Reply: This is the most common one. It’s an immediate response sent to someone the very first time they message your page. It’s your digital handshake, letting them know their message was received and you’ll be in touch soon.
• Away Message: This message only triggers when your page is set to "Away" or outside of your specified business hours. It's meant to manage expectations when you and your team are offline, like on weekends, holidays, or overnight.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): This feature is a game-changer. It allows you to automatically present a list of common questions that users can tap to get an instant answer. You can pre-write answers to things like “What are your hours?” or “Where are you located?” to save everyone time.
• Contact Information: A simple response that provides your business's phone number, email, or physical address when someone asks for contact details.

Knowing which message you need to update is the first step. For most businesses, the Instant Reply and Away Message are the two you'll edit most often.

Navigate to the Right Place: Your Inbox in Meta Business Suite

Let's clear up one major point of confusion: managing your business page communications doesn’t happen on the Facebook app anymore. Everything has moved into the Meta Business Suite. If you’re hunting through your regular Facebook Page settings, you won’t find what you need. All automation lives within the Business Suite's "Inbox."

You can access Meta Business Suite by going to business.facebook.com or by using the Meta Business Suite mobile app. The steps below are for the desktop version, which is generally easier for setting up automations for the first time.

1. Log into Meta Business Suite.
2. From the left-hand menu, select Inbox.
3. Once inside your Inbox, look for the Automations button in the top navigation bar. It has a little lightning bolt icon. Click it.

This "Automations" screen is your command center for all pre-programmed messages. From here, you’ll be able to see and edit every automated response for your page.

Step-by-Step: How to Change Your Instant Reply

Your Instant Reply is arguably the most important automated message you have. It sets the tone for the entire customer conversation. Here’s how to edit it.

After clicking into Automations, you should see "Instant reply" near the top of the list. It might already be turned on.

1. Select "Instant reply" from the automation list. This will open up the settings panel.
2. Choose Your Platform: The first setting you’ll see is a checkbox to decide where this automation runs. You can choose to use it on Facebook Messenger, Instagram, or both. If you manage both through the Meta Suite, it's a good idea to keep communication consistent across platforms.
3. Edit Your Message: Scroll down to the "Message" text box. This is where you'll write your new automated message. You can see a live preview of what it will look like on the right side of the screen.

Writing an Effective Instant Reply

Don't just write "We'll get back to you soon." Take this opportunity to be helpful and set expectations. Use the personalization tokens to make it more friendly.

For example, click the "Add personalization" button below the text box. You can add the person’s first name, last name, or full name to make the interaction feel more human.

Here’s an example of a solid Instant Reply a boutique could use:

“Hey [First Name], thanks so much for reaching out! We've received your message and someone from our team will get back to you within the business day. While you wait, feel free to check out our new arrivals here: [your website link]”

This message does three things well:

• It’s friendly and personalized.
• It manages when they can expect a real response ("within the business day").
• It gives them a resource to check out, which could potentially answer their question or lead to a sale.

Once you are happy with your message, hit the big blue Save changes button at the top right of the screen.

Step-by-Step: Updating Your Away Message

An Away Message is ideal for businesses that aren’t available 24/7. When someone messages you after hours, this automation lets them know you're not ignoring them - you’re just not at your desk.

In the same Automations menu, find and click on "Away message."

1. Choose Your Platform: Just like with the Instant Reply, select whether this runs on Messenger, Instagram, or both.
2. Set Your Away Schedule: This is the most important part. Click "Edit" in the timing section. You’ll be able to set your "away" hours for every day of the week. You can add multiple time slots, which is useful if you take a break for lunch during the day. Be sure your time zone is set correctly!
3. Craft Your Message: Now, write your away message in the text box. This message should clearly state that you're currently offline and when you will be back.

Writing a Helpful Away Message

A good Away Message confirms receipt and communicates your business hours clearly. Personalization is great here, too.

Example for a service-based business like a marketing agency:

“Hi [First Name], thanks for your message! Our team is currently offline. Our business hours are Monday-Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM ET. We’ll respond to your message first thing when we're back online. If you need immediate assistance, our FAQ page might help: [link to your FAQ page]”

This message works because it acknowledges the contact, clarifies business hours, manages response time expectations, and offers an immediate self-serve option.

Once you've set your schedule and written your message, click Save changes.

How to Edit Your Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQs are phenomenal for saving time. They preemptively answer a user's question before they even have to type it out. When a customer opens a new chat with you, up to four of your questions will appear for them to tap on.

Inside the Automations menu, select "Frequently Asked Questions."

1. Choose Your Platform: Select Messenger, Instagram, or both. Note that this feature can look slightly different on each platform.
2. Add or Edit a Question: You'll see fields for "Question 1," "Question 2," etc. Click into a question to edit the text that the user will see. Frame it from their perspective (e.g., "What services do you offer?").
3. Write the Automated Response: Below each question is a text box where you'll write the answer. When a user taps the question, this is the message they'll receive instantly. You can get creative here by adding buttons or quick replies.
   • Buttons: Underneath the text box, you'll see an "Add a button" option. This is great for guiding users to your website. For a question like, “Can I see your current inventory?”, your button could say “Shop Now” and link directly to your online store.

Take time to think through the top 3-4 questions customers ask you. Common examples include:

• What are your business hours?
• Where are you located?
• Do you offer free shipping?
• How can I book an appointment?

Remember to click Save changes after you’re done editing your FAQs.

Final Thoughts

Keeping your Facebook automated messages up-to-date is a small task that makes a big difference in customer experience. By navigating to the Inbox and Automations section of your Meta Business Suite, you have complete control over your Instant Reply, Away Message, and FAQs for a professional and helpful front desk on social media.

While Facebook's native tools are great for in-platform automation, managing the flood of comments and DMs that flow in across all your social channels every day can feel overwhelming. That’s why we designed our platform, Postbase, with a unified social inbox. Instead of jumping between Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X, you get every message and comment in one clean dashboard, making community management feel simple and organized instead of chaotic.