12-Step Comprehensive Guide to Facebook’s 24 Hour Rule
Understanding and communication are the vital keys in establishing a meaningful relationship. Be it in everyday life scenarios or business context, these two words will never go wrong together.
In layman’s terms, having a healthy two-way conversation can help both parties keep a lasting connection. Thus, Facebook created certain rules to keep Messenger Marketing an effective interactive platform for business owners. This guide will help you run through the important details you have to take note of.
1. Understanding the Basics of Facebook Rules
The use of Messenger Marketing has been constantly proliferating throughout the years. To adhere to the standard business-consumers guidelines, Facebook develops new policies in using the platform. These policies are centered on creating a comfortable space for both business owners and clients.
With these new policies, it is important to take time and understand what you should and should not post to avoid any violations.
2. Updated Facebook’s 24 Hour Rule Revision
Facebook’s 24 Hour Rule is basically created to avoid spam. You might be thinking that this rule will somehow limit your customer interaction. Actually, no. Instead, it will create the opposite result.
It is a general understanding that no customers, not even you, want to receive spam messages. Therefore, by following this new rule, you are giving your business a favor. More customers will likely open and engage in a conversation that is not too persistent. Which will result in higher customer interaction of your brand.
3. Rule Application
Now that you have a basic idea of the effects of this rule, I will now explain how it works. As the name suggests, this 24-Hour rule applies to the allowed duration you can message your customer. Once they interact with your bot (send a message), you are only allowed to message them back within 24 hours from the time they inquired.
Meaning, after that 24 hours have passed, you are not allowed to send them any kind of messages anymore. However, no need to worry about losing potential customers. Facebook provided other options to send your subscribers messages. We will cover these options in a bit, so please continue reading.
4. Possible Messaging Scenarios
There are three cases in which the 24-Hour rule makes an exception. So far it is limited to the following scenarios:
Apply the use of Message Tag.
Obtain the subscriber’s permission in receiving an OTN Message from your page.
Use Sponsored Messages by paying to send out.
In compliance with these options, AhaChat provides features that will allow business owners to use the mentioned scenarios above. Each scenario has further specific uses to avoid restrictions.
5. Rule Restrictions
For any kind of this rule’s violations, you will receive a warning message from Facebook. It can further result in your page being blocked in more serious violations.
The misuse of Messaging Tags is one of the most common causes of being restricted. Some business owners tend to look over the proper and specific kinds of Tags to be used. Other times, even if the proper tag is used, as long as it's spammy, it will still be considered a violation.
Also, it will help to constantly check your page for any kind of notifications. To do this, simply visit your Page Support inbox on your page’s settings.
Some cases that are left unresolved for too long can cause even more damage to your page. In short, prevention is the key.
6. How to Avoid Violations/ Rules to Take Note Of
The primary essence of this rule is to avoid spam messages. Thus the key to avoiding restriction is to fully understand the rules.
Keep in mind that with this 24-Hour rule, you have to learn how to properly classify the messages you are going to send out. To get into this, let’s start breaking down the policy.
7. How to Start Subscriber’s Engagement
To open the 24-hour window, subscribers must be the first ones to interact with your page. Any kind of actions such as messaging, and clicking on your page’s Messenger button is what defines as an “engagement”.
The following approaches are considered as customer interaction:
A user sends a message to the Page
User clicks a call-to-action button as Get Started within a Messenger conversation
User clicks on a Click-to-Messenger ad and then starts a conversation with the Page
User starts a conversation with a Page via a plugin, such as the Send to Messenger plugin or the Checkbox plugin.
User clicks on an m.me link with a ref parameter on an existing thread
User reacts to a message.
(Source:https://developers.facebook.com/docs/messenger-platform/policy/policy-overview/)
8. AhaChat’s Features to Help Start Engagement
Now that you have a better idea of the user's engagement, you might be wondering how to start one.
It is a well-known fact that a visually pleasing Facebook Layout is what attracts customers to actually visit your page. What comes after is your product's affordability and quality. And most importantly, your customer care service.
AhaChat provides useful tools in helping you manage your customers’ needs. We have multiple Viral Templates that are specifically modified to suit any kind of business. From Shopping Flows, Refer a Friend Flow, and Upsell Flow, each is proven to stimulate customer’s interest.
The Growth Menu of AhaChat also contains effective options in making your subscribers constantly engage with your bot.
(See more at https://ahachat.com/help/docs/en/growth)
9. What is OTN
OTN or One-Time Notification allows your user to subscribe for an upcoming notification from your bot. To receive an OTN Message from you, they must first subscribe or agree by clicking on a specific button from your bot’s Messenger.
Again, even if you receive a valid confirmation you still have to make sure that the message’s content is still in line with Facebook rules.
For example, if a user subscribes to a concert ticket sale, then you shouldn’t send them a merchandise sale. The rule is very strict when it comes to the content of the message. Sending irrelevant messages can get your page blocked.
To avoid this, take extra precautions in your message content. AhaChat itself provides warning and guidelines to ensure that your page is free of trouble.
10. How to Use OTN in AhaChat
The Broadcast feature of AhaChat allows owners to send out mass messages, including OTN. As the name suggests, you are only allowed to send a message for one time.
By creating OTN Messages, you can gain your customer’s interest to anticipate an upcoming product/service or promo. This grants you the creative freedom to gather constant customer attention.
For full instructions on how to create an OTN using AhaChat, please visit this guide: https://ahachat.com/help/docs/en/broadcast-with-otn.
11. Message Tags
As Facebook describes, Message Tags enable the sending of relevant updates outside the 24-hour window. Similar to OTN, as long as the message is personally requested or subscribed by a user, then you are allowed to send contents under Tags.
You should only send updates that fall under your subscribers’ interest or previous transactions. Meaning, if they recently purchased an item from your shop, then you are allowed to send them an invoice under a Post Purchase Update Tag. But since their engagement is limited to purchase, you shouldn’t send irrelevant updates such as an upcoming event they didn’t even subscribe to.
Facebook also emphasizes that promotional content such as offers, coupons, or discounts don't fall under Message Tags.
There are three kinds of Message Tags:
Confirmed Event Update Tag
Sends the user reminders or updates for an event they have registered for (e.g., RSVP'ed, purchased tickets). This tag may be used for upcoming events and events in progress.
You are allowed to send messages that fall under this category:
A reminder of upcoming classes, appointments, or events that the user has scheduled.
Confirmation of user's reservation or attendance to an accepted event or appointment.
Notification of user's transportation or trip scheduled, such as arrival, cancellation, baggage delay, or other status changes.
You are NOT allowed to send messages that fall under this category:
Product or merchandise offer, even if it’s related to the event.
Any kind of promo sale after your customer has already purchased.
Any kind of notification your subscriber hasn’t signed up to receive.
Prompts to any survey, poll, or reviews unrelated to a preceding interaction in Messenger.
Promotional content, including but not limited to deals, promotions, coupons, and discounts.”
Post Purchase Update Tag
“Notifies the user of an update on a recent purchase.”
You are allowed to send messages that fall under this category:
Confirmation of transaction, such as invoices or receipts
Notifications of shipment status, such as product in-transit, shipped, delivered, or delayed
Changes related to an order that the user placed, such as credit card has declined, back order items, or other order updates that require user action
You are NOT allowed to send messages that fall under this category:
Messages that cross-sell or upsell products or services
Any kind of notification your subscriber hasn’t signed up to receive.
Prompts to any survey, poll, or reviews unrelated to a preceding interaction in Messenger.
Promotional content, including but not limited to deals, promotions, coupons, and discounts.”
Account Update Tag
“Notifies the user of a non-recurring change to their application or account.”
You are allowed to send messages that fall under this category:
A change in application status (e.g., credit card, job)
Notification of suspicious activity, such as fraud alerts
You are NOT allowed to send messages that fall under this category:
Activities that are not related to the “account” itself.
Updates on your subscriber’s recent action on your shop such as adding an item to their Favorite list, etc.
Prompts to any survey, poll, or reviews unrelated to a preceding interaction in Messenger.
Promotional content, including but not limited to deals, promotions, coupons, and discounts.”
12. How to Use Message Tags in AhaChat
There are multiple potential cases in which you can use this option. It is a follow-up message in different forms such as reminders, invoices, and notifications.
With AhaChat, you are allowed to use appropriate Message Tags through Broadcast, Sequence, and Smart Delay Block. These different approaches are helpful in providing proper customer support by sending them the necessary messages.
For full instructions on how to use Message Tags in AhaChat, please visit this guide:
https://ahachat.com/help/docs/en/broadcast-with-message-tag
Conclusion
It has been a little long but I hope you understand the 24-Hour Rule better with this guide.
Now that you have a basic idea of this policy, I suggest you go and check your Facebook account in case you accidentally used the Tags and OTN the wrong way.
If not and you are just planning to start now, then please bear in mind the important notes written here to avoid any possible restrictions.
If you have any other questions, simply inbox our Facebook Page. AhaChat is just one message away. Thank you for reading!