How to set up a social inbox auto-reply bot

Facebook and Instagram messages pile up while you're working. Customers expect quick answers, and some message three competitors at once.

Step by step

1. Open Meta Business Suite, then Inbox, then Automations.
2. Turn on an instant reply that says when you usually respond.
3. Add 3-5 frequently asked questions with short answers (hours, location, booking link).
4. Set an away message for outside business hours.
5. Test it from a personal account.
6. Reply personally within the time you promised.

Watch-outs

• Keep answers short and accurate.
• Update answers when your hours or prices change.
• Don't pretend the bot is a person.

A worked example

A Wollongong hairdresser sets up Meta Business Suite automations: an instant reply that gives her booking link and hours, frequently asked questions with buttons (prices, location, parking), and an away message outside opening hours.

She reviews messages twice a day. Most people book through the link without needing her, and she answers the rest personally.

What it costs in Australia

Meta Business Suite automations are free. Dedicated tools like ManyChat add more features on paid plans; check current AUD pricing. Tidio and similar chatbot tools can also connect to Facebook Messenger and Instagram.

Prices are approx., October 2026, converted at about A$1.43 per US$1 where the vendor charges in US dollars. Your bank may add a foreign transaction fee. Check the vendor's pricing page before you buy.

The legal bits

An instant reply to someone who messaged you is fine. Sending them promotional messages later is marketing, and the Spam Act 2003 and Meta's own messaging policies apply. If your auto-reply chatbot collects names, numbers or emails, privacy rules apply.

Privacy Act: if your chatbot or bot collects names, emails or phone numbers, that's personal information. Tell people what you collect and why, link your privacy policy, and know where your vendor stores the data (APP 8 covers sending personal information overseas). The Australian Privacy Principles apply to businesses turning over more than $3 million and to some smaller ones, such as health providers. Following them anyway is good practice and builds trust.

Is it worth it?

If you get more than a handful of Facebook or Instagram messages a week, yes. It's free, takes under an hour, and customers get an answer at 10pm instead of tomorrow afternoon. It's also an easy first chatbot: no new software, no website changes.

Common mistakes

• Pretending to be human. Make it clear the instant reply is automatic. People don't mind a bot; they mind being misled.
• Out-of-date answers. When your hours or prices change, update the automations the same day.
• Too many buttons. Three or four FAQ buttons is plenty. Ten is a maze.
• Never checking the inbox. Automations answer the easy stuff. Someone still needs to read the rest at least twice a day.
• Turning replies into promotions. Keep auto-replies helpful. Sending sales messages to everyone who ever messaged you is where consent problems start.

Test it by messaging your own page from a personal account, at different times of day, and see what a customer sees.

Questions

Is this free?

Meta's built-in automations are free at the time of writing.

Can it take bookings?

It can share your booking link, which is usually enough.

Will an auto-reply seem impersonal?

Not if it's warm, honest and tells people when you'll reply personally.

Can it answer every question?

No. Use it for common questions and booking links, and reply personally to the rest.

Do this today

Open Meta Business Suite, go to Inbox automations, and turn on an instant reply with your booking link.

Related guides

• How to set up a lead follow-up bot
• How to set up an FAQ chatbot on your website
• How to set up a social media posting bot

Need prompts for the AI steps? See 40 AI use cases with copyable prompts. Want a hand? Get in touch.