Marketing API

Ads that Click to Messenger

This guide explains how to create and publish ads that click to Messenger using the Marketing API.

If you would like to use the Ads Manager to create a campaign for lead ads, visit the Meta Business Help Center.

Ads that click to Messenger send people that click on your ads directly into conversations with your business in Messenger. Use these ads to reach people at scale and deliver standout, individualized service.

Ads that click to Messenger support ads with an image, a video, a carousel, or a slideshow. You can also include call prompts in your ad.

If you’re interested in creating ads that send people to Instagram or WhatsApp chats, see Ads that Click to Instagram or Ads that Click to WhatsApp for guidance. You can also create ads that pick the destination the user is most likely to respond from, see Ads that Click to Multidestination for more information.

Ad Creation Overview

To create and publish an ad you will:

  1. Create an ad campaign
  2. Create an ad set that links your ads to your ad campaign
  3. Create an ad creative for the Messenger Ad type you want to serve
  4. Create an ad by linking your ad creative to your ad set
  5. Publish your ad to Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger

Before You Start

This guide assumes you have:

To make successful calls to all endpoints in this guide, you will need:

  • A Page access token requested by a person who can perform the ADVERTIZE task on the Page
  • The following permissions must be granted a person using your app:
    • ads_management
    • pages_manage_ads
    • pages_read_engagement
    • pages_show_list

Step 1. Create a Campaign

To create your ad campaign send a POST request to the act_ad_account_id/campaigns endpoint where ad_account_id is the ID for your Meta ad account. Your request must include:

  • access_token
  • buying_type
  • name
  • objective – set to OUTCOME_TRAFFIC, or OUTCOME_LEADS for lead ads
  • special_ad_categories
  • status

Ad Campaign Quick Reference

Example Request

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as ad_account_id, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_ad_account_id/campaigns" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{
           "access_token":"Your_page_access_token",
           "buying_type":"AUCTION",
           "name":"Messenger_ad_campaign_name",
           "objective":"OUTCOME_TRAFFIC",
           "status":"PAUSED",
           "special_ad_categories":["NONE"],
         }'

On success your app receives a JSON response with the ID for your campaign.

{
  "id": "campaign_id"
}

Step 2. Create an Ad Set

To create an ad set, send a POST request to the act_ad_account_id/adsets endpoint where ad_account_id is the ID for your Meta ad account. Your request must include:

  • access_token
  • bid_amount
  • billing_event set to IMPRESSIONS
  • campaign_id
  • daily_budget
  • destination_type set to MESSENGER
  • name
  • optimization_goal set to CONVERSATIONS, IMPRESSIONS, or LEAD_GENERATION or QUALITY_LEAD for lead ads
  • promoted_object – set to the ID for your business' Facebook Page.
  • status set to PAUSED
  • targeting

Ad Set Quick Reference

Example Request

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as ad_account_id, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_ad_account_id/adsets"
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
     -d '{
           "access_token":"Your_page_access_token",
           "bid_amount":"Your_bid_amount",
           "billing_event":"IMPRESSIONS",
           "campaign_id":"Your_campaign_id",
           "daily_budget":"Your_daily_budget",
           "destination_type":"MESSENGER",
           "name:"Your_messenger_adset_name",
           "optimization_goal:IMPRESSIONS",
           "status:PAUSED",
           "targeting":{ 
             "geo_locations": { "countries":["US","CA"] },
             "device_platforms": ["mobile", "desktop"],
             "publisher_platforms": ["messenger"] 
           } 
         }'

On success your app receives the following JSON response with the ID for the ad set.

{
  "id": "adset_id"
}

Step 3. Create Ad Creative

The ad creative allows you to add assets to your ads.

Limitations

  • Ads created using object_story_id are not supported
  • A person must have Messenger installed on their device to see your ad
  • There is no support for right side placements

To create an ad creative, send a POST request to the /act_ad_account_id/adcreatives endpoint where ad_account_id is the ID for your Meta ad account. Your request must include:

  • access_token
  • name
  • object_story_spec – Required
  • privacy_url – Required for lead ads
  • standard_enhancements.enroll_status – Required for ad creatives that are eligible for standard enhancements.

Top Level Ad Creative Parameter Quick Reference

Ads that Click to Messenger

To create an ad creative for a Click to Messenger ad, send a POST request to the /act_ad_account_id/adcreatives endpoint where ad_account_id is the ID for your Meta ad account. Your request must include:

  • access_token
  • name
  • object_story_spec with a *_data object that defines the media type

Image Ad Quick Reference

Image Ad Example Request

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as page_access_token, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_ad_account_id/adcreatives"
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
     -d '{
           "access_token":"page_access_token",
           "name":"Your_CTM_image_ad_name",
           "object_story_spec":{
             "page_id": "your_page_id",
             "link_data": { 
               "page_welcome_message": "Your_welcome_message",
               "image_hash": "Your_image_hash", 
               "link": "Your_image_URL", 
               "call_to_action": {
                 "type":"LEARN_MORE",
                 "value":{ "app_destination":"MESSENGER" }
               }   
             }
           }
         }'

Click to Messenger Video Ad Quick Reference

Video Ad Example Request

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as page_access_token, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_ad_account_id/adcreatives"
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
     -d '{
           "access_token": "page_access_token",
           "name": "Your_CTM_image_ad_name",
           "object_story_spec": {
             "page_id": "your_page_id",
             "video_data": { 
               "call_to_action": {
                 "type": "LEARN_MORE",
                 "value": { "app_destination": "MESSENGER" }
               },
               "link_description": "Your_link_description",
               "image_url": "Your_thumbnail_URL", 
               "page_welcome_message": "Your_welcome_text",
               "video_id": "video_id"
             } 
           }
         }'

Ad that uses a messaging flow configured on a partner app

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as page_access_token, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_ad_account_id/adcreatives"
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
     -d '{
           "access_token": "page_access_token",
           "name": "Your_CTM_image_ad_name",
           "object_story_spec": {
             "page_id": "your_page_id",
             "link_data": { 
               "image_hash": "your_image_hash",
               "link": "your_image_URL",
               "call_to_action": {
                 "type": "MESSAGE_PAGE",
                 "value": { "app_destination":"MESSENGER" }
               }   
             }
           },
           "asset_feed_spec": {
             "additional_data": {
               "partner_app_welcome_message_flow_id": "FLOW-ID"
             }
           }
         }'

For more information about messaging app flows, refer to Welcome message flows in the Messenger Platform documentation.

Filling out Page Welcome Message

The default message that a customer sees is "Hello! Can I get more info on this?". You can create more tailored user experiences for your ads that click to Messenger by customizing your ads' greeting message, icebreakers, and autofill messages in the page_welcome_message field under object_story_spec.

For more information about icebreakers, see the ice_breakers reference.

Limitations

  • Icebreaker titles must not be more than 80 characters.
  • Icebreaker responses must not be more than 300 characters.
  • Message text must not be more than 300 characters.

Example

Create the page_welcome_message object to add icebreakers with a greeting message.

"page_welcome_message": {
  "type":"VISUAL_EDITOR",
  "version":2,
  "landing_screen_type":"welcome_message",
  "media_type":"text",
  "text_format":{
    "customer_action_type":"ice_breakers",
    "message":{
      "ice_breakers":[
        {"title":"Can I make a purchase?","response":"This is a response 1"},
        {"title":"Can I see a menu?", "response":"This is a response 2"},
        {"title":"Where are you located?", "response":"This is a response 3"}],
      "quick_replies":[],
      "text":"Hi {{user_first_name}}! Please let us know how we can help you."}
  },
  "user_edit":false,
  "surface":"visual_editor_new"
}

Click to Subscribe

Click to Subscribe ads (CTS) are Click to Messenger ads where the object_story_spec.page_welcome_message is an array of objects with a notification message template. When a person clicks the Get messages button in your ad, the person agrees to receive marketing messages from your business.

To create an ad creative for a Click to Subscribe ad, send a POST request to the /act_ad_account_id/adcreatives endpoint where ad_account_id is the ID for your Meta ad account. Your request must include:

  • access_token
  • name
  • object_story_spec with
    • a *_data object that defines the media type
    • the page_welcome_message array that defines the marketing message opt in request. Must include landing_screen_type set to marketing_messages and the message attachment payload.template_type set to nofitication_messages

Image Ad Example Request

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as ad_account_id, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_ad_account_id/adcreatives"
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
     -d '{
           "access_token": "page_access_token",
           "name": "Your_CTS_image_ad_name",
           "object_story_spec": {
             "page_id": "your_page_id",
             "link_data": { 
               "image_hash": "Your_image_hash", 
               "link": "Your_image_URL", 
               "call_to_action": {
                 "type": "LEARN_MORE",
                 "value":{ "app_destination": "MESSENGER" }
               }
               "page_welcome_message": "{
                 "landing_screen_type": "marketing_messages",
                 "media_type": "image",
                 "image_format": {
                   "customer_action_type": "buttons",
                   "message": {
                     "text": "Your_welcome_message",
                     "attachment": {
                       "type": "template",
                       "payload":{
                         "template_type":"notification_messages",
                         "elements": [{
                             "title": "Your_CTS_title",
                             "subtitle": "Your_CTS_subtitle",
                             "image_url": "Your_image_URL",
                             "app_id": "Your_Meta_app_ID",
                             "buttons": [{
                               "type": "postback",
                               "payload": "Data_to_include_in_webhook_notification",
                               "title": "Get messages"
                             }]
                         }]
                       }
                     }
                   } 
                 }
               }"
             }
           }
         }'

Lead Ads in Conversations

Messenger Ads for Leads allow you to generate leads in Messenger through an automated chat template. You can ask specific questions to people who are interested in your business directly in your preferred messaging platform, gather customer preferences, and ask custom questions to prioritize the most qualified leads.

Before you can create ad creatives for Messenger Ads for Leads you must accept the terms and conditions for Messenger Ads for Leads.

Message Template Requirements

  • A welcome message that greets people after they tap on your ad and let them know what your business has to offer
  • Questions that gather information about whether the person is a lead. This can include questions about interests, location, and contact information such as email and phone number.
  • A confirmation message that allows you to thank people for their answers and let them know what happens next. You can find your new lead in Ads Manager, your Page's publishing tool or in your CRM.
  • A Privacy Policy since you will be collecting customer information.

Limitations

  • Message templates cannot be edited or deleted once they are created

Create a Message Template

To create a message template, send a POST request to the /page_id/messenger_lead_forms endpoint where page_id is the ID for your business' Facebook Page. Your request must include:

  • access_token
  • privacy_url
  • step_list array that includes message, reply_type, step_id, and step_type
  • template_name
  • reminder_text

The following message template includes your template_name, your privacy_url, step_list with a welcome message in step_id: 0, questions in step_id: 1 to 4, a confirmation message in step_id: 5, and a disqualification message in step_id: 6.

Message Template Quick Reference

Example Leads Message Template

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as page_access_token, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/your_page_ID/messenger_lead_forms"
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
     -d '{
           "access_token": "Your_page_access_token",
           "privacy_url": "Your_privacy_policy_URL",
           "reminder_text": "Your_reminder_text",
           "template_name": "Your_template_name",
           "step_list": [
             {
               "step_id": "0",
               "message": "Your_welcome_message",
               "step_type": "INTRO",
               "reply_type": "NONE",
               "next_step_ids": "1"
             },
             {
               "step_id": "1"
               "message": "Are_you_interested_in_our_products_or_services?",
               "step_type": "QUESTION",
               "reply_type": "QUICK_REPLIES",
               "answers": ["Yes", "Not now", "Maybe"],
               "next_step_ids": [2,6,2],
               "allow_to_skip": false,
               "answer_validation_enabled": true
             },
             {
               "step_id": "2",
               "message": "What city do you live in?",
               "step_type": "QUESTION",
               "reply_type": "PREFILL",
               "prefill_type": "CITY",
               "next_step_ids": "3",
               "allow_to_skip": true
             },
             {
               "step_id": "3",
               "message": "What is your phone number?",
               "step_type": "QUESTION",
               "reply_type": "PREFILL",
               "prefill_type": "PHONE",
               "next_step_ids": "4",
               "allow_to_skip": false,
               "answer_validation_enabled": true
             },
             {
               "step_id": "4",
               "message": "What is your email address?",
               "step_type": "QUESTION",
               "reply_type": "PREFILL",
               "prefill_type": "EMAIL",
               "next_step_ids": "5",
               "allow_to_skip": false,
               "answer_validation_enabled": true
             },
             {
               "step_id": "5",
               "message": "Your_confirmation_message",
               "step_type": "CONFIRMATION",
               "reply_type": "NONE"
             },
             {
               "step_id": "6",
               "message": "Your_disqualification_message",
               "step_type": "DISQUALIFY",
               "reply_type": "NONE"
             }
           ]
        }'

On success your app will receive a JSON object with the ID for the template.

{
  "id": "your_messenger_lead_gen_template_id"
}

A fblead_form is also created and associated with the message template as part of this process.

Get a list of forms

To get a list of the Messenger lead generation form templates, you can send a GET request to the /page_id/messenger_lead_forms endpoint. You can also get information about a specific template by sending a GET request to /Your_messenger_lead_gen_template_id endpoint.

Ad creative examples

To create an ad creative for lead ads, send a POST request to the /act_ad_account_id/adcreatives endpoint where ad_account_id is the ID for your Meta ad account. Your request must include:

  • access_token
  • name
  • object_story_spec with a *_data object that defines the media type, image or video, and contains:
    • the *_data.page_welcome_message parameter set to the key-value pair
      • ctm_lead_gen_template_id:Your_messenger_lead_gen_template_id

Example ad creative for Messenger Ads for Leads with an Image

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as ad_account_id, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_AD_ACCOUNT_ID/adcreatives"
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
    -d '{
          "access_token": "Your_page_access_token",
          "degrees_of_freedom_spec": {
            "creative_features_spec": {
              "standard_enhancements": { "enroll_status": "OPT_IN" }
            }
          },
          "name": "Your_lead_ad_image_ad_name",
          "object_story_spec": {
            "page_id": "Your_page_id",
            "link_data": {
              "call_to_action": {
                "type": "MESSAGE_PAGE",
                "value": { "app_destination": "MESSENGER" }
              },
              "description": "Sample_description",
              "image_hash": "Your_image_hash", 
              "message": "Sample_message_for_Creative",
              "page_welcome_message": "{ "ctm_lead_gen_template_id": "Your_messenger_lead_gen_template_id" }"
            }
          }
       }'

Example ad creative for Messenger Ads for Leads with a Video

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as ad_account_id, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_AD_ACCOUNT_ID/adcreatives"
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
    -d '{
          "access_token": "Your_page_access_token",
          "degrees_of_freedom_spec": {
            "creative_features_spec": {
              "standard_enhancements": { "enroll_status": "OPT_IN" }
            }
          },
          "name": "Your_lead_ad_video_ad_name",
          "object_story_spec": {
            "page_id": "your_page_id",
            "video_data": { 
              "call_to_action": {
                "type": "MESSAGE_PAGE",
                "value":{ "app_destination": "MESSENGER" }
              },
              "image_url": "Your_thumbnail_url", 
              "link_description": "Your_link_description ",
              "message": "Sample message for Creative ",
              "page_welcome_message": "{ "ctm_lead_gen_template_id": "Your_messenger_lead_gen_template_id" }",
              "video_id": "Your_video_id" 
            }
          }
       }'

Creating ad creatives using Instagram content

Instagram Posts

Refer Use Posts as Instagram Ads for more details.

curl -X POST \
  -F 'name=Sample ad creative from Instagram post' \
  -F 'object_id=<PAGE_ID>' \
  -F 'instagram_user_id=<INSTAGRAM_USER_ID>' \
  -F 'source_instagram_media_id=<INSTAGRAM_POST_ID>' \
  -F 'call_to_action={
       "type": "INSTAGRAM_MESSAGE",
       "value": {
         "link": "https://www.instagram.com"
       }
     }' \ 
  -F 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>/adcreatives

Instagram Images

curl -X POST \
  -F 'name=Sample ad creative from Instagram image' \
  -F 'object_story_spec={
       "page_id": "<PAGE_ID>",
       "instagram_actor_id": "<INSTAGRAM_ACTOR_ID>",
       "link_data": {
         "message": "<AD_PRIMARY_TEXT>",
         "picture": "<IMAGE_URL>"
         "page_welcome_message": "<PAGE_WELCOME_MESSAGE>",
         "call_to_action": {
           "type": "INSTAGRAM_MESSAGE",
           "value": {
             "app_destination": "INSTAGRAM_DIRECT"
           }
         }
       }
     }' \
  -F 'access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>' \
https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_<AD_ACCOUNT_ID>/adcreatives

Creating ad creatives using Facebook content

Refer to Use Posts as Instagram Ads: Facebook Posts for more details.

curl -i -X POST \
  "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_<AD_ACCOUNT>/adcreatives
  ?object_story_id=<postOwnerID_postID>
  &instagram_actor_id=<IG_USER_ID>
  &call_to_action="{'type':MESSAGE_PAGE,'value':{'app_destination':'MESSENGER'}}"
  &access_token=<ACCESS_TOKEN>"

Where object_story_id is the post ID in the format of postOwnerID_postID and instagram_actor_id is either a Page-connected Instagram account ID or the Page-backed Instagram account ID. See more details in Set Up Instagram Accounts With Pages.

Step 4. Create the Ad

To create the ad you need to associate the ad creative and the ad set. To create the ad, send a POST request to the /act_ad_account_id/ads endpoint where ad_account_id is the ID for your Meta ad account. Your request must included:

  • access_token
  • adset_id (from Step 2)
  • creative_id (from Step 3)
  • name
  • status

Ad Account Ads Quick Reference

Ad with Creative Example Request

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as ad_account_id, with your values.
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v21.0/act_ad_account_id/ads"
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" 
     -d '{
           "access_token": "Your_page_access_token",
           "adset_id": "Your_ad_set_id",
           "creative": { "creative_id": "Your_ad_creative_id" },
           "status": "PAUSED"
         }'

On success your app receives the following JSON response with the ID for the ad.

{
  "id": "ad_id"
}

Call to action

You can also set a call to action when creating your ad.

"call_to_action": {
  "value": {"app_destination":"MESSENGER"},
  "type": "MESSAGE_PAGE"
}

Step 5. Publish your Ad

Verify that your ad exists in the ads manager . Click the Review and publish button in the upper right corner. Select your campaign, the ad set for the campaign, and the ad.

You can publish your ad from the ads manager or using the API. To publish using the API, repeat Step 4 with the status parameter set to ACTIVE.

Your ad will be reviewed by Meta and the status will be PENDING_REVIEW. Once approved, the status will be ACTIVE and your ad will be delivered.

Advanced Click to Messenger Elements

You can create messages that include more than one message element, like a call prompt or multiple templates. You will add these elements by setting an array of objects for the *_data.page_welcome_message value instead of a string value.

Page Welcome Message Array Quick Reference

Add a Call Prompt

You can add a call prompt to your Click to Messenger ad by setting the value of *_data.page_welcome_message to an array of objects that define your call prompt elements. Set the landing_screen_type parameter to call_prompt, media_type to text, and the text_format.message object with text to your welcome message text, and call_prompt_data.call_prompt_message set to a prompt to call your business.

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as page_access_token, with your values.
... 
      "page_welcome_message": "[
        {
          "landing_screen_type": "call_prompt",
          "media_type": "text",
          "text_format": {
            "message": {
              "text": "Your_welcome_message",
              "call_prompt_data": { 
                "call_prompt_message": "Your_call_prompt_message"
              }
            }
          },
        }
      ]"
...

Add One or More Templates

To create an ad with multiple templates set *_data.page_welcome_message parameter to an array with a message template The following example adds a template for a quick reply.

Formatted for readability. Replace bold, italics values, such as page_access_token, with your values.
... 
      "page_welcome_message": "[{
        'message': {
          'text':'  Your_question_or_directive  ',
          'quick_replies':[
            {
              'content_type':'text',
              'title':'  Option_1  ',
              'payload':'  Option_1_information_for_webhook  '
            },
            {
              'content_type':'text',
              'title':'  Option_2  ',
              'payload':'  Option_2_information_for_webhook  '
            },
            {
              'content_type':'text',
              'title':'  Option_3  ',
              'payload':'  Option_3_information_for_webhook  '
            }
          ]
        }
      }]",
...

Next steps

If you have not already, set up webhooks to get notifications for when a person clicks on your ad.

Learn More

Learn more about the Marketing API and additional options for Click to Messenger.

Marketing API

Messenger Platform