Do you know the problem with automated messages? We may have some pretty controversial thoughts on this…
What is the problem with automated messages?
Let’s dive in to why automated messages exist…
Automated messages have become commonplace as auto responses on social media, as a way of ‘pacifying’ anyone who’s messaged us, whilst they await a reply.
For many years, Facebook used to almost ‘threaten us’ with a message saying that we are not being as responsive as we need to be with our customers if we hadn’t jumped on a messenger within 5 seconds of a message being received. Does this happen to you too?
That is not viable for every business. In a world where things are pretty much instant nowadays for many aspects of service, small businesses can’t and shouldn’t work like this! This is where automated messages come in, as a way of giving the person who’s messaged you a reason for not having an immediate bespoke response, but making it clear you will message them asap.
There are lots of special features that small businesses have to offer that bigger companies would love to emulate, but can’t. This is one feature a small business needs to let go.
Auto messages usually have the same format – they tell people that you will be with them when you can. Of course you will. Some people sometimes add links, but you have your links in your bio on Instagram.
Not only can small businesses not complete with big business in this way, but auto messages do have downsides.
Here’s the problem with automated messages…
The problem with automated messages is that they can create negativity for your business, such as these 5 key issues:
Lack of authenticity – People can usually tell when a message is automated, which makes it feel impersonal or even spammy. That’s a quick way to lose trust in your business.
Context failure – Bots often miss the nuance or tone of a conversation, leading to awkward or inappropriate replies that could hurt your brand image. Personalised is always best!
Over-automation – Flooding users with auto-replies or scheduled posts can come off as lazy or disingenuous (especially during sensitive events, emergencies or crises). Sometimes, for every message they send it’ll create an auto responses, which can get annoying.
Poor engagement – Generic messages don’t inspire real interaction, which is the whole point of social media. They often get ignored or lead to low-quality engagement.
Spam risk – Some platforms might penalise accounts that use a lot of automation, especially if it resembles bot behaviour, which could be detrimental for your account.
In summary
On Facebook messenger, leave an auto response if you wish, because it stops Meta telling you that you aren’t ‘responsive enough’, (it’s monitored more on FB). On Instagram, turn them off. You can manage this within your business suite on settings and notifications. It’s not necessary on Insta, so best to go without them.
Some people do add links to these messages, but directing customers to your bio links instead is a better way of encouraging interaction with your page and the algorithm will log those interactions better too.
Most companies have a function that allows them to show if the message has been read, so is there any need for anything else? We know, as customers, that if a message hasn’t been read then we need to wait a little longer or head over to the business’ website and enquire or seek answers ourselves.
So… let’s not pretend we are huge companies, let’s get back to people when we can (ideally within 48 hours, unless it’s a weekend and it could be longer). We need to normalise this, and run our businesses guilt free!
There is a but…
When you go on holiday, you cannot shut your Instagram account down and you might not want to publicly announce that you are away (people knowing your house/business is empty can be a security risk). In this case, the addition of an automated message would be ideal, to let people know you will respond to them soon but are taking leave. Just as you’d put this type of message on your website or shop, it’s also acceptable to put it on social media.