Skip to main content
rendevo

Connecting Messenger & Instagram

Connect Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct to receive messages in your unified Inbox.

Prerequisites

Subscription Requirement

  • Growth Plan or Higher required
  • Not available on Free or Solo plans

For Facebook Messenger

  • Facebook Page (must be Page admin)
  • Page must be published (not in draft mode)
  • Business Manager access (recommended)

For Instagram

  • Instagram Professional account (Business or Creator)
  • Account must be linked to a Facebook Page
  • Must have admin access to both Instagram and Facebook Page

Setting Up Facebook Messenger

Step 1: Start Integration

  1. Go to Settings → Integrations
  2. Find Facebook Messenger card
  3. Click Connect
  4. System checks your subscription tier

Step 2: Meta OAuth Authorization

  1. Redirected to Facebook login
  2. Log in with account that has Page admin access
  3. Review requested permissions
  4. Click Continue

Step 3: Select Facebook Page

  1. Choose which Facebook Page to connect
  2. You can only connect one Page at a time
  3. Select the Page you use for your business
  4. Click Confirm

Step 4: Webhook Setup

  • System automatically subscribes webhooks
  • Configures message delivery
  • Sets up real-time notifications
  • No manual configuration needed

Step 5: Verify Messenger Connection

  1. Redirected to Integrations page
  2. Status shows Connected
  3. Send test message to your Page on Facebook
  4. Check Inbox - message should appear within seconds

Setting Up Instagram Direct

Step 1: Ensure Prerequisites

  1. Convert to Professional Account (if needed):

    • Open Instagram app
    • Go to Settings → Account
    • Select "Switch to Professional Account"
    • Choose Business or Creator
  2. Link to Facebook Page:

    • In Instagram app: Settings → Account
    • Select "Linked Accounts"
    • Connect your Facebook Page
    • Verify connection successful

Step 2: Start Integration in rendevo

  1. Go to Settings → Integrations
  2. Find Instagram Direct card
  3. Click Connect

Step 3: Meta OAuth

  1. Log in to Facebook account
  2. Same account must have access to:
    • The Facebook Page
    • The linked Instagram account
  3. Review permissions
  4. Click Allow

Step 4: Select Instagram Account

  1. System shows Instagram accounts linked to your Pages
  2. Select the Professional account to connect
  3. Confirm selection

Step 5: Verify Instagram Connection

  1. Status shows Connected
  2. Send test DM to your Instagram account
  3. Message appears in Inbox
  4. Try replying from rendevo

How Multi-Platform Inbox Works

Unified Conversations

  • All platforms appear in one Inbox
  • Each conversation shows platform badge
  • Filter by platform in Inbox sidebar

Platform-Specific Features

WhatsApp:

  • Full message history
  • Media sharing (images, documents)
  • Status indicators (sent, delivered, read)

Messenger:

  • Full message history
  • Media sharing
  • Reactions (if customer uses them)

Instagram:

  • Direct messages only (not comments)
  • Image and video sharing
  • Story replies appear as messages

AI Agent Support

  • AI works across all platforms
  • Same booking capabilities on each platform
  • Intent recognition works universally
  • Can enable/disable AI per platform in Settings

Common Issues

Messenger Issues

"Page Not Found"

Cause: Not admin of selected Page Solution:

  1. Go to Facebook Page settings
  2. Check your Page role (must be Admin)
  3. If not admin, ask Page owner to add you
  4. Retry connection

"Messages Not Appearing from Messenger"

Cause: Webhook not properly configured Solution:

  1. Check integration status (should show green "Connected")
  2. Send test message to Page
  3. Wait 30-60 seconds
  4. Refresh Inbox
  5. If still not working, disconnect and reconnect

Instagram Issues

"Instagram Account Not Found"

Cause: Account not linked to Facebook Page or not Professional Solution:

  1. Verify Instagram account is Professional (Business or Creator)
  2. Open Instagram app → Settings → Account → Linked Accounts
  3. Ensure Facebook Page is connected
  4. If not linked, connect it in Instagram
  5. Wait 5 minutes, then retry in rendevo

"Messages Delayed on Instagram"

Cause: Meta API rate limiting or processing delays Solution:

  • Instagram webhook delivery can be 1-2 minutes delayed
  • This is normal for Meta's Instagram API
  • Refresh Inbox periodically
  • Check integration status for errors

General Integration Issues

"Access Token Expired"

Cause: Facebook/Meta token needs renewal Solution:

  1. Integration status shows "Error" or "Disconnected"
  2. Click Reconnect
  3. Reauthorize through OAuth
  4. Token refreshed automatically

Security & Privacy

Access Tokens

  • Stored encrypted in secure vault
  • Automatically rotated for security
  • Never exposed in client-side code
  • Can be revoked through Facebook/Meta settings

Message Data

  • All messages encrypted at rest
  • Decrypted only when viewing in Inbox
  • Compliant with data privacy regulations
  • Customer data never shared with third parties

Managing Multiple Platforms

Best Practices

  1. Connect All Channels: Centralize customer communication
  2. Consistent Branding: Use same business info across platforms
  3. Monitor All Platforms: Check Inbox regularly for messages
  4. Enable Notifications: Get alerted to new messages
  5. AI Settings: Configure AI behavior per platform if needed

Limitations

What's NOT Supported

  • ❌ Instagram comments (only DMs)
  • ❌ Instagram story mentions (only story replies)
  • ❌ Facebook Page comments (only Messenger)
  • ❌ Messenger group chats
  • ❌ Instagram broadcast channels