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
- Go to Settings → Integrations
- Find Facebook Messenger card
- Click Connect
- System checks your subscription tier
Step 2: Meta OAuth Authorization
- Redirected to Facebook login
- Log in with account that has Page admin access
- Review requested permissions
- Click Continue
Step 3: Select Facebook Page
- Choose which Facebook Page to connect
- You can only connect one Page at a time
- Select the Page you use for your business
- 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
- Redirected to Integrations page
- Status shows Connected
- Send test message to your Page on Facebook
- Check Inbox - message should appear within seconds
Setting Up Instagram Direct
Step 1: Ensure Prerequisites
Convert to Professional Account (if needed):
- Open Instagram app
- Go to Settings → Account
- Select "Switch to Professional Account"
- Choose Business or Creator
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
- Go to Settings → Integrations
- Find Instagram Direct card
- Click Connect
Step 3: Meta OAuth
- Log in to Facebook account
- Same account must have access to:
- The Facebook Page
- The linked Instagram account
- Review permissions
- Click Allow
Step 4: Select Instagram Account
- System shows Instagram accounts linked to your Pages
- Select the Professional account to connect
- Confirm selection
Step 5: Verify Instagram Connection
- Status shows Connected
- Send test DM to your Instagram account
- Message appears in Inbox
- 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:
- Go to Facebook Page settings
- Check your Page role (must be Admin)
- If not admin, ask Page owner to add you
- Retry connection
"Messages Not Appearing from Messenger"
Cause: Webhook not properly configured Solution:
- Check integration status (should show green "Connected")
- Send test message to Page
- Wait 30-60 seconds
- Refresh Inbox
- If still not working, disconnect and reconnect
Instagram Issues
"Instagram Account Not Found"
Cause: Account not linked to Facebook Page or not Professional Solution:
- Verify Instagram account is Professional (Business or Creator)
- Open Instagram app → Settings → Account → Linked Accounts
- Ensure Facebook Page is connected
- If not linked, connect it in Instagram
- 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:
- Integration status shows "Error" or "Disconnected"
- Click Reconnect
- Reauthorize through OAuth
- 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
- Connect All Channels: Centralize customer communication
- Consistent Branding: Use same business info across platforms
- Monitor All Platforms: Check Inbox regularly for messages
- Enable Notifications: Get alerted to new messages
- 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