MENUMENU
  • Services
    • Services
      • Search Engine Optimization
      • Local SEO
      • Generative Engine Optimization
      • Digital PR
      • Content Marketing
      • Email Marketing Services
      • Lifecycle Marketing
      • Paid Media Advertising
      • Social Media Marketing
      • Creative Design Services
      • Conversion Rate Optimization
      • Website Design & Development
      • Amazon Marketing Services
      • Franchise Marketing
      • Franchise Development
      • National to Local Marketing
      • Reporting and Data Analytics
      • Digital Marketing Strategy
  • Who We Serve
    • Who We Serve
      • Franchise Marketing
      • B2B Marketing
      • Lead Generation
      • Ecommerce
      • We Build Custom Strategies
      • View Sample Industries
  • About Us
    • About Ignite Visibility
      • Our Story
      • Our Values
      • Our Team
      • Clients
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Our Blog
      • Marketing Resources
      • Franchise Marketing Resources
      • Careers
      • Hiring Notice
  • Case Studies
  • Awards
  • Contact
  • 619.752.1955
Home / Blog / 5 Ways to Add Page Fans to Your Facebook Messenger Contact List

5 Ways to Add Page Fans to Your Facebook Messenger Contact List

September 5, 2018 By John Lincoln

Think Facebook for business is dead?

Think again.

Thanks to the popularity of Facebook’s Messenger platform, businesses have a whole new way to connect and engage with fans on Facebook.

In this article, I’ll show you how you can use your existing fans and visitors to build your Facebook Messenger contact list.

5 Ways to Add Page Fans to Your Facebook Messenger Contact List

Why a Facebook Messenger Contact List is Important For Business

Let’s face it, Facebook for business isn’t what it used to be.

Thanks to algorithm updates and the recent push for privacy, reaching fans is no easy feat for a business page.

Even Facebook ads – long hailed for their detailed targeting and reach – are facing restrictions and oversaturation.

But for Messenger? Well, that’s a different story entirely.

Using the (extremely popular) feature for businesses offers many an alternative and much-needed way to connect and engage with fans.

After all, Facebook Messenger:

  • Has 1.3 billion users (more than Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram combined!)
  • Users have 7 billion conversations on Messenger every day
  • Over 2 billion messages are sent each month between people and businesses
  • Messenger earns 15 times more engagement than standard ads
  • Appeals to 73% of your customers, more than phone or email support

Why the switch?

Well, it’s a quick and easy way to provide customer service, for one.

Not to mention it’s the second most popular form of communication for customers when interacting with brands.

Start growing your Facebook Messenger contact list. Image courtesy of MobileMonkey
Start growing your Facebook Messenger contact list. Image courtesy of MobileMonkey

And to top it all off, it provides real-time, more personal interaction with the people that matter most – your fans.

There is a caveat, of course.

That being that the shift towards Messenger means businesses are now charged with finding ways to turn their Business Page fans into Messenger contacts.

While it’s not as easy as simply clicking a button and blasting your chat to an entire Page or Group, there are a few ways to make sure your fans are converting to Messenger contacts. 

First, Let’s Talk Chatbots

You may have heard a thing or two about chatbots (you may have even read my guide here).

Either way, it’s well worth a quick rehash.

Chatbots are the pop-ups that appear on websites and Facebook from businesses wanting to interact.

For Facebook, they generally display when a user searches for a specific business within the Messenger app.

From there, the user can choose to interact with the app and receive daily updates.

These are powered by AI (though a human can take over at any time), and designed to auto-respond to a customer’s inquiry.

Bots can come in a few different forms:

  • News bots: inform you when major news happens
  • Travel bots: deliver train or bus timetables
  • Cooking bots – gives cooking tips and advice
  • Banking/personal finance bots – transfers and helps manage money
  • Advice bots – tell it your problems and it will help with a solution

Of course, this relies on Facebook users going out and engaging your business on Messenger.

Their initial interaction – whether it’s a “Send to Messenger” click or replying to Welcome screen – acts as that user’s opt-in.

From then on, you have permission to send them Messages.

So rather than hoping your post pops up in a newsfeed, anything you say via Messenger will come with its own notification.

And here’s the real kicker: if a user “opts-in” to your Messages, you can collect contact information like their first and last name, profile picture, and location (this doesn’t apply to every scenario, and I highly suggest you take a look at this page to see what does and doesn’t count as an opt-in).

Of course, not everything has to be run on auto(bot) pilot. You can still use Messenger to send blasts like you would otherwise do through email.

While most of the time you’re interacting with users one on one, you can use Messenger to send to multiple recipients with Broadcast Messages.

Naturally, that first requires you have a contact list to send to.   

Remember, when starting out it’s important to take the proactive approach and target the users most pre-qualified and likely to engage with your bot: your Business Page fans.

Here’s how.

Run Messenger-Specific Facebook Ads

If you thought you’d escaped ads entirely, think again.

Facebook ads continue to be a leading way to engage users – even if they’ve already liked your page.

And, thanks to a recent ad update, they go hand-in-hand with Messenger.

Say hello to Click-to-Messenger ads, designed to get more users to interact with your chatbot.

When a user clicks or taps your ad in their newsfeed, it will direct them immediately to a conversation with your bot in the Messenger app.

The best part?

You can target these ads directly to your Facebook Page fans.

The setup is extremely similar to other Facebook ads.

Start by going to Facebook Ads Manager and selecting “Messages” as your marketing objective. Click continue.

Select Messages as your ad goal to grow your Facebook Messenger contact list
Select Messages as your ad goal to grow your Facebook Messenger contact list

When you get to the Message Destination select “Click to Messenger.”

Then, add in your demographic and targeting information as usual.

To target your Messenger ad to your Page fans specifically, scroll down to and click the Connections dropdown. You should see “People who like your Page” at the very top of the list.

Target people who like your business page to grow your Facebook Messenger contact list
Target people who like your business page to grow your Facebook Messenger contact list

Once you’ve set your budget, etc. continue to click through until you come to the Format page (you can choose single image, carousel, or video), and scroll down to find the Messenger Setup section.

This is where you can choose what a user sees when the click to interact with your bot. You can either:

  • Use the JSON tab, which enables you to manually enter JSON that describes the message, or
  • Use the Standard tab, which allows you to use the Quick Creation tool

With the standard template, you’ll find prompts with common questions asked by users so you can preload answers as users engage.

Add personalization to your Click to Messenger ad
Add personalization to your Click to Messenger ad

One thing to keep in mind as you create your Messenger ads: You need to use text and creative that prompts a conversation.

Take Sephora, for example.

They used Click to Messenger ads to push in-store makeover reservations. When someone clicks the ad, it leads them straight into a conversation where they could discuss and book immediately.

Sephora's ad is great example of how to build your Facebook Messenger contact list
Sephora’s ad is great example of how to build your Facebook Messenger contact list

The result of their Messenger ads? An 11% higher booking rate.

Speaking of ads, there’s one more I should mention: the Sponsored Message.

These are Messages sent directly to everyone who currently has an open conversation with your Page.

The set up here is very similar to the Click to Messenger ads, but instead of selecting Click to Messenger in the Message Destination section you’ll select Sponsored Message.

This is a cool one because it allows you to take your list of existing contacts and segment them based on location, gender, interests, etc.

It’s great for a business running promotions in specific locations or sending breaking news to its audience based on segmented interests.

Use Messenger on Your Website for a Bigger Facebook Messenger Contact List

Here’s a cool one for you.

You know how when you visit websites, you’re often greeted with a chatbot?

Well, using Facebook’s Customer Chat Plugin, you can integrate Messenger directly with your website. Doing so will mean the popup that greets your visitors will be powered by your Messenger presence.

Use a chatbox plugin on your site to build your Facebook Messenger contact list
Use a chatbox plugin on your site to build your Facebook Messenger contact list

The plugin will automatically load the recent chat history between you and the user to form a singular stream of communication and continue conversations long after they’ve left your site.

For existing fans, it will create a seamless, more personal experience.

It’s also a great way to integrate anyone who engages with a chatbot on your website to your Facebook Messenger contacts.

The easiest way to set up the plugin is using the setup tool provided by Facebook.

Start by navigating to Page Settings > Messenger Platform. Scroll down to the “Customer Chat Plugin” section and click setup.

From there, you can customize your greeting, theme color, and domain for the plugin.

Customize your customer chat plugin
Customize your customer chat plugin

Then, the tool will automatically generate a code you can copy and paste into the chat plugin on your website.

Add a Messenger “Opt-In” to Website Forms to Grow Your Facebook Messenger Contact List

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, as marketers we all know the value of a submission form.

After all, when done well they’re one of the top ways to collect email contact information from your website visitors.

But what if you could use that form to collect Messenger contacts, too?

Good news: you can.

To use it, you have to include the Facebook for Javascript SDK in the page where the plugin will be (more on Facebook Javascript here).

You can use it throughout various forms on your site.

For example, while checking out you can ask to keep in contact via Messenger.

Use checkbox plugins to build your Facebook Messenger contact list
Use checkbox plugins to build your Facebook Messenger contact list

Or, include in your usual newsletter sign up.

MobileMonkey uses a checkbox plugin to grow their Facebook Messenger contact list
MobileMonkey uses a checkbox plugin to grow their Facebook Messenger contact list

That way, you not only have an email to send your newsletters and blasts too, but you can contact them via Messenger as well.

Remember, as with any opt-in, it has to be triggered by a check our button press from the user – you can’t automatically enroll them or show them pre-filled checkboxes.

Attach Auto-Responders to Your Facebook Posts to Grow Your Facebook Messenger Contact List

Looking for a more straightforward route to target your Page fans directly?

This is the one for you.

Using the comment-to-messenger method, you can privately send a message to anyone who comments on any of your Facebook posts.

To configure this, you’ll need the help of a chatbot tool like MobileMonkey, ManyChat, or WhatsHelp.

Because each tool is different, the setup will look a little different for each.

But the gist is this: you’ll create a Facebook post as usual, then in the backend of your Chatbot software you’ll enter in the message you would like to respond this and link it back to the original post.

Having done that, when a user responds to your post they’ll automatically be sent a message from you.

If they respond, they’ll then be saved on your contact list.

With that in mind, your goal is to create as interactive a post as possible.

Always do the following:

  • Use a clear CTA that prompts the user to leave a comment
  • Let the user know that they will be receiving a message in reply
  • Once the message pops up, it needs to ask a question or otherwise invoke a response from the user (remember, it’s only an “opt-in” if the user interacts freely).

Take a look at this example from WhatsHelp.

Auto-respond to comments to build your Facebook Messenger contact list
Auto-respond to comments to build your Facebook Messenger contact list

In the original post, the author clearly states that a comment needs to be left and a message will be sent in response.

Then, in the message reply, the author again clearly tells the recipient that they must reply to the message to receive the download.

It’s another take on the tried-and-true double opt-in, and ensures you have qualified leads while building your Facebook Messenger contact list.

Use Customer Match to Grow Your Facebook Messenger Contact List

This one skips a lot of the legwork by letting you connect your existing customers to your bot using their phone numbers or name.

Customer Match uses a Send API, which allows you to send a message based on the phone number or first and last name.

Using this, if the API finds a match that hasn’t already opted-in to your Messages, it will send a request.

If the user accepts the request, they’ll then be a part of your contact list.

To use Customer Match, the following requirements must be met:

  • The customer agrees to let you send them messages.
  • The content sent is non-promotional
  • The content complies with the same Platform Policies that apply for Subscription Messages.

You can find out more on how to send Messages with the Send API here.

Wrapping Up How to Grow Your Facebook Messenger Contact List

I think we can all agree that Messaging is a must in an ongoing Facebook strategy.

And the good news is Facebook’s made it possible to connect with users in a variety of ways.

Whether you choose to send Click to Messenger ads, include checkbox plugins in your website forms, or appeal to your existing customer directly, there are plenty of ways you can – and should – take advantage of Facebook Messenger for business.  

Related Posts

  • How to Get More Active Fans on Facebook

    “Engage or die” might seem like an extreme social media axiom to live by, but…

  • How to Check Messages for a Facebook Page

    Facebook now allows users to send messages to business pages. Page owners cannot send a…

  • How to Do Screen Sharing on Facebook Messenger

    Facebook updated its iOS and Android Messenger apps so that users can now share their…

About John Lincoln

John Lincoln (MBA) is the CEO of Ignite Visibility, a top performance marketing agency backed by Mountaingate Capital. A digital marketing strategist and keynote speaker, Lincoln has managed over 1,000 marketing programs for brands like DoorDash, HBO, Tony Robbins, and Experian. Under his leadership, Ignite Visibility has been named a leading digital marketing agency in the U.S. and made the Inc. 5,000 list six times. Lincoln also spearheaded the development of CertaintyTech, a cutting-edge media mix modelling and forecasting platform. An award-winning marketer, Lincoln has authored three books, including Advolution (2022), and produced films such as SEO: The Movie. Recognized as a Top Business Leader, he has been featured in Forbes and The New York Times and spoken at global events like Web Summit and SMX. Lincoln's mission is to empower businesses through innovative digital strategies while reinvesting in clients, employees, and the community.

About Ignite

Ignite Visibility is a premier full-service digital marketing agency. We were founded in San Diego, CA but are now a 100% remote-first company with Igniters and clients around the globe.

Ignite Visibility is one of the highest awarded digital marketing agencies in the industry, works with some of the biggest brands in the world and is a 6x Inc. 5000 company.

noun-trading

Our Services

Ignite Visibility offers Award-Winning Services including comprehensive full-funnel digital marketing strategies. Learn more about our most popular service offerings below:

  • SEO Search Engine Optimization
  • PPC Pay Per Click
  • Email Marketing
  • Social Media
  • Creative
  • View All Services

Contact Us. Let’s Chat!

  • This field is hidden when viewing the form

Marketing Guides

SEO In 2020: How To Prepare For Major Disruption

"SEO: The Movie" - Have You Seen Our Film? Watch Now

"Social Media Marketing: The Movie" - Have You Seen Our Film? Watch Now

Amazon Seller Central vs Vendor Central

Listen To The Podcast Featuring The Best Minds In Marketing

John Lincoln Interviews Global Director of Digital Marketing & Strategy at Qualcomm, Jessica Jensen

Check Out 227 Free Online Marketing Classes

The 2020 Guide To Dominating SEO With Advanced Schema

Learn More About Our Digital Marketing Agency

Learn More About Our SEO Services

Learn More About Our Paid Media Services

SELECT CATEGORY

Become A Contributor

Interested in writing for Ignite Visibility?

APPLY NOW

noun-chat

Let's Chat

Ready to grow your online visibility and sales?

Request Your Free Proposal

Work With Us

NEWSLETTER // SIGN UP NOW










noun-strategy

Free Marketing Resources

  • Digital Marketing Resources
  • Marketing Strategy Videos
  • Weekly Marketing News Recaps
noun-strategy

Most Popular Blogs

  • How Long Does SEO Take?
  • Multi-Location SEO: Top Strategies
  • Google AI Overviews: Everything You Need to Know
  • Technical SEO 101
  • 18 Google Ad Extensions You Should Use
  • Complete Guide to Google Responsive Display Ads
  • Capitalizing on Local Service Ads
  • How SEO and PPC Work Together
  • Community Management Best Practices
  • B2B Social Media Marketing Guide
  • VIEW ALL BLOGS
noun-letter

Join Our Newsletter

CONNECT WITH US

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • linkedin

Services

  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Generative Engine Optimization
  • Pay Per Click Management
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Email Marketing
  • Conversion Rate Optimization
  • Website Design & Development
  • Creative Design
  • Content Marketing
  • Digital PR
  • Franchise Marketing
  • Digital Marketing Agency Services

About

  • Our Team
  • Our Values
  • Clients
  • Industry
  • Reviews
  • Careers
  • Marketing Resources
  • Privacy Policy & Service Terms
  • Advertising Disclosures
  • Sitemap

Contact

4370 La Jolla Village Drive
Suite 320
San Diego, California 92122

619.752.1955

Join The Newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest from Ignite Visibility.











google parther logo

©2025 Ignite Visibility. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy and Terms of Service