Automatic Welcome Message: Structure and Examples That Work
An automatic welcome message greets every new person who writes in for the first time, setting the tone and steering the conversation within seconds. It is the simplest automation scenario, and often the first one activated. Written well, it saves time without ever feeling like talking to a cold robot.
The difference between a welcome message that works and one that sends people running comes down to three things: length, usefulness, and honesty about what it is. Here is how to build one.
1. What a welcome message is actually for
The welcome message goes out automatically on first contact. Its role is not to replace a conversation, but to start one: introduce yourself in a sentence, say what the person can expect, and ask an open question to invite them to clarify what they need. It is also a chance to point to the information you get asked for most, before you have to answer it for the tenth time.
2. The structure of a good welcome message
A good welcome message fits in three sentences, maximum. The longer it is, the less it gets read.
- A short greeting: thank them for writing, introduce yourself in a few words.
- One immediately useful piece of information: what you offer, where to find the essentials, or a direct link.
- An open question or a clear choice: to move the conversation forward rather than close it down.
3. Examples that ring true
Here are two welcome messages that work well, for different contexts:
- A small brand: “Thanks for writing! You’ll find our full catalog pinned in our ‘Shop’ story highlight. Have a specific question about an order or a product?”
- A creator: “Hey, thanks for the message! I reply to everything myself as soon as I can (usually within ~24h). In the meantime, my latest content is pinned in my story highlights.”
4. Examples to avoid
On the flip side, a few habits break trust from the very first message:
- Pretending to be human when the reply is obviously automatic: people notice, and it grates more than a message that owns what it is.
- A wall of text with five different links: nobody reads it in full.
- A heavy sales tone from the first line, before having offered anything useful yet.
Welcome message: best practices and pitfalls to avoid
Do
- Keep it short: three sentences, maximum
- Give one useful piece of information right away
- Own the fact it is automatic when it fits the context
- End with an open question or a clear choice
Avoid
- Pretend to be a human
- Stack several links and pieces of information
- Sound salesy before being useful
- Leave the conversation with nowhere to go
5. Where to set it up
The welcome message is one of the seven automation triggers available in Perroly, alongside the comment keyword or the away message. Our article on Perroly’s automation triggers covers all of them. It is built directly from the unified inbox, with no technical skills required, and goes live in minutes.
For a full overview of every automation possible on Instagram and Facebook, our complete guide to automated messaging is the right place to start. And to keep the right tone over time, our article on automating your DMs without sounding like a robot pairs well with this one.
Frequently asked questions
Does the welcome message go out with every new message?
It goes out on a person’s first contact; scenarios can be configured so it does not repeat on every new message within the same conversation.
Should you say the message is automatic?
It is not required, but it is often more honest and better received to own it when the context calls for it, rather than pretending a human is on the other end.
Can the message be customized per network?
Yes, the welcome message is configured separately for Instagram and for a Facebook Page, with a tone suited to each.