Recall, in a previous blog entry, I talked briefly about the Beluga app – a closed group messaging application that used no telephone numbers – consequently, it is quite different than the various TN-based group messaging capabilities that some NUVOs have launched. I am not saying that Facebook themselves are making this claim – not at all that I am aware of, but there are many who are writing out there that also claim that Apple iMessage – when it launches is part of iOS 5, this fall, will also be an “SMS killer.” Again, not so fast – and don’t forget – that iMessage will send its messages via SMS, if the destination is not an iOS device! Again – a closed community, for the most part – this time, among iOS devices – that uses SMS to reach non-iOS devices. To call a service an “SMS killer” is one thing, as these writers claim, but many ignore that this service actually leverages SMS – in fact SMS short codes. Facebook Messenger is certainly a nice new expansion for the Facebook community. In the case of the new Facebook Messenger app – it enables the Facebook community to interact with their community via a dedicated app. Many people are already familiar with getting SMS from the Facebook short codes. Most IM services offer interaction to SMS – and Facebook Messages is no exception. When we go beyond all of the hype and the fact that is a 2-way messaging capability on a mobile device, what we have here is that Facebook Chat/Messenger is simply another IM Community – albeit a very large and powerful community. The problem with IM is that the various communities have never really been interoperable with one another (which makes for good business for products such as Trillian by Cerulean Studios – users may sign into multiple IM communities using a single client or app). I would suspect that this is more of a threat to various Instant Messaging (IM) services than it is to SMS. But, to read the various headlines such as from BBC, or FierceContent, (and quite a few more - not all of them, mind you, but quite a few) you might get the idea that here is something that will be the true “SMS killer.” Notwithstanding the over-imaginative headlines, I think Facebook Messenger is nothing more than an expansion of the popular online-based Facebook “chat” service. Check the Autopilot Query logs, you should see the message you sent from Facebook Messenger in the query logs.Not by a long shot.Send your first message, you should get a response from Autopilot.Search for the name of your Facebook page.Open your Facebook Messenger app on your mobile.
Now that you have Facebook Messenger configured it's time to test! You will see a URL, copy that URL, then go back to the FB Messenger Configuration page and paste that URL on the Callback URL field.Click on it and make sure you're on Configuration. Then click on the assistant that is going to power the Facebook Messenger Bot. On the left-hand menu, click Your Bots.So, open a new tab, and to Autopilot in the Twilio Console. At this point, we need to configure the Callback URL with the Autopilot URL for Facebook Messenger.You'll see most of the Configuration fields auto-populate below. Select the Facebook page that you want to build your Bot for.This will link your Facebook page with your Twilio Account. In the Credentials section, click the Facebook Log in button to link and follow the instructions.In the Properties section, select Use in -> Programmable SMS Inbound.Once installed, you'll see a Configure section.
If you don't have one follow these instructions to create one here.
On this page, we'll walk you through how to link your Facebook account to Autopilot so you can get started building your Facebook Messenger bot. With Twilio Autopilot, you can build Facebook Messenger bots. Programming Tasks with Autopilot Actionsįor more about using Facebook Messenger with Twilio, see the documentation on Twilio Channels.How to hand-off messaging conversations to your contact center Node.js Quickstart using Twilio Functions