What This Feature Does
When a shopper messages you on Instagram, Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp, your Rep AI assistant now recognizes who they are from the very first message — starting with their name, and on Instagram, their relationship with your brand. Instead of replying to an anonymous contact, your AI greets shoppers by name and can tailor its approach for your most valuable Instagram followers.
This works automatically. There's nothing to switch on and no new screen to learn — once a Meta channel is connected, your AI simply knows more about each shopper and uses it in every reply.
What Your AI Now Recognizes
How much your AI can recognize depends on what each platform shares:
Channel | What your AI recognizes |
|---|---|
Name, username, follower count, verified status, and whether the shopper follows your account | |
Facebook Messenger | Name |
Name |
Instagram offers the richest signals because Meta shares more there. On Messenger and WhatsApp, your AI knows the shopper's name — often the single most useful detail for a warm, personal reply.
How Your AI Uses It
Greets shoppers by name across Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp for a more personal, human conversation.
Adapts to the relationship on Instagram — your AI can recognize a verified account, a high-follower shopper, or someone who doesn't yet follow you, and adjust its reply accordingly.
This happens as part of your AI's normal reasoning. You don't need to configure anything for it to start using the shopper's name.
Personalize Further with Instructions (Instagram)
Because Instagram gives your AI richer signals, you can write simple rules that treat certain shoppers differently. Add them to your general AI instructions, or to the Instagram-specific instructions (the "Use specific AI instructions for Instagram messages" toggle in your Instagram settings — see the article titled "Extend Your AI to Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Messages").
Write them in plain language, for example:
"If an Instagram shopper is verified or has over 10,000 followers, treat them as a VIP — lead with free expedited shipping."
"If an Instagram shopper doesn't follow us yet, offer a 10% discount in exchange for a follow."
"Always greet Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp shoppers by their first name."
Your AI applies these the same way it follows the rest of your guidance — no new rule builder to learn.
In Your Console
When you open an Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp conversation on your Conversations page, the shopper's name appears in the customer details, just like it does for your website chats. (The Instagram follower and relationship signals are used by your AI to shape its replies; they aren't shown as a separate panel in the Console.)
What Rep AI Can't See
A few limits come from the messaging platforms, not from Rep AI:
Email is never available on Instagram or Messenger — Meta doesn't share it.
Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp provide the shopper's name only — no follower count, verified status, or follow information.
Instagram signals refresh periodically, so a very recent change on the shopper's Instagram profile may take up to a day to be reflected.
Do I Need to Set Anything Up?
No. As long as the Meta channel is connected to Rep AI (see the article titled "Extend Your AI to Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Messages"), your AI recognizes shoppers automatically. The only optional step is writing Instagram personalization instructions like the examples above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I have to turn this on?
A: No. It works automatically once your Instagram, Facebook, or WhatsApp channel is connected.
Q: Why does Instagram give my AI more than Facebook or WhatsApp?
A: Each platform decides how much it shares. Instagram exposes the most (including follower count and verified status); Messenger and WhatsApp share the shopper's name.
Q: Can my AI see the shopper's email from Instagram or Facebook?
A: No. Meta doesn't share email for these channels.
Q: Where do I write rules that use Instagram follower count or verified status?
A: In your general AI instructions, or in the Instagram-specific instructions in your integration settings. Write them in plain language and your AI will apply them.
Q: Will I see the follower count or verified badge in my Console?
A: Those Instagram signals are used by your AI to personalize replies. In the Console conversation view you'll see the shopper's name; the additional Instagram signals aren't displayed as a separate panel.