Facebook Messenger Page Ban

Why Facebook Messenger Banned My Page & What I’m Doing About It

Guys, this is pretty embarrassing.

Last month I got banned by Facebook Messenger because too many people were blocking my Messenger bot.

This is what I saw in my Facebook Business Page last month —

The error message was:

Limits have been placed on Larry Kim
This page is restricted from the use of message tags, subscription and broadcast messaging, and sponsored messages. Your page will still be able to respond to messages according to standard messaging permissions.

So yes, you can be banned from Facebook Messenger. Yikes, right?

In this post, you’ll get the answer to three critical questions about Facebook Messenger marketing.

  1. Is your Facebook page at risk of being banned?
  2. Why are people blocking you on Facebook Messenger?
  3. What do you do if Facebook Messenger bans you?

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Is your Facebook page at risk of being banned by Facebook Messenger?

Facebook Messenger bans pages that have really bad engagement metrics.

It’s the same way that MailChimp or any other email marketing program works. If your marketing emails are marked as spam, you lose the privilege to use the platform.

In Facebook Messenger marketing, it boils down to one main thing: high block rates.

If you play fast and loose with Facebook Messenger chatbots, things can get dicey. And if your block rates go up, Facebook will treat you like a donkey. Boom. Banned.

Do not be a Facebook Messenger Donkey

How to check your Facebook Messenger block rates

So how do you figure out if your page is getting bad engagement metrics?

Look in your Business Manager or Facebook Page Insights. From your Facebook Business Page, click Insights, then Messages:

Facebook Messenger Insights

This number shows how many connections you had made in the month, how many were blocked, and the overall percentage — your block rate.

What’s an average block rate and what’s a high block rate on Facebook Messenger?

  • 1-2% – Normal. A few people blocking you on Facebook Messenger, but nothing to get concerned about.
  • 3-5% – Above average. If your number starts creeping up to 3% or more, it’s time to take a look at what you’re doing and why more people are blocking you.
  • 6-8% – High. Something is clearly off, and you’re approaching the danger zone.

This is what happened to my page just before I got blocked. Check out my block rate during 20 days in October and November as I was ramping up a major ad campaign.

I had 8,422 Facebook Messenger connections. A whopping 8% of them blocked me.

Facebook Messenger Insights Block Rate

This is terrible.

Why? Because people have to make a conscious effort to block me.

Here’s how someone blocks you on Messenger.

First, they tap the conversation to open it.

How to Block on Facebook Messenger 3

Next, they tap the name of the person whom they want to block.

How to Block on Facebook Messenger 2

Then, they scroll down to the bottom to access the block option.

How to Block on Facebook Messenger 4

Finally, they switch the block option on.

How to Block on Facebook Messenger 2

That’s three taps and one scroll, which takes quite a bit of effort and concentration.

To put it simply, these people are mad at my chatbot. Why didn’t they just type “stop” as I suggested?

When I created my chatbot sequence in Customers.ai, I tried to make it really clear.

One of the first things I wrote was this: not a fan? type “stop”, no hard feelings

Instead of typing “stop,” these people took a more hardline approach and flat-out blocked me, which hurts.

So, if you have high block rates, the question you need to ask is why.

Why are people blocking you on Facebook Messenger?

When I got banned, it came as a rude shock. Here I was pulling a unicorn move, but then I got slammed with the ban.

I should have been watching my Messenger block rates. But I didn’t know any better.

That’s why I wrote this post, so the same thing doesn’t happen to you.

Now, to be clear, people might block your page for any kind of random donkey stuff — being off-target, off-color, or just annoying. Sometimes, people even block unicorns.

Be a Facebook Unicorn

What I’ve observed, however, is that Messenger block rates start to blow up when people create chatbots.

When Facebook banned me, my first response was to go to the data (thank you Facebook Page Insights!) to answer the question why.

Two major reasons emerged, and they are applicable to anyone who’s running a Messenger campaign.

During the time of my high block rate, I was running a Click-to-Messenger ad campaign.

A click-to-Messenger campaign is a sponsored post that invites people to start a Messenger conversation with me.

Once they start a conversation with me, I’m allowed to send them messages. They voluntarily opt in.

This is really valuable because I automatically convert 100% of the people who reply to my bot from clicking on the ad.

I was able to target these people with messages advertising my growth summit.

Facebook Messenger Ad

Here’s the kind of scale I was achieving at that time:

Facebook Ad Manager Screenshot

During the course of a few days, I had 1.7 million impressions, over 10k link clicks, and a total of 4,233 messaging conversations started.

I felt like a freaking unicorn.

Check out Larry Kim as an actual unicorn.

But then a lot of people started blocking me.

Why? To answer, I looked at the data. First, people blocked me because of poor ad targeting.

Look. 8% of my connections blocked me over the course of two months.

What Is My Block Rate on Facebook Messenger

When I took a closer look, the problem was in my targeting efforts, not necessarily the messages I was sending.

I set my targeting for “worldwide”, and the Facebook ad algorithm ended up just serving the ads to all sorts of countries I didn’t intend on targeting.

Unfortunately, my message was in English, which wasn’t the primary language of *any* of the countries that the Facebook Ad algorithm served my ad to.

The sequence of action on the sponsored post went like this:

  • Prospect clicks on my interesting Facebook ad.
  • Prospect immediately receives three messages in sequence.

Here is what would happen if you had clicked “send message” on this ad.

Over the next day, you would receive a sequence of three messages (all of which included unsubscribe information)

That’s probably over the top, especially for international contacts with a medium to limited ability in English.

The first problem, then, was a mismatch between my ad targeting and the Messenger sequence that followed.

How could I fix this? If targeting an international audience, I should have delivered ads in the person’s own language.

This would have helped to mitigate a significant amount of the blocks.

The second reason for my skyrocketing block rates is what I call weak affinity — and this is where it gets interesting.

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How Brand Affinity Impacts Facebook Messenger Marketing Frequency

My data showed me that Messenger block rates varied based on the level of affinity that users had with my brand.

What’s affinity in this context? Basically, affinity is people knowing and liking your brand — a combination of awareness and interest in the product, service, or identity of your brand.

A high-affinity group would be subjects in a remarketing campaign, people who are already on my email list, etc.

A low-affinity group, by contrast, are those who are just hearing about my company, seeing my ads or encountering my brand or the first time.

Low-affinity users blocked me when my Messenger bot sent a lot of messages to them. High-affinity users didn’t block me on Messenger when I sent a lot of messages.

Brand Affinity Unicorn

I set my Facebook ad targeting on people who had an interest in social media marketing. Right off the bat, that’s low affinity — top of the funnel users.

These people see an engaging ad and click it. Instantly, they receive several personal messages via the Click to Messenger Ads.

It was too much, too soon for a low-affinity group.

Based on the data, I realized that I should moderate the aggressiveness of the Facebook Messenger chat blasting campaign based on the strength of the affinity by which I acquired the contact.

strength of brand affinity messaging table

First, I could have tightened my ad targeting efforts. Doing so would have increased the likelihood that the ad recipients were more tuned into and aware of Facebook marketing in general.

More specifically, such recipients might even understand the logical sequence of what would happen if they click on a “Send Message” ad. They would realize, “If I click that button, I’m opting to receive messages from this brand.”

Second, I could moderate the frequency of the follow up to be commensurate with the strength of the affinity upon which the user initiated contact.

If I were running a bottom-of-the-funnel campaign such as a remarketing effort, the prospects would then at least have an awareness of my brand, imagery, voice, and product. They have seen my ad in the past, so a second, third, or fourth touch would not feel as abrupt.

Instead, I was running a top-of-funnel ad campaign for people anywhere in the world who merely indicated an interest in social media marketing. The messaging sequence may have felt pushy or intrusive.

Keep the funnel in mind. Notice how the top of the funnel below has the term “attention.” That’s all you have at that phase.

But at the bottom of the funnel, you have “favorability.” That’s when you can turn up the heat and increase messenger frequency.

Marketing Funnel Brand Affinity

Image source

These people who blocked me weren’t in the favorability stage. They were curious bystanders and I only had their attention.

Based on my data, I knew that my rapid-fire Facebook messenger sequence turned people off, so they blocked me.

My key takeaway, then, was to adjust the frequency of messages in order to match the interest level of the contact.

Get this, because it’s absolute money for Facebook messenger marketing. This is the magic formula when you set up your Facebook messenger bot:

  • For new contacts in a top-of-funnel campaign, 1-2 messages in the first 24 hours would be appropriate.
  • For a bottom-of-the-funnel effort, we have campaigns running with +3 messages in the first 24 hours and we’re not seeing a high block rate because those users have a stronger affinity.

Other Embarrassing Learnings : Stop Waking People Up at 3AM

Shortly after posting this article, a bunch of New Zealanders and Australians pointed out to me that another way to reduce your block rate is to schedule your messages relative to the user’s time zone.

Customers.ai supports scheduling of message sends (in the user’s local time zone), as you can see here in the screenshot below:

schedule a chat blast

Internally, our marketing team was using that feature periodically, but not super-vigilantly. We will do so moving forward! Always schedule your messages to be sent at a normal time, relative to the user’s time zone!

What do you do if Facebook Messenger bans you?

The word that Facebook uses is limits, not ban. But the effect is the same.

As I showed you above, this is the message I received on my Facebook business page (along with an ominous-looking red yield sign)

Limits have been placed on Larry Kim
This page is restricted from the use of message tags, subscription and broadcast messaging, and sponsored messages. Your page will still be able to respond to messages according to standard messaging permissions.

Limits Have Been Placed Facebook Messenger

For a guy whose very life and business is Facebook Messenger, this was a big blow.

Here’s what I could no longer do:

  • Message tags: Tags are what allow me to custom-create Facebook Messenger bot experiences for my subscribers. With the right tags, I could send my audience all kinds of helpful information (completely non-promotional) with greater frequency than would normally be allowed.
  • Subscription and broadcast messaging – Subscription messaging is the bread and butter of Facebook Messenger marketing. It allows me to send blasts, frequent non-promotional messages, and other content that keeps my audience engaged. Facebook Subscription Messaging abilities can be obtained by request only.
  • Sponsored messages: In other words, ads. I couldn’t create Facebook Messenger ads anymore.

I can still use Messenger to send and receive individual messages, but I was banned from using it in all the high-octane ways that I was used to.

What did I do about it?

Grovel, basically.

I clicked the “Appeal” button, confessed my sins to Facebook (inadvertent thought they were), and promised never to do it again.

Since you’re reading this article, I’m going to assume that you’re going to be a unicorn in a sea of donkeys. Check your block rates. Be nice. Play by the rules.

But if you have been banned, here’s my advice:

  1. Click the “Appeal” button.
  2. Explain the facts about what you did, and how you acknowledge that this was a violation of Facebook’s Messenger policies.
  3. State that you will make every effort to understand all Facebook policies, old and new, and abide by them.
  4. Tell them you’re a unicorn. (Or not.)
  5. Wait.

For me, it is now a matter of waiting.

Update: The Facebook Messenger Marketing Saga Continues…

My contact at Facebook told me I should be up and running again after just a little while.

However it has been several months and my page is still dead.

Humans at Facebook review and approve the appeals in order. Since Messenger marketing has just undergone some major changes, the algorithm probably banned a lot of pages, creating a huge backlog for the reviewing team.

In retrospect, I’m glad I was banned. It was a harsh donkey move, yes, but it gave me some valuable takeaways to share!

If I’ve ever been helpful to you in the past, I’d appreciate it if you could drop a comment here in support of re-activating of Messenger permissions on my personal Facebook page. Perhaps someone from Facebook will read this post and has mercy on me!

July 2019 Update: Great news. Facebook reinstituted my Messenger blasting abilities. It happened right at the same time as the deadline for subscription messaging applications. Kind of like they reset their trust of any approved subscription messaging Page. I’m happy to say that Larry Kim is back in the saddle for messaging subscribers through Facebook Messenger.

January 2020 Update: Exciting news! Customers.ai launched OmniChat™️. OmniChat is a multi-channel all-in-one chat marketing platform. When you create a chat marketing campaign for Facebook Messenger, that exact campaign works simultaneously in other popular messaging apps: SMS and native web chat. That’s triple the reach of your chat marketing campaigns!

Get Customers.ai OmniChat for Facebook Messenger, SMS and web chat for free today.

Join Today’s Webinar with Larry Kim!

Or Register for the Free Replay

Learn all about NEW 100% Meta-Approved Automation Tools from Customers.ai with a spotlight on features to 10X Instagram & Facebook Engagement and turn social media into a revenue driver for your business.

FAQs about Facebook Messenger Page Ban

What is a Facebook Messenger page ban?

A Facebook Messenger page ban refers to the restriction imposed by Facebook on a particular page, preventing it from sending messages through the Messenger platform. It is usually a result of violating Facebook’s policies or engaging in activities that are deemed spammy, abusive, or against their community standards.

Why was my Facebook Messenger page banned?

Facebook may ban your Messenger page for various reasons, including but not limited to: sending excessive or unsolicited messages, violating content guidelines, engaging in spam or phishing activities, using misleading tactics, or receiving numerous complaints from users. Facebook enforces these measures to ensure a safe and positive user experience.

Can I appeal a Facebook Messenger page ban?

Yes, you can appeal a Facebook Messenger page ban by submitting a request through the appropriate channels provided by Facebook. It is essential to review the reason for the ban, address any violations, and provide relevant information to support your appeal. Facebook will review your case and decide whether to lift the ban or maintain the restriction.

How long does a Facebook Messenger page ban last?

The duration of a Facebook Messenger page ban can vary depending on the severity of the violation and the previous history of infractions. It could range from temporary restrictions, such as a few days or weeks, to permanent bans if the violation is severe or repeated. Facebook will typically notify you about the ban’s duration in the notification you receive.

What can I do to prevent my Facebook Messenger page from getting banned?

To avoid a Facebook Messenger page ban, it is crucial to adhere to Facebook’s policies and community standards. Here are some tips to help you maintain compliance:
Familiarize yourself with Facebook’s guidelines and terms of service.
Provide valuable and engaging content to your audience.
Avoid sending excessive messages or spamming users.
Respond promptly and appropriately to user inquiries or complaints.
Do not engage in deceptive or misleading practices.
Monitor and address any reports or warnings from Facebook promptly.

Can I still use other features of Facebook if my Messenger page is banned?

Yes, a ban on your Facebook Messenger page does not necessarily restrict other features of your Facebook account or page. You can continue to utilize other functionalities, such as posting updates, sharing content, interacting with your followers, and managing your page’s settings. However, the messaging capabilities through the Messenger platform will be limited until the ban is lifted.

Where can I find more information or seek help regarding a Facebook Messenger page ban?

For more information and assistance regarding a Facebook Messenger page ban, it is recommended to visit the Facebook Help Center. They provide detailed guidelines, resources, and support to help you understand the reasons for the ban, appeal the decision, and take necessary steps to rectify the situation.

34 thoughts on “Why Facebook Messenger Banned My Page & What I’m Doing About It”

  1. Larry– they can’t block YOU!
    You’re the biggest evangelist Facebook has for Messenger marketing– and the smartest guy in the space.

    We are all learning and growing from you.
    Thank you for sharing.

  2. Terrific article, Larry. Thanks for sharing this comprehensive look at the problem, and how you got yourself out of it. I appreciate your transparency, and the insights are top notch!

  3. Great article. I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook in general. But your article is so authentic, honest, and not pompous like other pieces i’ve read from other people in our industry. Also, you write about original topics and share first-hand experiences, be them a flop or a win. Your articles educate your colleagues and peers with the goal to help make us a little better at what we do. This is why I regard you as a REAL thought leader in our space. Thanks for writing this.

  4. Sorry you’re having to deal with this, but thanks so much for sharing! Hopefully your honesty will save other marketers a lot of headaches.
    I know first-hand how difficult it can be to get Facebook to quickly review anything ads related, which is odd since I’m trying to give them my money 🙂
    Keep us updated as you hear more.

  5. The reason almost blocked your messenger bot because it was supposed to give me the slides (facebook summit) link to download but never did (was giving me mary go round). I was pissed but was too lazy to go all the way down to block. If you promise you will give something make sure you do and don’t make it confusing for people.

  6. Thanks for the insights, Larry. Very useful information. I’m at 5% blocks now, and I am minding my P’s and Q’s.

  7. Really awesome of you to share this! Huge lessons for all to learn, we’ve been there too.

    Think of this as a speeding ticket for going to fast and just be a little safer next time. 🙂

  8. Hey Larry, Great article!

    I’m just getting started with messenger marketing and really appreciate the heads up.

    Also thanks for your transparency. With messenger marketing being relatively new I’m sure that lots of mistakes will be made and pages will be banned.

    I’m just really excited to get in close to the ground floor with this incredible opportunity.

    Thanks for everything you do!
    Steve

  9. Hey Larry! Thanks for putting this up in detail. It’s helpful to know what leaders do right and equally important to know what they do wrong. Appreciate this. Hope you get it back soon.

  10. Dorien Morin-van Dam

    Oh no!
    Boo to Facebook.
    Yay to you for complete transparency. (and taking awesome screenshots to document the ride)

    Hope you will be back up and running eh messaging again soon.

  11. Shocking / valuable / crazy. I learnt a lot THANK YOU for sharing 🙂
    Time to revisit our Tag structure and reconsider the entire lead scoring idea …

    …and why the heck have they not responded also?? [Hello Facebook anyone home?]
    #helptheunicorn

    I think you need to send someone riding a unicorn into FB head office and request a pow wow!

  12. To be honest I have stayed subscribed because I like what you say, but I have almost unsubscribed a few times because in my opinion sometimes it is too many in such as short amount of time, thanks.

  13. Great article, it shows how easy it is to fall victim to ones own success and how complicated targeted marketing can be. I advertise in English in a country where people speak many other languages and so I will be rethinking my targeting from now on.

    Your advice on message frequency depending on funnel position is priceless, I have not really had the time to setup Mobile Monkey yet, although it is on the cards for March.

    I hope you get everything resolved. I am signed up to both of your chat blasts, MM and Larry Kim, as I love to see the effort you put in to making each unique and valuable. It is inspiring.

  14. Sorry have you to deal with this but in a positive way, it serves a good purpose that you save a lot of advertiser like us. Most of the time popular and successful individual only shares their success and achievement but true success is to share their real journey and shows to everyone that even them are not perfect but also been treated the same. So much value that I learned on how you handle it and address yourself. Thank you for sharing!

  15. Thanks Larry for sharing your experience with us. This is something I wouldn’t have thought about, but now that I’m aware…

  16. Most people in your position would not be brave enough to do this kind of post. I appreciate it! I think you have built a much better relationship with everyone who reads this post. Keep up your great work. It helps us all.

  17. Larry, I’m sorry to hear this but thanks for the heads up. I am implementing Chatbots for Community Banks and Financial institutions. With compliance in place I will need to focus on this more closely.

  18. Larry,

    Thank you for telling us about this. I would like to recommend to FB that they re-instate your page. They should go after those that are really a menace and not take away our freedom to work with bots and limit our ability to move this idea forward.

    S

  19. I just got banned by FB for joining too many groups “TOO FAST”: hAVE TO WAIT TIKL mARCH 4TH TO GET OUT OF fb JAIL! NO POSTING TIL AFTER THAT DATE! sUCKS!

  20. Larry,

    High props for sharing such a fail (considering this is your specialty). A lot of people in your position would find blame elsewhere and I’ve gained a tremendous amount of respect from you due to this post. You’ve always provided great content and practice what you preach. The other key element of this post is that you’re reminding people that failure is part of success. Something went wrong, you analyzed it and have learned from it. You’ll be better off next go around.

    An important message for all who want to achieve something and it comes from someone who can back it up.

    Thanks so much for sharing it.

  21. Hey Larry – sorry to hear about that. Maybe you can help me, I have a lead magnet ad I want to set up but I also want to start a conversation. After the cold audience opts in for the lead magnet I was gping to hit them up after delivery a day later to see if they want to attend a webinar that gives them access to an even better lead magent.
    How can I do this without getting banned for engagement bait?

  22. I’m still waiting for approval to unblock messenger platform from my page since 2 months ??
    What can I do please?

    1. Virginia Nussey

      Hi Ibish, I’m sorry you got the ban from Messenger. So far, I haven’t seen a page resurrected from that. I think it may be time to start with a fresh new Page.

  23. Hi dude,
    Great Article,
    But why I am blocked again and again while the block rate in insights of messages is 0%.
    Yes, I am running messenger ads but hardly 3 to 400 people get in touch with my page through messenger daily.

    I am waiting for your response.

    Thanks in Advance 🙂

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