A Message Broadcast delivers a message to many friends at once at a time you choose, while Auto Send Messages deliver to one friend at a time automatically in response to a friend's action. This article sorts out how to use each one depending on your purpose.
Deciding "which one to use" is itself something you can leave to the agent — just tell it your goal, and it will handle the judgment and the preparation. For example, if you tell it "I want to send a coupon the day after someone adds me as a friend," the agent picks the right method, prepares a broadcast proposal, and all you do is review the content and decide whether to run it.
How It Works When You Leave It to the Agent
Just describe what you want to do in your own words, and the agent takes it from selecting the delivery method all the way through creating the content.
When you tell the Marketing Agent your goal in conversation, the agent decides whether a Message Broadcast or Auto Send Messages is the better fit and prepares proposals for the recipients, the timing, and the message text. All you do is review the proposal that comes back and choose "Approve" or "Cancel".
- When you want it handled for you with Auto — just share the goal, and you can leave everything from selecting the method to preparing it
- When you want help with Create — build out the content of the broadcast together until it is ready
- When you want to Consult — simply ask "which one should I use" and get the information you need to decide
If you prefer to set it up yourself, you can also create it manually by referring to the guidance on choosing between Message Broadcasts and Auto Send Messages.
The Difference Between the Two Delivery Methods
A Message Broadcast is a method where you decide "when to send," while Auto Send Messages is a method where you decide "what triggers the send."
| Comparison item | Message Broadcast | Auto Send Messages |
|---|---|---|
| When it sends | Sent to everyone at a specified date and time | Sent automatically in response to a friend's action |
| Who it sends to | A Segment or all friends | One friend at a time who matches the trigger condition |
| Delivery timing | One time only, or a scheduled broadcast | Every time the action occurs, as many times as needed |
| Main uses | Campaign announcements, sale information, notices | Welcome messages, follow-ups |
A Segment, which determines who receives a broadcast, is a way to narrow down friends by conditions. It is a different concept from a tag that you attach to friends, and you can build a Segment using a tag as one of its conditions.
When to Use a Message Broadcast
Use a Message Broadcast when you want to deliver a message to many friends all at once at a specific time.
Recommended Uses
- Announcing campaigns and sales — Send a "weekend-only sale" to all friends
- New product notices — Narrow it down to a Segment likely to be interested in the product and send
- Regular information delivery — Schedule a newsletter as a scheduled broadcast at set times
- A/B Test — Compare two patterns to find the more effective message text
With a Message Broadcast, in addition to sending right away, you can set up a scheduled broadcast for a specified date and time. You can also check how it looks with a test send before going live.
When to Use Auto Send Messages
Use Auto Send Messages when you want to send a message automatically in response to a friend's action.
Recommended Uses
- Welcome message when added as a friend — Automatically send a greeting and coupon to new friends
- Follow-up after a QR Code scan — Send a perk to friends who scanned a QR Code during a store visit
- Messages based on conditions — Send different messages according to the conditional branches in a Workflow
You create Auto Send Messages in advance and specify them as an action in a Workflow. Triggers include "added as a friend" and "QR Code scan," and the message is delivered automatically to friends who match the condition.
Quick Reference When You're Unsure
Based on what you want to do, you can choose whether a Message Broadcast or Auto Send Messages is the better fit.
| What you want to do | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Send sale information to all friends | Message Broadcast |
| Automatically send a message to people who added you as a friend | Auto Send Messages |
| Send a message at a set time | Message Broadcast (scheduled broadcast) |
| Send a thank-you message to people who completed a purchase | Auto Send Messages |
| Compare effectiveness with an A/B Test | Message Broadcast |
| Send different messages depending on conditions | Auto Send Messages + Workflow |
If you are unsure which to choose, tell the agent your goal and consult it, and it will suggest the method that fits.
Using Them in Combination
Message Broadcasts and Auto Send Messages become more effective when you combine them.
For example, you can create a flow where you send sale information all at once with a Message Broadcast, and then deliver an additional coupon via Auto Send Messages to the friends who clicked afterward. By spreading the word broadly with the first all-at-once broadcast and then automatically making the next move toward the friends who responded, you can drive results without much effort.
This combination itself is something you can run by telling the agent your goal — it designs the entire delivery flow, and all you do is review the content and decide whether to run it.