Connect WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram to manage all conversations from a unified inbox.
Helpon's multi-channel messaging lets you connect your most important messaging platforms into a single workspace. Instead of juggling separate apps for WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, and Telegram, every conversation flows into one unified inbox where your team can respond, assign, and track interactions.
Each channel operates through its official API, ensuring compliance with platform policies and enabling rich features like message templates, quick replies, and media sharing. Helpon handles the routing layer so that replies are automatically sent back through the same channel the customer used to reach you.
| Channel | API Provider | Key Feature | Plan Required |
|---|---|---|---|
| WhatsApp Business | Meta Cloud API | Template messages, 24-hour window | Pro+ |
| Instagram Direct | Instagram Messaging API | Story replies, media messages | Pro+ |
| Facebook Messenger | Messenger Platform | Persistent menu, get started button | Pro+ |
| Telegram | Telegram Bot API | Commands, inline keyboards, groups | Business+ |
Your AI auto-reply, knowledge base, and flow builder work across every connected channel. A customer on WhatsApp gets the same intelligent responses as someone on your website chat widget.
WhatsApp Business API integration lets you communicate with customers on the world's most popular messaging app. Helpon connects through the Meta Cloud API, which requires a verified Meta Business account and an approved WhatsApp Business phone number.
Go to Meta Business Suite → Settings → Business Verification. Upload your business documents (registration certificate, utility bill, or domain verification). Verification typically takes 1-3 business days.
In the Meta Developer Dashboard, navigate to WhatsApp → Getting Started. Add a phone number that is not currently associated with any WhatsApp account. You will receive a verification code via SMS or voice call.
In your WordPress admin, go to Helpon → Settings → Channels → WhatsApp. Enter your Phone Number ID, WhatsApp Business Account ID, and Permanent Access Token from the Meta Developer Dashboard.
WhatsApp requires pre-approved templates for initiating conversations outside the 24-hour window. Go to Helpon → Settings → Channels → WhatsApp → Templates to create and submit templates for approval.
WhatsApp enforces a 24-hour customer service window. You can freely reply to a customer within 24 hours of their last message. After the window closes, you must use an approved message template to re-engage. Templates are submitted through Helpon and reviewed by Meta (usually within 24 hours).
Connect your Instagram Professional account to receive and respond to Direct Messages, story replies, and story mentions directly from the Helpon inbox. This integration uses the Instagram Messaging API via your connected Facebook Page.
In the Instagram app, go to Settings → Account → Switch to Professional Account. Choose Business and connect it to your Facebook Page. If you already have a Professional account, skip this step.
In the Instagram app, go to Settings → Privacy → Messages. Under "Connected Tools", toggle on Allow access to messages. This permits third-party apps like Helpon to read and send messages via the API.
Go to Helpon → Settings → Channels → Instagram and click Connect Instagram Account. You will be redirected to Meta to authorize permissions. Accept all requested permissions including instagram_manage_messages and pages_manage_metadata.
After connecting, configure how Helpon handles Instagram messages. Enable AI auto-reply for DMs, set up story reply handling, and choose whether story mentions should create new conversations or be logged as events.
Instagram has a 24-hour human agent window similar to WhatsApp. After 24 hours, you can only send a single follow-up message using a pre-approved message tag. Story replies and mentions open a new messaging window each time.
Integrate your Facebook Page's Messenger to handle customer inquiries, provide AI-powered support, and manage conversations from the Helpon dashboard. The integration supports persistent menus, get started buttons, and rich message types like carousels and quick replies.
Navigate to Helpon → Settings → Channels → Messenger and click Connect Facebook Page. You will be redirected to Facebook to select your Page and grant the required permissions.
The Get Started button appears when a user opens a Messenger conversation with your Page for the first time. Configure a welcome message and optional quick reply buttons in Helpon → Settings → Channels → Messenger → Get Started.
The persistent menu appears as a hamburger icon in the Messenger composer. Add up to 3 top-level menu items (each with up to 5 sub-items) such as "Book Appointment", "View Services", or "Talk to Agent". Configure in Helpon → Settings → Channels → Messenger → Persistent Menu.
Toggle on AI auto-reply for Messenger conversations. The AI engine will respond to common queries using your knowledge base and flow builder configurations. Unhandled messages are routed to the live chat queue.
Helpon supports Messenger's rich message types including image carousels, button templates, and quick replies. Design these in the Flow Builder and they will render natively in the Messenger app.
Create a Telegram Bot and connect it to Helpon to serve customers who prefer Telegram. Unlike Meta channels, Telegram has no messaging window restrictions, so you can send messages to users at any time after they start a conversation with your bot.
Open Telegram and search for @BotFather. Send the following commands to create and configure your bot:
/newbot # BotFather: "Alright, a new bot. How are we going to call it?" My Clinic Bot # BotFather: "Good. Now let's choose a username..." myclinic_helpon_bot # BotFather: "Done! ... Use this token to access the HTTP API:" # 7281934056:AAH_k9xPmBvR3nLwT8qZcJ2dFgYhKlMnOpQ
While still in BotFather, set your bot's description and commands so users know what your bot can do:
/setdescription # Select your bot, then enter: Welcome to My Clinic! Ask me anything about our services, book appointments, or chat with our team. /setcommands # Select your bot, then enter: start - Start a conversation help - View available options book - Book an appointment hours - View business hours contact - Contact information
Go to Helpon → Settings → Channels → Telegram. Paste your bot token and click Verify & Connect. Helpon will validate the token and automatically register the webhook.
In Helpon → Settings → Channels → Telegram → Command Mapping, link each bot command to a specific Flow or action. For example, map /book to your appointment booking flow and /hours to a quick-reply response.
WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger all require a Meta Developer App. This section walks you through creating the app, configuring products, and passing App Review so your integration works in production.
Go to developers.facebook.com and log in with the Facebook account that manages your business. If you don't have a developer account, click Get Started and follow the prompts to register.
In the App Dashboard, click Add Product and enable the products you need. For full multi-channel support, add Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram. Each product has its own configuration panel.
Navigate to App Review → Permissions and Features. Request the following permissions based on your channels:
| Permission | Required For | Description |
|---|---|---|
pages_messaging |
Messenger | Send and receive messages on behalf of a Facebook Page |
pages_manage_metadata |
Messenger | Subscribe to Page webhooks and manage metadata |
instagram_manage_messages |
Read and respond to Instagram Direct Messages | |
instagram_basic |
Access profile info and media for the connected account | |
whatsapp_business_messaging |
Send and receive WhatsApp messages via the Cloud API | |
whatsapp_business_management |
Manage phone numbers, templates, and business profiles |
While in Development Mode, your app only works for users with roles on the app. To go live, submit for App Review. Provide a screencast demonstrating how your app uses each permission, a privacy policy URL, and a description of your use case. Review typically takes 3-5 business days.
For production use, create a System User in Meta Business Suite under Settings → Users → System Users. Assign the user to your app with the required assets and generate a permanent access token. Use this token in Helpon instead of a short-lived user token.
Never share your access tokens publicly or commit them to version control. Helpon encrypts tokens at rest in your WordPress database. If a token is compromised, regenerate it immediately in Meta Business Suite and update it in Helpon settings.
Webhooks are the mechanism through which Meta and Telegram deliver incoming messages to your Helpon installation. Helpon automatically registers webhooks for each channel, but understanding the configuration helps with troubleshooting and custom setups.
Helpon exposes a unique webhook endpoint for each channel. The base URL follows this pattern:
# WhatsApp Webhook https://yoursite.com/wp-json/helpon/v1/webhook/whatsapp # Instagram Webhook https://yoursite.com/wp-json/helpon/v1/webhook/instagram # Facebook Messenger Webhook https://yoursite.com/wp-json/helpon/v1/webhook/messenger # Telegram Webhook https://yoursite.com/wp-json/helpon/v1/webhook/telegram
Meta requires a verification token to validate your webhook endpoint. Helpon generates one automatically, but you can set a custom token in Helpon → Settings → Channels → Webhook Settings.
# Auto-generated verification token (found in Helpon settings) helpon_verify_a8f3c9d2e1b74650 # When Meta sends a GET request to verify: # GET /wp-json/helpon/v1/webhook/whatsapp?hub.mode=subscribe # &hub.verify_token=helpon_verify_a8f3c9d2e1b74650 # &hub.challenge=1234567890 # Helpon responds with the hub.challenge value to confirm
Each channel webhook subscribes to specific events. Helpon configures these automatically during channel setup:
| Channel | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|
messages |
Incoming text, media, location, and contact messages | |
message_status |
Delivery receipts: sent, delivered, read, failed | |
messages |
Incoming DMs, story replies, and media shares | |
messaging_postbacks |
Quick reply and button tap callbacks | |
| Messenger | messages |
Incoming text, attachments, and location messages |
| Messenger | messaging_postbacks |
Persistent menu clicks and button postbacks |
| Messenger | messaging_optins |
User opt-in events from checkboxes or plugins |
| Telegram | message |
Text, media, stickers, and document messages |
| Telegram | callback_query |
Inline keyboard button taps |
| Telegram | edited_message |
Edits to previously sent messages |
If your server fails to respond with a 200 OK within 20 seconds, Meta will retry the webhook delivery using an exponential backoff schedule (up to 24 hours). Telegram retries failed deliveries for up to 48 hours. Helpon processes webhooks asynchronously to ensure fast response times.
All webhook URLs must use HTTPS with a valid SSL certificate. Self-signed certificates are not accepted by Meta or Telegram. If you are running a local development environment, use a tunneling service like ngrok to expose your local server with a valid HTTPS URL.
The Unified Inbox is where all conversations from every connected channel converge into a single view. Agents can see, filter, and respond to messages from WhatsApp, Instagram, Messenger, Telegram, and the website widget without switching between apps.
When a message arrives on any channel, Helpon creates or updates a conversation thread. Each thread displays a channel indicator showing the source platform. When an agent replies, the message is automatically routed back through the originating channel. Agents never need to know the technical details; they simply type a reply and Helpon handles the delivery.
| Channel | Indicator | Supported Message Types | Messaging Window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Website Chat | Blue chat icon | Text, images, files, quick replies, carousels | Unlimited |
| Green WhatsApp icon | Text, images, documents, location, contacts, templates | 24 hours (templates extend) | |
| Gradient Instagram icon | Text, images, story replies, hearts, quick replies | 24 hours (1 follow-up tag) | |
| Messenger | Blue Messenger icon | Text, images, files, carousels, buttons, quick replies | 24 hours (message tags extend) |
| Telegram | Blue Telegram icon | Text, images, documents, stickers, inline keyboards | Unlimited |
When Helpon detects that the same person is contacting you on multiple channels (matched by phone number or email), it merges those identities into a single CRM contact. All conversations are accessible from the contact's profile page.
Each channel can be independently configured with its own auto-reply behavior, greeting messages, operating hours, and AI settings. This allows you to tailor the experience for each platform's audience and capabilities.
Navigate to Helpon → Settings → Channels and select any connected channel to access its individual settings panel:
| Setting | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Reply Mode | Choose between AI only, human only, AI + human hybrid, or disabled | AI + Human |
| Greeting Message | First message sent when a new conversation starts | Per channel |
| Operating Hours | Channel-specific business hours (can differ from global settings) | Global hours |
| After-Hours Message | Automatic reply when a message arrives outside operating hours | Enabled |
| AI Behavior | How aggressively the AI responds (all queries, FAQ only, or disabled) | All queries |
| Escalation Threshold | Max AI turns before routing to a human agent | 3 turns |
| Assigned Team | Route conversations to a specific agent team or department | Default team |
| Tags | Automatically apply tags to conversations from this channel | Channel name |
You can assign different AI models to different channels. For example, use Claude Sonnet for website chat (detailed responses) and Claude Haiku for WhatsApp (concise, fast replies optimized for mobile reading).
Common issues when setting up and operating multi-channel messaging, along with their solutions:
/start to your bot before you can message them. There is no way to initiate a conversation with a user who has not started the bot./revoke to @BotFather, then generate a new token with /token and update it in Helpon settings.Helpon provides a real-time channel health dashboard at Helpon → Dashboard → Channels. It shows connection status, last message received, webhook health, and token expiration for each channel. Check here first when troubleshooting any channel issue.