A lead ad form is the form people fill in on a Facebook or Instagram ad. It is not a chat. When someone submits one, SalesThumb brings the details into your Inbox so you can follow up. This feature is in beta, so check that your forms are arriving before you rely on it.
What arrives
Each submission becomes a message on the customer's conversation with the blue Messenger badge. SalesThumb uses that badge for everything that comes in from your Facebook Page, so Instagram lead forms show it too, even though a form is not a chat. The message lists the form name and the ad name, then each answer, such as "Form: Window tint | Ad: Spring special" followed by the fields. If SalesThumb can't load the details from Meta, the message reads: "New lead from Facebook Ad. We couldn't load the details from Meta; open Leads Center in Meta Business Suite to see them."
Who they become
If the form has a phone number or email, SalesThumb looks for an existing customer. If it finds one, the message goes on that customer. If not, it creates a customer with the lead source LEAD_AD. Marketing texts are not turned on for them. A lead is also added to your Leads hub with the source Meta lead ad. Open the lead to see where it came from: under its name, a line with a megaphone icon shows the form and ad, such as "Form: Window tint · Ad: Spring special". Hover the Meta lead ad chip to see the same details. Without a phone or email there is no customer, and the message waits under the Leads tab. See The Inbox Leads tab.
How to reply
Open the conversation. The reply box works like a normal customer conversation: you reply by Text or Email, using the phone or email from the form. A lead form isn't a Messenger chat, so there is nothing to answer on Messenger. See Texting a customer: new messages and replies in the Inbox.
The AI receptionist doesn't answer lead form submissions for the same reason. Your team follows up.
Texting consent
The customer submitted a form, but marketing texts stay off. You may see the first-text box asking you to confirm they asked to be texted. Only tick it if they did. See Texting rules: consent, STOP and quiet hours.
Beta note
Lead ads reach SalesThumb through your connected Facebook Page. SalesThumb lists the feature as beta until Meta confirms access for lead forms, so submissions may not appear for every shop. If one is missing, check Leads Center in Meta Business Suite. See Connecting Facebook Messenger.
Related
Frequently asked questions
Q: Why can't I reply to a lead form on Messenger?
A: A lead form submission isn't a Messenger chat. Reply by text or email using the details from the form.
Q: Why does the message say we couldn't load the details from Meta?
A: SalesThumb tried to fetch the form answers and couldn't. Open Leads Center in Meta Business Suite to see them.
Q: Does a lead form lead get marketing texts?
A: No. Marketing texts are off for new customers created from a lead form until they give consent.
Q: Why can't I find a lead form submission?
A: If the form had no phone or email, look under the Leads tab in the Inbox. If it isn't there either, check Leads Center in Meta Business Suite, since this feature is in beta.
Q: Will the AI answer a lead form lead?
A: No. The AI receptionist doesn't answer lead form submissions. Your team follows up.