Messages can be sent as different types, allowing for the display to match the message payload. Your app can send messages as basic, template, minimal, or form type. You may see an additional system type in some responses. system type is reserved for internal use for sending messages.

This article gives a brief overview of each of the message types and how to structure the message object in your Send Message request.

basic messages contain an array of text, image, or file. Array items are displayed in Inbox and the visitor's chat widget as if each item was a separate message.

This example contains an image followed by two text messages:

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{
  "message": {
    "direction": "BUSINESS_TO_PARTICIPANT",
    "content": {
      "previewText": "Thanks for booking your spa day with us!",
      "basic": {
        "items": [
          {
            "image": {
              "url": "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f93e3d633e79921f14330f1911fc1139.jpg/v1/fill/w_1200,h_798,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/f93e3d633e79921f14330f1911fc1139.webp",
              "width": 1200,
              "height": 798
            }
          },
          { "text": "Thanks for booking your spa day with us!" },
          { "text": "We've emailed your invoice. You'll find everything you need to know there." }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

The above example produces this output:

Inbox	Chat Widget

form messages present form data submitted by the participant. Form messages contain a title, an optional description, and an array of fields. Each field in the array has a name and submitted value property.

Form messages are typically sent with a direction of PARTICIPANT_TO_BUSINESS. To hide the message from the visitor, set visibility to BUSINESS.

This example contains 4 form fields and an image:

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{
  "message": {
    "direction": "PARTICIPANT_TO_BUSINESS",
    "visibility": "BUSINESS",
    "content": {
      "previewText": "JoJo Doe made an appointment",
      "form": {
        "title": "New Spa Appointment",
        "description": "JoJo Doe made an appointment",
        "fields": [
          { "name": "First Name", "value": "JoJo" },
          { "name": "Last Name", "value": "Doe" },
          { "name": "Treatments", "value": "Massage, Mud Bath, Facial" },
          { "name": "Appointment Date", "value": "May 9, 2021" }
        ],
        "media": [
          {
            "image": {
              "url": "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f93e3d633e79921f14330f1911fc1139.jpg/v1/fill/w_1200,h_798,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/f93e3d633e79921f14330f1911fc1139.webp",
              "width": 1200,
              "height": 798
            }
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

The above example is not displayed in the visitor's chat widget because visibility is set to BUSINESS. It produces this output in Inbox:

Inbox

minimal messages contain a single line of text and an optional icon. They're useful for reporting an activity that took place. To hide the message from the visitor, set visibility to BUSINESS.

This example reports that the visitor made a spa appointment:

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{
  "message": {
    "direction": "PARTICIPANT_TO_BUSINESS",
    "visibility": "BUSINESS",
    "content": {
      "previewText": "Booked a spa appointment",
      "minimal": {
        "text": "Booked a spa appointment",
        "iconUrl": "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/727514_1a58537f1b6a44a7b09956cdbc5ac774~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_297,h_324,al_c,lg_1,q_85/727514_1a58537f1b6a44a7b09956cdbc5ac774~mv2.webp"
      }
    }
  }
}

The above example is not displayed in the visitor's chat widget because visibility is set to BUSINESS. It produces this output in Inbox:

Inbox

template messages use buttons to allow the visitor to perform actions. Buttons can be either ACTION or POSTBACK type. Action buttons open a specified url in the visitor's browser, and postback buttons pass a buttonPayload to the Button Interacted Webhook.

This example tells the visitor their spa appointment has been booked and offers two buttons. The first is an action button, and the second is a postback button:

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{
  "message": {
    "direction": "BUSINESS_TO_PARTICIPANT",
    "content": {
      "previewText": "JoJo, you're getting a spa day!",
      "template": {
        "title": "JoJo, you're getting a spa day!",
        "imageUrl": "https://static.wixstatic.com/media/f93e3d633e79921f14330f1911fc1139.jpg/v1/fill/w_1200,h_798,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01/f93e3d633e79921f14330f1911fc1139.webp",
        "textLines": [
          "Thanks for booking with us!",
          "You're booked for a massage, mud bath, and facial on May 9, 2021."
        ],
        "buttons": [
          {
            "label": "View My Invoice",
            "launchUrl": "https://www.example.com/customer_12345/spa_day_54321/invoice.pdf"
          },
          {
            "label": "Change My Appointment",
            "postbackProperties": { "interactionId": "spa_day_54321__change_appointment" }
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

The above example produces this output:

Inbox	Chat Widget

system messages convey system information from an integrated service such as Facebook or Instagram.

System messages cannot be sent by 3rd-party apps. However, your app may still need to consume system messages.

This example payload contains text and a "Learn More" link:

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{
  "message": {
    "direction": "PARTICIPANT_TO_BUSINESS",
    "visibility": "BUSINESS",
    "sourceChannel": "FACEBOOK",
    "content": {
      "previewText": "Facebook policy requires you to respond to\nvisitors' messages within 7 days.",
      "system": {
        "text": "Facebook policy requires you to respond to\nvisitors' messages within 7 days.",
        "buttons": [
          {
            "label": "Learn More",
            "launchUrl": "https://support.wix.com/en/article/wix-inbox-connecting-your-facebook-page"
          }
        ]
      }
    }
  }
}

The above example produces this output:

Inbox