> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL.
> For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.ada.cx/llms.txt.
> For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.ada.cx/_mcp/server.

# Social channel onboarding

## Overview\[#overview]

Integrate with third-party channels to bring the chat experience
everywhere your customers are, including email and a variety of social
media channels.

This guide will walk you through the setup process, feature
compatibility, and channel variable usage for third-party channels in
Ada.

> **Note**
>
> This feature may not be included with your organization's subscription
> package. For more information, see Ada's
> [Pricing](https://www.ada.cx/pricing) page, or contact your Ada team.

## Limitations

Social channels have the following constraints:

* **Zendesk Live Chat incompatibility**: The Zendesk Live Chat Handoff is not compatible with social media channels.
* **Feature variations**: Some features work differently or have partial support across different channels. For example, List Option blocks may display as numbered lists instead of selectable buttons in some channels, and some blocks like Greetings and Satisfaction Surveys are not supported in certain channels.
* **Channel-specific requirements**: Some channels require specific licenses or configurations (e.g., Sunshine Conversations license for Zendesk Messaging Handoffs).

## Use cases

Social channels enable the following scenarios:

* **Multi-channel support**: Reach customers on their preferred communication channels, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Twitter DM, Instagram Direct, and Twilio SMS.
* **In-channel Handoffs**: Connect customers directly to human agents within the same social media channel using Zendesk Messaging or Salesforce Live Chat.
* **Email-based Handoffs**: Escalate conversations to email when in-channel Handoffs aren't available, using Zendesk Email Ticketing or Email Handoffs.

## Capabilities & configuration

Learn about the features and blocks available for Social channels, and how to configure channel-specific experiences.

### Feature compatibility\[#feature-compatibility]

The following table lists the social media channels you can use with
Ada, as well as the features and blocks each one is compatible with.

> **Note**
>
> In some cases, features might be partially supported or work differently
> in some channels. In those cases, click the 🗒 icon for more information.

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>
        Feature
      </th>

      <th>
        Ada Web Chat
      </th>

      <th>
        WhatsApp
      </th>

      <th>
        Facebook Messenger
      </th>

      <th>
        Twilio SMS
      </th>

      <th>
        Instagram Direct
      </th>

      <th>
        Twitter DM
      </th>

      <th>
        Sunshine Conversations SDKs
      </th>

      <th>
        Zendesk Messaging SDKs
      </th>
    </tr>
  </thead>

  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td colspan="9">
        **Blocks**
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        [Text](/docs/automation/greetings/blocks/text-block "Text block")
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        [Capture](/docs/automation/greetings/greeting-management#capture-block "Save customer information using the Capture block")
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#instagram-direct "Instagram Direct")
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#sunshine-conversations-web-messenger "Sunshine Conversations Web Messenger")
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#zendesk-sdks "Zendesk SDKs")
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        [List option](/docs/automation/greetings/greeting-management#list-option-block "Create selectable menus using the List Option block")
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#whatsapp "WhatsApp")
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#facebook-messenger "Facebook Messenger")
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#twilio-sms "Twilio SMS")
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#instagram-direct "Instagram Direct")
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#twitter-dm "Twitter DM")
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#sunshine-conversations-web-messenger "Sunshine Conversations Web Messenger")
      </td>

      <td class="table-maybe">
        [🗒](#zendesk-sdks "Zendesk SDKs")
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        [Conditional](/docs/automation/greetings/greeting-management#conditional-block "Target content to customers using the Conditional block")
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        [Request](/docs/automation/greetings/greeting-management#request-block "Make API requests using the HTTP Request block")
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td colspan="9">
        **Handoffs**
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        [Zendesk email handoff](/docs/handoffs/zendesk/zendesk-ticketing "Create basic email tickets using the Zendesk Handoff block")
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        [Ada Glass for Salesforce - Live Agent](/docs/handoffs/salesforce/salesforce-chat/ada-glass-configuration "Configure Ada Glass for Salesforce")
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        [Ada Glass for Zendesk - Live Chat](/docs/handoffs/zendesk/zendesk-chat/zendesk-chat-configuration "Configure Ada Glass for Zendesk Chat")
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>
    </tr>

    <tr>
      <td>
        [Ada and Sunshine Conversations](/docs/channels/social/sunshine-conversations-setup "Configure and use Sunshine Conversations")
      </td>

      <td class="table-no">
        ✘
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>

      <td class="table-yes">
        ✔
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

### Additional notes\[#UUID-add4993d-32b7-84c3-56fc-c28cb1d301a9\_section-idm4568291448635233467587463855]

For more information on how some channels may work differently from
others, please click each expander below.

#### WhatsApp

* **List options**: Customers can see a **Make a selection** button,
  which they can tap to choose an option from a pop-up menu, as long as
  they meet the following criteria:

  * There are a maximum of 10 list options

  * Each option's button label contains 24 or fewer characters

  * The block is configured to only accept a single selection, rather
    than multi-select

  ![](/_fern-img/d75e375164850b4f1be8224f33308e3a042514696e83bf4ffbfabc9ddc87f27c.webp)![](/_fern-img/fd03ea117cf4c6f26bed835e1594c458e1ea283b70f0c121b0c788fa324be9bc.webp)![](/_fern-img/8ab0bd637e57a5c6b6d87e7b6f176e47c7a98600cf6d5e56eacc7850615abf17.webp)

> **Note**
>
> Unlike in web chat, after the customer makes a selection, the **Make a
> selection** button is still visible.
>
> Additionally, it's not possible to customize the "Make a selection"
> button text.

If the list options don't meet the above criteria, instead of being
able to use the pop-up menu, customers see options as a numbered list
and can type a number to select the corresponding option.

Some List Option blocks might meet the above criteria, and
some might not, so you may see both selection methods.

![](/_fern-img/f2294efb2e345a2cf17ad98b67fa245c3ad4aa3271ca1b31cbe91fc2483101c8.webp)

#### Facebook Messenger

* **List options**: Instead of being able to select an option, customers
  see options as a numbered list and can type a number to select the
  corresponding option.

#### Twilio SMS

* **List options**: Instead of being able to select an option, customers
  see options as a numbered list and can type a number to select the
  corresponding option.

#### Instagram Direct

* **List options**: Instead of being able to select an option, customers
  see options as a numbered list and can type a number to select the
  corresponding option.

#### Twitter DM

* **List options**: Instead of being able to select an option, customers
  see options as a numbered list and can type a number to select the
  corresponding option.

#### Sunshine Conversations Web Messenger

There are several blocks and features that work differently from Ada's
default chat in Sunshine Conversations Web Messenger. For additional
information, see [Understand how Ada features work in Sunshine Conversations Web Messenger](/docs/channels/third-party/sunshine-web-messenger).

* **Greetings**: Sunshine Conversations Web Messenger **does not support Ada's [Greeting](/docs/automation/greetings)**.
  On social channels, the user must always send the first message, and the AI Agent responds using its reasoning engine—not the configured Greeting flow.

  If the user types something like `hello`, the AI Agent may generate a natural greeting response, but **this does not trigger the Greeting or any Greeting steps the customer has configured**.

* **Capture**: Sunshine Conversations Web Messenger doesn't support the
  "Required" toggle. If a dialog flow contains a Capture block, the
  customer must provide the requested information to advance through the
  dialog flow. If they don't, they exit the dialog flow.

* **List options**: Instead of being able to select an option, customers
  see options as a numbered list and can type a number to select the
  corresponding option.

* **Satisfaction Survey**: Sunshine Conversations Web Messenger doesn't
  support Ada's Satisfaction Survey block. However, you can use Zendesk
  Messaging's survey feature, which asks customers about their experience
  once the agent marks the conversation as Solved. For more information,
  see [About CSAT ratings in messaging](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832620570-About-CSAT-ratings-in-messaging)
  at Zendesk Messaging's documentation.

* **Apps**: Ada apps are supported on Sunshine Conversations web
  messenger with the exception of the [Fetch Chat Metadata](/docs/handoffs/handoff-management/blocks/fetch-chat-metadata-block) block. To get
  conversation data, you can use a [Request block](/docs/automation/greetings/greeting-management#request-block)
  to request data from Sunshine Conversations' API. For more
  information, see
  [Conversations](https://docs.smooch.io/rest/#tag/Conversations) at
  Sunshine Conversations' API documentation.

For further information on the features that Sunshine Conversations Web
Messenger supports, see [Web Messenger](https://docs.smooch.io/guide/web-messenger/) at Sunshine
Conversations' documentation.

#### Zendesk SDKs

There are several blocks and features that work differently from Ada's
default chat when using Zendesk's SDKs to deploy your AI Agent on mobile.

* **Greetings**: Unlike in other channels, customers start the conversations when interacting with the AI Agent through Zendesk SDKs, customers start the conversations. Customers only see the greeting if they write a greeting like "hello." Otherwise, if
  a customer starts a conversation with a question like "how do I return
  an item," the AI Agent directly their question.

  Optionally, when configuring the web widget, you can add text that
  appears next to the launcher button. For more information, see
  [Configuring the widget launcher](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4500747797914-Configuring-the-appearance-of-the-Web-Widget#id_jnl_xtm_gnb) at Zendesk's documentation.

* **Capture**: Zendesk SDKs don't support the "Required" toggle. If an
  dialog flow contains a Capture block, the customer must provide the
  requested information to advance through the dialog flow. If they
  don't, they exit the dialog flow.

  Additionally, when the AI Agent captures data in sensitive variables, that
  data isn't masked in the chat UI.

* **List options**: Instead of being able to select an option, customers
  see options as a numbered list and can type a number to select the
  corresponding option.

  Zendesk SDKs don't support the "Response Required" toggle. If a
  dialog flow contains a List Option block, the customer can skip it
  without exiting the dialog flow. This can cause problems in some
  dialog flows, so check your Handoff or Greeting dialog to confirm that customers
  can't skip List Option blocks.

* **Satisfaction Survey**: Zendesk SDKs don't support Ada's Satisfaction
  Survey block. However, you can use Zendesk Messaging's survey feature,
  which asks customers about their experience once the agent marks the
  conversation as Solved. For more information, see [About CSAT ratings in messaging](https://support.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408832620570-About-CSAT-ratings-in-messaging) at Zendesk Messaging's documentation.

* **Metavariables**: You can't set metavariables using Zendesk SDKs. If
  your dialog flows require access to metadata, you can contact your Ada
  team for assistance, or use an [HTTP Request block](/docs/automation/greetings/greeting-management#request-block)
  to request data from Sunshine Conversations' API. For more
  information, see [Sunshine Conversations' API documentation](https://docs.smooch.io/rest/).

### Channel variables\[#use-channel-variables-to-customize-conversations-in-different-channels]

Channel variables allow you to create different chat experiences across
varying channels. To do so, add a conditional block with the
`sunshine_end_user_channel` variable and set the input to one of the
following:

| Channel            | Variable Input |
| ------------------ | -------------- |
| WhatsApp           | `Whatsapp`     |
| Facebook Messenger | `Messenger`    |
| Twilio SMS         | `Twilio`       |
| Instagram          | `Instagram`    |
| Twitter            | `Twitter`      |

Here is an example of how to personalize the experience by channel:

![](/_fern-img/a7eea5fcc1136cbe6b5bf3d834b57d835200bb0d81da792499e754f7cca8b5f5.webp)

### Presence messages\[#presence-messages]

Control whether your AI Agent sends presence messages to end users during [Social channel](/docs/channels/social) conversations. Presence messages are system notifications such as "connected to live agent" or "agent has left the chat" that appear when agents join or leave a conversation.

By default, presence messages are sent to end users on Sunshine Conversations and Twilio channels. In high-volume scenarios with frequent agent reassignments, these messages can create a noisy experience for end users. Disabling them delivers a cleaner conversation without operational notifications.

**To disable presence messages:**

1. On the Ada dashboard, go to **Config > Channels > Social**.
2. Under **Presence Messages**, enable the **Disable presence messages** toggle.

When the toggle is enabled, the Agent does not send presence messages on Sunshine Conversations and Twilio channels. Agent routing and Handoff behavior are not affected.

## Quick start

Set up Social channels in a few steps. For detailed instructions, see [Implementation & usage](#implementation--usage).

Set up your Social channels using the configuration method that supports your channels and Handoff requirements.

Review feature compatibility to understand which blocks and features work with your chosen channels.

## Implementation & usage

Configure Social channels to connect your AI Agent with social messaging platforms.

### Configuration methods\[#configuration-methods]

Set up Social channels using one of the following configuration methods.

#### Configure Channels

To set up channels with one of the following Handoff methods, contact
your Customer Success Manager:

* Salesforce Live Chat

* Zendesk Email Ticketing

* Email

#### Configure Sunshine Conversations

To set up channels with a handoff to Zendesk Messaging, you will need a
Sunshine Conversations license. If you do not have a Sunshine
Conversations license, your Ada team can help you get set up with one.

Additionally, you will need to configure Sunshine Conversations in Ada,
along with the Messaging integration. For setup help, see [Configure and use Sunshine Conversations](/docs/channels/social/sunshine-conversations-setup).

Supported channels currently include:

* WhatsApp

* Facebook Messenger

* Twitter DM

* Instagram Direct

* Twilio SMS

See [Connect Zendesk social channels to multiple AI Agents using Sunshine Conversations](/docs/channels/social/zendesk-social-integration)
for help setting up channels with Ada.

#### Handoff methods\[#understand-how-handoffs-interact-with-social-channels]

There are four methods to hand off conversations to human support in
third-party channels. Depending on the Handoff methods you use, you may
be able to continue a live agent conversation within the channel, or you
may have to move the conversation to email:

* **Handoff to Zendesk Messaging:** Customers are directly connected to a
  live agent within the third-party channel.

* **Handoff to Salesforce Live Chat:** Customers are directly connected
  to a live agent within the third-party channel.

* **Handoff to Zendesk Email Ticketing:** Customers are asked for their
  email address and receive support from an agent via email.

* **Handoff to Email:** Customers are asked for their email address and
  receive support from an agent via email.

## Related features

Explore additional Social channel and integration options.

* [Sunshine Conversations setup](/docs/channels/social/sunshine-conversations-setup): Connect social channels through Sunshine Conversations.
* [Zendesk social integration](/docs/channels/social/zendesk-social-integration): Integrate social channels with Zendesk.
* [Handoffs](/docs/handoffs): Configure how your AI Agent escalates conversations to human agents.
* [Greetings](/docs/automation/greetings): Create welcome messages for social channel conversations.
* [Chat](/docs/channels/chat): Learn about Ada's native Chat channel.

---

Have any questions? Contact your Ada team, or email us at [](mailto:help@ada.cx?subject=Help%20Docs%20inquiry).