Recently Facebook announced that it would be changing how Messenger / Messages campaigns run within the European Union space. The reason for this being General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) which apply within the EU states.
You may have found that your Facebook Ads Campaigns which had Messenger as their destination have been paused late last month or at the begining of December. This is because Facebook eliminated the option to optimize the ads that click to message for conversations.
Here is what Facebook has officially announced so far:
“Due to new privacy rules in Europe, some messaging campaigns have been paused. This means that certain messaging-related ads, targeting, and audiences for ads delivered to and from Europe will be unavailable.“
So what can you do to continue to run Messages / Messenger campaigns? Well there are 2 issues you need to solve.
Switch the conversions / optimization objective
Whether your ongoing campaigns got paused/disabled or you set up a new campaign which keeps getting rejected, the first step is to switch to the new conversion objective.
“You can still run ads that click to message using the following substitutions. Changes to your campaign may affect performance.
- The Link Clicks optimization can be used instead of the Conversations/Leads optimizations.
- The Start Conversations template can be used instead of the Lead Generation template.“
We used to run click to message campaigns with the Conversation objective. Now that isn’t allowed any more. So this is the reason you will receive your first error, which sounds like this:
“Optimization Unavailable: The Conversations optimization is not available right now for messaging campaigns that target Europe. To continue with this optimization, remove European locations. Or, select a different optimization. (#2446670) “
Now the obvious solution would be to just switch to the new allowed objective of Link Clicks. But that isn’t allowed either.
SOLUTION: What you need to do is to create the campaign all over again. Duplicating it doesn`t work, you will get the same error!
Create a new message template
Even if you recreated the campaign and switched to the new allowed conversions objectives you might find that your Facebook Ads Messenger campaign will still get rejected.
The new error message has to do with the ad itself this time and sounds like this:
“Invalid Page Welcome Message for Messenger Destination Ads: The Message Text (page_welcome_message) is invalid for ads with Messenger as destination. (#1815471)”
Apparently this had been an issue before and was related to custom Message Templates that we’re using custom JSON code. Here is a thread about it on Stack Overflow from 2018.
And the solution which was working back then:
But this time around the error is shown even for templates created within the Facebook Ads Manager platform, without using any JSON code or chatbots.
SOLUTION: In order to fix this you need to create a new Message Template and make sure that you have selected “None” for the Customer Actions. Do not edit or duplicate preexisting templates, or you will get the error again!
If you ecountered other errors with click to message campaigns or found other solutions, please leave a comment.
Good luck!
Marele Diminutiv 
I’m in the Argentine Republic, what I don’t understand is why, if the limitation is in the European community, in South America, specifically in Buenos Aires, I still get this error message in the optimization
The messages campaing error spread to everyone apparently. By now everything should be working fine. I spoke to a Facebook representative today and managed to confirm everything is resolved. You can even set Buttons and Quick Replies in Messages Template now.
Nothing has been resolved. The campaigns with optimization “messages” does not work and the text of the European community appears. If with other optimizations they can send messages but it is not the same, in quantity and quality. A shame, in a pandemic, they take away an important channel of contact from potential customers and that worked best. Disappointed with facebook. And little or nothing hopeful
I don’t know how to solve it and have an important flow of messages again
Yes, the ability to set conversations as optimization objective for Messages campaign is not available in the EU. When I said everything should be working fine now, I meant that the error messages described in the article don`t show up anymore.
The issue is still the same . I’m in Asia but can still work out messaging ads even my target audience is within my country.
I am still getting the same error for just one specific page and for a local campaign in Brazil. Tried contacting Facebook support twice and they told they would look at it, but they did not solve it. I have two pages in the same account and in one page it works fine, but the other gives me that error.
Hi Vlad, I already back to Malaysia 2 months ago from Ireland, but my ads manager keep showing the conversation optimization is not available because I am in Europe. How can I do without changing the conversation to link click. Is there anyway to change my location for Facebook detection?
I encountered this issue on 19th May 2021… Even changing optimization or message template don’t help.. My ad account has been stop running to 3 weeks… Still waiting FB to revert with the solution…
broke as of today, got this error and ruined my only good ad
tried to make a new ad set but now they wont let me use detailed targeting, smh
Hola, pudo resolver el problema? Me pasa lo mismo y me gustaría saber si tiene solución
I still can’t run Messenger ads in because of the same issue.
I have all the time issues with Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram targets.
Success, it worked!!!! Didn’t realize it was necessary to switch customer action to “none”. Thanks!!
Glad to hear that!
Can you help me where to find it?
merhaba müşteri eylemini bulamadım nasıl değiştirebilirim
Thank you so much for your blog post !!!
My old campaign doesn’t restart (I’m based in France). Am I obliged to create new campaigns? (Messenger)
Your problems might be with Campaign Objective. Use Link Clicks, instead of Convesations. And yes, you need to recreate the campaign. Editing or duplicating doesn`t work.
Thank you Vlad for your quick response:-) my old campaigns were very good since I recreated them, it costs me five times more. I had hoped to get back to my old campaigns in February. Are they definitely lost? (My old campaigns).
If there are no changes to EU GDPR policy, then it`s higly unlikely that we will ever be able to optimize Messages campaigns for Convesrsation again.
Hi. The messaging services does not work. I’m based in the U.K. and want to link my ad to only my Instagram.
Any advice thanks
I am not sure what you are trying to do… Please give me more details.
Unbelievable… it worked!
Thank you
Glad to hear that! Good luck!
My ones states that multi destination ads with WhatsApp are not available right now . How do I fix it ?
thanks for the article, my campaign is for US, I set the FAQ as none, I didn’t duplicate the campaign and created it from scratch… the error (#1815471) still showing, any recommendation?
Try using a template with text only and don`t add the name tag.
From Australia and had this problem. The error is still there. but this solution managed to resolve it. Thanks!
Glad to hear that!
Hello,
I am really struggling with that for a client! Could you help me in private?
Because I want to put Messenger Ads with Generating Leads Template as it is for a client in real estate in France…
BUT I have always this error :
“To continue using the Generate leads setup, you can do one of the following: 1) If you’re creating a new ad set, choose the Leads optimization, or 2) If you’re editing an existing ad set, create a new ad set and select the Leads optimization. (#2490163)”
BUT I CAN’T do that in the adset section, I can only select link click or impressions, the edit button is grey.
I am so down and frustrated…
if you could help me I will appreciate it so much
Hello Axel. Please sens me a message through the contact form and I’ll get back to you shortly.
I have the same issue, is there a solution for this one?
Conversations optimization isn’t available for WhatsApp numbers from your location: WhatsApp numbers from your location cannot be used for the Conversations optimization. Please select a different optimization or another messaging app to continue. (#2446921)
Hi, i´m from México and even putting none in Costumer Actions the error stills. Is any other tip that you could have? i’ll really apreciate it Thanks 🙂
Hi, i´m from México and even putting none in Costumer Actions the error stills. Is any other tip that you could have? i’ll really apreciate it Thanks
Make sure that you create a new template. If you still get the error, try using text only (with none customer actions).
Hi! I tried doing this but nothing happened. I still got the error. Optimization Unavailable: The Leads optimization is not available right now for messaging campaigns in Japan. To fix this, select a different optimization. (#2446756) I’m running ads for Australia and I don’t have any idea why I’m detected in Japan?
Is there another way to fix this? Hope you can help me! TIA!
I am not sure what the region specific changes in campaign optimization are for Australia and/or Japan. Please send a message through the contact form in my website. I’ll reply via email so that you cand send me some printscreens in order to better understand the issues you are facing.
Sir can you help me? What should I do to run ads again to get more messages?
My target market is Japan. Please help me thank you .
Hi im from Mexico, It worked for me, setting the action to none, but if I want to put the JSON code the error appears again
Hi!! I Keep getting this error after I changed the optimization to Link Cliks.
Ad Type Unavailable: Multi-destination ads are not available right now for messaging campaigns in Europe. To fix this, please select a single destination. (#2446659) Learn More
Hello. You are probably trying to run Messenger ads with catalog destination.
Why I located in Malaysia but still come out this message? please advice, thanks
Probably because you are targeting countries in the EU.
Hello iam from egypt and got error Optimization Unavailable: The Conversations optimization is not available right now for messaging campaigns in Europe. To fix this, please select a different optimization. (#2446669) i tryed to make new temp but its same error any help how to fixed it ?
Hello Sarah. You can only optimize for Link Clicks. Read my article on how to do that. Good luck!
Hola, muchas gracias por ayudarnos. Lamentablemente lo intenté pero no me funcionó! 😦 No sé si haya alguna otra manera de arreglarlo.
Realice la plantilla de mensajes como lo mencionaste pero sigue apareciendo el error: “Optimization Unavailable: The Conversations optimization is not available right now for messaging campaigns in Europe. To fix this, please select a different optimization. (#2446669)”
My apologies if this is off subject but I used to be able to receive messages in my inbox and see which post/advertisement the sender was referring to. I can no longer see this so if asked a question about a specific post, I have to ask which post it is they are enquiring about before I can answer their question.
Have facebook made changes to this effect? Is there something I need to do?
Conversations optimization isn’t available for WhatsApp numbers from your location: WhatsApp numbers from your location cannot be used for the Conversations optimization. Please select a different optimization or another messaging app to continue. (#2446921)
When I originally commented I appear to have clicked on the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on every time a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the same comment. Is there a way you can remove me from that service? Kudos!
“Multi destination ads with WhatsApp not available right now: uncheck WhatsApp or remove locations in Europe to continue” this is what comes up every time I try to run an ad/ boost post on instagram, how can I resolve this please?
I’m in the UK.
Many thanks
J’ai le même problème aujourd’hui (je suis en FRANCE)…HELP !!!
If you find a solution, please share, when I try to promote an instagram post over business manager, the moment i click on the ad this error occurs. Maybe Europe changed something again about privacy…
If you find a solution, pls let me know because it’s the same thing here
Anche io ho lo stesso problema, non riesco a creare inserzioni. Sono in Italia.
Debora..se trovi soluzioni altrove dimmelo…sono disperata…stesso problema
Same problem. Hope this is fixed asap… Very bad timing for this bug.
I’m also having this issue on a normal IG post boost (in Finland). I have no WhatsApp linked and I’m not trying to do anything with Messenger.
Same here in Turkey. If you find a solution, please let me know.
Yes, same in Sweden. Any of you, please update here if you find a solution 🙂
Same Problem in Germany. Do somebody know more yet? I didnt find anything.
The same for me. I don’t have my WhatsApp linked to Instagram. I am from Czech Rep.
In Australia and facing the same issue. Had no problem 2 days ago, now it won’t allow me. I don’t have Whatsapp connected either! Someone please let us know if they find a solution. 😦
I had the same error message but managed to boost the IG post through meta business suite on my phone.
I had the same problem but boosted my Instagram post via meta Business Suite.
Same issue over here in BE, i used to be able to boost stories without any problem…didn’t find any solution so far.
Same here in Spain… horrible. I don’t know what IG is doing those days
In Belgium and facing the same issue. Had no problem 2 days ago, now it won’t allow me. I don’t have Whatsapp connected either! Someone please let us know if they find a solution. 😦
It is also the same in Bulgaria. And the fact that we all are typing here, means that it must be all across Europe. 3-4 days ago post boosting was no issue…
Same here in Poland… please help 😦
same here in Spain. Waiting for a solution… please help!
same in the netherlands
Same here in Turkey. Please help
I’m trying to make an ad on instagram. My target is Europe and I’m from Turkey. I get this issue everytime: “Multi-destination ads with WhatsApp not available right now. Uncheck WhatsApp or remove locations in Europe to continue.” I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY!! Just a few days ago it was working without any problems! PLEASE HELP as soon as possible. Thanks in advance!
What I find strange is that I’ve asked others and they said theirs is working fine…they are able to run ads fine and so did I a few days ago….seems to be only affecting a selected amount of people or maybe once those who currently have ads running are not affected but perhaps when it comes to an end, might not be able to run another ad again…
Exactly the same here. Need to boost my concert tickets as always and not working. Receiving the same message already shared above and I don’t even have my IG linked to the WhatsApp …
There changes ongoing regarding privacy issues at the moment in Europe i believe.
When i try to eg boost a story for US, then the promotion is simply working as before…
Do you think it will turn normal again?
I have the same Problem in germany. It would be interesting to know if everybody habe this Problem or only a few peeps. I dont have whatsapp in my IG that Error is so stupid.
Hey Dori ich habe das gleiche Problem, habe mein Whatsapp bereits getrennt aber es funktioniert trotzdem nichts. Wenn ich die anzeige in den USA schalten will funktioniert es aber.
Hey Azad, ja ich brauch die Ads in Berlin… total bescheuet, warum machen die nur immer irgendeine Sch****
Debora..se trovi soluzioni altrove dimmelo…sono disperata…stesso problema
Same in Greece! I was running ads till yesterday morning. When I tried to run them again this message show up and still doesn’t let me do nothing. Hope it’s solved today.
I tried to do it through the app. Did not work and shows same error: “Multi-destination ads with WhatsApp not available right now: Uncheck WhatsApp or remove locations in Europe to continue.”
I found a solution to boost post through meta business suite.
1. create your ad
2. change budget and check if the bottom right corner button “publish” will change from grey to blue (clickable) when you adjust the budget.
3. click on the “budget” and enter any amount you want to spend per day manually eg 10, 20 EUR etc… on your keyboard.
4. once you hit the “tab” key on your keyboard the “publish” button will change to clickable for a second. So you have to be fast clicking it with your touchpad, mouse etc. You need to do both things in the same time.
For me it worked. My boost is now beeing checked.
Must be a meta-bug
Hey Seb,
When i try to do a insta Ad at business site it shows immediately the same error. Did you see it as well?
Good workaround but unfortunately IG Reels don’t show in business suite (god knows why) so this only works for certain posts.
Did you make it with an iPhone? If not, which phone did you use? And did instagram approve the ad?
it worked with me! thanks so muuuchh!!!
Multi destination ads with WhatsApp not available right now: uncheck WhatsApp or remove locations in Europe to continue.
Same error here in Greece on Instagram. Not linked WhatsApp either. No solution yet.
Continuo ad avere lo stesso problema da ieri. Non ho whatsapp collegato ad Instagram, e non capisco cosa possa essere.
Pensate che possa risolversi ?
anche io ho lo stesso problema non riesco a mettere post in evidenza
Did anyone find a solution yet?
Still same Problem 😦
I just found this new topic on reddit.. Seems like everyone is cureently having the same problem.
Same problem in Switzerland. No Whatsapp attached, no European countries targeted (Switzerland isn‘t even part of the EU, so why is Switzerland affected?!). My whole business relies on the „book now“ button from paid instagram posts linked to my booking tool…
It works through the Meta-App. Seems to only affect the creation of ads directly in Instagram.
Did you do this on your PC? I cant make a Instaboost with the Meta App (Business Suite). It makes still on my Facebook Account (FB and IG connected)
At least, did Facebook said something about this error with Whats App? I only found something here, on this site. Maybe somebody found more?
I found this new topic on reddit. I have to put gaps between the www. in the link because it won’t let me post it here.
w w w . reddit.com/r/InstagramMarketing/comments/x4qowx/unchecking_whatsapp_cannot_boost_posts_at_the/
Thanks! At least we are not alone. I hope they fix it. Keep reporting it to them.
Here is a link of how to report bugs. Hopefully if we all hammer them it’ll get fixed soon. https://help.instagram.com/381579045265733/?helpref=uf_share
Salut à tous ! Moi j’ai trouvé la solution à l’instant ! Déjà je me sui connecté en VPN sur un serveur en dehors de l’Europe ! ( âpre simplement quand on vous demande de définir votre audience ( au lieu de créer votre audience choisissez l’option ( AUTOMATIQUE ) Instagram cible des personnes semblable à vos abonné )) ! ( Pour infos je sui en France et depuis hier j’arrivais plus à lancer ma pub ! Et j’ai trouvé cette solution qui fonctionne pour ma part ! J’espère vous avoir aider ! Dites moi si vous avais réussi ?!
J’ai choissie l’option “automatique” qui ne fonctionne
The problem still goes on!! Cannot boost my posts and the Help line is not answering. ..Should have an announcement of the problem .Shame
Still the sane Problem with Whats App Error,
Did somebody found out more?
Purtroppo il problema persiste. Speriamo possa risolversi
Anche per me stessa cosa fatemi sapere se si sblocca questa situazione
Same here.. the problem is still there. I reported it on instagram support so many times and nobody is answering. I’m losing money right now.. Very bad timing.
Utilise un VPN connecte toi dan un serveur en dehors de l’Europe ( et utilise le ciblage automatique ) !! Moi je fait ça depuis hier et ça marche
Malheureusement ca fonctionne pas pour moi..
Merci pour le sharing!
How do you take an other vpn?
Same problem in Poland((
Here is more info on this bug – https://marelediminutiv.com/2022/09/04/instagram-advertising-bug-widespread-through-europe/
Thanks! Hope that Meta notice it already.
The Problem is here, that you mane an add on facebook for the IG Post. Its not the same…
I don’t know if anyone had tried to boost an ad again but when I tried just now it asked me to make a payment of £13??? Which is strange…Ive never paid for my ads upfront, I usually pay when the ad is done.
It said pay balance and then had the option to pay by credit card or paypal and then a pay now button at the bottom. Instagram is a strange place right now, full of hackers and bugs…please someone shed some light….
The WhatsApp Problem still goes on….
Purtroppo sì.. è presente ancora il problema
Il problema non è ancora stato risolto, non si riesce più a sponsorizzare niente
Its okay again!!!!
Pour ma par tous remarche correctement
For me it is working again, i don’t have the issue anymore
Hello, do anyone of you find a solution how to run ads for messages in Europe? Before these restrictions i used to boost the post to get messages but not it’s 20 time more expensive. Anyone to help?
Hello, do anyone of you find a solution how to run ads for messages in Europe? Before these restrictions i used to boost the post to get messages but now it’s 20 times more expensive. Anyone to help?