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AutomatorWP: Send an Automated Private Message on WordPress

· 3 min read
Andrij Tkachenko
Creator of Better Messages

AutomatorWP is a no-code automation plugin — "when X happens, do Y" workflows that connect plugins together. Out of the box, AutomatorWP can send emails, award points, change roles, and run dozens of other actions in response to triggers like form submissions, course completions, payments, and user signups. The one thing it cannot do natively is send a private message inside your site's messenger. Better Messages adds that action: any AutomatorWP automation can send a private Better Messages DM as one of its steps.

What the AutomatorWP integration does​

Better Messages registers a new AutomatorWP action:

  • Send a private message to the user — sends a Better Messages DM from a configured sender to the user the automation is running for.

The action accepts:

  • Sender — the WordPress user the message is sent from (typically a "Bot" user, an admin, or the site owner).
  • Recipient — the user the automation is running for, resolved automatically from the AutomatorWP context.
  • Message body — the message content, with full AutomatorWP token support so you can interpolate {user_first_name}, {course_title}, {payment_amount}, etc.

Common use cases​

TriggerAction
User completes a LearnDash courseDM them with a congratulations message and a link to the next course
Customer places a WooCommerce orderDM them with order confirmation and pickup instructions
User signs up for a free trialDM them from the founder welcoming them
Form submission via Gravity Forms / WPFormsDM the form submitter from the form recipient
User role changes (free → paid)DM them from a coach with a welcome to the premium tier
Payment received via WooCommerce / EDD / StripeDM with the receipt and next steps
Birthday triggerDM with a personalised birthday discount code

Installation​

  1. Install AutomatorWP and configure it.
  2. Install Better Messages from WordPress.org and activate it. The integration is auto-detected.
  3. In AutomatorWP, create a new automation: pick any trigger, then add the action Better Messages → Send a private message to the user.
  4. Configure the sender and message body.

Frequently asked questions​

Does this require the WebSocket version?​

No — sending a message via AutomatorWP works on both the free and WebSocket versions of Better Messages. The recipient sees the message in their inbox; with the WebSocket version they get it in real time and optionally a web push notification.

Can I send a message from a non-human "Bot" sender?​

Yes — set the sender to any WordPress user. Many sites create a dedicated user named "Support Bot" or "[Site Name] Team" as the sender for automated messages.

Can the message include dynamic content (the user's name, course title, etc.)?​

Yes — AutomatorWP tokens work inside the message body. Use the token-picker in the action configuration to insert dynamic values.

Can I send to multiple users?​

The action targets the user the automation is running for (single recipient per run). To message multiple users, run the automation against each user via AutomatorWP's bulk-execution features, or use a custom hook.

Does it support group conversations?​

The action sends a one-to-one DM. For group conversation actions, use a custom hook — talk to support if you need a template.

See also​

Install Better Messages from WordPress.org →