How to use Data Placeholders in Socialbu?

In this article, we will cover:

What are Data Placeholders?
Where to find and apply them
Placeholder types based on automation events
Example use cases
FAQs

Overview

Data Placeholders in SocialBu are dynamic tags that simplify your automation by letting you insert event-based values directly into your automated replies or posts. Each placeholder pulls specific data from a trigger event and adds it to your message or content automatically.

These are especially useful when setting up automations that respond to messages, publish content, or fetch details from RSS feeds or Webhooks.

How to Use Placeholders

Step-by-Step:

Go to Automate: Start by creating or editing an automation from the Automate section.
Locate Placeholders: On the automation setup screen, you’ll find the “Data Placeholders” listed on the right side.
Copy & Use: Simply copy the placeholder you need and paste it into the Content box or relevant field.

Placeholders Based on Automation Events

📩 For “Message is received” on Facebook

{{ content }} – The message content.
{{ facebook.name }} – Sender’s name.
Example: Hi {{ facebook.name }}, thanks for reaching out!
{{ has_image }} – Returns True if the message has an image, False otherwise.
{{ has_sticker }} – Returns True if the message includes a sticker.

📢 For “New post is published by account”

{{ content }} – The content of the post.
{{ has_image }} – Indicates presence of image.
{{ media_url }} – Provides URL of the image/video in the post.

📰 For “RSS has a new item”

{{ title }} – Title of the blog/article.
{{ link }} – URL of the post.
{{ image }} – Image URL.
{{ description }} – Description of the content.
{{ author }} – Author name.
{{ category }} – Category of the article/blog.
{{ has_image }} – Indicates whether the RSS item contains an image.

🌐 For “Webhook is triggered”

{{ request_body }} – Displays the full payload/data received through the Webhook.

Use Case Example

Let’s say you set up an automation to respond to incoming Facebook messages:

Message Received: “Hi, I want pricing details”

Automation Reply:

Hi {{ facebook.name }}, thanks for your message. Here’s our pricing page: [link]

If the person’s name is John, they’ll receive:

Hi John, thanks for your message. Here’s our pricing page: [link]

FAQs

Can I combine multiple placeholders in one message?

Yes, you can use multiple placeholders together in a single content box.

Will the automation still work if a placeholder value is missing?

If a placeholder has no data (e.g., no image), it will return False or remain blank—your automation will still function.

Can placeholders be used in Queued posts or RSS posts?

Yes, all placeholder-supported events including RSS and Webhook can utilize placeholders where applicable.

Need further Assistance?

If you have any other concerns or queries, email us at support@socialbu.com 📩