on Instagram.
Engaging an audience is a full-time job. That’s why marketers use multiple platforms to boost their reach. Blogs, social media, SEO – the list is always expanding. And with it comes the ever persistent temptation to streamline the process.
So what’s next? …Chatbots.
Chatbots are specialized software designed with AI (artificial intelligence) to simulate a personal conversation – because you aren’t speaking to an actual person. You’re talking with a bot!
About Chatbots
Chatbots are basically AI bots that talk to your customers. They are great marketing and sales tools that can be used for a variety of tasks. Some businesses use it to take the strain off of their customer support team, to answer FAQs, or to even check the shipping status of a product they purchased. Other times, companies can set up a bot to take concerns or questions during after hours, to make sure someone is always listening!
These conversational bots are given a friendly and approachable tone of voice and tend to operate in a simple, straightforward manner. Marketers can utilize popular app messengers (such as Linkedin, Slack, and even Amazon’s Alexa), or outsource with 3rd party software, such as ManyChat. However, the most efficient way just might be Facebook Messenger.
About Facebook Chatbots
Marketers who set up Facebook Messenger chatbots find that their bots have a 15% – 60% engagement rate – meaning that users who received a message containing a link from your friendly neighborhood Messenger chatbot were more likely to click. And with an audience of over 1.2 billion people actively using Facebook’s instant messaging app, you’ve opened the door to a potential of nearly endless new leads.
Imagine driving that much traffic to your website!
Chatbot 101
You don’t need to have knowledge of intricate programming or coding in order to set up a chatbot for your business or brand. It’s as simple as drag, drop, type, and copy and paste! BUT, it isn’t as straightforward as setting up a mainstream email account, so it will require a learning curve for marketers. Be sure to take some time to understand the process.
The content your chatbot will use should come from your FAQ section, or any informative blogs on hand. However, remember: simple is always better! If you try to get intricate with your chatbot’s AI or responses, you run the risk of allowing the chatbot to become easily overwhelmed and the poor bot might break during interactions with your leads – which is not only more work for you, but embarrassing!
Could Messenger Chatbots Be Right For You?
Messenger chatbots are simple to set up and conventionally shouldn’t cost you anything. If you have the spare time to experiment and see what works and what doesn’t with a chatbot, it is definitely worth implementing in your social outreach.
Have questions regarding Messenger outreach or optimizing your business’s social media? We’re here to help! You can always keep up with the latest in social media marketing and news via our blog, or email us a question.
