An Introduction to Messenger Chatbots
Did you know it was only in 2011 that Facebook launched their Messenger platform?
It’s difficult to know what the world would be like without the launch of Facebook and Messenger. Facebook messenger has brought the world closer together, with easy communication between family, friends and businesses across the world.
In 2016, Facebook added an incredible feature; Messenger Chatbots.
Admittedly, when Facebook first launched their Messenger Chatbots there wasn’t a lot of hype about them. Even David Marcus, the boss of Facebook Messenger, admitted Messenger Chatbots weren’t actually that great …
But, a lot has changed since 2016.
Messenger Chatbots are on the rise, they’ve become intelligent, engaging and certainly a lot more successful.
It’s time for businesses to act and embrace such an excellent new piece of technology.
What’s are Messenger Chatbots?
A Chatbot will imitate a ‘human to human’ conversation through a software application and / or programming.
In the early days, chatbots had pretty limited abilities. They could hold basic conversations, which weren’t very ‘human like’ at all.
But now, the abilities of chatbots is mind-blowing. Chances are, you’ve probably conversed with a business’s chatbot without even knowing it. Their capabilities are huge, and they will continue to improve!
What Can Facebook Messenger Chatbots do?
Businesses from a range of different sectors like; hospitality, media, entertainment, travel and retail have found success in implementing chatbots on Facebook Messenger.
They can turn language into structured data. Meaning not only can bots hold a conversation and respond appropriately, but they can also get smarter after every interaction. They’re a form of artificial intelligence, AI.
They act as personal assistant for every consumer; helping them with whatever you programme them to do.
Here’s an example of what Messenger Chatbots could assist you with;
- – Booking appointments
- – General customer service; opening hours, location, services etc
- – Making a payment
- – Employment; asking questions to help you filter through applicants
- – Newsletter subscriptions
- – Digital Marketing; promoting services, sharing offers and latest news
- – Planning a trip
The list is almost endless.
Will People Be Able to Find My Messenger Bot?
‘If I implement it, will I see any interaction?”
The answer? Yes.
Of course, we don’t have wands to magically get consumers to engage with your bot if they don’t even know it exists. But, users can search for companies and their bots via Facebook Messenger by their company name (it’s that simple). You can’t expect this to happen without some form of promotion. To get you started, here are a few suggestions to raise awareness of your bot;
- – Pop-ups on your websites encourage customers to give your bot a try (providing them with a link)
- – Through email campaigns with a link to get started
- – Through blogs (like this one) to inform consumers of what bots actually are and how they can help
- – Through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social platforms
We’ve created a very simple bot on our website to give you an idea on how it works and what it can do. Give it a try!
Keep an Eye Out
This week, we’ll be sharing a range of posts about chatbots and what they can do for your business. Keep your eyes peeled and stay up-to-date in the latest happenings of Messenger Chatbots!
About the author:
Marie Harwood is a Digital Marketing Assistant at Different Gravy Digital, Hale, Cheshire.
Different Gravy Digital are a full service Digital Marketing Agency operating in the Hospitality & Leisure, Financial Services, Legal & Property sectors. Products and services range from; 3D & 360° Tours, Website Design & Build, Social Media, Video Production, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Content Creation, Email Marketing, Online Feedback / Review Systems and Paid Advertising (Google, Bing and Social Media).
Contact Details:
marie@differentgravydigital.co.uk
0161 706 0004
120a Ashley Road, Hale, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 2UN