Facebook forms the basis of many small business social media marketing campaigns. A versatile tool, it’s perfect for building relationships with both prospects and current customers or clients. From posting photos to sharing information about marketing events, Facebook makes it possible to implement a wide array of digital outreach efforts.
While the majority of today’s Facebook marketing initiatives involve either paid campaigns or organic solutions on business pages, the platform offers a great deal beyond these options.
One of the most underutilized tools for connecting with customers? Facebook Messenger. This private messaging system can be used for a variety of marketing essentials, including:
- Customer acquisition. This approach to reaching customers may seem direct, but that’s exactly what endears it to brands and consumers who prefer a straightforward approach. Followers can respond to organic posts to request further interaction via messages. Ads that click to messenger are even more useful.
- Product recommendations. Facebook Messenger can mimic the in-store experience by allowing customers to seek feedback from knowledgeable representatives. In turn, these conversations drive sales.
- Re-engagement. After conversations end, brands enjoy the opportunity for further interactions simply by getting in touch with followers later on. Sponsored messages, for example, help many organizations reach customers who have already engaged through Facebook’s business pages. This can produce a higher ROI for social media marketing by ensuring long-term brand awareness.
Why Integrate Facebook Messenger in Your Social Media Marketing Campaign?
While the many Facebook Messenger functions outlined above should be reason enough to make the most of this social media tool, these represent only the beginning. Below, we’ve highlighted a few compelling arguments for why Facebook Messenger is worth including in your social media marketing efforts.
Build on Existing Facebook Efforts
If you’re wary of expanding your social media footprint, you’re far from alone. With so many platforms and apps available these days, it can be difficult to maintain a sense of focus. Developing a strategy for yet another platform may feel intimidating. With Facebook Messenger, however, the process is easy — especially if, as is likely, you already maintain a strong presence on Facebook.
Increasing Popularity
Facebook Messenger has long been a favored option for connecting with friends and followers online. As of 2017, data from Facebook indicates that its messaging function boasted over 1.3 billion users. Many are engaged to the point of using Messenger weekly or even daily. Some now use it in lieu of the platform’s other elements, even going so far as to delete or obscure the Facebook app from their devices while still making the most of the messenger option.
Impressive Open Rates
Email may be one of the most enduringly effective marketing options, but it has its limitations. Among the most notable? The struggle of getting recipients to open messages. As their inboxes become inundated with marketing emails, many people begin to tune out — even when they spot catchy subject lines from brands they adore.
Facebook Messenger cuts through the noise by getting in touch with customers in a completely different digital location. When using the messaging app, many people already have their guard down and are therefore more amenable to looking at messages from the brands they follow.
Greater Trust from Consumers
Building a sense of trust can be tricky with today’s social media-savvy consumers. They crave authentic connections with businesses that consistently demonstrate patience and empathy. These attributes can easily be highlighted via Facebook Messenger, all while building the sense of deep trust that is so critical for securing loyal customers.
A Facebook-commissioned survey verifies the importance of Messenger for developing trust. Among respondents in the United States, 69 percent claimed that they felt more confident about brands they were able to message directly. In other areas of the world, this messaging-inspired confidence reached nearly 80 percent.
Ideas for Making the Most of Facebook Messenger
https://www.falcon.io/insights-hub/topics/social-media-strategy/leverage-facebook-messenger-ads-2018/
Facebook Messenger, like the social media giant itself, is a versatile tool. While many messaging campaigns resemble traditional email marketing, a variety of other tactics can pay dividends — including a few we’ve highlighted below:
Encourage Followers to Use Chatbots
Chatbots are common on company websites, but they can also be used to great effect on social media. This is a wonderful option for engaging users who prefer Facebook but don’t want to share sensitive information on public pages. With Facebook Messenger chatbots, customers can chat privately with representatives who are capable of answering their most urgent questions.
The value of chatbots can be seen in the impressive results from the airline company KLM, which specifically requests in the About section that customers “please share [their] personal details via private messages only.” To encourage this, the company allows travelers to fulfill a variety of essentials from the convenience of Facebook Messenger. From checking in to making flight changes, nearly every step of the process can be seamlessly handled from the messaging service’s easy-to-access app.
Don’t be afraid to use creative techniques to get customers invested in conversations that take place over Facebook Messenger. LEGO has accomplished this by naming its chatbot Ralph and adopting a lighthearted, often playful tone. Depending on your brand’s typical voice, fun elements such as GIFs or emojis can also help you connect with customers.
Send Appointment Reminders
Rather than sending a reminder email or leaving a lengthy voicemail message, let clients know about scheduled consultations or appointments with Facebook Messenger. To enable this function, add the Book Now CTA button to your business page. Complete the setup process within the Appointments on Facebook feature before enabling reminders within the Automated Responses section.
Add the Get Messages Option to Facebook Posts
When you post content on your business page, how do followers respond? In all likelihood, most click share or leave comments. Both are valuable opportunities for encouraging engagement, but alternatives exist. To build a more personal connection, make the most of “Get Messages,” which allows followers to reach out when they find your content intriguing.
This option is especially useful for promoting lead magnets. Followers who would ordinarily be reluctant to reach out via Facebook Messenger will happily do so if they expect to receive downloadable content they find entertaining or useful.
Launch a Drip Campaign
Drip campaigns may be associated with email marketing, but they can also work wonders on Facebook Messenger. This solution minimizes the potential for sending too many messages and sparking the dreaded unfollow.
Not every marketing campaign is relevant to every follower, but drip strategies make it possible to segment based on which users might respond to certain types of messages. Over time, this will produce a far better conversion rate and may also strengthen customer loyalty.
Step Up Your Social Media Strategy with Facebook Messenger
As you examine your options for connecting with customers, don’t overlook Facebook Messenger. You may be surprised to discover how quickly this approach pays off.
Are you ready to step up your social media marketing game? Look to Vinci Digital for assistance. We offer a variety of social media services designed to build genuine connections with followers who, with a little nurturing, hold the potential to become loyal advocates for your brand. Reach out today to learn more about our approach to social media marketing — and to learn about our other offerings.
PS: Have you tried any non-traditional social media marketing strategies such as Facebook Messenger? Feel free to leave a comment below and share a little insight into your favorite tools and techniques!
