The world’s first text message was sent on December 3, 1992. Today, less than 30 years later, messaging has taken over the globe. Seventy-eight percent of the world’s smartphone users use at least one messaging app every month. On Messenger, WhatsApp and Instagram Direct alone, people are sending 100 billion messages every day. And they want to message even more — with brands.1
We have entered the age of conversation. And every business will need to join in. On Messenger, people and businesses exchange 8 billion messages every month. A few years ago, that number stood at 1 billion. And the growth isn’t slowing. The rate of messaging between people and businesses increased 4X in the past year alone.2
People want to message with businesses because it’s convenient, and because it’s how they already communicate with friends and family. But those aren’t the only reasons. Messaging also builds trust. Around the world, people say that being able to message with a business helps them feel more confident about that brand. Confidence adds up: people who message with a business are more likely to shop with that business.
Now, for some brands, the thought of messaging can feel somewhat daunting. But that needn’t be the case. Start by asking yourself who might want to have a conversation with your business. How might a messaging experience be valuable to that audience?
To kickstart your brainstorming, here are a few examples of great experiences that businesses have built on Messenger:
Ralph, the Lego Gift Bot
Messaging allows brands to provide personal service at scale. Lego used this power to great effect with Ralph, a Messenger chat bot that helped adults choose Lego gifts for the kids in their lives.
Lego built ads that drove people to Ralph, which then generated personalized gift recommendations based on a short series of questions. People could even complete their purchases through Messenger’s native browser.
The results? Compared to other channels, Ralph delivered a 1.9x higher purchase conversion and a 71% lower cost per purchase.
Sephora Assistant
Messaging isn’t just for digital. It can drive results IRL too.
Looking to encourage more clients to visit its stores, Sephora built Sephora Assistant, a Messenger experience that offered people an easy way to book makeover appointments. Quick and easy to use, Sephora Assistant helped customers complete bookings in just a few seconds.
By keeping it simple, Sephora drove a booking rate that was 11% higher than other channels.
Hill City Wear Testers
One key to a good conversation: listen as much as you speak. Hill City, a new men’s clothing brand from Gap, Inc., took this lesson to heart.
Looking to get product feedback and build a loyal customer base, Hill City launched the Wear Tester program on Messenger. Once chosen, testers gained access to a special hub inside Messenger where they could talk with the brand, provide product feedback and get access to new, exclusive products.
With Messenger, Hill City didn’t just talk at people. It gave customers a voice and true sense of ownership around the brand.
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No two businesses are alike, and no two messaging strategies are alike either. That’s why it’s time to think about your plan. Your customers are waiting to talk with you. How will you enter the age of conversation?
For more on building customer relationships with messaging, visit Facebook Business.
Case studies:
Citations:
- Facebook Data, October 2018.
- Messenger data, June 2018.
