How to convert chat into sales
Part 2: Messaging apps are the next BIG thing
Messaging Apps are the next big thing when it comes to customer-business communication. And it makes total sense! People are always on their smartphone, constantly chatting on mobile messaging apps. That’s why messaging businesses is on the rise, with over 2 billion messages sent between people and brands, including automated conversations, each month. Nowadays, engagement is not just about reaching consumers. It is about reaching them over platforms they are already accustomed to using on a daily basis.
In this sense, what are the most used messaging apps? WhatsApp is the world leader claiming 109 countries. WhatsApp’s countries include Brazil, Mexico, India or Russia. Facebook’s Messenger comes in second, claiming 49 countries including Australia, Canada and USA. After Messenger, Viber was the only other messaging app to claim 10 or more countries. The app shows strong popularity in Eastern Europe and is the top app in Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine. Telegram is the last one on the top having a strong presence in countries like Iran or Uzbekistan. In today’s post, I’m going to outline the main features of the top 4 messaging apps:
Did you know that the number of messages sent daily on WhatsApp alone is 30 billion? In fact, more than 1.5 billion people use this messaging app every month. This astounding number makes it one of the most widely used messaging services in the world. Furthermore, 70% of WhatsApp users are active on a daily basis and 700 million photographs are shared every single day! All this metrics led to the 2018 launching of WhatsApp Business app in selected markets like Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, UK and USA. For now, WhatsApp Business is just an Android app ideal for smaller businesses that will be provided with a series of features such as smart messaging tools. For instance, the app makes it possible to give quick replies to customers’ FAQs, tag conversations and automate the welcome message. Furthermore, businesses will also be able to access messaging statistics, like the number of messages read. Unfortunately, there is no API yet that can be integrated in your own systems to automate processes.
Facebook Messenger
Messenger is a key player in the Facebook ecosystem! It has more than 1.3 billion monthly users and 35% of smartphone owners are active on Messenger at least once per week. The Messenger Platform is a set of features intended to give businesses everything they need to create interactive experiences on Messenger, including APIs, web plug-ins, and a full WebView. In this way, it is possible to launch chatbots and live-messaging tools with custom experiences. In addition to text, the Platform allows businesses to send rich-media like audio, video and images. Messenger also provides a set of structured messaging options in the form of message templates, quick replies, buttons and more. Bots, in particular, are one of the reasons why businesses and brands are turning to Facebook Messenger. Chatbots offer the same convenience and ease-of-use as Messenger. Plus, they let your customers perform tasks within Messenger that would otherwise require them to open an app, go online, or make a phone call. In addition, bots also deliver automated customer service in a more personal-feeling way, answering questions conversationally and in real-time.
Viber
This messaging app is quite possibly the largest to fly completely under the radar. It is not often that you find an app with 900 million users that you hardly know or hear anything about. In 2016, Viber launched Public Accounts to allow brands to engage in promotion and customer service on the platform. By using tailored messaging and rich interfaces, Viber enables businesses to reach their audience. Public Accounts can be used for sales, marketing, support teams or for announcements. Public Accounts also provide the following tools: direct integration through Viber’s API, permit brands to communicate at scale through public chats and has a discovery feature that makes it easy for users to find businesses.
Telegram
Telegram has more than 180 million users worldwide and the competition is low in terms of companies’ accounts, which is great for small businesses! Telegram offers two kinds of APIs for developers. The Bot API that allows you to easily create programs that use Telegram messages for an interface. Or the Telegram API which allows you to build your own customized Telegram clients. Both APIs are free of charge. With the use of bots, businesses are able to systematize their core processes and automate some processual tasks. Lastly, Telegram stickers are a thing! Companies can use their logos to create funny stickers and present them to their clients. If they are nice enough customers will share them with their friends and family which is a great advertisement for your brand.
Whether using human agents, automated bots, or a combination of the two, messaging apps can undoubtedly help your business drive deeper relationships with your clients.
This is the second article of a three-part series based on our upcoming webinar: How chatbots are changing the travel industry. You can find part 1 here.
I wanted to make sure you heard about the webinar HiJiffy is hosting! Tune in on 28th March at 3 pm GMT as we dive in deeper to see why chatbots and the travel industry go hand in hand. Comment below if you are interested in finding more! We will send you the details and registration link! I hope you can make it!
NB: This is a viewpoint by Mariana Marques from HiJiffy. HiJiffy brings chat to the hospitality and travel industry, enabling customers to effectively connect with you through instant messaging apps.
