Give them a reason to click the unchecked checkbox

As you might have heard, Facebook is changing the infamous “checkbox plugin”, allowing only a default unchecked status in the future for all services and businesses. But how does it affect you?

If you are one of the lucky few who had this checkbox plugin in a checked-in status from way back when it was allowed (they stopped to allow it for services sometime in 2017), then you are probably a little bit pissed off: it gave you so much advantage over your competitors who moved a bit slower and never had the privilege to have this, at the cost and effort of basically nothing. It was almost unfair, some might say!

If you are one of the unlucky masses, who only recognised the power of messaging marketing and Facebook Messenger a bit later in 2017, then it’s finally an opportunity to catch up and play on even grounds. Not bad, you get a 2nd chance!

Either way, from 9th of April 2019, you are only allowed to have the checkbox plugin in unchecked state as default and you will have to update your existing solutions as well.

How to adapt?

So the checkbox plugin will stay, it’s gonna be still one of the most powerful tools Facebook will let you have, but from now on you will have to put in some effort to make it produce results, it won’t be enough to simply have it on your site. You will have to give your customers a reason to click on it and check it.

There are a plethora of ideas about how to make customers click on this, but it has to be a powerful offer of some real value, as customers could be hesitant to associate their Facebook accounts, if they don’t know what is the reason you are requesting this checkbox to be clicked. A few examples that our partners are using:

• Clicking the checkbox can provide some extra discount for a cart
• Going through the process will provide a gift for the customer, if the checkbox was clicked
• If the customer wants explicit notification of their order
• Free shipping could be tied to clicking on the checkbox
• Customers who approve it could participate in games (on Messenger, perfect platform for this) to win prizes

The opportunity is still here

Do not let this opportunity fade away, just because the rules of the game has been changed. If you can adapt to this new situation, the checkbox plugin will still be one of the most powerful tools in your marketing arsenal, but in the future, this game will be played on a more even ground. So go for it and win!

Got more ideas to add? Send them to us and we will be happy to implement it for you.