If as a business or online marketer, you haven’t started implementing Messenger Marketing in your campaign, then you are missing out on a wide range of benefits.
Messenger Marketing is simply the utilization of mobile, chat platforms to communicate with and sell products and/or services to prospects and customers. Many businesses are already reaping the benefits of this marketing model.
In this article, we’ll be telling you about the future of messenger marketing. You’ll also find out how brands and businesses are using this strategy to improve customer relationships.
IS MESSENGER MARKETING ALL THAT?
Yes, it is. In fact, this marketing strategy has been predicted to become the world’s largest marketing channel in the coming 5-7 years.
It is quite obvious that phone calls, SMS, and emails are becoming “old school.” Mobile-friendly apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, WeChat, and iMessage are taking over.
They have become quite important and are now part of our daily routine. We use them each day to keep in touch with friends, family members, and even business partners and customers.
These tools have simply become the easiest, quickest, and most convenient way to contact someone.
The future generation of consumers (people aged 18-44) prefer texting as their primary form of communication. And this is because these messaging apps are intuitive and very easy to use.
And since businesses are always looking for ways to provide their consumers with convenience, it only makes sense to gravitate towards these messaging apps.
Additionally, using these platforms allow you to target new prospects.
Take the Facebook Messenger for instance.
The app has over 1.3 billion monthly users. An efficient marketing campaign with this app is bound to get you a decent amount of prospects every month.
THE RISE OF MESSENGER MARKETING
For you to understand this clearly, we’ll use China and WeChat as a case study.
With over 900 million monthly users, WeChat is definitely one of the biggest messaging apps in the country. Almost everyone uses it – at work, for business communication between employees, chat with family and friends.
In fact, we can say it is the dominant method of communication in the country. The app allows users to send videos for free, share large files, and create group chats.
However, communication isn’t the only thing WeChat is being used for. Chinese bloggers distribute their content through WeChat. Some of them don’t even post on a normal blogs.
Additionally, the app has a payment feature called WeChat Pay. It is widely used in the country. Both online and physical stores make use of this feature.
It can be used to pay for movie tickets, drinks at vending machines, taxi requests, and more. And to make it more interesting, you don’t need card or cash before you can use WeChat Pay.
In fact, a 2017 report from WeChat states that 87-94% of their Chinese users use WeChat to pay for offline purchases.
Statistics like this simply show that Messenger marketing is gradually becoming the new “cool” in the marketing world.
Combine this with everything Facebook and Messenger has to offer and you’ll be seeing a huge surge in your business.
You’ll be endowed with rich data and incredible targeting options that would elevate your profile.
All of this is the reason why there’s so much excitement surrounding the future of Messenger Marketing.
WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR MESSENGER MARKETING
TAKING OVER EMAILS
One of the top predictions for Messenger Marketing is that it will leave email marketing behind. In fact, it will be the predominant channel for business marketing, sales, and customer support.
Many businesses are already getting higher open rates, more revenue, and higher click through rates through Messenger. It’s only going to get better.
Email marketing might not go away forever. However, with the countless marketing emails being dropped in spam folders, emails are becoming less effective. Leading travel app Travel Professor ditched their emails completely in favour of Messenger updates.
We are gradually moving away from emails to more intuitive and enjoyable messaging channels.
AVAILABLE TO MORE CHANNELS
For anyone planning to do Messenger Marketing outside China, Facebook Messenger is currently your only option. However, this is going to change very soon.
WhatsApp is already testing their API in private beta. There are plans to make the API public in 2019 so as to allow the integration of chatbot platforms.
iMessage is also doing the same as they are going to launch Business Chat soon. And Google is planning to build a system known as Rich Communication Services (RCS) for Android.
With all of these in the works, Messenger Marketing is bound to become the one stop marketing strategy for all.
GROW YOUR BUSINESS WITH MESSENGER MARKETING
Messenger marketing is for all types of businesses. Whether it is e-commerce, blogging, oil and gas, consultants, celebrities, brick and mortar businesses —you name it.
The sooner you employ the use of this strategy, the better it would be for you.
Facebook Messenger has grown in folds. And it’s only going to get bigger and better. The best time to act is now.
