Harness the Power of Facebook Messenger and Shopify
The task of offering both instant and personalized service for every customer can seem daunting to marketers. However, tools like Facebook Messenger and Shopify sync to send extremely targeted messages to customers at any point in their customer journey.
Why should marketers care about Facebook Messenger?
Facebook Messenger was originally called Facebook Chat back in 2008, but it started gaining popularity when the app was revamped in 2010. In recent years, Facebook has pumped considerable time and money into expanding the functionality of its Messenger app as well as its reach.
Significant digital marketing opportunities have opened up with Facebook Messenger, as well as similar platforms like WhatsApp and WeChat. The overall trend in social media is shifting from broadcasting on platforms like Facebook and Instagram to messaging, and Facebook Messenger boasts 1.3 billion individual users. In fact, Facebook Messenger is now the second most-downloaded app behind Facebook.
More than 20 billion messages are sent between people and businesses on Facebook Messenger each month. The platform is also home to about 300,000 active Messenger bots that leverage AI to communicate with consumers. Each month, 40 million businesses are active on the app. Clearly, this is a platform that cannot be ignored.
Connect Shopify and Facebook Messenger for maximum results.
Messenger marketing is effective because it targets consumers with the right message wherever they are in the customer journey. Consumers do not always follow a straightforward path of visiting a site, finding a product, making a purchase, and then returning for another item. Instead, the path features many entrances and exits as customers compare prices, wait for promotions, and make their decision.
Shopify offers apps that integrate with Facebook Messenger to run campaigns and ads through the platform. Octane AI is one example of a Shopify app that enables you to coordinate Facebook Messenger campaigns, grow your Messenger list, and use AI through Messenger. By utilizing this app, you can create targeted messages throughout the customer journey to recover abandoned carts, dramatically improve your open rates, and reply to 99% of customer support inquiries.
Octane AI features: https://apps.shopify.com/octane-ai-messenger-marketing
Is Messenger Marketing more important than Email Marketing?
Just like other forms of marketing, Messenger marketing requires the right message. Marketers who understand the power of Facebook Messenger may still have a difficult time incorporating it into their overall marketing strategy and leveraging the platform for their ecommerce business. The increased popularity of Facebook Messenger makes it a valuable marketing channel, but it is not replacing existing channels.
One of the main comparisons in digital marketing is Messenger marketing versus email marketing. Instead of trying to choose one over the other, marketers should utilize both channels for maximum results. Email certainly isn’t going anywhere any time soon, so it should not be abandoned in favor of Messenger marketing.
The trick here is to use both channels in an optimal way. Email marketing is an effective way to form relationships with your customers. A simple welcome email can generate 320% more revenue than any other promotional email, and customers will spend an average of 138% more if they purchase products through email.
However, email can quickly start to feel like spam. It is estimated that 246 billion emails will be sent each day by next year. Unless someone is waiting for your email, it is easy to get lost in the spam folder or have your message deleted before it is ever open. The average email open rate across industries is 20.81% and the average click rate is 2.43%, according to Mailchimp.
Messenger marketing can step in when emails begin to fail. Content sent through Facebook Messenger is instant and interactive. Open rates on Facebook Messenger average 70-80% and click rates average 20%. While email marketing is still a necessity, it can be greatly supplemented by Messenger marketing.
Build your Messenger marketing strategy.
There are three simple steps when it comes to creating a Messenger marketing strategy. First, you must build your list of potential buyers. Then, you must engage with that list. Finally, you must support them throughout their entire customer journey. These three steps are easy enough to accomplish when you build marketing flows for Facebook Messenger, and Octane AI offers predesigned widgets to quickly set up flows.
Grow your Messenger marketing list.
No digital marketing strategy will ever get off the ground without a proper contact list. When it comes to email marketing lists, fake information is a common problem. Facebook Messenger helps solve this issue by collecting data points directly from a user’s Facebook profile. These accounts are more difficult to fake, so they offer higher deliverability rates. If you receive a Messenger opt-in, you can access the following data points.
- First and last name
- Gender
- Profile picture
- Time zone and preferred language
- Website visit
- Cart data
When you connect Facebook Messenger to a Shopify app like Octane AI, you can collect subscribers and gain this data by using the following widgets.
Product Page Opt-in
Your product pages are a great place to collect subscribers. Place a simple checkbox below the Add to Cart button to target consumers who abandon their carts.
Email Subscription Opt-in
Instantly add someone’s Facebook Messenger profile and contact information to your list when they provide their email address. You can easily gain two forms of contact information by adding a Messenger checkbox on your email sign up pages.
Use Pop-up Discounts
Get your customer’s attention with a pop-up message. You can offer a discount sent through Messenger to collect a new subscriber. Once they accept the offer, they are added to your Messenger marketing list.
Interact with On-site Chat Bubbles
Utilize the Messenger chat bubble on your site to gain a new subscriber with every user that interacts with it. This feature also leverages AI to answer customer questions about your products and services. Customers benefit from instant responses to their questions, and you benefit by gaining new subscribers.
Embed Buttons
Gain new subscribers through your landing pages by embedding a Messenger button. Messenger provides another form of contact for your customers to choose from. They can select the platform that best fits into their life, so you can send messages that are more likely to be seen.
Engage with your Messenger marketing list.
Once you have a subscriber, it is important to send them the right messages throughout their journey. Octane AI allows you to easily track your customers no matter where they are in their journey and send automated follow-ups. There are several flows you can use for Messenger marketing to increase your consumer engagement.
Welcome series
Introduce your brand with a welcome message that matches your brand personality and style. You can also offer discounts or send interactive messages to help users learn more about your brand, products, and services.
Sephora sends a welcome message through Facebook Messenger and offers different services.
Abandoned Browse
The add-to-cart rate may be one of your KPIs, and it certainly means a lot to eCommerce businesses. The average add-to-cart rate is around 10.62%, which shows that a lot of consumers do not add items to their cart. The abandoned browse series from Octane AI enables you to target customers directly through Facebook Messenger when they abandon a product without adding it to their cart. There is no more need to wait for someone to reach checkout before targeting them.
Abandoned Cart
An average of 75% of customers abandon their carts, never making a purchase. When consumers opt-in for Messenger marketing, you can target them with messages about their saved cart items. This flow performs well because the messages are very relevant to your customers. Give them an easy way to return to their cart and get back on track in their customer journey any time they exit.
Order Confirmation
You can increase your Messenger marketing list and engage with current subscribers through order confirmation flows. Add a Messenger button to your order confirmation page or thank you page to gain a new subscriber. This is one area where Messenger marketing can pick up the slack of email marketing. Notifications do not get lost in a spam or promotions folder, so customers always know their order status.
Order confirmation from Monk and Moon. Payment and address information has been removed
Shipping Confirmation
Take your order confirmations a step further by providing notifications when an order has shipped. Send tracking information through Messenger and keep customers in the loop on their products. This strategy can also reduce the number of customer service inquiries you receive about order shipment information. These messages are less likely to get lost in the customer’s inbox than emails, so the information is always handy.
Many brands utilize cute or unique shipping notifications that are in their voice. This is one way to connect with your customers and share your brand’s personality. Get them excited about their products and offer shipping updates to grow the anticipation.
Nurturing
Develop brand loyalty through interactive messages. Ask questions and gather information about your customers through targeted Messenger messages. Their purchase information will be integrated with Messenger, so you can leverage that data to encourage additional purchases. Offer product recommendations based on their personal preferences, send messages when they are most likely to be online, and create detailed customer profiles.
Customer Win-back Messages
Keep customers coming back for more, even if they haven’t bought from you in a while. Discounts and coupons are effective ways to encourage previous customers to come back and shop with you again. You can also highlight your new products and make product recommendations based on previous purchases.
Wholesome Culture sends new product information through Facebook Messenger.
Product Quizzes
Utilize style quizzes to collect more data and personalize messages. The interactive nature of Facebook Messenger makes it a great place to learn about your customers and segment them better in the future.
Draper James offers a style quiz through Facebook Messenger.
Click to Messenger Ads
You can set up targeted Facebook ads that integrate with Messenger. Offer relevant products and discounts to your customers and use Messenger as the call to action. Once a customer clicks on your ad, they will receive the discount or promotion and be subscribed to your Messenger marketing list.
Optimize Messenger with AI.
Octane AI allows you to set up AI for your FAQs. Your customers can receive instant answers for their questions through Facebook Messenger at any time. They will feel like they are having a conversation with your brand in real-time. If anything becomes too complicated for the bot to handle, a member of your team can easily take over. This strategy can save you tremendous amounts on your customer support costs and handle inquiries more efficiently than before.
Don’t miss out on Messenger marketing.
Brands that fail to add Messenger marketing to their digital marketing strategies are doomed to fall behind. The instantaneous nature of the platform offers a powerful solution for marketers to connect with their audience and deliver targeted messages. With users flocking to the instant messaging platform, the opportunities are endless.
If you are looking to integrate your Shopify store with Facebook Messenger, adQuadrant is ready to help. As a Shopify partner, adQuadrant understand the apps and services Shopify offers, including Octane AI. They can assist you in setting up high-quality Messenger flows to grow your contact list, decrease cart abandonment rates, and target customers with the right message at the right time.
