By Kim Nguyen, Director of Marketing at Speakeasy Co.
What are Chatbots?
A chatbot is a conversational program that you can use to chat with your customers/visitors on your behalf with pre-programmed responses. Facebook allows you to install third-party chatbots on your business page to create automated conversations with people who click your Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct Messages for additional support.
Chatbots use keywords that users type in their messages to guess what they are potentially looking for. As the brand, you have complete control over both the triggers and the pathways for those users to get their answers.
So how can you use automated social media chatbots to improve your brand experience?
Answer Frequently Asked Questions
No matter the time of day, you can provide answers to commonly asked questions to your fans if they reach out via Facebook Messenger or Instagram DMs. By providing an immediate answer to simple questions, even when your internal team may not be available, you’re providing an elevated brand experience to turn followers into loyal customers.
Directly Link to Where to Find Your Products
Walk your customer through the buyer's journey - from first touch to order checkout - all within the messaging thread. Ask questions that can tailor the end product to your customer’s preferences.
For example:
- What’s your favorite way to enjoy {insert spirit of choice here}?
- What flavor profiles do you prefer?
- Who are your shopping for?
Based on their responses, you can make automated recommendations on the perfect product, and easily direct your customers to exactly where they can find your products in-store or online.
Share Coupons & Updates
Offer new customers an incentive to purchase from your brand through coupons for subscribing or special events.
How to Set Up a Facebook Chatbot
Facebook offers some basic automated chat functions that you can set up directly within your Facebook Page’s Inbox, under Automated Responses. These responses and scripts can apply to both Facebook and Instagram, as long as both accounts are linked under the same Facebook Business Manager account.
However, for more granular & ultra-smart functionality, we recommend leveraging ManyChat! It’s free to get started, and gives you access to Facebook Messenger, Instagram Direct Messenger, and WhatsApp. They also have an extensive library of How-To Guides on integrations and chat set-up.
Need more inspiration on what types of automated conversations to set up? Visit this inspiration library.
Other Helpful Tips/Best Practices for Chatbots
- Be as concise as possible in your text.
- Use breaks between messages.
- Always have an option for a user to exit the string.
- Have a little bit of fun - keep things light, like you’re having a real conversation with a fan or customer. Use emojis, when appropriate, to add personality.
Sources:
- https://postcron.com/en/blog/chatbot-on-facebook/
- https://www.clearvoice.com/blog/build-facebook-chatbot-10-minutes/
- https://www.falcon.io/insights-hub/topics/customer-engagement/set-up-facebook-messenger-bots-chatbot/
- https://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-create-facebook-messenger-chatbot/
- https://www.kommunicate.io/blog/facebook-chatbot/
- https://manychat.com/
