Facebook Messenger app enables paid advertisers to engage with users instantly
A 'call to action' ad can now become a 'call to conversation' as a new messaging app for paid advertisers on Facebook makes it possible for marketers to turn its messenger bots into ad bots. In other words, when a sponsored ad appears in a news feed, a user can instantly "have an open, existing conversation with a brand," on Facebook messenger.
Launched this week and designed to improve visibility, conversations, and experiences, brands will be able to reach out to people when they click on a link to start a conversation with the brand on messenger. The messaging app broadens opportunities to reach and engage over 1bn people with a brand.
Since April 2016, Facebook has been testing the messaging app where early adopters have seized the opportunity to use news feed ads to open conversations in messenger. For example, Absolut Vodka recently launched a messenger bot to drive product samples and used Facebook news feed ads to increase traffic to this experience.
"Using news feed ads to open conversations in Facebook messenger allows Absolut to move beyond the call to action – it’s a call to conversation, which ultimately leads to a conversion. It’s a novel way to use Facebook ads to drive consumers from content to commerce. So far, our activation rate has exceeded execution benchmarks by 2x and we’re looking forward to continued increases in activations driven by News Feed ads over the key holiday period” said Joao Rozario, VP marketing, Absolut Vodka.
Additionally, brands can incorporate Facebook messenger on its sites, so that when a user is in the process of buying something or registering an account, the brand can prompt them to receive messages from the brand on messenger, like shipping information or product updates. Brands have the ability to opt people into receiving these messages by default or leaving it up to the people to decide whether they want to opt in.
The new app does come at a price, however, as Facebook will charge advertisers for their sponsored messages anytime the ad appears on a messenger user’s screen in their messenger inbox. Brands will have to pay for the ad impression even if the person on the other end never opens the sponsored message.