The average consumer has 3 messaging apps on their phone’s home screen and sends 3 messages per hour. Across generations, messaging apps have become the go-to way to get in touch with brands. Purchase products. Browse the internet.
Customers expect brands to offer convenient communications in 2021. Otherwise, not being able to connect with consumers through messaging apps will leave a lot of sales and opportunities on the table.
As a marketer, meeting your customers where they spend their time helps you stand out from the competition. You can guide people from discovering your brand to converting in a single conversation. Provide them personalized product recommendations, answers, and content in their moments of need.
This article discusses why consumers are choosing messaging to engage brands and how you can keep up with the trend.
Consumers prefer messaging over speaking to a person
Times have changed. 67% of people prefer to message a business rather than speak to a person. Some customers aren’t able to visit physical retail stores and get the delightful experiences they were once accustomed to having.
Now they shop online and search for new brands more than ever before. However, they expect the same level of speed and convenience. Messaging chatbots for apps like WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger are some of the best channels to provide this to your audience.
The average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes on their phone. They can open Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp or another messaging app and get the help they need within seconds versus talking to a generic live chat, calling a support number, or waiting on an email reply.
Messaging builds deeper relationships with customers
55% of customers say that being able to message a business helps them feel more personally connected. 66% agree it makes them more confident in a brand
Providing real-time chat through conversational marketing chatbots shows that you care. You want to provide the best responses, product recommendations, and experiences.
People don’t want to feel like a cog in a wheel. That’s what happens when they receive one-to-many advertisements and messages.
Instead, they want deep connections with their favorite brands. Experiences founded on direct one to one communication. Messaging apps gives them what they want. When they want it.
Messaging provides experiences that other channels can’t
81% of consumers find it difficult to communicate with brands. They can’t message businesses on their own terms when they need help and have questions. This decreases conversion rates and hurts the customer experience. They’re more likely to leave your website and visit a competitor’s to get what they want.
A reason this happens is not adopting new channels and technology early enough. Social media, email, and branded websites are widely used to help customers with their needs.
Yet, only 42% of B2C websites use chatbots while 1.4 billion people are willing to engage with them. These channels are essential but can’t provide the personalization that conversational marketing chatbots can deliver.
Chatbots built with Spectrm integrate with messaging channels where your customers already spend their time. These include Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
You can deliver dynamic product recommendations and answer FAQ’s in real-time. Respond with helpful information when they need it the most. Best of all, customers connect with you when it matters to them. Whether they’re shopping for friends, loved ones, or themselves.
Final thoughts on why consumers are engaging brands through messaging
People enjoy the convenience of opening up an app like Messenger or WhatsApp and instantly communicating with a brand. Asking questions when it’s convenient for them in their times of need.
They crave deeper connections with brands. Conversations are the key for unlocking that. Messaging apps offer experiences that other channels can’t. When used correctly, it offers all of the benefits of in-person shopping from the comfort of a smartphone.
Brands can offer mobile messaging for their audiences to drive loyalty, sales, and brand recognition. Use Spectrm’s conversational marketing automation platform to create marketing chatbots that integrate with channels consumers use every day like Facebook and Instagram.
Instantly respond to their questions in real-time while guiding them down a conversion funnel personalized to their needs. Stand out from all of the other businesses sending one-to-many messages and experiences.
Schedule a free strategy call with one of our conversational marketing experts to learn how you can scale growth with Spectrm marketing bots.