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Messaging apps have now become the preferred choice of digital communication. We text less, and our love affair with social networks is cooling off. Users want the direct, immediate and personal connection that only messaging apps can provide. For businesses, this presents an opportunity to build stronger relationships with customers, deliver on-the-spot customer service, and, importantly, drive sales. Here’s why more and more businesses are using messaging apps.
Using WhatsApp is one of the easiest and fastest ways for businesses to make direct contact with a large number of potential customers. In the UK, WhatsApp now reaches around 87% of online adults, making it the highest-reaching messaging service in the country. Globally, WhatsApp has surpassed 3 billion monthly active users. Elsewhere, WeChat has over 1.38 billion monthly active users, reinforcing its status as a dominant platform in China and beyond.
Building trust and better relationships with customers is key to success. Customers want to feel they have your undivided attention and, in return, they will hopefully remain loyal. Message marketing allows businesses to engage with customers on a one-to-one basis; it is personal, conversational and interactive. There’s no better way to engage with customers, new and old, and win them over.
Real-time messaging allows businesses direct and immediate connections with users. It’s perfect for spreading current, up-to-date news and providing speedy customer service.
Messaging is hard to ignore, popping up directly on your phone’s lock screen, unlike email. For businesses, it’s an opportunity to grab someone’s attention wherever they are, whatever they are doing. For users, it is convenient and immediate – notifications pop up in seconds.
We’re not just using these apps to message our friends and families; we want to communicate with businesses. In fact, a recent survey by Meta found that 91% of consumers worldwide say they’re more likely to shop with a brand that recognises, remembers and provides them with relevant offers via messaging.
Everyone, young or old, would rather avoid a lengthy phone call or an email conversation that could take days. If we have a question or problem, we want to contact businesses and get it sorted immediately. In fact, 64% of consumers prefer using instant messaging (including chatbots) over calling a call centre for simple issues.
Chatbots are the perfect customer service assistants, available any time of day and night, allowing businesses to not only provide a better service but also reach more users and get to know more of what their customers want and need.
Good content helps us get to know a brand better, understand the benefits of products and services, and be more likely to buy. However, we receive a lot of content these days. For this reason, many people are turning away from social networks and seldom bother to open emails. Meanwhile, messages sent via mobile channels (SMS or apps) have open rates up to 98%, and click-through rates averaging 19–20%, while email open rates hover around 20–30%. Moving from email marketing to messaging is a smart move for businesses. But thankfully, it’s simple and follows the same process: attract leads, nurture them, supply relevant content, answer questions, and convert. And the best part is that a chatbot can be easily built to handle most of it.
At Bombora, we help brands create content that thrives in today’s fast-moving messaging-first world. Whether you’re launching a product via social media live streaming, sharing behind-the-scenes content, or building out video content that works seamlessly across chat apps, we craft assets that are direct, dynamic, and personal. From short-form videos to real-time webinars and mobile-first campaigns, we’ll help you deliver content your audience actually engages with. Let’s talk about making messaging work for your business; get in touch today.