Digital marketing is all about connecting with customers, interacting with them, getting to know their interests, collecting data for marketing analysis and promoting products. Social messaging apps can play an important role in digital marketing, and they can help businesses grow. These apps matter because they form an instant connection with customers, and a business would know the moment their message is read.
These apps allow video calls and voice calls, and brands can send their customers, videos, images and text messages as well. To understand how social messaging apps can help, it is best to know the different social messaging apps that are available to companies.
Facebook Messenger
Facebook messenger is the most commonly used social messaging app, because of the number of Facebook users in the world. Facebook messenger wasnt app in the start, but a feature of Facebook for desktop. However, when an app was developed, it provided an opportunity for businesses to communicate with their customers through instant messaging. All a business need is a Facebook account, and permission to chat with their customers. Entrepreneurs, who dont want to set up a website because it costs them, can do business through Facebook messenger as well.
Snapchat
This is a social messaging app that makes customers curious about what message they have received. They open the message right away, and pay attention to it, because they cant see it once it disappears. One another reason to pay attention to Snapchat messages is that the videos and images cant be saved, unless and until a customer takes a screenshot of the image website.
Like Facebook messenger, when a customer views the message of a brand, the brand automatically knows that the message has been viewed, through the double tick marks. The benefit of using WhatsApp as a social messaging app for digital marketing is that, brands can send the same message to multiple people, by making groups. They can make a group for customer support, where customers can send in their queries and get instant replies by brands. The customers, who want to be part of such groups, would be able to benefit from questions that are asked by other customers.
Skype
Skype is a professional social messaging app, which can be used by brands whose target audience is businessmen. When brands develop ads targeted at businessmen, then those ads would be customized accordingly; they would be professional, containing more direct details and facts. If a brand wants to communicate with people who are middle age, and want to make a conversation, fun, then they can send emojis or gifs; however, most brands prefer not to make their customers uncomfortable.
Telegram
Telegram has many users, who enjoy the app. Telegram can be downloaded on desktop, laptops, tablets and smart phones. Telegram gives brands the opportunity to integrate bots into conversations; for example, if they want to make an audio call, then it doesnt have to be a real human being. A bot can call the customer and inform them about a latest product or service. With the help of Telegram, brands can send their customers videos which can be downloaded; they can personalize themes and give a more personal touch to the messages which they send to customers.
If a brand has an Instagram account, and they have many followers, they can send messages to their followers using the option of direct messages in Instagram. They can share links, videos and images, and the benefit of doing so is that, they can get instant feedback from customers. Customers can like their text, images or videos, or reply to them. A brand would know when a customer sees their message, and if they get good feedbacks, then this means they have a chance to market their products through this medium.
The direct messages option is available on Twitter as well; however, the setting of each customers profile varies. Customers might allow others to send messages to them, or they might forbid those, who they are not following, to send those direct messages. There are limited opportunities when it comes to Twitter messaging, which is why it is not widely used a social messaging app.
For customers, on the other hand, they can send messages to their brand, to ask them questions that they want the public to know. A brand should always allow people to send them direct messages, so that their customers dont become disappointed.