Facebook has rolled out Messenger ads and I’m a big, big fan!
Over ONE BILLION people use Facebook Messenger as a whole. Even my Dad uses it and he is ah … less than tech savvy (let’s hope he doesn’t read that or I’ll cop it for that comment! Hehe!).
My point is that we must not only enter the conversation that’s already taking place in our customer’s head, we must BE in the places where our customers are having their conversations.
As people’s lives get more and more busy, they are more inclined to message, text or email rather than talk. So Facebook Messenger will continue to become an essential communication channel.
Facebook reported that more than one in two people say they’re more likely to shop with a business they can message, and 67% of people expect to message businesses more in the next two years.
It’s how people are communicating with family and friends. A large portion of our society prefers to communicate via a messenger with quick responses.
Adapt … or lose business to your competition.
We have the opportunity to tap into this to grow our business and better serve our customers. Here is how It works…
There are two different “types” of Facebook Messenger ads.
- Facebook Messenger as a destination
- Facebook Messenger as a placement
Destination Ads
Destination ads appear in the newsfeed, and when clicked on, open inside of a Facebook message (instead of sending traffic to a URL). The ad looks and feels like a normal ad, with the option to include an image, video etc.
You can target ANYONE based on interests, behaviors, custom audiences, etc and they are available in the newsfeed (desktop and mobile).
I LOVE using them for retargeting when leads get splinters in their backside along the customer journey. I use destination ads to give people an extra touch point with the brand or venue and to help them overcome any barriers to purchase.
For example, you could use Messenger ads to retarget people who have visited your function page but haven’t filled out a form for more information. There’s usually a reason people don’t book or buy, and if you give people a platform to ask questions and help overcome doubt, it works wonders.
Once their questions are answered, most are ready to purchase the product. This entire conversation is happening via Facebook Messenger.
Sponsored Message
A sponsored message is an identical experience to receiving a Facebook message from a friend, but they just come from a brand.
You can ONLY target people who have previously messaged your page in the past.
Cold traffic
There is an option to send a message to cold traffic (people who have never heard of our brand). This can be used to raise awareness and acquire customers, but — it must be done right.
The key here is to make sure the ad prompts an ideal sales conversation. For example, if your ad asks people to respond with their favorite color, it’s probably going to be a waste of time and money.
But, if you can prompt a conversation that leads to your ideal sales conversation … happy days!
Imagine you owned a handy man business. You run an ad in Brisbane that “If you could ‘fix’ one aspect of your home, what would it be?”. People respond with “I’d paint my home” or “landscaping”. You now know their pain point and can cater your conversation to this topic, hopefully ending in a sale.
There’s already SO much opportunity with Messenger! If you would like to explore how we can apply this in your business, email me at hello@kymbolger.com
