The advent of conversational commerce has changed the way consumers interact with brands. Today, it’s no longer enough for brands to have a website and a social media account; now they must also be able to communicate with their customers in real-time. So why is conversational commerce such a hot topic? Because it makes life easier for everyone involved. The consumer gets exactly what they want when they want it—no more waiting in line at the store or waiting on hold with customer service. And for businesses? Conversational commerce means increased engagement and higher conversion rates.
But how do you build a conversational commerce experience that stands out? How can you make sure customers are satisfied with every interaction?
Let’s take a look at different ways you can build your own conversational commerce experience on Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp:
- Focus on the customer journey: First and foremost, it’s important to understand the customer journey in order to build a successful conversational commerce experience. Think about the steps they take when interacting with your brand on these platforms: what do they need to know? How do they want to be able to interact with your brand? How can you provide them with helpful information or answers at every point along the way?
- Use a bot for simple transactions: If you’re selling a product that can be easily bought via Messenger, like food or apparel, you can use a bot to handle the transaction. The bot will allow customers to place an order, and then complete payment through PayPal or Venmo.
- Use a bot for customer service: If your business is more complex than just selling one product at a time, consider using bots for customer service instead of just transactions. For example, if you’re selling art supplies, you could use a bot to help customers find the right products based on their needs and preferences.
- Use augmented reality: This method is great if you have an offline business and want to continue interacting with customers after they’ve left your store or office. You could use augmented reality to show them how different outfits look on them without having them come in person!
So, what’s the verdict? If you have a very large customer base on one of these networks, it might be worth considering a dedicated channel. Having more control over the experience can be a significant benefit. On the other hand, if your business is ready to engage customers any time and anywhere, there’s no better choice than a cross-channel solution that encompasses all three of these significant social messaging apps. This way, you’ll reach users in the way they prefer, on all three major platforms.
