Introducing Facebook Marketing Messages

Facebook Messenger stands out among Millennials and Gen Xers. These groups love using it to stay in touch. Millennials have even crowned Facebook Messenger as their top messaging choice, while Gen Xers share the love with WhatsApp Messenger. In the first quarter of 2023, Facebook had a whopping 2.04 billion daily active users, and it's expected to reach a staggering 75.79 percent of the global population by 2027 (Statista).

In a nutshell, Facebook Messenger can be a powerful tool for connecting with your target audience, making it a fantastic opportunity to build brand awareness and create a strong brand community.

But it's more than just a messaging platform – Facebook offers a unique space to showcase your brand's personality. Through Facebook Messenger, you can provide personalised support, handle transactions, and even market your brand directly.

And here's the exciting part: Facebook Messaging has evolved to support Marketing Messages! This game-changing feature was introduced by Meta in 2023, along with Instagram Marketing Messages.

Before this update, businesses could only respond to Direct Facebook Messages. If a customer messaged a business Facebook page (after opting in), the business had a 24-hour window to send non-promotional messages back. After that, proactive messaging was off the table. But with Marketing Messages, things have changed.

Now, you have a seamless way to regularly update customers about promotions, deals, and other topics they might find interesting, even beyond the initial 24-hour window!

Marketing on Facebook Messenger

Marketing Messages are the newest feature of Facebook Messaging. This feature allows you to send daily, weekly, or monthly regular messages or notifications to opted-in users outside of the previously mentioned 24-hour window! Ideal for sending interested customers the latest deals and promotions to drive re-engagement!

Keen to stay informed about our fresh products and deals based? Receive daily, weekly or monthly messages to ensure you're always in the loop when it comes to our exciting offers.

These recurring messages can be initiated anywhere in the customer journey and can include a wide range of topics to aid in boosting conversion. This means that these messages can be personalised to the customer and the stage he or she is in, and thus - relevant.

Irrelevant or non-personal messages will be seen as SPAM, and customers will not hesitate to unsubscribe from them, effectively closing your window of opportunity. So be smart about what you send and personalise it to your customers' preferences. On-top of that, keep these best practices in mind.

Facebook Marketing Best Practices

• Ensure transparency by communicating the nature of Marketing Messages your customers will receive in the opt-in request. Align the title, images, and text with the forthcoming Marketing Messages that will follow post-opt-in.

• In instances where multiple opt-in requests are sent to a customer, each request should distinctly outline the unique categories of Marketing Messages they can anticipate.

• Periodically assess your opt-in requests and Marketing Messages to ascertain their continued adherence to the aforementioned best practices.

Benefits of Facebook Marketing Messages

• Facebook Marketing Messages allow you to engage your audience right where they already spend a significant amount of time – within the familiar environment of the Facebook website or mobile Messenger app. This convenience and familiarity lead to higher engagement rates compared to traditional channels.

• Reaching your audience on the app they are already using eliminates friction and enhances the likelihood of conversions. By meeting them where they're comfortable, you can experience boosted conversion rates that outperform standard communication channels.

• By creating additional touch-points through Facebook Marketing Messages, you can effectively expedite the customer journey. Initiating conversations with potential customers at any stage of their buying process ensures a smoother and more efficient progression from interest to purchase.

• Initiating conversations with potential customers, even before they make a purchase, opens up opportunities for lead generation. By capturing their interest and contact information through Messenger interactions, you can nurture these leads and convert them into loyal customers over time.

• Through one-on-one conversations, you can establish a personalised connection with your customers. This individualised approach allows you to understand their preferences, needs, and pain points, enabling you to tailor your offerings and communication for stronger relationships.

How to Get Opt-ins for Facebook Marketing Messages

As a business, you can only send Marketing Messages via Facebook Messenger if you have received an opt-in from your customers. In fact, these opt-ins can also expire! After six months, just before the Marketing Messages opt-in is about to expire, your customers will receive a re-opt-in request. They will then have the choice of whether or not to continue receiving the Marketing Messages.

But before worrying about expired opt-ins, you have to make sure to get that original opt-in from your customers. Don't worry, there are several ways to get opt-ins, and we'll highlight them below.

Facebook Page

Customers can contact you via the Facebook Page of your business if you turn on messaging. When they redirect to Messenger to chat with you, you can present them with an opt-in request.

Ads that Click to Messenger

Use Facebook advertisements that click to Facebook Messenger to run campaigns. The opt-in request is sent to your customer once they click on the ad.

Facebook m.me Links

These shortened URLs (or QR codes) will redirect your customers to Facebook Messenger to start a conversation. The m.me links can be included in websites, in-store, emails, and social media posts.

Chat Plugin on Website

You can add a Facebook Messenger chat plugin to your company website. When customers click on it, they can engage with you over Facebook Messenger, and you can present them with an opt-in request.

Facebook Messenger via CM.com

Facebook Messenger is a perfect tool for a personalised customer experience while building your online brand community and creating meaningful relationships with your customers.

Make sure that you re-engage interested customers daily, weekly, or monthly with recurring Facebook Marketing Messages to drive conversion. Send them product- or back-in-stock-updates, discounts, and personal offers via personalised messages on Facebook Messenger to create those additional touch-points in the customer buying journey.