The art of marketing is about targeting your audience and informing them how your product or service can solve their problems, and given the speed at which Facebook Messenger ads allow you to do this, they should not be neglected as a marketing opportunity. However, it can be a bit of a minefield when it comes to making sure you do it effectively. We have put together this complete Facebook Messenger Ads guide to help you get the most out of this marketing opportunity.
At the 2015 F8 conference, Facebook announced the introduction of a feature that would allow businesses and their potential customers to communicate. Since then, there are over 1 billion messages between people and businesses every month, and here is how your business might make use of the main features of Facebook Ads:
Messenger Destination
These ads allow advertisers to engage the public in a conversation within Facebook Messenger, allowing a personalised advertising experience. At first glance, Messenger Destination ads look like any other type of News Feed ad, but the real difference lies in their call to action. Whereas a News Feed ad would lead an audience to a webpage, audiences will click on a ‘Send Message’ button, that will open a chat window, or a chat in the Messenger app. You can personalise the message the audience receives to provide them with further information on how to make a purchase.
You might use Messenger Destination ads for your products and services that are a little more complex to explain, and might not have straightforward pricing options. Messenger Destination ads are suitable both for audiences that have visited your page but failed to make a purchase, and audiences that are new to your brand as a whole. Targeting these ads at a wider audience is beneficial as, once someone has messaged your page, you can then target them for Sponsored Messenger placement in the future.
Tip: Select the option to track all conversions, as this will show you how successful your Messenger Destination ads are.
Messenger Home Placement
The aforementioned Messenger Destination ads will send someone a message when they click on your ad, but there are also placement options within Messenger itself. There are no limits to the people you can target with these ads, and they can appear on a user’s main home page, within their Messenger home page and under their Messenger messages. You can make use of this tool when you select the placement of your Messenger ad. When you select Messenger, click on Home and select the placements you wish to use under this heading.
This placement is suitable for all types of products and audience as an all-purpose placement option.
Sponsored Message Placement
These ads take the form of a Sponsored Message that will appear in your audience’s Messenger, just as a message from a friend would, rather than just their home page. Facebook sets more limits on who these ads can target, so you will only be able to target people who have messaged your business before.
Sponsored Message Ads are suitable for your most specialist products and services that are targeted at a more specific audience and require more in-depth explanations in order to make sales. As the most intrusive of Facebook Messenger ad options, you should use Sponsored Messenger Placement with care. Use this tool with respect and you can achieve fantastic results, use it carelessly and you risk alienating your customers.
Contact Clark St. James for guidance on how your business might use Facebook Messenger Ads, by calling 01603 343477 or emailing info@clarktstjames.com.
