StoryBrand Guide Tip: Messenger Bot Marketing Update

If you brand uses Bots, then this announcement will have an impact on the way you market your business using messenger bots.

Facebook just announced some big changes that tighten up the use of messenger for business (I believe this is a good thing… and a little overdue). As with any ‘new’ channel, there will always be dodgy, spammy marketers and brands who ruin the experience.

Some BIG changes have just been released by Facebook that brands and marketers should know about:

1. The 24+1 is NOW the 24. What that means is that you no longer have an extra time to message your subscribers outside of the first 24 hours unless you are using sponsored messaging.

2 . The 17 messenger tags will now be stripped down to just four. The NEW tags are: post-purchase updates; event reminders; account updates; and human agent (which is in closed beta).

3. Subscription Messaging is now ONLY available for news organizations, who register through the Facebook News Page Index.

Here is a snapshot of the recent Facebook Messenger Changes:

For brands that currently have subscription messaging, you’ll need to shift your strategy to ensure you’re sending messages in one of these ways:

Within 24 hours of the user’s last interaction (button click, quick reply click, or typing their own message to the bot). Or, if it’s outside the last 24 hours:

Under the 4 message tags; which can be sent outside of the “standard messaging window.”

Sponsored Messages (you pay per message sent).

4. The discovery tab inside the messenger app is going away.

People are already saying bots are dead because of this which is so far from the truth. Bots are dead for spammers who used them to blast messages every day to their subscribers. Bots are alive and well for marketers and brands who know how to use them.

If you’re building bots you need to make sure you are building dialogues that have value and are keeping the users engaged. If you are not you risk your brand reputation as well as give bots a bad name.

Want the full scoop? Here is the full announcement from Facebook on the use of Messenger & Bots.