Are you looking to improve your chatbot marketing campaigns? then you need to understand how chatbots work and how you can integrate them into your marketing campaigns. So let’s understand more about what exactly are chatbots and How are they changing the digital marketing field.
Chatbots have been a big hype now than in the previous years. Chatbots are smarter these days by gathering more details about their target audience and plan the audience requirements. Chatbots may be used either to streamline few tasks, or provide with basic information or to communicate, but the truth is that they are improving in their chore.
What is a Chatbot?
A chatbot can be defined as any computer program that communicates with humans effectively and fluently. These bots utilize advanced technology like artificial intelligence and also natural language processing. The bots can also use simple IF Then statements. For example, Alexa is a type of chatbot. The chatbots present today reply with yes, text, audio, image, video, GIF, etc. Also, chatbots have grown exponentially in several chat apps like wats app, messenger, etc.
How do Chatbots Work?
The chatbot technology has a natural language processing or NLP which is the basis for voice recognition system. This is the feature being used by Microsoft’s Cortana, Apple’s Siri, and Google now. By parsing process, the chatbots process the text that is provided to them by the user. The chatbots have a complex series of algorithms where it detects and interprets anything the user says. Based on the details it determines appropriate series.
Few chatbots deliver authentic conversation and it is tough to identify if the agent is a human or bot. The chatbot technology and natural language processing technology are different. The truth is that chatbot technologies are advancing quickly than NLP but there isn’t progress in NLP. The algorithms used in chatbots can identify spoken as well as written dialogues.
Marketer’s use of the Chatbot:
There is endless social communication and also improved the use of messenger apps by people these days. Audiences are keen and spend more time on messenger apps. Face book messenger is an example as it has more users than Instagram, Twitter and snap chat.
Marketers make use of this strategy and communicate with the customers so that their messages are visible. It is found that users are more interested to open messages that come from brands on messenger. Chatbots play a great role in keeping up the entire communication. Chatbots have come a long way with natural language processing and artificial intelligence.
1. Chatbots serve as customer service robots:
There is no doubt; chatbots are excellent in a customer service capacity. It is mentioned by Gartner that by 2020, about 85% of interactions with the company would be with robots and not humans. Apart from chatbots being used in customer service, they can also be used in other marketing aspects. Chatbots, when planned smartly, can be used as a lead generator, engagement driver, and also accompanies in market research.
When chatbots are seen as tools for marketing, then one can gain a deep insight into customer pain points, preferences, and behavior. By this way, better engagement is improved and higher sales are achieved.
2. Jump starts the sales cycle:
Brain Barr, content strategist mentions that chatbots are to perform the duties of salesperson before the customer converses with the actual sales individual. The best feature about chatbots is that they provide a cost-effective and automated manner of communication with customers. The conversation is also personal and direct with customers. Also, higher sales are assured as customers speak to brands by chatbots through messengers. The present facebook messenger users are about 1.2 billion.
As users communicate with friends and family, they connect brands and boost their popularity. Face book research shows that about 69% of users connect to brands through messenger which makes them confident for purchase. With chatbots, customer queries are answered instantly and they also provide updates regarding shipping and delivery.
3. App fatigues cured with chatbots:
The digital marketing strategy was the development of more number of apps. People were bored with downloading many apps as they were space and time-consuming. Recent studies also mentioned that in a certain period, 51% of people did not install any apps.
This was termed as app fatigue where there wasn’t any benefit but options were many. In such a scenario, chatbots are perfect as they provide round the clock required information. Either the company website or facebook messenger, customers are provided with easy and quick answers for their queries.
Let’s take a look at the various few tips to get into chatbot marketing.
Chatbot Marketing Tactics That Will Drive Customers and Sales:
1. Consult the team about frequently asked questions:
When bots are to be implemented the content is to be focused. For example, if a customer service bot is to be executed, then the goal of the bot is to deliver quick solutions for customer queries. In such cases, the frequently asked questions of the brands are to be concentrated. To find the FAQ’s of the brands, there are few sources to hunt.
- Social media manager, community team, and social media support team: The one who takes care of engaging social profiles should be proficient with common queries that come in through DM’s and @ mention.
- Customer service team: The hear questions all the day from customers and hence have loads of questions in their head.
- Marketing and sales team: Would have a good idea about questions as they are through the funnel. The usual sales questions the rep undergoes or could be questions which the content marketer looks to answer. Also, questions can be obtained from outside the associated team too. A good place to initiate would be the search suggestions found at the bottom of the associated Google page. For ones desiring to build led gen, sales or any other service would be advised to look for common queries. By this way, the bot would be beneficial for customers.
2. Bots with own conversation tree chatbots:
They work efficiently when a set of concrete questions are provided. Pre-planning and specificity are mandatory for the successful working of chatbots. Conversational tree hence works perfectly. A mind map or flow chart can be drafted. From the start of hello, a conversational flow for all directions and turn of conversation can be planned. It would be great to plan for easy to read flow charts that suit the project.
3. Complete open-ended conversations can be avoided:
With open-ended conversations, the user experiences poor performance and also the bots are confused. When highly advanced language processing is absent then questions like “how can we assist you today” get to any number of directions. Let’s run through facebook messenger bot called hello fresh. The initial message to the user would be in choices. “here are a few queries I can answer”. They are
- What is the cost?
- How does it work?
- Are you vegan?
- Are you gluten-free?
- Provide me with a discount!
By tapping the messenger interface the user can pick the choice. An automated reply would be provided to the user. By this way, guesswork is striking out as the bots know the solution to be replied.
4. A warm welcome message and voice are to be provided for bots:
The tone and voice of the chatbot are to be planned. Companies usually make the voice bit robotic. Hence opting for voice and tone is completely optional. It would be great to concentrate on bot’s opening message with the best tone and voice.
5. Let people understand about bots service:
By employing chatbots in service, people aren’t turned off. 69% of customers look for communication chatbots utilizing in-app support. This is because customers look for immediate solutions. Also, include that users can contact humans at any time in the welcome message.
6. Chatbot newsletters:
The chatbot can be utilized as a content delivery system. When facebook messenger is considered, when anyone talks, their contact is saved. In such a case, the chatbot can be set in a way to request folks to hear announcements and regular updates. There are several tools, for example, the mobile monkey that assists in sending quick information or blog posts to groups. It is also believed that about 70-80% engagement rates are generated by chatbot newsletters.
7. Sending surveys to contacts:
The engagement rate with bots is quite high and messages for surveys are noticed. It is easier to survey with bots rather than with website app, email, etc. Similar to email newsletters, the surveys can also be informed and later a message with a simple and short survey can be sent.
8. Data and personalization rich bots:
It is important to pipe bots with big data. This can be achieved by looking for the most common questions from your customers and filling bots with the same. Few details would be daily deals, hours of operation, etc. that offer a delightful experience for customers. Personalization is also an aspect to be concentrated on. Personalization can be achieved with various tools with locations and names. Few powerful chatbot superpowers are
- Dominos for ordering pizza
- Marriott telling availability of rooms
- Cheap flight offers details about flights based on price range and date etc.
9. Promote chatbot:
It is always advisable to let a word out of the bots so that people find and use it. There is an organic way where people find the bots on facebook and are directed to the messenger. There are a few ways by which bots can be promoted.
- Bots can be mentioned in all customer support channels
- The website or blog can be provided with a call to action.
- Advertising on social etc.
Usage of chatbots by companies:
Its conversational marketing time and chatbots are already a part of daily lives. Reports from Forrester research mentions that about 86% millennial who experienced chatbots, advise using chatbots for services, products, deals, etc. Also, 67% mention that they are satisfied and desire to purchase from the chatbot.
Many brands employ the usage of chatbots and few of them are Dominos, national geographic, Starbucks, whole foods, Duolingo and more, they enhance companies to the next level with more effort. Chatbots are used by these companies to enhance
- Account management: To answer client queries and concerns especially in B2B level, chatbots are used.
- Lead generation: targeted leads are nurtured by initiating a dialogue and leading them towards the sales process.
- Customer service: With the assistance of chatbots, queries are resolved and people are directed to particular solutions.
- Ecommerce: services and purchase of goods can be made easily with safe transactions with chatbots.
- Events: To increase sign-ups, to elevate shares and update people with future dates, chatbots are perfect as distributing details.
Conversational Marketing Main Benefits:
1. Similar to human purchase experience:
The chatbots solve all customer related issues and handle all monotonous stuff. Hence marketing teams and a sales rep can focus on their tasks.
2. Improves customer insight:
Conversations are two way and natural; chatbots clients can hence ethically collect data regarding the people. A non-stop conversation teaches you more.
3. Source of leads discovered:
It is proved that there is 15% more in sales in the sales funnel with conversational marketing. Conversational marketing is said to be engaging rather than visiting. Meaningful conversations are made by chatbots with leads for them.
4. Sales cycle decreases:
Some companies have proved a decrease in the sales cycle to about 63%. Instead of an 11 days sales process, it takes four days with chatbots. Apart from the sales cycle decrease, chatbots have also streamlined the nurturing and lead generation process.
Conclusion:
Chatbots are the latest trends that have been changing the ways business navigates. They are ones that improve time and take the business to the next level. The speedy services by the bots are highlighted as it is required by customers. Bots are no doubt, the future and hence bot developed business is important.
Bot-powered commerce is essential to take businesses to new heights and satisfy customer expectations. Powered by artificial intelligence these advanced bots are perfect for best customer support experience.
The above-mentioned tips and ideas about chatbot marketing would be useful and informative. Almost all businesses understood the importance of chatbots and are implementing the same. Good business is made successful with the latest technology and effective chatbot marketing.