WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGES

 

Most businesses cannot afford to ignore Facebook as a platform, with which to converse with their audience to build relationships and trust. Customers purchase from businesses they trust! With around 1.62 million active daily users and 2.45 billion active monthly users on Facebook, you need to keep up with changes on the platform.

Facebook stories were a big thing in 2019, along with changes to how the “Likes Statistics” were shown on Facebook posts and pages, along with Instagram.

 

NEW INSIGHTS AND  e LEARNING COURSES 

 

This is a fantastic resource for businesses.  These free online Blueprint eLearning Courses will guide you through a range of sections covering Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and What’s App.  Topics include measuring campaign performance.

You can learn new marketing skills, at your own pace.  You can also see key consumer insights that can assist you with your marketing initiatives.

 

REFINED TARGETING OPTIONS

 

With organic reach at an all time low, Facebook ads are still returning a good ROI.

Facebook will offer more refined targeting options to help you zero in on your audience. Narrowing in on demographics, interests and behaviors, allows better audience targeting and more cost effective ads. 

Note: Facebook is also taking action against discriminatory ad targeting in certain business categories, especially housing, employment, and credit. Some businesses were using ad tools to unfairly limit audience choices. You must now specify whether you are in any of these categories.

 

SAY GOODBYE TO THE – DISCOVER TAB

 

Further simplification of Facebook, sees the phasing out of the DISCOVER TAB from messenger. This feature was intended to help people browse for nearby places and businesses to message. They are now working on “better ways to help businesses connect” across Facebook apps and ads that lead to messenger. 

Another reason to get your messenger CHAT BOT customised and ready to work for you.

 

SUBSCRIPTION MESSAGING BETA REVISIONS  

 

Facebook acknowledged that were updating their policy on subscription messenging, as some businesses were using it FOR EVIL…..well in ways that weren’t in line with Facebook Policy . 

Subscription messaging was intended to allow business pages to send non-promotional content on a recurring basis. Businesses could not send advertisements, promotional content, solicitations, etc., use data they obtain for any purpose other than supporting the message, or ask for payment information.

The result is that due to these numerous violations,  only news organisations who successfully register their Pages through the Facebook News Page Index, can apply to use Subscription Messaging. We hope this changes once the non-Beta version is released.

 

24 HOUR STANDARD MESSAGING WINDOW

 

Facebook Messenger was designed  to help businesses QUICKLY connect and help their audience. … hence the “24 +1 Rule.”  This rule states that when a user opts in to a messenger chat, the business can send as many promotional or non-promotional messages as they want in the first 24 hours. After that, you may send one (hence the +1) promotional update and as many non-promotional updates as you want.

This rule changed as of January 5th when businesses will not be able to send messages outside the 24 hour window. They will instead, be able to use Message Tags (which allow you to send “important and personally relevant 1 to 1 updates”) and Sponsored Messages (highly targeted messages that are clearly labeled “Sponsored”). These can both be done outside the 24 hour window and facilitate in re-engaging leads.

SIMPLY…Facebook encourage businesses to respond to their messages quickly!

 

SIMPLIFIED MESSAGE TAGS

 

As a result of changes to the 24 +1 Rule mentioned above, Facebook is simplifying its message tags. You will be able to send “1 to 1” messages, outside of the 24 hour window for the specific reasons listed below: 

*  Post-purchase updates

*  Event reminders

*  Account updates

*  Human agent

 

CREATION OF ADS THAT CLICK THROUGH TO MESSENGER

Ads open in Messenger, beginning a conversation between your prospective customer and your business. People will undertake a chat conversation and see a set of questions with options to select or type their own responses.  This can connect with your CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Software to continue interacting with qualified leads through your business pages Inbox, Pages Manager App, or a third party live chat provider (like Manychat). If people do not complete questions, a friendly prompt will be sent. These chats can be automated and customised thorough your businesses, using CHAT BOT services, like Manychat.

Trials have shown that Lead Generation in messenger are known to increase qualified leads by over 40%. It allows your business to follow up in minutes via messenger and boosts sales. 

Consumers already love AI chat bots when they want quick, easy answers or resolutions to routine problems. The chat bots work 24/7 365 days are year and are able to guide your customers, even while you sleep!