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Marketing strategies in the early 2010s focused on social media; today, they are being shaped by messaging apps. According to BI Intelligence, the number of active users on the four largest messaging apps surpassed that of the users on the four largest social networks in 2015. Brands are now leveraging messaging platforms, and consequently bots (aka chatbots or virtual assistants), to connect with consumers. These bots are conversational computer programs that live within messaging platforms such as Facebook Messenger, WeChat, Viber and Kik. They allow customers to shop, browse, and communicate with brands in an engaging, conversational format.
Bots are changing our approach to customer engagement —whether it is to offer shopping advice (Aerie), give out sweet deals (Hotels.com), or figure out shipping costs and logistics (UPS). Here are exciting ways that brands have used bots for marketing purposes.
1. PERSONALIZE THE USER EXPERIENCE
Giving the user opportunities to share information about themselves personalizes their bot experience. In the retail industry, Aerie for American Eagle Outfitters’ (AOE), created a bot with a “This or That” function to keep the conversation going. Consumers talking to the bot simply choose which piece of clothing they preferred in a fun interactive quiz. If the user didn’t want to buy immediately, she could easily play another round of “This or That.” According to the AEO's innovation project manager Heather Bell, the brands have acquired “a lot more” users via the chatbot than they have via social. “Within weeks, our chatbots have acquired more than double the average number of users we add monthly across all social channels combined.”
Personalizing the experience lets the user talk to the bot like a friend. Multiple other retailers have jumped on this trend. Victoria’s Secret PINK bot recommends specific styles of bras based on answers to an initial questionnaire. Similarly, UNIQLO's bot IQ allows users to specify gender, clothing type, color, and literally anything else so they can easily find what they're looking for with either text or emoji.
Nevertheless, the line between “interested” and “nosy” is a thin one and bots should be wary of coming across as too curious. Oscar Health, who recently launched a chatbot for health insurance quotes, told Forbes that the company had to overcome legal regulations around privacy risks. Generally, users tend to be wary of sharing too much personal information if it can be avoided.
2. ENGAGE DEEPLY WITH THE USER
When we think of engagement, we traditionally think of clicks or views. With a chatbot, engagement means sustained conversation; this type of interaction lends itself well to entertainment. Imperson, the company behind successful bots such as Disney’s Zootopia bot on Facebook Messenger, told Forbes that they saw users engaging with the bot for ten or more minutes. Conversely, if users ditch the chat after one or two messages, the bot needs more work.
Lionsgate recently launched a Power Ranger Alpha 5 bot in advance of their movie release. Fans can chat with Alpha 5, the Power Rangers' robo assistant, to receive exclusive content and train to become a Ranger. Evan Fisk, Lionsgate VP of Digital Marketing, told Forbes: “We are very pleased with the engagement. The bot had hundreds of thousands of conversations, and users spent an average of five to seven minutes talking to Alpha 5. ” This campaign has already resulted in significant social sharing and fan engagement. Closer to the movie release, Lionsgate will be sharing movie ticket discounts to drive theater viewings.
Not only do these bots allow users to feel connected with the brands and learn something new, they also leave users with an entertaining experience and positive emotional feeling— few regular ads can do this. Furthermore, open-ended choose-your-own-adventure conversation styles like Blizzard Activision's Call of Duty bot encourage the user to go through a conversation more than once to discover all the possible responses, furthering user engagement.
3. PERSONIFY YOUR BRAND
Many of the most memorable bots have names and serve as brand mascots. Take Rose, the chatbot guide for The Cosmopolitan hotel in Las Vegas. Not only does she give hotel guests suggestions and information, she flirts and jokes with suggestive words and emojis that appropriately reflect the vibe of the hotel. Similarly, Hotels.com incorporates their mascot Captain Obvious into their chatbot, inviting travellers to play charades for coupons in a series of goofy GIFs. British Airways also launched a bot, and endearingly named it BOTler, as a bot-butler that shares flight deals and travel attractions for London.
Injecting personality into the conversation changes the branded chatbot into a “live entity.” When done right, these personable bots can feel like a friend, facilitate commerce, and help businesses. A company can show, rather than tell, their brand story to their audience.
Over the last year, we’ve seen businesses build messaging platform bots to engage with consumers in a new way. Traditional ads pushed messages upon an apathetic viewer, while chatbots pull users to engage with them. Strategically implemented and well-designed bots can tell a brand story, re-engage audiences, facilitate commerce, and ultimately grow a business.
