Facebook has published an updated set of best practices for business messaging that reflect upcoming changes to the Messenger platform.
On March 4, new policies for Facebook Messenger will go into effect that are said to improve the messaging experience between customers and businesses.
In an effort to help businesses adapt to these changes, Facebook has shared these five best practices to follow.
Respond Quickly
Set positive expectations on response times by replying quickly and providing timely updates.
Facebook says there’s a strong correlation between responsiveness and successful business outcomes.
Keep it Short and Sweet
Facebook recommends communicating key points succinctly and immediately, as this aligns with people’s expectations for messaging as a channel.
This also enhances readability because messages that are short and to the point can also be read clearly in message previews.
Extend the 24-hour Standard Messaging Window
Businesses can leverage features within Messenger to send high value messages outside of the standard 24-hour window.
These features include:
- Message tags: Businesses can use tags to send personal, timely and important non-promotional messages. Such messages could include account updates, post purchase updates, confirmed event updates, and human agent responses.
- One-Time Notification: Allows a page to request a user to send one follow-up message after the 24-hour messaging window has ended.
- Sponsored Messages: Use these to broadcast promotional updates to customers you’ve interacted with in Messenger.
Provide Value
Ensure your messages clearly communicate customer value. Sending out low value messages increases the likelihood that customers will tune out or block messages from your business.
Offer Options
Give your customers control over the type of content they receive. For example, you may allow the user to select specific types of account alerts or post-purchase updates.
“We believe following these simple guidelines will help to ensure a businesses’ messaging efforts will be effective and drive outcomes, while providing customers with pleasant and valuable interaction experiences that encourage them to continue engaging with the business on Messenger.”
Source: Facebook
