Facebook guide to maximizing new page messaging features (1)

All the stats point to it, the rise of messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and Kik has been well-documented. Given this, the major social platforms are now working to try and improve the functionality of their own messaging elements.

Twitter recently announced the lifting of the 140-character limit on their direct messaging feature – and they have introduced a new desktop notifications function for DMs.

Facebook has focused on improving messaging for Pages, bringing in several new messaging options for users looking to connect, including the ability to respond to Page comments via private message and saved replies for use with common queries.

Facebook’s key messaging tips are as follows: Response Times One of the features included in Facebook’s recent update was the page responsiveness badge, a new indicator which is shown on Pages that respond to 90% of the messages they receive within five minutes.

• In this regard, Facebook has recommended that brands only enable Page messaging when they are fully equipped and ready to respond to queries in a timely manner:

• Facebook also suggests turning off messaging during your business’ off hours to help maintain response rate speed (this was one of the key issues highlighted by Page admins, particularly small businesses that they’re stats were being hurt by not being able to respond while they were asleep). Conversational Language One of the key things that many writers struggle to grasp is the ability to communicate through your words the way you would in person. This is largely a learned behavior – we’re taught to write in very formal, factual tones in our written communication, different to how we would speak – which is right for some interactions, but you also have to understand the tone required for each audience and each piece of content. The most common examples of this are when people write things like ‘it is’ instead of ‘it’s’, ‘there is’ instead of ‘there’s – when you read them back, they’re just not how you would speak.

• Along these lines, Facebook notes that Page admins should write messages in the same way they’d speak to their customers in person.

• Facebook also recommends against using messaging to broadcast your marketing collateral or offers.

• This is a solid point, and one which is rightfully highlighted – when utilizing messaging features, consider how each person will get that message and what response you would expect from messaging. If you abuse the privilege of being able to communicate with your audience via message, they’ll block you out. And it’s a struggle to get back into their good books from that point. Virtual Individuality Personalization is, increasingly, a key focus in social media marketing – and even marketing more generally. Today’s socially enabled customer has a means to share their voice, a platform from which to speak and be heard and along with that capability comes the expectation that their voice will be listened to.

The rise of data-based ad targeting has further heightened this demand, the connected consumer is learning to expect brands to reach them based on their interests, likes, behaviors and interactions.

72% of people who complain via social media now expect a response within an hour – that level of expectation doesn’t come without precedent.

• On this front, Facebook recommends Page admins sign all messages with their name, not just the business name, to better personalize the communication. This is great point – data released by Twitter last week showed that by simply including the customer’s name and the customer service representative’s signature in a brand response tweet, customer recommendations increased by 77%.

• Facebook also suggests Page admins be short and to the point in their messaging, and be clear about the query they’re responding to – don’t get off point or too wordy in your responses.

• Facebook Releases Guide to Maximizing New Page Messaging Features | Social Media Today