Exec: Viber business messages up by 112%

MEssaging app Viber reported a 112-percent growth in business messages it delivered for 2021, reflecting a strong inclination of Filipinos to have a two-way communication with brands.

the overall improved performance of Viber Business Messaging solutions included a 291-percent growth in conversational business messages (real agent customer support), a 372-percent hike in transactional messages (such as shipping notifications), and a 108-percent surge in promotional messages (like special promo codes).

Viber in the Philippines also posted a 126-percent rise in the number of new business message accounts to establish one-to-one connection with its customers, and a 23-percent growth in the number of chatbots, where customers get real-time automated replies to requests 24/7.

local and international brands have also taken advantage of its advertising solutions to increase their visibility and attract new users.

last year, the volume of ads impressions on Viber ballooned by 56 percent in the Philippines and 70 percent worldwide, showcasing the significant interest from advertisers.

the top-performing verticals globally were health and fitness, which expanded by 90 percent; energy, 56 percent; and transportation, 51 percent.

new advertising categories of the app, such as recruitment and local businesses also saw a spike , indicating the Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on business and the labor market.

another milestone for the company is the customizable and creative Viber lenses that provides brands with a native and non-intrusive way to increase brand awareness and drive customers along the users’ funnel. since its launch in June 2021, over 7.3 million users across the globe have put it to use for media, such as pictures, videos, or Gifs; and more than 5.6 million users generated over 51.8 million captures in the app.

“For a long time now, it has been a part of Viber’s strategy to become a super-app—giving as many services with added value as possible throughout our users’ day and providing brands with more opportunities to interact with their customers in the native environment,” said Cristina Constandache, chief revenue officer at rakuten Viber.

“For this, we are constantly working on improving our suite of business solutions to let brands and users seamlessly interact with each other at each step of the customer journey.”