Facebook has announced that brands will now be able use chatbots to deliver engaging content, customer support and other interactive experiences to users via its new Messenger Platform, which was launched yesterday at its F8 conference.
Facebook recently revealed that it would make new tools available to help developers create their own chatbots as a means of encouraging companies to use Messenger for automated interactions with customers. The new platform will offer a rich selection of information and send details such as links, images, services and detailed descriptions of products.
Chatbots are currently one of the hottest innovations in tech due to their ability to provide personalised and interactive communication. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg claims that the use of natural language processing and AI will enable users to talk to Messenger bots in a similar manner to friends. Disney is among the leading brands that have already taken advantage of the new technology.
Meaningful content
Facebook has been working hard to make Messenger more appealing to publishers and brands in recent months and has recently added welcome notes, scannable codes and other tools to make it easier for the network’s 900 million users to engage with the businesses they care about. Mobile messaging apps in particular are now seen as one of the central portals for distributing content.
The new automated responses and Send/Receive API will feature something called “Structured Messages,” which will include a URL, title, image, description and various calls to action such as visiting a particular web page or viewing an online order. Users will also be able to swipe through image carousels and visit the web to pay for any products they want to purchase.
In order to find chatbots, users will be able to navigate to a search bar located at the top of the mobile app. Facebook has also confirmed that any messages can be blocked. The idea is that eventually, the new hub of information will replace calling and emailing for questions and customer service functions while providing exciting ways for brands to boost their marketing campaigns. The new features are set to roll out to developers this week.
