Have you ever wanted to sit down with a digital marketer and just ask a couple questions to help you understand how you should advertise?
We know the feeling. We hope we can be a resource for you but even our team has a couple questions about lead generation and social media advertising every now and then.
So we call our friend, Roz.
Roz Ryan is a talented Digital Marketer with many years experience helping businesses connect with their customers online. She has a particular passion for Social Media and lead generation, Facebook Messenger marketing and chatbots.
Here is a conversation you will probably want to lean in and eavesdrop on.
We know the feeling. We hope we can be a resource for you but even our team has a couple questions about lead generation and social media advertising every now and then.
So we call our friend, Roz.
Roz Ryan is a talented Digital Marketer with many years experience helping businesses connect with their customers online. She has a particular passion for Social Media and lead generation, Facebook Messenger marketing and chatbots.
Here is a conversation you will probably want to lean in and eavesdrop on.
Okay Roz, give it to us straight. What does the social media advertising landscape look like at the moment?
Up from 72 cents just one year ago, the average cost per click for Facebook marketing is now $1.72. With that comes higher customer acquisition costs, and a whole lot of number crunching that - essentially - does not look promising for the marketing budget. What’s more, it’s unlikely to improve from here on out.
Thankfully, a whole new window of opportunity has opened up for social media marketing: Messenger and other messaging apps. With the way the current Facebook and Instagram advertising trends are looking, chatbots and conversational ads are something we need to embrace now.
So, does this mean Facebook ad costs are going up?
Exactly that, Facebook ad costs are on the up - and Instagram’s are along for the ride.
In 2017, Facebook said that the platform was approaching peak ad load - meaning that the opportunities for marketers to get their products seen will reduce. Also, after an announcement in January Facebook was changing its news feed to prioritise engaging content from family and friends over public posts news feed real estate is becoming more and more difficult to come by.
In short, while the change was good for facebook users, it has not been good for advertisers.
Facebook needs to charge more or grow its user base to make more money, and costs are expected to rise - meaning a lower return on ad spend for most marketers.
Where do we look for more profitable ways to advertise - Instagram?
That is the “other” major social network immediately comes to mind.
However, keep in mind, Instagram was acquired by Facebook in 2012, so it’s a safe guess that it is subject to many of the same pressures and issues. There are no quick fix or whole new advertising space available on the image-focused social media app.
That being said, we do have an answer to this scarcity of ad space in social media. There is another app that’s widely used, and for which advertising possibilities are wide open - Messenger. Facebook is creating ad space in their popular messaging app.
What does this mean — how will ads work in Messenger?
This will mean lower density. It also creates a new conversational way of advertising, and presents its own challenges - but we think it is worth the effort to take advantage of this new platform right from the start.
Messenger has:
- 1.3 billion users.
- An acquisition rate of 100 million users per month.
There is also WhatsApp, another messaging app owned by Facebook, with 1.5 billion users sending 60 billion messages per day.
Advertisers can use Messenger to send sponsored messages directly to a user’s inbox, but there is a catch that restricts the scope - to be able to send a message to a user, they must have had previous interactions.
This has resulted in many companies utilising click-to-Messenger ads, which have been found to have a much lower Cost Per Click (CPC) than traditional ads. Once a customer has interacted, further ads and messaging can happen within Messenger.
Ads may come to Whatsapp soon, which may open up yet more opportunity for conversational advertising.
Many savvy marketers are seeing CPCs for their Messenger campaigns at less than $1, even less than 50 cents. It’s a new market and a new ad space, so people are still learning how to use it - and the value for ad spend is great when you know how.
According to Statista, more than half of web traffic is on mobile devices - and around 45% of smartphone users globally have the messenger app installed. Kids are growing up with Messenger, and personalisation of ads is becoming critical to return on ad spend.
The time is ripe to use Messenger to its full potential!
What if our customers and potential customers are not on Messenger?
If you are running Facebook ads already, the chances of that being true are very, very low. If your current customers are not on Facebook Messenger, your future ones very likely will be. Almost three quarters of 18-29 year olds use it.
On that note, you may have heard about the release of Messenger Kids. It’s billed as an app to allow families to connect safely - and whether or not it’s achieving that purpose, it’s certainly introducing young ones to messaging apps early.
Isn’t this all a little bit creepy?
Personalisation of advertising has a bit of a “creepy” connotation, but only when it’s not done right. The benefits of personalisation are clear - when it’s done right.
Studies show that it drives impulse purchasing and creates loyal customers as they feel personally recognised. It also results in fewer returns, and the ultimate aim: increased revenue.
In that case, why isn’t everyone doing personalised marketing (and doing it right)?
Outdated legacy tech is one of the barriers, but with the use of messenger being so widespread, that’s hardly a hurdle - all you need is someone who knows how to make an effective bot. The right bot with the right customers is a recipe for success.
What makes personalised marketing on the Messenger platform work?
In a one-on-one private chat, using information given or gleaned is expected and welcomed. You wouldn’t reply to someone expressing interest in shoes with an offer of discounted cat food while you’re texting them, rather you use the information given to craft a discourse - and that’s why Messenger is personalisation done right.
It’s not just Messenger - WhatsApp advertising is also in the pipeline!
Wait, WhatsApp advertising? Tell us more.
Facebook is ramping up the importance of chat experiences, and it’s not just Messenger - they acquired the popular messaging app WhatsApp in 2014, and a button for click-to-WhatsApp is now also available to advertisers. WhatsApp has more users than Messenger, at about 1.5 billion, so that opens up a whole new world of personalised message marketing.
Crazy, right?
The reason WhatsApp is behind the ball currently is that the founders were against monetizing the app with advertising. They are now gone, and Facebook is free to do what it likes with the app - which is good news for advertisers. Prepare for bots and chat adds on WhatsApp!
Wait, WhatsApp advertising? Tell us more.
Facebook is ramping up the importance of chat experiences, and it’s not just Messenger - they acquired the popular messaging app WhatsApp in 2014, and a button for click-to-WhatsApp is now also available to advertisers. WhatsApp has more users than Messenger, at about 1.5 billion, so that opens up a whole new world of personalised message marketing.
Crazy, right?
The reason WhatsApp is behind the ball currently is that the founders were against monetizing the app with advertising. They are now gone, and Facebook is free to do what it likes with the app - which is good news for advertisers. Prepare for bots and chat adds on WhatsApp!
Whew - that was a lot of information. Can you give us a quick summary?
- Facebook and Instagram ad costs are going up as space and opportunities to get in front of users become more scarce.
- Messenger opens up a new advertising space.
- Messenger advertising has wicked low CPCs, if you do it right.
- This won’t last forever, so you need to get in now.
- There are many different ways to effectively advertise and engage customers via Messenger, a few of which we have showcased above.
- The future of chatbots and Messenger marketing is bright - be ready!
Thanks Roz! This month Roz is offering our clients a sweet deal. Watch this space as Roz has also shared some fascinating case studies about practical, creative ways people have used bots in their social media strategy.
Interested to know more you can contact Roz at roz@onlinemarketinggroup.co.nz
Roz has extensive background in marketing/sales and has worked in Banking, Finance, Travel, FMCG and Fitness. Roz is an expert communicator and negotiator ws a proven track record of being amicable when interacting with clients on Facebook and other social media sites.
Roz has had dozens of satisfied clients who appreciate her professionalism, quick turn around, and devotion to marketing and social media. Her clients also appreciate the fact that she consistently researches popular trends to remain up to date on the most effective ways to conduct social media marketing.
When Roz isn't working she is a mum to two boys, teaches Zumba twice a week and takes a mums group fitness class. She has a passion for fitness obstacle events and running stairs. Email Roz on roz@onlinemarketinggroup.co.nz
