Social media messaging is an integral a part of every day life for many of us.
Right this moment, 70% of individuals agree they anticipate to have conversational experiences with manufacturers on social media, too. However discovering methods to speak on to your shoppers can appear intimidating. So, how will you combine conversational advertising and marketing into your technique? Enter: social media messaging apps.
Social messaging apps give entrepreneurs the chance to attach with folks one-on-one by creating impactful, personalised touchpoints. These channels are approachable for shoppers, social media managers and buyer care specialists alike.
When selecting the best apps to speak to your viewers, think about why and how folks wish to join along with your model.
- Do they need a fast response to a steadily requested query?
- Are they searching for a video session with an knowledgeable earlier than shopping for?
- Do they need assistance utilizing your services or products?
On this information, we’ll break down the 11 hottest social messaging apps and their use instances. From the well-known to the usually ignored, we’ll enable you to discover the appropriate app(s) to achieve your neighborhood.
Why ought to your model use social messaging apps?
The client journey is altering. Social media is now an important a part of reaching folks, from producing consciousness to creating advocacy. Customers anticipate to direct message, voice chat or video name your model once they’re in a second of want. Social media messaging apps assist you to meet shoppers’ new communication expectations whereas supporting your corporation goals. Watch our video under for an outline of the preferred social messaging apps, together with suggestions that can assist you choose one of the best social messaging app in your model:
Have interaction in conversational commerce
About 90% of shoppers purchase from a model in the event that they observe them on social. That spectacular quantity reveals how vital it’s to spend money on your social messaging technique. When manufacturers undertake conversational commerce instruments like chatbots, reside chat and video consultations, they ship simpler shopping for experiences and win extra gross sales.
Present customer support and care
Folks will now not accept one-way communication or outdated 1-800 numbers when coping with a customer support concern. They anticipate manufacturers to make use of probably the most handy channels for them, together with social messaging apps.
Should you’re not accessible to help your prospects with social messaging, you’ll go away gaps within the buyer expertise. Some 67% of shoppers determine responsive customer support as an important think about making a constructive expertise with a model on social.
Construct a pool of name evangelists
Be attentive and have interaction thoughtfully when folks ship you a constructive direct message. By offering an additional stage of care, you’ll make them really feel like a high precedence, and extra more likely to turn into a loyal buyer.
Take it a step additional by stunning a few of your diehard admirers with V.I.P. low cost codes, premium gives, entry to unique reside occasions and sneak previews. These additional steps will flip your prospects into model advocates.
Navigate a social media disaster
On the flip aspect, present simply as a lot care and a spotlight when issues go unsuitable. Though you possibly can’t at all times management a social media disaster, you possibly can reduce its damaging influence by addressing buyer considerations through social messaging apps. Preserve a eager eye in your notifications and @mentions to stop damaging suggestions from snowballing.
Fortunately, this doesn’t imply monitoring your social feeds 24/7. Social media engagement instruments like Sprout Social can notify you of engagement spikes and spot a possible disaster earlier than it snowballs.
11 hottest social messaging apps
Now, let’s dive into probably the most steadily used social media chat apps.
- Instagram direct messages
- Messenger
- TikTok direct messages
- SnapChat
- Telegram
- Discord
- Viber
- Twitter direct messages
- Zendesk
1. WhatsApp
Month-to-month lively customers: 2 billion
Key advantages:
The rising buzz round WhatsApp has many entrepreneurs asking, “What’s up with WhatsApp?” Because the hottest messaging app on this planet, WhatsApp is proving to be an important a part of fashionable advertising and marketing and buyer care methods—particularly for manufacturers with a worldwide viewers. WhatsApp makes it doable to streamline all messaging with shoppers in a single handy place. Whether or not they have a difficulty with their order or wish to purchase one thing new, WhatsApp is the channel folks flip to.
On WhatsApp, you possibly can name, video name or reside chat with prospects. Should you face a excessive amount of messages, you too can make use of chatbots on the app. Though the app doesn’t enable promoting, manufacturers produce other alternatives to successfully attain shoppers. For instance, some main manufacturers use digital catalogs to assist their prospects uncover their services and products.
2. Instagram direct messages
Instagram month-to-month lively customers: 2 billion
Key advantages:
- Built-in with Instagram
- Constructed-in GIF and sticker gallery
- You’ll be able to add filters, results and drawing to pictures
- Video and voice chat
Instagram is the most downloaded app on this planet. Instagram direct messages (DMs) play an vital function in its success by permitting customers to attach one-on-one and in group messages. Within the Instagram app, you possibly can ship DMs to all customers, together with manufacturers.
Instagram DMs are a good way to dip your toe into social messaging apps. Chances are high when you have a presence on Instagram, you’re already acquainted with DMs, as they don’t require a separate app or account. Even when a shopper tags your model of their Tales, you’ll routinely see it in your DMs.
Instagram DMs have built-in GIF and sticker galleries so you possibly can infuse whimsy into your messages. Should you ship a photograph or video, you too can add filters, results and drawings. As Instagram continues to evolve right into a video-first app, now you can make video calls and voice chat in DMs, too.
3. Messenger
Month-to-month lively customers: 1.3 billion
Key advantages:
- Built-in with Fb
- Automated replies and chatbots
- Constructed-in GIF and sticker library
- Video chat
Messenger is Meta’s most-used characteristic. Initially launched in 2011, the app is separate from the Fb platform, however nonetheless built-in within the person interface. Effectively-known world wide, Messenger is the appropriate app for manufacturers attempting to achieve all kinds of individuals.
When utilizing Messenger for enterprise, you possibly can create automated replies and arrange chatbots to reply steadily requested questions. That is helpful for manufacturers who obtain a excessive quantity of incoming messages.
Like Instagram, the app gives a built-in GIF and sticker gallery so you possibly can infuse character and playfulness into your live-chat, too. In case your buyer care instances transcend chat, Messenger additionally gives video name capabilities.
4. TikTok direct messages
TikTok month-to-month lively customers: 1 billion
Key advantages:
- Built-in with TikTok
- Customized auto-replies
Like Instagram, TikTok messaging is built-in within the app. With 1 billion month-to-month lively customers and rising, the potential for reaching folks will increase on a regular basis. However TikTok messaging is exclusive. To ship a message, the recipient should settle for your message request—even when they’re a model.
For some shoppers, this characteristic provides a roadblock on their buyer journey. However this additional step additionally prevents your inbox from overflowing—which makes it simpler to prioritize ongoing conversations with model advocates, influential creators and excessive precedence prospects.
TikTok additionally gives an automatic response possibility for enterprise accounts. This useful workaround lets you acknowledge folks sending you messages earlier than accepting. It additionally lets you reply steadily requested questions primarily based on widespread key phrases.
5. WeChat
Month-to-month lively customers: 1 billion
Key advantages:
- Reaches Chinese language-speaking communities worldwide
- Video and voice chat
- Broadcast messaging
- Social commerce capabilities
Should you’re attempting to achieve Chinese language-speaking communities, WeChat is a must-use app. Going through steep competitors, WeChat emerged because the main Chinese language messaging app due to its excessive message capability and social commerce capabilities. In reality, customers can ship as much as 45 billion messages a day. They’ll additionally ship voice chats and make video calls. Like different social media platforms, they’ll broadcast messages publicly on WeChat, too.
WeChat’s social commerce integrations are among the many greatest within the cellular cost app trade. WeChat Pay boasts 900 million customers who ship cash and make purchases inside the app.
For international manufacturers, WeChat ought to play a pivotal function of their technique—particularly for well timed occasions like Lunar New Yr celebrations.
6. Snapchat
Month-to-month lively customers: 500 million
Key advantages:
- Disappearing photos and movies
- Customized filters, results and drawings
With sure social messaging apps, success depends upon cross-promotion with different platforms. Take Snapchat for instance. For folks to see your content material, they have to subscribe to your Profile. To spark intrigue, share snippets of the extremely partaking movies you’re posting on Snapchat to different social apps. This may embody behind-the-scenes excursions, interactive customized filters or influencer takeovers. You may also embody hyperlinks to your web site or app in your content material.
When you amass a following and your Profile is verified, you can begin having significant conversations across the Tales you put up. For instance, your subscribers can ship you questions or share their love in your new product. You may also Quote your followers’ replies and share them in your Story—this stage of engagement is vital to creating loyal superfans.
7. Telegram
Month-to-month lively customers: 500 million
Key advantages:
- Edit and delete messages after you ship them
- Location sharing
- Expiring messages
- Distinctive themes and stickers
- Helps group messaging as much as 200,000 folks
Much like WhatsApp, Telegram is a well-liked various to conventional SMS texting—notably for folks messaging between nations. Telegram allows giant group messages, location sharing and distinctive themes and stickers. Nevertheless it additionally has further options well-liked for companies, together with B2B manufacturers.
In Telegram, you possibly can edit and delete messages after they’ve been despatched, or set an expiration date on a message. This may very well be priceless when that you must ship a buyer an expiring code or when you’re a B2B enterprise sending confidential paperwork.
8. Discord
Month-to-month lively customers: 350 million
Key advantages:
- Video and voice chat
- Display sharing
- Backside of the funnel alternatives
- Dwell occasions
Discord, the social messaging app used most steadily by avid gamers, is a brand new frontier for a lot of firms—even retail manufacturers are starting to faucet into the platform’s potential.
By making a Discord server, you’ll be able to add channels catering to the area of interest pursuits of your neighborhood. Your channels will be personal, public or view-only.
In your server, you possibly can host reside occasions. Whether or not it’s an “ask me something” video or a gaming match, reside occasions encourage advocacy and dialog inside your neighborhood. Main manufacturers on Discord additionally give their shoppers entry to premium channels to encourage repeat purchases.
9. Viber
Month-to-month lively customers: 250 million
Key advantages:
- Constructed-in GIF and sticker gallery
- Video chat
- Constructed-in QR code scanner
- Helps limitless group messaging
Viber, or Rakuten Viber, is one other social messaging app typically most well-liked over conventional SMS texting, particularly in jap European and Center Japanese nations. Recognized for its safety and end-to-end encryption, it’s marketed as one of many most secure messaging apps. Viber gives group messaging with no dimension limitations, video chat and a built-in GIF and sticker gallery. Customers with a subscription plan may also make calls to all phone numbers.
Viber for Enterprise permits firms to speak with prospects via its platform, however this characteristic isn’t accessible in lots of nations. Nevertheless, all manufacturers can create adverts for the app and make the most of the built-in QR scanner.
10. Twitter direct messages
Twitter month-to-month lively customers: 217 million
Key advantages:
- Built-in with Twitter
- Chatbots
- Constructed-in GIF and sticker gallery
In case your model is on Twitter, you in all probability already use your Twitter DMs to speak with prospects. Twitter DMs are built-in into Twitter, and anybody can ship different customers messages. In your DMs, you possibly can make use of chatbots to offer distinctive buyer care, too.
We suggest utilizing the built-in GIFs, sticker gallery and emojis to infuse your model’s identification into your conversations.
11. Zendesk
Key advantages:
- Omnichannel buyer care
- Voice chat
- Chatbots
Though not technically a social messaging app, Zendesk is the glue that holds an efficient social messaging technique collectively. Zendesk is a customer support software program devoted to serving to manufacturers create significant, private and productive relationships with their prospects.
The software program integrates along with your social messaging apps to offer buyer help and gross sales outreach at scale. You may also join Zendesk with a social media administration platform like Sprout Social to resolve points quicker throughout your social and customer support groups.
Handle your social messaging apps in a single place with Sprout Social
If these social messaging apps are already part of your technique, the battle of attempting to steadiness so many channels without delay. Sprout Social’s Sensible Inbox unifies your social channels right into a single stream to observe all incoming messages. It simplifies buyer care and outreach by making it simple to see messages, mentions and model key phrase usages at a look.
The Sensible Inbox gives instruments like Folks View that can assist you present personalised experiences in your contacts. In Folks View, you possibly can foster connections with influencers, handle your VIP Lists and look at dialog historical past with a particular person profile.
All of it boils right down to this: When utilizing social messaging apps, you could make your prospects really feel like they’re your high precedence.
Searching for extra steering that can assist you refine your social messaging technique? Study why social messaging is the way forward for the shopper expertise.
