For businesses looking to use FB Messenger bots, starting a conversation with customers is a critical step. No matter how great a bots? AI might be, the first step is always for the user to engage, and start the conversation.
With the launch of the Facebook Messenger API, FB showed Messenger Codes (mine is to the left) and also released short links. Both of these are efforts to make it easy for Facebook users to connect with businesses over messenger. I tried to find my short link & code and it took a little work, so I figured a post might be useful.
The Messenger Link is easy so let?s start there. Messenger Links use the Page?s username to create the short link. The format is m.me/username. So to chat with me over Facebook Messenger, just click m.me/atmssg ? that will open the FB Messenger app and my company?s landing page. The next big question is how bots handle the first incoming message. In my opinion the best companies will direct users to message in with a specific hashtag to connect with specific functionality, but that?s a totally separate post.
Now let?s talk about Messenger Codes. It?s hard to see a Messenger Code and not have a flashback to the catastrophe that was QR Codes. But codes work in Asia so maybe Facebook can make them work on the mainland. They sure look cooler than QR Codes.
The Messenger Code opens up the Messenger app and loads the company?s landing page. Again, I?m a little worried about the user having to start the conversation without clear direction, and the bot knowing how to respond.
Anyway, it?s simple to find your messaging code. On the desktop, go to your FB Page and click ?messages? on the top menu. At the bottom of the left-most section is a spiral looking icon. Clicking there will open a window where you can download you code.
It?s also possible to access the code on a phone. This is for peer to peer connections, or possibly for a customer to connect from a device in-store. To access this code open the Messenger app and click ?Me? on the bottom menu.
Of course codes will only work if users know how to scan them. In the app, a user can click the ?People? tab, and there is a button on the top to Scan Code.
There is clearly a lot of functionality built in to Messenger, and there will be a lot more coming soon. I?m excited to see how both businesses and users adopt this channel as well as all of the innovation coming from other messaging apps looking to compete with Facebook. It?s going to be a fun year.
To check out the most advanced bot for acquisition and data collection, click to http://atmssg.com and we can show you how everything works.
