Chatbots are improving the digital marketing sector in many ways. Since their rapid advancement over the last decade or so, chatbots have evolved to achieve all kinds of competencies: voice recognition, data analysis, natural language processing (NLP), and so on. Now, more than ever, chatbots are proving just how much success they can bring any and all digital marketing strategies.
Most people have probably had an encounter with a chatbot. Ever chatted online through a pop up window? Or gotten an email reminding you about the items waiting in your shopping cart? These are just two of the most popular ways chatbots are being used to improve digital marketing.
Chatbots present an unparalleled opportunity for digital marketers to reach consumers by facilitating personalized conversations. Generic emails and banner ads just don’t cut it anymore. The digital space is flooded with so much content that brands must work to provide unique and engaging experiences for the consumers, or risk losing them.
The most common chatbot function is live chat, where users often seek answers to basic questions about things like return policies or site navigation. These bots are highly effective for providing quick customer support – something that most consumers now expect. Chances are, if an answer requires waiting on hold or for an email response, people will decide it’s not worth it and seek the good or service elsewhere. Through this method, live chatbots can increase conversion and retention rates while providing quick and satisfactory solutions to consumer queries.
Another common use for bots is to decrease shopping cart abandonment. Oftentimes, companies use chatbots to remind site visitors about the items waiting for them in their cart, usually by email. While this can be an effective method to encourage purchasing, there is actually another way in which chatbots can help recover lost revenue from shopping cart abandonment. Chatbots are available to provide assistance during every step of a buyer’s journey, and can ultimately help ease consumers into actually clicking the “check out” at the end of their site journey. Chatbots are a one stop shop for answering questions, making a user feel comfortable navigating the site, using an upbeat tone of voice to build trust, and even offering discounts.
A final (but not exhaustive) reason chatbots are able to so greatly disrupt the digital marketing industry is through social media. Social bots can be integrated into a variety of messaging platforms (including Facebook, KIK, Slack, Whatsapp, and even Twitter) and chat with users while they’re already using the application. This is great for many reasons, but mainly due to the fact that social bots do not require consumers to switch mediums. Instead, they are ready to engage on the platforms consumers are already using, making it easier (and more natural) than ever for brands to have marketing conversations online.
So there you have it – just a few ways in which chatbots are revolutionizing the digital marketing industry. Want to learn more? Check out Discover.bot for information on all things chatbot!
