In today’s tech-savvy world, one of the foremost ways to establish and maintain credibility as a premier senior living community is through customer engagement via social media platforms. Of course, Facebook is still one of the titans of social media with over 2.32 billion monthly active users around the world. It only makes sense to leverage all of the resources that come with a business presence on Facebook to make your marketing strategy that much more effective.
One tool that Facebook provides is its Facebook Messenger app. Facebook Messenger can greatly enhance the impact of your marketing initiatives, boost lead conversion rates, and help drive the growth of your senior living community. Why is Facebook Messenger such a powerful marketing tool? How can you set it up and launch it? And what other resources are at your disposal? Let’s take a few minutes to answer those questions.
Why Facebook Messenger?
Some marketers may question whether Facebook Messenger provides enough of a boost to customer outreach and engagement that it is worth using it as part of an overarching marketing strategy. While it is true that more “traditional” forms of digital marketing, such as email marketing, certainly have their benefits, messaging apps like Facebook Messenger are shown to excel as mediums of interaction between businesses and customers.
Personalized Interactions
The fact is, customers generally find an interaction via text to be more personal and “intimate” then communication through email. Customers are generally more engaged during text conversations, and feel more appreciated by the business in question. Apart from face-to-face interaction, texting is hard to beat for directness and level of interest.
What Science Says
Science reinforces this conclusion. Texting activates and perpetuates the release of dopamine in the brain, a chemical which plays a role in motivation and desire (and in extreme cases, addiction). Dopamine motivates “seeking behavior,” such as searching the Internet for the answer to a particular question that just popped into your head. When information is presented in small chunks, and when those small chunks are unpredictable as to the timing of their presentation, then your brain’s dopamine levels remain high. Elevated dopamine levels encourage continued seeking.
Doesn’t that scenario describe text messages perfectly?
The Science of Marketing
Text messages are generally limited to about 140 characters and are received at unpredictable times throughout the day. Texting encourages high dopamine levels, which in turn motivate us to keep checking our smartphones for messages, eagerly anticipating when the next “chunk” of information will come. It’s no wonder some people tend to be glued to their phones all day!
Even though the science behind texting’s appeal is very interesting, what does it have to do with
Evidence
HubSpot conducted an experiment to see whether Facebook Messenger would make for a good content delivery channel. The results were astounding; Messenger broadcasts had an open rate of 80% compared to 33% for emails. They also had
Clearly, scientific findings and experimental data alike indicate that apps like Facebook Messenger can be powerful marketing tools.
How to Set Up Facebook Messenger Campaigns
A Facebook Messenger
1. Create a custom audience
Facebook gives you 4 different options to set up your target audience for the advertisements. You can upload your own customer file or target people who viewed your website, people who use your app, or people who engage with your content on Facebook.
2. Create your ad campaign
Facebook allows you to customize your Messenger ad campaign according to factors such as your campaign objectives and your budget. Make sure you select the Website or Messenger option under the Traffic heading.
3. Create the Messenger ad
Once your target audience has been clearly defined and your campaign objectives and parameters are in place, Facebook will prompt you to create the actual ad. You can upload a single picture or video, or put multiple pictures or videos in a carousel. Once you’ve reviewed how your ad will look, you will be able to place the order.
When users click on the CTA button in your Facebook ad, they will be directed to Messenger. From there, they can initiate a text conversation with you or a staff member. If you prefer to implement an automated system for after-hours responses, customers can also interact with a chatbot. You’re also able to place Messenger ads within Instagram, further extending the potential reach of your campaign.
Other Resources
Facebook Messenger, when used correctly, can play an integral role in a successful marketing strategy. The intimacy of texting as compared to email, the psychological attraction of messenger apps, and the ease of setting up a campaign all factor into Facebook Messenger’s effectiveness as an engaging advertising tool. Facebook Messenger can be a great event promotion tool as well. Read our blog, “45 Creative Event Promotion Ideas and Tips.”
We’re Here to Help
Of course, Facebook Messenger is just one of many resources that can inform your marketing initiatives. With so many marketing channels available to you, perhaps you may wonder where to start. Or perhaps you want to ensure that your decisions are grounded in best practices, and aligned with the marketing success that others have experienced.
If you are facing those or any other concerns, reach out to us at 408 Marketing for assistance. We are always here for marketing advice and strategies. With business partners like HubSpot, Leading Age, and the Michigan Assisted Living Alliance (MALA) we are strongly positioned to provide in-depth marketing assistance to our clients. We want to help you use all available tools, including Facebook Messenger, to successfully market your senior living community.