How to Use Facebook Messenger Ads

Do you have a mainly online business where you struggle to add personal connection? Or, have you realized that consumers love personalized and responsive help like live chat support? If either of these apply to you, then Facebook Messenger ads are the right direction for you! Messenger ads’ unique ability to entice and connect a consumer in the click of a button creates many opportunities for marketers. Just because you reach consumers on Facebook does not mean you are reaching those on Messenger, so utilizing both is necessary. Through this article, you will learn all about Facebook Messenger ads and how to use them for your marketing needs.

What is Facebook Messenger?

Messenger is Facebook’s communication service that transitioned from a part of the site to its own app. It houses around 1.3 billion monthly users, some of which may not use Facebook itself. Aside from its connection to Facebook, Messenger is just like any other instant messaging option. You can send others pictures, emojis, links, paragraphs, and so on as usual. While it functions like any other messaging service, it also has additional perks for consumers and marketers alike. Because Messenger functions as both a chat service and a part of a social platform, it has special capabilities other sites don’t. One of the biggest perks of advertising on Messenger comes from the ability to connect directly to a business’ page from an advertisement or chat.

Messenger Ads

Advantages like the one mentioned above are why Messenger ads can be a big help to your business. Not only do these ads allow for conversations to be started, but they can also be used to raise awareness and influence action towards your products. Messenger ads can pop up on your Facebook feed, in your conversations feed, or even as a direct message to your consumer!

This variety in options allows you to tailor your Messenger ads to your specific campaign needs. There are a total of three advertising options when it comes to these ads, along with an additional feature many of us are familiar with.

How to Set Up and Use Messenger Ads

In order to begin using Messenger ads, we first need to begin with understanding the options available for use. The three ads we can utilize with Messenger are click to Messenger, sponsored messages, and home section ads.

Click to Messenger

The first type of ad that utilizes the Messenger platform is the click to Messenger ad. These ads do not actually run in-app but instead in Facebook itself. Click to Messenger ads are set up nearly the same way as any other ads are on Facebook. The only difference is that these ads have a call to action button that reads “Send Message” as opposed to anything else.Just like the name suggests, once a consumer clicks your click to Messenger ad, they will be direct to the Messenger app. Not only will they be sent to the app, though, they will also immediately be connected to your business.

Once your consumer connects to your chat, you should greet them with an automated message that relates to your ad. For example, if you are advertising a gym membership, your message may include, “how can we help you on your fitness journey today?” From there, a consumer may be prompted with popular responses to help guide them towards an action. And just like that, you have created a conversation from a single click!To create a click to Messenger campaign, first go to Ads Manager for Facebook. Then, select Messages, Traffic, or Conversions as your objective.

Sponsored Messages

The next type of Messenger ad is the sponsored message. This option also does just as its name says. With sponsored messages, you can send specific deals and ads to consumers already inside your funnel as a direct message. This feature allows you to single out those truly interested in your product and deliver them what they need right when they need it. Sponsored message ads are offered as a retargeting technique. Basically, this means that these ads are intended for people who have already shown previous interest in your product or service. By offering these prospective customers a deal on something they already like, you have a good chance at converting them to make purchases.

In order to serve someone an ad this specific, a lot of data is required. Because of this, these ads become highly targeted, and are able to reach consumers just when they want to see them. Sponsored messages are the perfect way to increase conversions with an added incentive of the personal touch Messenger ads deliver.To create a sponsored message ad campaign, select the “Messages” objective in Ads Manager.

Home Section Ads

The third type of ads available for use with Messenger are the home section ads. Another way to describe these ads is simply the ads displayed on the Messenger app. Like any social ad, these pop up throughout your feed, or within your messages. These ads can be used to introduce users to your product and build your brand awareness.Home section ads also take advantage of Messenger ads’ number one feature, direct messaging. Once a home section ad is clicked on, the viewer is presented with different options (depending on the creative you decide to show them). These options contain a call to action button, usually influencing the consumer to inquire about the product.

As mentioned earlier, these ads are great for getting your name out there and presenting yourself to a broad audience. These ads can also be useful for consumers in the middle of the funnel. Using home section ads, you can present viewers with more information on products they are interested in. Taking it a step further, you can start a live conversation with them to meet their specific needs! To create a home section ad, select one of the following as your objective:

• Traffic
• Messages
• App installs
• Conversions
• Catalog sales

Messenger Stories

Lastly, an additional option you can utilize on the Messenger app is the story feature. Just like Snapchat, Instagram, or Facebook, Messenger offers the ability to serve a short but bold image to your audience. Making a story will create a full page advertisement for your consumer to watch and become immersed in.

Messenger Stories are a very effective tool for grabbing viewers’ attention. According to Facebook, half of their users said they clicked on a story to learn more about the product during a survey. Taking up the whole screen, this option can be used to increase awareness and start conversations about your brand. When used correctly, stories can become one of your best awareness-builders! To create a Messenger Stories ad, select one of the following as your objective:

• Reach
• App installs
• Brand awareness
• Traffic
• Video views
• Conversions

Best Practices while Advertising on Messenger

Now that we have an understanding of the main types of Messenger ads, we can focus on how to best use them. Although each kind of ad on this platform has its respective ability, they all get their strength from the same concepts. Follow these key points when creating your ads to get the best use out of them.

Personalize as Much As Possible

The main feature of Messenger ads and the aspect that connects all of the types together, personalization and live connection should be the focus of your efforts on this platform. The Messenger app is just one of many social platforms you advertise on, so don’t get caught up in the same mindset you use for other sites. While advertising on Messenger can function normally just as well as any other site, this is your chance to differentiate.

Use Conversation

Taking advantage of such an easy yet effective strategy is a no-brainer. When creating Messenger ads, incorporate as much human-to-human conversation as possible. Automation is the king when it comes to finding and connection consumers digitally. However, once your consumer has initiated a conversation, nothing will be more effective than a human representative. In a sea full of automation and algorithms, give your brand a face and something to connect with.

Optimize

This tip is not Messenger ad-specific, but is important to mention regardless. Make sure you are always revisiting your campaigns and optimizing your ads. This means reviewing analytics, adjusting targets, reallocating resources, and so on. Optimizing doesn’t just have to wait until your campaign begins, though.

When setting up your ads, consider these pointers to give your efforts the best chance right off the bat:

• Match your marketing and campaign objectives– What stage are you at with marketing your brand, and how does it line up with your advertising? Do you need to create awareness, or push sales?
• Use automatic placements– Yes, we just emphasized using the “human touch” with your Facebook Messenger ads, but automation is necessary in every other stage. Automatic placements make sure your ads are served to the right people at the right time.
• Stand out where you can– Messenger ads are a very useful tool, but many other marketers think so too. give yourself the best shot at success by putting extra effort in to stand out. If you are using Messenger Stories ads, make your visual bold and creative. If you are using sponsored messages, spend extra time to craft your text and truly connect with your audience.

What’s the Point?

You may be thinking to yourself, “I don’t even need to advertise on Messenger with all of the other social sites available!” While there are many other options, none of them take away from Messenger’s special attributes. Aside from the benefits we’ve already discussed, Messenger is also useful because of its reach. Connecting people from all over the global, you have immediate access to an international audience. Better yet, you can even use the same creative and ad format as you already use for your Facebook ads! Creating a new campaign has never been easier.

Easy Use

Lastly, Messenger ads offer consumers a chance to connect with you right from their favorite platform. By keeping the conversation in app, there is no additional burden to a user when clicking on your ad. This simple feature is very valuable on a social site where people can lose interest in something within seconds.

Still Need Help?

There is always more to learn when it comes to digital marketing and advertising on social media. If you would like to learn more about Facebook Messenger ads or are having trouble understanding them, reach out to our marketing professionals here at SEO Design Chicago!

FAQs

• What are Facebook Messenger ads?
• What are the different kinds of Facebook Messenger ads?
• Which marketing objectives work with Messenger ads?
• How do I start advertising on the Messenger app?
• What is click to messenger on Facebook Ads?