At Agorapulse’s Agency Summit online event, we were lucky enough to have Amanda Robinson, digital marketing expert, as one of the speakers. In her webinar, Unleash The Power of Meta Direct-to-Messenger Ads, Amanda discusses how she uses Messenger ads to boost her engagement and connect with potential leads more effectively.
In this blog post we will share the key insights Amanda shared during the webinar including:
- Advantages of Messenger ads over traditional Facebook lead ads
- How to create a Messenger ad step-by-step
- Important considerations for agencies when using Messenger ads
But before we jump in, let’s go through some of the basics.
What Is Engagement, and Why Does It Matter?
Engagement is the driving force behind metrics such as reach and impressions.
While reach refers to the number of individuals your content can potentially reach, impressions measure the frequency with which your content reaches them. Both these metrics heavily rely on engagement factors, such as likes, comments, and shares.
Think of engagement like this:
Imagine being at a party with lackluster appetizers; only a few people take a nibble, and the plate eventually finds its way back to the kitchen, untouched and unappreciated. Conversely, if the appetizers are delicious and captivating, people eagerly consume them, leading to a continuous cycle of replenishment and enjoyment. The same principle applies to content engagement.
“When your content is engaging, with likes, clicks, comments, and shares, it signals the algorithm to promote it further, resulting in increased reach and impressions,” says Amanda.
The Power of Messenger Engagements
Engagement is crucial for your brand’s success and plays a pivotal role in building a strong online presence. But it’s important to note that not all engagement factors are measured the same by the algorithm.
This is where Facebook messenger has a distinct advantage over other forms of engagement, such as reactions, comments, and shares.
When someone reaches out and initiates a direct conversation with your brand through Messenger, it signifies a higher level of engagement and intent.
Unlike a mere like on a post, a Facebook Messenger conversation establishes a direct line of communication and opens up opportunities for ongoing engagement and relationship building.
Customers who have had meaningful interactions with your brand through Messenger are more likely to remain engaged over time. As the marketing landscape shifts towards a more customer-centric approach, prioritizing quality touch points and fostering relationships is becoming increasingly essential. As the era of customer-focused marketing takes center stage, Messenger ads are a unique way to amplify client engagement and forge lasting connections.
Unlocking the Potential of Messenger Ads
To leverage Messenger ads to their full potential, try setting up a conversation flow. This will help you segment your leads and qualify them based on their responses. Using this method effectively eliminates the need for complex and expensive lead generation processes, like custom chat bots, for example.
“When you build a custom chatbot, there are 300 million ways it can go wrong. The amount of time that you spend testing and troubleshooting and thinking you got it right can be frustrating. It’s like a puzzle that has a piece missing, always,” says Amanda.
“Using Messenger ads makes it so much easier for the average user to leverage the power of the engagement that you can get with customers out of messenger conversations.”
How to Create Your Facebook Messenger Ad
1. Open Facebook Ads Manager and choose an objective for your ad campaign
Look for the option to set up Messenger ads, usually at the ad set level. Select “Generate leads by starting chats in Messenger.”
2. At the ad level, you’ll find the option to create a new messaging template
Click on it to set up your messaging flow.
3. Start by setting up a welcome message
This message serves as a qualifying message to entice users to respond to your business in Messenger. If they don’t respond, the communication channel won’t open, and they won’t be qualified as leads.
4. After the welcome message, you can set up questions using various question types
You can choose from preset options or create custom questions. The questions can collect information such as phone numbers, email addresses, addresses, job titles, and more. You can customize the options based on user responses to segment and qualify leads.
5. Finally, create a completion message to let users know what to expect next
You can inform them that they have completed the conversation and provide guidance on the next steps.
Remember, Messenger ads allow you to have two-way conversation with users, so take advantage of that opportunity to engage in real-time conversations, and unlock high-quality leads.
By leveraging the power of Messenger engagements, you can enhance customer engagement and establish meaningful connections with your audience. That being said, this method isn’t going to be a silver bullet for everyone, and there are some important factors to keep in mind before running Direct-to-Messenger ads.
Things to Consider Before Running Messenger Ads
Do you have the resources?
Amanda notes that this method really works best with a team who already has a CRM they use, and knows how to handle incoming leads effectively.
“You may want to avoid running this type of ad format if you don’t have someone who can be responsive on Messenger, because the cost per engagement is way too high to have leads go unanswered,” she added.
Do you have the budget?
The next key consideration is your budget. You need to have the ad spend because you won’t get the results you are looking for on a shoestring budget.
“I wouldn’t recommend testing Messenger ads if you’re looking to spend just $25 or $50”, says Amanda. “I would have a dedicated budget and make sure that you have a dedicated, well qualified audience that you are serving these ads to,” says Amanda.
Related read: How to Secure a Bigger Social Media Budget by Proving ROI in 2023
Do you have a proven sales model?
This is important, because if you don’t already have a warm audience of people, or a proven sales model that you already know converts for you, things can go awry pretty quickly, says Amanda.
“This isn’t the time to experiment with your audience, because it can actually flood your system with negative engagement, or people who just aren’t a good fit for your business.
“And because a messenger engagement is such a high quality signal of engagement, the algorithm will continue to deliver to more people just like the people who are messaging you. So if they’re not the right people, it can skew your entire engagement system and all of your retargeting. Tread lightly.”
To Sum Things Up
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, client engagement remains a cornerstone of success. Messenger ads, with their ability to foster meaningful conversations and establish stronger connections, offer a compelling solution for the future of advertising.
By recognizing the value of engagement, understanding the power of Messenger conversations, and embracing Messenger ads as an integral part of their strategy, businesses can unlock new dimensions of client engagement and drive their brand forward.
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