Facebook Messenger marketing is a powerful tool. Marketers can expect to achieve 70-80% open rates in the first hour alone. Yet, few businesses are using Facebook Messenger marketing to its full potential.
In many cases, that's because they struggle to understand the rules of the game. Facebook Messenger's policies have changed many times over the last few years, leaving marketers unsure of what is and isn't allowed.
In this post, we've simplified the current rules so that you can use the platform to its full potential. This information reflects the most recent policy update on March 4, 2020. Here's what you need to know.
Facebook's 24-hour rule
Facebook's 24-hour rule aims to improve response times, reduce spam, and enhance the user experience.
In short, after a Facebook user interacts with your business, you have 24 hours to respond without any limitations. Inside of this window, you can send any type of content you'd like, including promotional messages.
Again, the 24-hour standard messaging window opens when someone interacts with your brand. So, how does Facebook define these interactions?
Below are the examples Facebook lists in its Messenger Platform Policy Overview. Each of these actions opens the 24-hour response window:
- User sends a message to the Page
- User clicks a call-to-action button like "Get Started" within a Messenger conversation
- User clicks on a Click-to-Messenger ad and then starts a conversation with the Page
- User starts a conversation with a Page via a plugin, such as the Send to Messenger plugin or the Checkbox plugin.
- User clicks on an m.me link with a ref parameter on an existing thread
- User reacts to a message
Taking advantage of the 24-hour window with widgets
Of course, it's great when customers message you directly with questions. But, to use Facebook Messenger marketing to its full potential, you'll want to use the platform to do more than just answer questions.
Widgets are a great way to open the 24-hour response window for promotional purposes. Widgets fall into the fourth category on the list above: User starts a conversation with a Page via a plugin, such as Send to Messenger plugin or the Checkbox plugin.
At Carts Guru, our widgets make it easy for customers to opt-in to receive promotional messages, which triggers the 24-hour response window. From there, you can offer deals, coupons, or discounts to encourage customers to complete their purchase.
Beyond merely playing by rules, widgets and automated Messenger campaigns help you reach customers when your products are still top of mind. Businesses that engage with customers within 24-hours are more likely to see results.
Sending messages outside of the 24-hour window
You can still use Facebook Messenger marketing to reach people who have not interacted with your brand in the last 24 hours. How you do it will depend on what type of message you want to send.
Non-promotional messages
If you want to send important and personally relevant, non-promotional updates, you can either set up Message tags or One-time Notifications.
Message tags
The new Message tags apply to four specific (non-promotional) use cases, one of which is still in beta.
- Post-purchase updates
- Event reminders
- Account updates
- Human agent
These tags are mostly self-explanatory with the exception of the human agent tag. The human agent tag is still in beta, meaning that businesses need to apply to use it. The tag supports issues that cannot be resolved within the standard messaging window. For example, if a business is closed for the weekend, the issue might require more than 24 hours to resolve.
One-time Notifications
Messenger Platform's One-Time Notification API is still in beta. It allows a page to send a time-sensitive and personally relevant notification for use cases (e.g. back in stock alert) where someone has explicitly requested to receive a one-time follow-up message.
Promotional messages
If you want to send promotional messages outside of the 24-hour window, you can use Sponsored Messages.
Sponsored messages
Sponsored messages are paid ads. They allow businesses to reengage with people who have an open conversation with their Page in Messenger. Sponsored messages can be sent outside the 24-hour standard messaging window and can include both promotional and non-promotional content.
Using Facebook Messenger marketing as part of a multichannel campaign
Now that you understand the rules of Facebook messenger marketing, you can see why the 24-hour window is so important. Messaging customers within the 24-hour window is the only way businesses can send promotional messages for free.
That's also why it's necessary to use a platform like Carts Guru. Our widgets help you collect opt-ins and follow up with customers automatically. This way, you generate opportunities and capitalize on them--all within the 24-hour time frame.
Once the 24-hour window is over, our tools make it easy to follow up via SMS and email. This multichannel approach boosts conversions and revenue.
In short, Carts Guru takes the guesswork out of multichannel marketing. We help you select the channels that align with your marketing goals (and stay compliant while doing it). Even small and medium-sized businesses can use multichannel tactics usually owned by larger ecommerce brands
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