Social media and messaging apps have led to the evolution of bots. A bot is a computer program that automates certain tasks by chatting with a user through a conversational interface like a messaging app. Interactions with bots can be straightforward such as asking a bot for the location of a restaurant, or more complex, like troubleshooting your internet service. In a world of immediacy and instant demand, simply offering an app won’t cut it anymore. Consumers expect an immediate response when it comes to customer service, and bots offer quality service before the customer even comes across an issue. If you haven’t invested in bots quite yet, here are a few reasons you should consider:

Immediacy

In the fast-paced, hyper-connected society we live in today, it is no secret that consumers are losing patience—patience in a restaurant, patience in a store, patience in traffic, and, most importantly, patience on the internet. Efficiency is the power of bots. Bots meet the users where they already are and provide solutions. For example, Pizza Hut is using chatbot marketing in their social media strategy to receive food orders for delivery. You can now place a pizza order directly through Facebook and Twitter. Bots are paving the way for brands to meet consumers where they are at all times and provide instant gratification.

Conversation

The internet has formed into much more of a conversational platform over the past decade through social media. Consumers, especially millennials, are used to mobile being a primarily conversational device—regardless of what they are using it for. Having a chatbot integrated within your site is becoming a necessity, as 53% of conversions are happening on a mobile device, surpassing desktop conversions. Bots provide businesses with a strategy to individualize their conversations at scale. Reaching consumers where they already are is crucial, and, through chatting with a bot, customers can interact with a brand and feel that their needs have been thoroughly met.

Targeting capabilities

Not only are bots a great way to interact with a consumer, they are emerging as a strategic marketing tool. Bots get smarter when they are integrated into a customer relationship management platform. They can leverage past conversations and unique preferences to retarget a consumer. Messaging apps have a retention rate that is almost double the number of other types of apps, which means this is a great platform for marketers to ensure their messages are heard. Chatbots capitalize on automation through platforms that can reach large audiences.

Chatbots will continue to rise in popularity as a way to interact with consumers, increase immediacy, and ensure viewability. In fact, six of the top apps used globally are messaging apps. Bots are revolutionizing conversations with consumers, and it is imperative to stay up-to-date with these trends so your brand doesn’t fall behind.