By David Kirkpatrick | 
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Dive Brief:
- Facebook published a blog post with tips for marketers on using its Messenger app to connect with their audience.
- Some of the features include adding user names with an “@” symbol on Facebook Messenger business pages, and introducing Messenger Links, which makes it easy for users to start conversations with businesses.
- In late February Facebook had to fend off a TechCrunch report that advertising was coming to Messenger, explaining instead that “marketing” was going to be part of the app experience, but not advertising in the form of ad units served to Messenger users.
Dive Insight:
As the more messaging apps launch ways for brands to chat with consumers, it's not surprising that Facebook is positioning Messenger to do the same. Just this week, messaging app Kik launched a chatbot store, Kik Bot Shop, to give users a way to connect directly with brands by downloading app-like bots. Marketers are betting on messaging apps as the next best way to build personalized connections with consumers.
Facebook wrote in its blog post about the update that the millions of people that use Messenger "are not just chatting with friends and family, they’re getting in touch with the businesses they care about. Over one billion messages are sent between people and businesses on Messenger each month."
According to Facebook, 900 million people use Messenger every month.
The Messenger Links feature use business page user names to create a shortlink that automatically opens a conversation thread with that business. A similar new feature, Messenger Codes, function as scannable codes within the app using a smartphone camera that will similarly open a conversation thread with the business.
About those new features, Facebook wrote in the blog post, “Businesses can use Messenger Links and Messenger Codes in ads, on their website or in any other marketing channel to prompt people to reach out to them directly. Add your username to the end of the url: m.me/___ to get your Messenger Link. Messenger Code images are available for download in your Page’s inbox.”
Facebook didn't break out numbers for how many users are currently using Messenger to communicate with brands.
