Chatbot Abilities•
October 7, 2021•
Is written
Instagram has over one billion users worldwide ( source ).
Not only that, but Instagram was originally predicted to reach one billion users in 2024. Instead, Instagram hit this target three years early.
Of the billion users, Instagram boasts an impressive 25 million business accounts, and at least 200 million users visit a business page daily ( source ).
The rapid growth of the channel has changed how consumers interact with brands.
Businesses are expected to be on Instagram, sharing customer service and content.
This expectation brings its fair share of challenges and exciting opportunities.
In order to create a dominant presence on Instagram, a brand must devote resources. To get the best return from these resources, a brand needs to take advantage of the fast-paced and interactive nature of the channel.
In this article, we’ll explore how an Instagram chatbot can help brands be more efficient with resources while maximizing the value of their account.
Customer service your competitors will envy
Instagram has emerged as the dominant channel for customer service.
Managing this channel can be extremely resource intensive, often requiring a number of dedicated agents.
Chatbots ease the pressure on customer service departments by acting as the first line of defense.
Also, 71% of all Instagram users are under the age of 35 ( source ). This demographic is used to interacting with chatbots, making conversational AI the perfect customer service tool for Instagram.
Responding to recurring inquiries
Dealing with FAQs and recurring requests is the bread and butter of a chatbot. The Instagram chatbot can be trained on specific topics, enabling it to answer a variety of complex FAQs.
All a brand needs to do is create their FAQs and then train the chatbot. This is where you tell the chatbot what types of questions to answer, through AI and machine learning the chatbot will begin to understand multiple question options and spelling mistakes.
For some, this might sound a little scary. In fact, it’s as easy as creating a spreadsheet with a list of questions and answers.
Guiding customers through processes
Every brand has repeatable processes needed to drive customers. Whether it’s resetting a password, checking the status of an order, or even something as niche as explaining how to fill out their dog rescue form.
While these processes are vital to the operation of any customer service department, they are not something that human agents should spend on.
Agents are at their best when helping clients with complex or emotional issues. Machines are at their best when completing repetitive processes.
So why not play to each other’s strengths?
An Instagram chatbot can help take care of long, repetitive processes while human agents focus on those who really need help.
This means that those who just need a few pointers get it straight away, and those with serious queries get help sooner.
Using the chatbot conversation builder, it is possible to replicate your current processes exactly. It’s easy to turn every step you follow into a chatbot conversation.
Many customer service departments have guides or handouts to educate new agents on their general processes. Imagine if those help sheets talked to customers, helping them directly.
It’s an Instagram chatbot.
Creating a memorable and exciting brand
For innovators, chatbots are more than a simple sales or service tool.
They are a tool to help position a brand as queer, convey core brand beliefs, or build trust by sharing advice and information.
This is the point in the article where we should use “that phrase” but try to think outside the box for a few minutes. Imagine working with a fitness brand that tries to position itself as the laid-back option, one that works to keep the world relevant but understands that going to the gym isn’t always the best experience.
How can you use a chatbot to strengthen their niche in the market?
- A chatbot can share jokes about embarrassing themselves in front of their personal trainer.
- You can create stories that direct followers to engage with the chatbot for exercise tips.
- You can ask users to submit their funny gym stories to the chatbot for use in a wider campaign.
The list could go on and on, there is endless room for creativity.
A single chatbot can be used to dramatically improve brand reach and popularity while working to improve brand recall.
Imagine if every marketing campaign you created had an ambassador that could interact with every person who saw your campaign.
It’s a chatbot.
Not only does this help improve overall campaign effectiveness, but the added layer of interactivity also helps brands stand out from the crowd.
The next time you’re brainstorming marketing or sales initiatives, take some time to create an initiative centered around an Instagram chatbot.
Sales, sales and more sales
With 80% of Instagram users using Instagram to decide whether a product is worth buying ( source ), it’s important that brands make the most of this potentially profitable channel.
Chatbots provide what influencers cannot: interactive engagement.
They answer questions, set the mood and facilitate and create excitement.
In short, chat bots are a personal shopper for each follower.
Turn Instagram stories into a steady source of income
Instagram stories can be used to drive direct engagement. A brand can ask their followers to send them a direct message with a specific keyword, such as “Black Friday Sale.” When a follower posts this keyword, it will start a highly targeted conversation.
This enables brands to bring their social campaigns to life by following campaigns with targeted conversations. These conversations can be as simple as providing discount codes to complex, multi-industry conversations that promote multiple products. When you’re already taking the time to develop social content, why not take the extra step of making it more impactful and engaging?
There are literally an unlimited number of routes a brand can use chatbots and Instagram Stories to increase sales, here are some ideas you can play with:
- Encouraging followers to engage in flash sales.
- Creating unique conversations that generate interest around a product launch.
- Giving the marketing campaign an interactive edge that helps drive the ultimate conversion.
Automate social selling
The modern consumer, and especially the younger audience, is looking for easy shopping.
Because they’re often on a mobile device, consumers don’t want to be taken from webpage to webpage just to buy a product.
When you consider that Instagram users admit that the app makes them more likely to make impulse purchases ( source ), ensuring a seamless experience is paramount.
This is where chatbots come in.
Chatbots tell followers about the product, offer alternatives, and answer any questions they may have.
Simply put, an Instagram chatbot brings your offer to life.
After deploying a chatbot on Instagram, the creative team can deliver an integrated campaign that captures attention through stories before closing sales in a custom chat.
This can happen 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Bring in leads that actually care
Every seller I’ve worked with has said the same thing.
“10 leads that are actually interested are better than 100 that aren’t really interested.”
Why?
The hotter the lead, the easier the sale.
Enter chatbots.
Chatbots warm up leads by breaking the communication barrier through automated conversations.
Before moving on to lead your sales team, it’s easy to create a chatbot that:
- Pre-qualifies the lead, ensuring they are worth the human agent’s time.
- Answers any initial questions the lead has that whets their appetite and clears up doubts.
- Shares sales collateral by better informing the lead of the brand’s products or services.
Bring your ad to life!
Advertising on Instagram?
What happens after a user clicks on one of your ads?
They will probably go to a landing page or a new post.
A bit like every other ad they’ve clicked on in the last 10 years.
The problem with old static ad tracking techniques is that it’s easy to lose the user.
They may get distracted, not find the information they need, or simply forget.
You’ve succeeded in the hard part, getting their attention. You don’t want to lose them with your follow up.
More innovative brands are following up their social advertising with chatbot conversations. After clicking on the ad, the user is taken to a custom chatbot conversation.
From here, the chatbot can answer any of the user’s questions. It also helps make the experience more engaging, increasing the likelihood that the user will convert either there and then or in the future.
Instagram chatbots. opportunity for creators
Instagram rewards creative efforts.
Its fast-paced nature means brands must regularly offer new content, engage with growing topics and respond to thousands of messages.
Just like a regular website chatbot, an Instagram chatbot helps reduce this pressure.
They give brands the breathing room they need to focus on higher-value activities.
However, that’s not all the Instagram chatbot is capable of.
In the right hands, they can help elevate a brand to the forefront of their followers’ minds. Memorable interactions and fun messages can help a brand stick in followers’ minds for weeks to come.
Next time you’re thinking about Instagram, take 5 to build a chatbot into your ideas. Chances are you’ll find a number of interesting avenues to explore.