Need to slide into your buyer’s DMs? There’s an app for that.
Social messaging apps are actually important communication instruments. And never only for particular person social media customers — for manufacturers, too.
Social media is an effective way to get your message out onto the candy, candy worldwide internet, however should you’re searching for a extra intimate connection along with your followers and followers — and a technique to supply best-in-class social media customer service — it’s time to get acquainted with the most well-liked messaging apps.
Bonus: Get a free, easy-to-use Customer Service Report Template that helps you track and calculate your monthly customer service efforts all in one place.
What are social messaging apps?
Social messaging apps are programs on your phone or computer that allow you to chat privately with one or many other users. Many include video chat.
Unlike SMS and text messages, you are connected via the internet, not through phone reception. As long as you’ve got delicious WiFi or 3G access on tap, you can message to your heart’s desire.
Social messaging platforms give customers an opportunity to create public-facing profiles, photos, and statuses with others of their community. Direct messages (DMs) to at least one one other, nevertheless, are usually not publicly seen. You may trade phrases, photograph or video messages, and share hyperlinks — identical to you’d in a textual content message. (Large information for all you emoji-heads on the market.)
Social messaging apps are sometimes linked to social media platforms so as to ship messages to different social media customers. For example, Messenger is a social messaging app that’s tied to Fb — if somebody is asking for customer service assistance on a Fb publish in your Business Page, you’ll be able to take the dialog out of the general public eye and into a personal dialog on Messenger to resolve.
So discrete! So refined! Miss Manners could be delighted.
9 hottest messaging apps in 2023
In 2023, there are virtually too many methods to get in contact with somebody. (Thank goodness it’s now not potential to Poke somebody on Fb or we’d be downright overwhelmed.)
The excellent news is it’s not essential to be on each social messaging app. As an alternative, take into consideration what your particular target market makes use of most and focus your consideration there. But it surely’s good follow for social media marketers to grasp the total panorama of choices, so right here’s a breakdown of the 9 hottest social messaging apps for 2023.
WhatsApp is the most-used social messaging app on the earth, with greater than 2 billion international customers. It’s an effective way to achieve an enormous swath of individuals and use dialog to ship private experiences—hopefully dashing up the customer journey alongside the way in which.
With WhatsApp, you need to use chatbots to reply buyer FAQs, arrange automated push notifications, or reply personally to inquiries to create an intimate buying expertise.
The draw back to WhatsApp is that WhatsApp Enterprise isn’t accessible globally (for example, you received’t discover it in Canada), so not all the platform’s enterprise, concentrating on, and promoting options shall be accessible to everybody.
WhatsApp could also be the most well-liked app on the earth, nevertheless it does have a smaller attain in sure areas. Earlier than you go all-in on a WhatsApp expertise, make sure that it’s a very good match in your personal buyer base. Check out some fascinating stats about WhatsApp here.
Messenger
Messenger has an enormous attain within the U.S. and Canada, so if the North American market is necessary to your online business, Messenger could also be the most effective social messaging app for you. (Although that’s to not say international manufacturers can’t profit: over 1.3 billion users round use Messenger to remain linked with family and friends — and companies.)
Messenger will be arrange with conversational chatbots. Facebook’s Shopping feature will be built-in into Messenger too, permitting customers to finish a purchase order immediately within the chat.
Fb additionally sells Messenger ads and sponsored messages should you’re concerned about paid placement with this device.
One other cool function of Messenger is that your response time is showcased proper in your Fb Enterprise web page, so shoppers know precisely what stage of customer support to anticipate. Explore Facebook Messenger stats here.
WeChat is the super-star of China’s app world. It has greater than one billion customers and is utilized by 78% of 16 to 64-year-olds within the nation. It options hundreds and hundreds of add-on applications and options inside it. The corporate has tried to launch the platform outdoors of China however hasn’t bought a lot traction.
If China is an enormous a part of your goal market, WeChat is a should for your online business.
WeChat can also be used as a fee device, making it a pure match for conversational commerce. Companies can market on WeChat both by requesting an Official Account or partnering with third events.
If in case you have an Official Account, you’ll be able to create content material on WeChat and immediately work together with and promote to your followers and prospects.
Over 100 international locations (together with Canada) can now apply for an Official Account, even when they don’t maintain a Chinese language Enterprise License.
Learn more about using WeChat for business here.
QQ is one other messaging app primarily utilized in China, although it virtually appears tiny in comparison with WeChat, with a mere 574 million users. (The 2 are owned by the identical mother or father firm, Tencent.)
It’s extra fashionable with a youthful demographic, so if Gen Z is of curiosity to your model, this can be a social messaging device to discover. QQ additionally options video games and weblog providers.
Snapchat
As of 2022, Snapchat remains to be one of many prime 15 most-used social media platforms on the earth. Although most well-known for its disappearing movies and pictures, U.S. companies can use Snap as a text-based chat device as properly… and one that can join you on to a chief viewers of Gen Z buyers.
Snapchatters can swipe up on a narrative to go to a enterprise’s web site or obtain an app, or they will additionally swipe as much as name or textual content the enterprise from their cellular machine.
Customers are 60% more likely to make an impulse buy on this platform, so this looks like a reasonably good spot to have a dialog. Snap’s new desktop function makes it potential to handle your chats out of your laptop, not simply your cellphone.
New to Snapchat? Dive into our Snapchat beginners’ guide here.
Google Enterprise Messaging
Google My Business Messaging is a free messenger device that helps prospects get in contact with you in real-time, straight out of your Google Enterprise Profile itemizing.
Because of this prospects can attain out to your online business immediately from search outcomes with out having to undergo the difficulty of clicking by to your web site and searching for an e-mail handle or cellphone quantity.
The professional? Potential prospects can chat with you proper out of your Google Maps or Google Search itemizing. The cons? This isn’t a device they’re essentially utilizing to contact their household and associates, so the utilization isn’t precisely as acquainted and comfy as utilizing a extra widespread app.
Nonetheless, it most likely can’t harm to arrange Google My Enterprise Messaging. Messages can come proper to your cellphone or desktop so you’ll be able to simply reply to queries wherever you’re.
Extra on organising your Google Business Profile right here.
Instagram DMs
Instagram is a photo- and video-sharing app on the floor, nevertheless it’s additionally emerged as an especially popular chat tool, too. Companies which have a presence on this app — which, by the way in which, boasts 1.22 billion international customers — are seemingly going to have various followers sliding into their DMs. So you might as properly put together a customer support technique for coping with them.
Forty-four percent of Instagram users store on the app weekly, in order that’s an incredible purpose to need to make your self accessible for chit-chat. Instagram additionally has useful quick-reply instruments that make it easy to deal with often requested questions.
Messages on Instagram will be text-based or pictures and movies (which might embrace results and captions).
For manufacturers and creators, sending direct messages could be a good technique to construct private relationships with followers, attain out to potential companions, or present assist to prospects with questions or suggestions.
Line
Line is a well-liked social messaging app in Japan (92 million users reside there, out of a complete of 178 million worldwide), that additionally gives excess of only a chat perform. With the app, you’ll be able to ship cash to associates, store on-line, stream music, or order a taxi — a super-app, very like China’s WeChat.
Line incorporates a timeline and homepage, much like Fb or Instagram, permitting customers to observe the posts of their associates and types. “Official Channels” are the place corporations can share updates with followers.
Line customers can create group chats with as much as 500 individuals and likewise create bulletin boards for dialogue, making it an incredible app for manufacturers to attach with related communities and fandoms.
Considered one of Line’s most original options is the recognition of stickers. Digital illustrations are sometimes despatched forwards and backwards through chat and occur to be an enormous income stream for Line. Manufacturers concerned about being on Line may need to contemplate releasing their very own sticker pack, or at the least studying how customers often put gifs stickers to make use of.
Viber
There are 70 million interactions on Viber each hour and customers in 190-plus international locations. So should you haven’t heard of Viber but, it may be time to hear up.
The app manufacturers itself as a “consumer-first platform” with instruments that make it simple for manufacturers to draw and interact with audiences. Use advertisements, customized stickers, focused messages, and gives to achieve Viber customers, and supply 24-7 assist with chatbot integration.
Viber additionally permits companies to section present and potential prospects to be extra particular with messaging. Purchases will be made immediately on Viber as properly.
Why use social messaging apps for your online business?
Okay, you realize what a social messaging app is. You realize which social messaging apps are pop-u-lar. However should you’re going to decide to utilizing social messaging apps for your online business, you most likely need to know the why.
We gotchu: listed here are the explanations your model could need to embrace social messaging.
Prospects are already on these social messaging apps
If you wish to have a dialog with somebody, that you must be the place they’re. You may’t chat up that cutie on the cocktail get together if she’s hanging within the kitchen and also you’ve gotten your self trapped within the ensuite (once more), proper?
A predicted 3.51 billion people worldwide shall be utilizing messaging apps in 2025 — WhatsApp alone already has greater than two billion of these energetic customers.
Social messaging apps are what on a regular basis persons are utilizing to message their associates and households. Why not make their lives slightly simpler and be accessible there, too?
It’s a speedy technique to supply service
There’s a purpose it’s referred to as “prompt messaging.” Social media messaging could be a super-fast means to reply to requests, feedback, and considerations, in comparison with e-mail or leaving somebody lingering in hold-music purgatory in your helpline.
Ninety percent of consumers say that speedy decision is crucial factor in a constructive customer support expertise. However should you’re understaffed or overwhelmed by messages, it might really be a battle to maintain up with the velocity social media customers anticipate from chat apps — as a result of these messages are coming in quick and livid. For example, on Facebook Messenger, 20 billion messages are exchanged between prospects and companies each single month.
Tech like conversational chatbots can step in to fill that hole and discipline widespread questions, so it can save you the (hu)man energy for tackling extra intricate customer support points. More about the benefits of chatbots here.
Faucet into the ability of conversational commerce
Having an precise dialog with somebody is a basic IRL gross sales device — ‘conversational commerce’ is the digital equal.
Conversational commerce refers back to the candy spot between buying and messaging apps. Shoppers can use social messaging instruments to get suggestions, ask questions, get assist, and chat with firm reps.
They may be messaging with an actual human being or a conversational AI chatbot, however both means, it’s a brand new means of buying that’s extraordinarily profitable for companies. World spending through conversational commerce channels is predicted to achieve $290 billion within the subsequent two years.
In case your model desires a bit of that pie, it’s time to enter the chat.
Join with prospects — and critics — one on one
Working a enterprise with a web based presence means that you’ve got a probably international attain… which can also make it tough to have a private dialog in the identical means you might in a brick-and-mortar store and even over the cellphone.
The rise of social messaging apps has given manufacturers a direct line to each single far-flung follower.
This gives a tremendous alternative to construct intimacy and loyalty with particular prospects, model ambassadors, or potential companions… and an opportunity to attach immediately along with your critics to diffuse tense conditions outdoors of the general public eye.
In the event you’re going through a social media crisis or have an upset buyer blasting all of your posts, social messaging instruments may also help you attain out immediately in hopes of turning a tantrum right into a dialog.
An app for all of your social media messages in a single place
Okay, you’ve digested all this scrumptious info, and also you’re able to dive into utilizing social messaging apps in your model.
Professional tip: Juggling a number of conversations throughout a number of platforms managed by a number of individuals and groups is tough. You’re going to need a unified social inbox to maintain every part neat, tidy, and straightforward.
And, if we could also be so daring, we all know that Hootsuite Inbox is simply the device for the job.
Hootsuite Inbox is a brilliant social inbox device that consolidates private and non-private social media messages into one place. It’s designed to take the stress out of checking all of your DMS.
You’ll discover conversations from throughout all your social networks in a single place for easy administration. You’ll additionally get entry to all of Hootsuite’s social media engagement instruments, which can aid you stay on top of mentions and schedule posts.
Different candy deets:
- Arrange fast replies and automatic message responses to make sure you ship the most effective data each single time
- Assign messages to teammates and streamline your workflow
- Bulk dismiss and superior filters get you thru messages in a flash
In different phrases: it’s a universal inbox that compiles all of your private and non-private messages to ensure you by no means miss a factor. Try out a free 30-day trial here and see for your self, or learn more about Hootsuite Inbox here.
FAQs about fashionable messaging apps
What’s the most generally used messaging app?
WhatsApp is the most well-liked international messenger app. In January 2022, WhatsApp had 2 billion month-to-month energetic customers. WeChat is in distant second place, with simply 1.2 billion month-to-month energetic customers; Fb Messenger rolls in to snag third place with 988 million.
Which is the No. 1 chatting app?
WhatsApp is the primary hottest chatting app on the earth, based on Statista analysis. With 2 billion monthly active users, it’s the most-used social messaging app throughout the globe.
That being stated, totally different areas of the world are inclined to desire totally different apps. For example, in China, WeChat dominates the market, whereas the social messaging device LINE is fashionable in international locations like Japan and Taiwan.
What do Individuals use as an alternative of WhatsApp?
Fb Messenger is the most-used social messaging app within the U.S., with 52% of the messaging app market share. WhatsApp is the second-most fashionable social messaging app within the nation, utilized by 26% of American chatters.
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Source: Statista
Which messaging app is utilized in Canada?
The most well-liked messaging app in Canada is Facebook Messenger. Seven out of 10 Canadians use Fb itself, and 62% of these customers are additionally on the Messenger app.
Discover extra global statistics about Fb Messenger right here.
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