Introducing Messenger Platform and Businesses on Messenger

Before anyone starts thinking this stuff is super-innovative and new, let me tell you what's really going on here: Facebook wants to make Messenger into a platform in the same way the big Asian chat apps are. Things like Weixin/WeChat or LINE. I mean, just look at the most recent additions to Messenger:

- Stickers. These grew in popularity starting in Asian apps. [0]

- Using Messenger for payments [1] and to send money to each other [2] have been in WeChat since at least last year.

- Offering "official accounts" for businesses to "chat" with customers. [3] Yep, that's there too.

- And of course, sharing of messages with rich-media content from other apps. [4] To give an example, with WeChat you can pop open QQMusic (a music streaming app) and share a song with your friend that they can play and stream without leaving WeChat.

All of these features were pioneered in Asia. They're either trying to bring the innovations westward in the hopes that they can build a similar platform, or they're defending against the possibility that foreign apps like this will expand and take over their marketshare.

I wouldn't be surprised if this kind of thing was the reason they split Messenger from the main Facebook app in the first place.

[0] http://www.wechat.com/en/features.html#emoticons

[1] https://www.techinasia.com/wechat-adds-payment-support-for-b...

[2] https://www.techinasia.com/wechat-allows-money-transfers-bet...

[3] http://smallbiztrends.com/2014/03/how-to-use-wechat-for-busi...

[4] http://dev.wechat.com/wechatapi/messages-moments

Re: Introducing Messenger Platform and Businesses on Messenger

#5

Post by mladenkovacevic » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 7:10 PM UTC

Oh look NSA had a product launch today.

On a serious note I flirted with installing Messenger several times and couldn't go through with it after facing all the app permissions.

As a platform I wonder if this will follow the same path as the Facebook Games/Apps platform. Rampant use, rise of at least one game company (Zynga), then gradual but consistent desertion.

As a service for businesses, this is interesting and only time will tell how threatening the move is for existing customer support/communications apps. The deciding factor will be how conducive Facebook's network is to customer/brand interaction and if they can be a place for both personal and commercial interactions.

Re: Introducing Messenger Platform and Businesses on Messenger

#6

Post by ilolu » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 7:13 PM UTC

Now Facebook wants to track other things that were out of their control too. If businesses start using the messenger, then facebook will know about my buying habits and other information too.

And how long will it take for Facebook to sell as Ads, the information back to businesses that helped them collect it.

Re: Introducing Messenger Platform and Businesses on Messenger

#7

Post by colinhowe » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 7:19 PM UTC

Disclaimer: I work for a company providing customer service over social media solutions.

Allowing businesses to do messaging with customers is a big deal. It's been there on FB messenger for a while, but, it hasn't had the attention. We're seeing an increasing trend of customers wanting to contact businesses where they are rather than being forced to follow the business' requirements. Facebook is one of those places.

Re: Introducing Messenger Platform and Businesses on Messenger

#8

Post by pbreit » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 7:33 PM UTC

colinhowe wrote: post #7

Disclaimer: I work for a company providing customer service over social media solutions. Allowing businesses to do messaging with customers is a big deal. It's been there on FB messenger for a while, but, it hasn't had the attention. We're seeing an increasing trend of customers wanting to contact businesses where they are rather than being forced to follow the business' requirements. Facebook is one of those places.

It's criminal that you can't text message businesses. That seems to me the most obvious route. Any IP-based phone system should support this. Not sure how it would work with AT&T.

Re: Introducing Messenger Platform and Businesses on Messenger

#9

Post by nashadelic » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 7:45 PM UTC

Kronopath wrote: post #4

Before anyone starts thinking this stuff is super-innovative and new, let me tell you what's really going on here: Facebook wants to make Messenger into a platform in the same way the big Asian chat apps are. Things like Weixin/WeChat or LINE. I mean, just look at the most recent additions to Messenger: - Stickers. These grew in popularity starting in Asian apps. [0] - Using Messenger for payments [1] and to send mon…

Innovative or not, that's not is going to determine the success of this. There has to be the ability to generate mass market adoption with innovation which Facebook is really good at.

Re: Introducing Messenger Platform and Businesses on Messenger

#10

Post by ihsw » Wed, Mar 25, 2015, 7:45 PM UTC

colinhowe wrote: post #7

Disclaimer: I work for a company providing customer service over social media solutions. Allowing businesses to do messaging with customers is a big deal. It's been there on FB messenger for a while, but, it hasn't had the attention. We're seeing an increasing trend of customers wanting to contact businesses where they are rather than being forced to follow the business' requirements. Facebook is one of those places.

Had a conversation with a local restaurant over Yik Yak the other day. A couple members of the staff were participating in the discussion thread.

A few other local people in the area commented too.

It was very fascinating. I wonder if Facebook is taking a hard look at Yik Yak regarding this, because I could never imagine otherwise communicating with a business (especially using my actual Facebook identity, with my name and profile picture).