Facebook held its annual F8 Developer Conference in San Francisco earlier this week. During the event the social media powerhouse made a variety of announcements that gave some insight into where the company is headed in the near future. Most of the announcements Facebook made were based around app designers and developers. However, a good portion of the news that CEO Mark Zuckerburg brought to the table will have an impact on businesses and their target audiences. In addition to making Facebook videos embeddable and creating analytics for Facebook apps, the CEO also announced major changes their Messenger app will undergo. Discussed below are a few key details from the event that both businesses and Facebook users should be aware of.
Facebook Messenger Business
In attempt to directly connect Facebook users with their favorite merchants, Facebook has extended Messenger’s ability. Facebook hopes to create a platform which will bring customer service to a level that will make it extremely easy for major companies to instantly interact with their past and future customers. Using Facebook Messenger Business, customer service representatives will be able to act on customer requests while providing them with instant feedback. In doing so, Facebook hopes to encourage users to have their credit and debit card information stored on the social media platform to accept reimbursements and pay for services. Some experts speculate that once Facebook users have this information stored on the platform, they will feel more comfortable using the money transferring service that is also available via Messenger. Other potential uses for Facebook Messenger Business include the ability to quickly make reservations or track shipped products.
Further Messenger Announcements
In addition to the customer service potential made possible by Facebook’s recent announcement, the company also mentioned that it will become quite easy to send videos, GIFs, music, and even integrate other apps like Weather Channel and ESPN via Messenger. Developers will be able to place a “Messenger Button” in 3rd party apps to make it easier for users to share the details of events and purchases with their friends.
Key Takeaway
With Facebook’s new customer service capabilities, the social media network is looking to further extend their ability to help connect users and businesses. Messenger’s integration with companies and their various apps will serve as another way in which businesses can reach out to their target audience. Look for Facebook to extend Messenger’s capabilities as an advertising platform in the near future.
