Product 

We launched several new features and released multiple product updates:

Instagram DM Automation launch

Right around our 5th birthday, we launched Instagram DM Automation; all of us at ManyChat were (and still are) incredibly excited to add this critical channel to the Chat Marketing revolution!

Some of IG Automation’s critical features include:

• Flow Builder: Customize text, media, and destination URLs (such as a website) and instantly launch chat experiences, all without writing any code.
• Keywords: Trigger messages, entire conversations, and business automations if an Instagram (IG) user messages you with a specific, pre-determined keyword or phrase.
• Comments Automation: Also known as Comments Growth Tool (CGT), this feature can trigger three distinct automations at once: 1) reply to a user’s Instagram Post Comment with a comment, 2) like or “heart” a user’s comment, and 3) send the user who commented a message.
• Story Mentions Trigger: Instantly reply to everyone who mentions your brand’s handle/account name in a Story.
• Conversation Starter: These handy pre-filled buttons are presented to new customers when they message a business account that kick-starts a discussion on that topic. 

Other features include capturing user information, offering live chat, and automated replies.

Introduced the Recurring Notification

In partnership with Meta, we introduced a new way to re-engage your customers on Messenger: The Recurring Notification.

The Recurring Notification allows your business to re-engage your customers after 24 hours of last interaction, with prior permission, on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

If you are familiar with the Broadcasting tool with ManyChat, the Recurring Notification expands on this tool by creating an experience that your customers are in control over. 

Launched WhatsApp Chat Marketing Automation

The new channel offering allows businesses and brands who use WhatsApp to communicate with customers and automate their marketing and customer support.  

WhatsApp has more than 2 billion users worldwide, and over 175 million people message a business using WhatsApp per day. With WhatsApp’s user base continuing to grow, specifically in key geographies such as Europe, South America, and Asia, it’s critical for businesses to communicate with their consumers conveniently. 

With WhatsApp, businesses can now easily automate campaigns to drive sales, answer common questions, or quickly escalate customers to live chat agents. 

Case studies

At ManyChat, we are always interested in hearing about how our customers use automation and their results. Here are some case studies we put together this year with help from our users: 

The Dream Workshop Increased Leads by 2X

The Dream Workshop is the leading mattress retailer in Costa Rica. The company utilized Facebook and Instagram for 2+ years to find new customers and engage with existing ones. 

As messaging became more popular, The Dream Workshop shifted towards Messenger ad campaigns to streamline communication and increase lead volume. The mattress retailer wanted to automate the follow-up process from its Instagram ads but couldn’t do it through Facebook’s Ad Manager. 

The Dream Workshop partnered with Trilce Jirón Garro, founder of TBS Marketing, to run a visual JSON ad and Reels campaign paired with workflows from Instagram Automation by ManyChat that would solve their follow-up challenge. 

Their combined efforts generated 2X leads on Instagram and a 50% conversion rate on incoming messages while minimizing acquisition costs by 30% between November 2021 and December 2021.

Read more about how the Dream Workshop used ManyChat to increase leads.

Astral Restaurant Systems Produced $52,000 in Extra Sales

Operating out of the United States and Mexico, Astral Restaurant Systems helps restaurants build a customer database and implements strategies to increase views on social platforms, repeat customers, order size, and overall return on investment (ROI). 

When asked how he could have such success with his company, Gonzalez’s answer was simple: ManyChat. 

“We incorporate ManyChat analytics with our customer data, captured through QR codes and interactive chat prompts, funneled into live dashboards,” he said. “We integrated ManyChat with Google Sheets to build our dashboards.”

Read more about how Astral Restaurant Systems produced $52,000 in sales using ManyChat.

Astral Restaurant Systems grew its subscriber list by 23,000

Astral Restaurant Systems has experienced great success after implementing ManyChat into its business strategy.

Digging deeper into Gonzalez’s success, we wanted to know a few best practices he feels helped him achieve this fantastic return. Here are seven tips that you can implement in your strategy.

Tip 1: Experiment with different growth tools

Tip 2: Create a user-friendly chatbot

Tip 3: Use Facebook Custom Audience action for retargeting

Tip 4: Collect as much data as possible

Tip 5: Create multiple interactions with the same customer across all platforms.

Tip 6: Utilize the bot fields

Tip 7: Use the randomizer to do split tests

Read more about how Astral Restaurant Systems grew its subscriber list by 23,000. 

Outreach 

This year, we were excited to host and attend events, speak with other experts in the industry, and meet ManyChat users. 

Instagram Summit 

ManyChat hosted Instagram Summit—a two-day event with industry experts sharing the latest expertise in all things Instagram. Take a look at the Instagram Summit Highlights.

Opened an Office in Armenia

Although our headquarters are in San Francisco, CA, we opened a new R&D office in Yerevan, Armenia.

The Yerevan office comprises 100+ engineering, product management, data analytics, customer support specialists, and people operations functions.

“The new R&D office is an important milestone for building an international distributed product development process. We are very grateful to the Armenian hospitality and will be glad to have the best specialists on our team,” said Dmitry Kushnikov, ManyChat CTO.

Team meetups 

To celebrate our 6th year, many of us got together for some team bonding in the US and overseas. 

Thank you for being a part of our year. ManyChat has grown so much, and we have more to look forward to that we can’t wait to share with you!

The post ManyChat Celebrates its 6th Year! appeared first on Manychat Blog.

Automated conversations and chatbots — collectively referred to as “Automation” here — help users navigate a brand’s website or eCommerce shop by answering questions or dispensing information. Immediate answers are great for customers, and offloading this work onto software can also allow employees who would otherwise be chatting with customers to focus on other business areas. 

This article will explore why automated conversations are vital for growing revenue and share the specifics on how they can increase sales. 

Why an eCommerce chatbot is essential for growing revenue

Ecommerce sales have been steadily increasing since 2014 and are expected to surpass $7 billion by 2025. Yet, along with the growth in eCommerce comes higher expectations from online shoppers, such as a seamless checkout experience and faster response times from customer support. 

As a result, companies looking to meet customer needs have embraced automation. Chatbots can carry on conversations with potential and current customers, assist with purchasing, or answer questions about an order without a live human behind the screen. 

Depending on the software, automation can also collect customer data, run contests and giveaways, and transfer users to a live agent as needed (not to brag, but ManyChat does all of this, and more). 

With eCommerce sales on the rise and your free time decreasing by the day, utilizing a chatbot can be a lifesaver for your online business. Not only can a chatbot save time and money, but it can improve efficiency in your marketing efforts. Read on to learn how!

Top 8 ways a chatbot can supercharge sales and support for your eCommerce store

Using chatbots can boost sales and deliver better customer support for your eCommerce brand in several ways: 

Improve lead generation efforts

Use automation to attract and qualify your leads. For example, Instagram DM Automation by ManyChat has features that will automatically add users who comment on your posts into your direct messages. From there, they’ll enter an automated flow. 

Once in a flow you’ve created, users will answer qualifying questions posed by a chatbot . Here’s how it could work in practice: If you sell shoes, the chatbot can ask shoppers what types of shoes they’re shopping for and send them relevant information and product pages. 

Increase engagement

DM Automation goes beyond direct messages. You can also automate communication with Instagram users via Instagram Live, comments, and Stories. 

These features mean you don’t have to manually reply to every user who mentions your brand in an Instagram Story or leaves a comment on a post — the chatbot will do it for you. Instagram’s algorithm rewards accounts that engage with users (and can’t tell if a human or software is behind the engagement), which means more users will see your content.

Answer frequently asked questions

There’s a good chance your audience will repeatedly ask you the same questions. Common topics include sales (start dates, duration, eligible items, etc), prices, warranties, shipping, and others. 

Brands usually include an FAQ section on their websites, but users may not always go to it. Instead, they’ll ask the company itself! In such situations, you can let your chatbot answer questions for you. 

Having the chatbot answer these queries for you frees up time to work on other customer service inquiries that may require more than just rote responses (the chatbot can connect to a live agent when necessary).  

Provide ’round-the-clock customer service

Along with never tiring of answering the same questions over and over, your chatbot never tires, period. Setting up automated responses allows customers to get a reply to their questions right away, even in the wee hours of the morning. 

When your automation works at all hours, there’s no need to worry about time zones or live agent shifts—the chatbot works 24/7. 

Sell your products

Selling directly within Instagram has gotten more accessible with the Buy Button (a ManyChat Automation feature). The Buy Button allows you to show customers your products/offerings and enables them to purchase directly within the conversation without leaving the platform. 

Integrate with a payment gateway in a few easy steps with Stripe or PayPal and watch the sales roll in. Having the ability to purchase directly within the chatbot conversation window shortens the sales cycle, makes it easier for the customer to buy, and leaves less time for the customer to reconsider their impulse purchase. 

Personalize your conversations 

When chatbots collect first-party data from customers, it enables them to hold personalized conversations that improve the customer experience. 

For example, say a customer enters an automated flow after asking about the status of an order. The flow can tag the user as a customer, even asking and noting what they purchased. Later, the chatbot can use that information to ask for a product review or provide a discount code for their next purchase. (By the way, these post-purchase chatbot tasks can be automated—keep reading for more details!)

Collects feedback

You can set up a chatbot to automatically collect feedback from customers via reviews or web forms. For example, you can set up a message to send three days after a product is delivered that asks the user how they like it. 

The chatbot can also follow up on positive and negative reviews. You could send an automated message to thank customers for their thoughts on good reviews; if the feedback is less than stellar, you can take action to resolve the issue.

While chatbots helps you out in many areas of your business, they also provide firsthand look at who your customer is. You can use this information to improve your products and marketing campaigns.

Automation is a great tool that can simplify several tasks, including generating leads, increasing engagement, taking care of FAQs, providing 24/7 support, and even selling your products and services. Using a chatbot for these tasks (and others on your list) can save your business time and money.

As an eCommerce business, you really have nothing to lose—and everything to gain—by adding a chatbot. 

Ready to get started with Instagram DM Automation by ManyChat?

The post How a Chatbot can Increase Ecommerce Sales appeared first on Manychat Blog.

With all signs pointing to greater eCommerce sales, it’s a no-brainer to start selling online. But where should brands put their marketing efforts? We’re looking at you, Instagram.

This article will explore why Instagram is a good platform for eCommerce businesses and share top tips for generating in-app sales. 

Is Instagram good for eCommerce? 

In 2019, Instagram started beta testing its in-app checkout feature. Now that it’s available to all brands, it’s significantly easier for eCommerce brands to sell products on the platform. 

Not only does the in-app checkout offer a frictionless purchase experience, but Instagram’s endless feed means users can scroll through loads of product-related content and ads. Even better, Statista predicts as many as 1.2 billion users will be on Instagram in 2023, a massive pool of potential customers. 

So, how can you win on Instagram as an eCommerce brand? Here are a few things you can do right away to see success on the platform. 

Tips to get started with Instagram eCommerce

Being successful on Instagram requires more effort than simply sharing attractive images. Here are some tactics that will help you thrive on the social media app: 

1. Publish quality content 

How frequently you publish content and at what times differs for every brand (it depends on your audience and your resources). But you should consistently post quality content on Instagram that’s unique and interesting. 

In April 2022, Instagram’s algorithm update revealed that the platform would give ranking priority to original content (not anything reposted from other accounts or platforms). Posting content that stands out will help attract users, but will also be rewarded with more visibility. 

Read more about creating Instagram content that converts. 

2. Mix up your photos 

If the only thing that changes about your photos is the product they feature (for example, if you’re just using the product page photo from your website in every post), your Instagram account will start to look too salesy. 

Get creative with your photos. Consider showing how your customers use the products (more on this later) or zoom in on specific features. Even posting tangentially related images (e.g., showing food shots if you own a restaurant supply store) will help shake things up. 

3. Consider hashtags 

Data shows that Instagram posts with hashtags garner 12.6% more engagement than those without them. If you’re using hashtags in your branded posts, you have the potential to reach thousands — if not millions — of people who follow the hashtag but not your business’s Instagram account. This ia golden opportunity that you should not pass up!

Read more about finding the right hashtags for your brand and creating a strategy.

4. Optimize your account 

Though they are completely different platforms, Instagram and Google share a common goal: to show users quality content that they’ll enjoy. One way Instagram achieves this is by serving up search results from a non-branded search like “photography tips” or “inspirational quotes.”

You can improve your chances of appearing in the search results by optimizing your Instagram bio for those terms. Your account name and bio are what the algorithm pulls when providing users with suggested accounts, so sprinkle in the keywords your target audience is searching for.

Read more about optimizing your Instagram bio. 

5. Share user-generated content 

Individuals who reference your brand or products in their posts are creating user-generated content (UGC), which can be a powerful tool for building your Instagram audience relationships.

Get your audience to post about you by incentivizing them with entries to a giveaway, discounts on future products, or bonus loyalty program points when they publish a photo of their purchased product.

6. Work with Instagram influencers 

Influencers are people who whose opinions hold sway over others. The goal is to work with influencers with an audience that would love to hear about you and what you offer. 

You’re broadening your audience by working with influencers. Since those who already follow that influencer will want to see what they say about your brand, they may end up following your brand as a result.

Read more about influencer marketing.

7. Measure your Instagram marketing efforts 

Even if you’re killing it on Instagram, you’ll never be able to improve if you aren’t measuring your results. You’ll have access to Instagram Analytics with an Instagram business account, which you can use to see how your Instagram posts and Stories are performing. Use the Analytics to learn when your audience is active on the app and which content is generating the best engagement. 

8. Work smarter 

Various tools can help you work efficiently on Instagram. We’re proud to offer Instagram DM Automation by ManyChat, which automates many of your most time-sucking communication activities. 

DM Automation enables automated conversations with users via direct messages. You can even use it to automatically get users into the DMs via post comments, Story mentions, or IG Live. Some of its other features include:

• Running and managing contests and giveaways 
• Collecting first-party data to learn more about your customers 
• Using Keywords as triggers to spark conversations and answer questions 
• Sending conversations to a live agent when needed 

If your customers already spend time on Instagram, you should have a presence there to make it easy for them to discover and purchase your products. Follow our tips for getting started with Instagram, and consider using Automation for more efficiency and better results. 

Ready to get started with Instagram DM Automation by ManyChat?

The post Tips to Succeed on Instagram as an Ecommerce Brand appeared first on Manychat Blog.

This article will look at the current state of eCommerce checkout experiences, metrics to measure success, and tips for creating a seamless checkout experience. 

The current state of eCommerce checkout experiences

Ecommerce sales have been steadily increasing year-over-year. In 2022, eCommerce sales will be a massive 21% of global retail sales. 

As more consumers turn to eCommerce and become comfortable with the digital checkout experience, they begin to form expectations. Here are top expectations customers have for digital shopping platforms:

• Innovative technology: Customers can expect established brands to use new, secure technology to complete the checkout process.  
• Speed: The ability to save your payment information and delivery address facilitates expedient checkout. 
• Convenience: Offering multiple payment options makes it easy for customers who have a preferred method. 

We’ll explore these checkout features throughout the article. 

What does checkout performance mean for a Shopify store? 

As a brand, you may be looking at the data associated with your digital checkout to determine its performance. What do all of the metrics tell you about your checkout experience? 

Cart abandonment rate 

Cart abandonment rate (CAR) is the percentage of users who’ve added items to their cart but didn’t complete the checkout. Calculate your CAR using this formula: # of carts – # of orders / # of carts. 

A high CAR could result from a complicated checkout process, lack of payment options, an increased shipping cost, or a host of other possibilities. Try sending an email or a text to users reminding them they have items in their cart to capture their sales. 

Checkout engagement rate 

The percentage of customers who begin the checkout page once they visit their cart is referred to as the checkout engagement rate (CER). The CER is another way of looking at the CAR because it helps you evaluate how effective your cart page is. 

Calculate your CER using this formula: # of sessions that began checkout / # of visits that included the cart page. 

Checkout conversion rate

Figure out the percentage of shoppers who complete the checkout process from start to finish to get your checkout conversion rate (CCR). These are the customers who complete a checkout without moving back and forth between website pages. 

Calculate your CCR using this formula: # of sessions that completed checkout / # of sessions that began checkout. 

Accelerated checkout rate 

The accelerated checkout rate (ACR) is the number of customers who complete payment using a particular payment option compared to all completed transactions. 

Calculate your ACR using this formula: # number of transactions with digital payments / # of all transactions. 

Mobile abandonment gap

The mobile abandonment gap (MAG) shows the differences between the CAR for mobile devices and the CAR on a desktop computer. As people become more and more comfortable purchasing on their phones, an appealing mobile experience becomes more critical. 

Calculate your MAG using this formula: mobile CAR – desktop CAR. 

How to reduce friction and speed up eCommerce checkout

Convenience and complexity are big factors that influence whether people complete the checkout process. Follow these tips for reducing friction so customers don’t abandon their carts: 

Optimize for global shopping 

International shoppers need to see sites with options for their preferred language, currency, and payment options. Utilizing Shopify Plus is an easy way to optimize, as it allows for 130+ currencies, 20 languages, and various payment methods. 

Reduce the number of form fields

If a potential customer has to fill out a lengthy form to buy something, they’ll have more time to change their mind and buy from another brand. In general, the fewer questions the better, but the average eCommerce form has six to eight fields.  

Gain users’ trust

A user will abandon a full cart if they don’t feel comfortable entering their personal and payment method information. You can communicate that your Shopify store is secure by displaying credit card logos, authenticity badges, and a link to your privacy policy. 

Save customer information for autofill

Google AutoFill can help create a frictionless checkout since it saves customers from having to enter their information manually. Shopify also enables Shop Pay, an accelerated checkout that allows customers to save their email address, credit card, and shipping and billing information. (This also adds Shop Pay installments as a payment method option.)

Nine best practices for Shopify checkout page customization

Now that you’ve got the basics, let’s look at some tips for creating a custom Shopify checkout page. 

Allow guest checkout

In other words, don’t force new customers to create an account. Doing so could drive them away for good! Allow customers to log in with Google, Instagram, or Facebook and make a quick purchase. 

Here’s how to enable guest checkout for your Shopify store:

1. In the admin dashboard, go to Settings > Checkouts.
2. Under customer accounts, choose Accounts are optional.
3. Select Enable Multipass for multiple pass login.
4. Click Confirm.

Create a Shopify one-page checkout

One-page checkout helps people complete the process faster. Shopify’s one-page checkout can include shipping, delivery, and payment method information on a single page, which reduces the number of individual steps a customer has to navigate through to complete a purchase.

Show cart security messages

Shopify already displays the “All transactions are secure and encrypted” message above the credit card field, but you can customize it to fit your online store. 

Change the Shopify default cart message by:

• Searching for “All transactions are secure and encrypted” and look for Card security notice under Checkout & system/Checkout payment.
• Updating the existing message with yours and saving your changes.

Offer several payment options

Shopify highly recommendeds allowing for multiple payment solutions to accommodate for customers’ preferred method (such as American Express, Google Pay, or Amazon Pay).

Here’s how to add more payment options to your Shopify checkout page: 

1. Go to Settings > Payments from your admin.
2. In the Alternative Payments section, click Choose alternative payment.
3. Choose a provider from the list.
4. Enter your account credentials for that provider.
5. Click Activate to enable the provider.

Upsell on the Shopify checkout page

Showing similar (but higher-priced) or complementary products on the checkout page is an excellent tactic for upselling. Once you add the product recommendations to that page, make sure it’s easy to add them to the cart.

Promote a sense of urgency

Flash sales that only last for a few hours can generate a “fear of missing out” anxiety and increase sales. You could also add a timer to your cart page, especially for sale items. Here are some other ways to create urgency:

• If there are only a few of a particular item left, indicate that stocks are low
• Provide a limited-time discount along with free shipping
• Attach a gift or free voucher with an expiration date for any customer returning to your store

Add a date picker for easy tracking and delivery

Adding a date picker helps buyers track their orders. You can also provide more options on shipping and pickup options. 

Communicate your refund policy

Displaying your refund policy carries a lot of weight in boosting credibility and building trust with your valued consumers. Your refund policy must cover every scenario, including refund conditions, a warranty, a warranty period, and a return window.

Here’s how to display a store policy on the Shopify checkout page:

1. From the admin dashboard, head to Settings > Legal.
2. Fill in your policy or choose a pre-made template.
3. Edit and add links per your needs, then click Save to confirm your settings.

Keep pricing transparent 

No customer will be happy if they encounter hidden costs (such as a transaction fee) in the checkout process. Transparent pricing will help you gain buyers’ trust.

Showcase the breakdown of your customers’ payments as clearly as possible, including the price of items, shipping cost, taxes, and even the price after discounts (if applicable).

Several factors play into a seamless eCommerce checkout experience, but Shopify has tools to help. Try a few of the tips from this article and start calculating your metrics—you’re sure to see your checkout sales increase!

Ready to try the Shopify integration with ManyChat?

The post Ways to Create a Seamless Shopify Payment Checkout Experience appeared first on Manychat Blog.

By utilizing Shopify integration with IG, businesses can showcase products that users can purchase in just a few clicks within the app — instead of exiting the platform to visit your website or online store. 

This article will explore why your Shopify store should be on Instagram, how to start selling, and tips for promoting your products.

Why your Shopify store should be on Instagram

Though Instagram has secured its place as one of the most popular social media platforms, it’s understandable to be hesitant about adding another profile to your list. After all, the more accounts you create, the more time you need to spend maintaining them. 

Rest assured that creating an Instagram account for your business is well worth the effort. That said, here are a few reasons why you should put your Shopify store on Instagram:

Instagram has a broad reach 

According to Statista, Instagram had 2 billion monthly active users at the end of 2021. It’s highly probable that your customers are among those 2 billion users, and Instagram gives you a free opportunity to reach them. 

Instagram makes shopping easy

Instagram makes it easy for users to research products and services before purchasing, one reason why as many as 81% of shoppers do so. 

Instagram’s “shoppable posts” have a clickable shopping bag icon that displays additional information about the product along with a “View Products” button that takes users to a Shopify store. Such posts make the shopping process smooth and seamless for users and act almost like a digital product catalog for businesses.

Access to enhanced product marketing

Instagram’s Shopping features—such as shopping tags (product tagging) and Instagram shops—allow businesses to generate sales for their Shopify stores via the Instagram app. 

Brands can also improve customer relationships with special offers and discounts.

Now that you’re aware of why you should set up an Instagram account for your business, let’s dive into the details of how to do so. 

How to set up Instagram Shopping for your Shopify store

Here’s how to start selling your products on Shopify via Instagram Shopping:

Step 1: Set up Facebook channel in your Shopify store

Start by setting up a Facebook channel that will enable you to add your Shopify products. Use it to tag all the products on your Instagram feed and Stories.

Step 2: Create an Instagram business profile

Next, set up an Instagram business profile. If you already have a personal Instagram account and want to switch to a business account, you can do so from the settings menu. 

Learn more about Instagram business accounts.

Unfortunately, you cannot use the Instagram Shopping feature unless you have a business account. In addition to a business account, the Instagram merchant policy requirements state you must:

• Link the account to a Facebook page containing a catalog of your products
• Sell only products (not services)

Furthermore, the Instagram Shopping feature has to be available in your region.

If your business meets all these requirements, you can apply for a review on Instagram. To do this:

• Go to the Settings menu
• Then go to the Business tab
• Click on Sign Up for Instagram Shopping
• Follow all the necessary instructions and click Submit

Once you get approval (which may take two to three days), you will notice the Shopping option when checking the Settings menu.

Step 3: Turn on Instagram Shopify and put your products up for sale

Next, turn on the Shopping feature to tag products in images you post (creating a shoppable post). This is how Instagram users will be able to start placing orders.  

Turn on the Shopping feature tag:

• Click on Profile Settings
• Click Shopping in the drop-down menu
• Hit Continue
• Link your Facebook channel to your Instagram business profile

Step 4: Add products to your Instagram posts

Ready to add products to your posts and create a shoppable Instagram feed? Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Use high-quality images and high-resolution videos that will catch your audience’s attention (think of your feed as a product catalog or a store window). 
• Upload your product images with creative and engaging captions that will convince people to take action. 
• Tag your products to their respective Shopify links—you can tag up to five different products per image or video.
• Ensure that the image name you use on Instagram is the same one you used on your Facebook channel. 

Once you share your images, you are ready to take orders.

Step 5: Create Instagram Stories

Once you have Instagram Shopping, you can also sell products via Instagram Stories. Remember: anything with a product tag = shoppable. Create Instagram Stories featuring your Shopify products to provide some information about them.

An Instagram Story is an excellent way to capture the attention of potential customers outside of your feed posts. While Instagram Stories are only visible for 24 hours, you can choose to save them as Highlights on your Instagram page indefinitely.

Read more about how to set up an Instagram shop

Now that you can sell your products on Instagram, let’s look at some ways you can  generate sales for them!

How to promote Shopify products on Instagram

Here are a few tips for promoting your Shopify products on Instagram:

Be authentic (while sticking to your brand)

You must be unique, creative, and authentic to stand a chance of succeeding at Instagram marketing—don’t be tempted to pass other’s ideas off as your own. 

Write catchy product descriptions

Customers can form assumptions about your brand within seconds of seeing your Instagram feed posts, Stories, videos, or even your account page. To deliver the best possible impression, ensure all details align and encourage customers to interact with your brand, including the product descriptions. 

Optimize your account

Optimize your account by choosing an appropriate username for your brand, using a good profile picture, and including a complete bio on your profile page. 

Post when users are most active 

There are no hard and fast rules for the best posting times (though some evidence indicates there are general “better” times), so just aim to post when most of your followers are active on the platform. You can use Instagram Analytics to determine when your target audience is most engaged.

Appeal to customers’ imagination

Make it easy for users to visualize what their lives will be like when they use your products. Instead of focusing on specific product features, highlight the benefits your customers will get from using them. 

Pick a theme

Using your brand colors or a theme for your Instagram profile page makes your account more pleasing to the eye. Additionally, a visually appealing profile and Instagram feed make an excellent first impression on users while communicating your brand’s identity.

Learn how to build a superior Instagram aesthetic for your brand.

Leverage user-generated content

If customers post about your product, share positive publicity via an Instagram post or Story! You can also share feedback or reviews from your customers as part of your content, which gives potential customers an outside perspective. 

Offer discounts and promo codes

Attract new customers and retain current ones by offering exclusive deals. People are more likely to purchase from stores where they get discount offers — who doesn’t love a sale?

Promoting your Shopify store on Instagram offers tremendous benefits for your brand. Follow our tips, stay consistent, and enjoy the results. 

Want to see how ManyChat can lend a hand on Instagram? 

The post How to Sell on Instagram Using Shopify appeared first on Manychat Blog.

Does this sound familiar?

• Your Instagram marketing efforts have sluggish ROI
• Instagram’s latest algorithm updates necessitate constant changes to your strategy 
• You’re spending countless hours responding to every comment and direct message
• You’re always on the lookout for a magic solution to retarget users for free so you don’t have to shell out for ads

If those concerns ring true, know that you’re not alone. Many business owners find themselves constantly on Instagram replying to comments and answering DMs from customers, spending hours on the platform without much to show for it. 

To help our customers overcome these challenges, we’re offering a new on-demand webinar, “5 Easy Ways Businesses Can Sell More on Instagram.” 

Join Trilce Jiron, founder, and CEO of TBS Marketing in Costa Rica, as she walks you through quick ways you can start selling more on Instagram.  

Though you can watch the webinar at your convenience, you can also continue reading to score Trilce’s tips for selling more on Instagram, starting from the planning stage. 

Plan and create your Instagram content 

What is your current strategy for posting on Instagram? If you don’t have anything in place, don’t worry. Let’s start with the basics: types of content to post. 

You can post several different types of content on Instagram, including Reels, Stories, carousel posts, and more. Which one(s) should you be using? Is one better than the other? It depends on your audience and what they want to see. 

Let’s take a step back and nail down the content that makes a great Instagram profile: 

• A link in the bio section that you want users to click 
• A collection of Highlights (saved Stories) for users to watch
• A feed that serves as the “window” to your store, showcasing everything you have to offer in a beautifully designed way 
• Short, punchy Reels to sell your products and services
• Longer videos featuring guides, tips, and how-tos

You’ll have to consider these different content types as you create your plan. 

Think about your desired Instagram feed layout. Will it be a checkerboard layout? Or will you opt for a different look?

You can vary your layout by content type, but color and background are more critical considerations since that’s what users are drawn to first. For example, compare the following layouts: 

Both of the layouts feature a mix of content. In the layout on the left, however, the background colors are displayed in a checkered pattern. In the layout on the right, the background colors create stripes. Which one do you find more appealing?

Strengthen your customer engagement 

Your content strategy must include replying to all comments on posts, building brand credibility, and partnering with content creators and influencers. All this will help strengthen your customer engagement and are areas ManyChat Automation can assist with (more on this in a bit). 

Start by truly understanding all of the types of content mentioned above. What are people interested in seeing on Instagram? What Reels are popular and why? 

Once you understand the type(s) of content that succeeds, you can start to create your own. 

Add a Buy Now Button to your Instagram DMs

Don’t worry, this doesn’t require any code. Simply use Instagram DM Automation by ManyChat, to link your Instagram to PayPal or Stripe and you’ll be able to accept payments. 

This feature makes it possible to make carousel posts shoppable (users can complete a purchase in just a few clicks). The Buy Button allows you to sell more products, services, tickets, and merchandise right on Instagram. 

Take advantage of the 24-hour rule and Live Chat

ManyChat’s automated flows (which are part of Instagram Automation) can send anything to users within 24 hours of engaging with you, per Instagram’s 24-hour rule. 

For example, if a user clicks on an item in your store but doesn’t purchase it, you can send them an automated message within 24 hours asking them if they still like that item. Maybe even add a coupon code to nudge them over the finish line! 

ManyChat will even improve customer service situations in which a live agent is necessary by providing context for each user that enters the Live Chat. For example, you can tag a user as a customer if they’re inquiring about a purchase or as someone who entered a specific contest. Using this information, a Live Chat agent can personalize the conversation without requiring the user to repeat information. 

Beat the Instagram algorithm

Beating the Instagram algorithm sounds complicated, but we’ve distilled the strategy into a few key points: 

• Create engaging, visually attractive, original content with interesting captions
• Utilize multiple content formats, such as Reels, IG Live, carousel posts, etc. 
• Use as many Instagram features as possible, including hashtags, shopping tags, Story stickers, etc. 
• Follow experts in your industry to keep up with news and trends 

Using Instagram Automation can help reduce the manual effort you need to put forth in many of these areas. 

Learn how to get started with ManyChat and get a promo code for a free month of ManyChat Pro by checking out the on-demand webinar!

Ready to watch the on-demand webinar?

The post 5 Easy Ways Businesses Can Sell More on Instagram appeared first on Manychat Blog.

ManyChat is happy to announce that we have officially fully integrated with WhatsApp and is open for all businesses to use.

As an official WhatsApp Business Service Provider, ManyChat integrates directly with the WhatsApp Business API, taking the developer’s work away and allowing you to start collecting contacts in a few simple steps.

With ManyChat for WhatsApp, you are able to:

• Increase leads by leading traffic straight to your WhatsApp Business number and recommending the best matching product/service in a personalized way
• Provide instant and top end customer support by creating automated responses to customer’s inquiries and decreasing your SLA and saving your business time
• Capture important customer information like phone numbers and email addresses that can be used for retargeting on other platforms
• And re-engage your customers after the 24-hour window closes by using Message Templates

Features for ManyChat for WhatsApp include:

• Message Ref URLs & QR Codes: The ability to create specific links that can be easily sent to your customers and are automatically transformed within ManyChat into QR codes to display to your customers
• Keywords: Design coupon, click-to-WA ad, and other Marketing campaigns to instruct your customers’ to send you a specific Keyword or phrase
• Bulk contact import: Import all your contacts in bulk via CSV file.
• Broadcasting: Re-engage easily by broadcasting to your customers past the 24-hour window using Message Templates*
• Attachments to Message Templates: Create more engaging, informative, and higher converting Message Templates.
• Live Chat: Use Live Chat for your whole team to quickly answer and escalate conversations that are coming into WhatsApp and analyze in the Audience section for a more informed view of your customers.
• Twillio number: Get a virtual number from ManyChat for your WhatsApp integration when connecting WhatsApp as a second channel.
• Images, Videos, Files, and More: Build immersive conversations for your customers by adding images, videos, files, variables, and emojis to build a relationship with your customers and have them coming back for more.

*Additional Verification is required

What you need to know before getting started

1. WhatsApp is charged on a per conversation model in addition to ManyChat Pro based on the country and if the conversation is contact-initiated (inside 24 hours) or business-initiated (outside 24 hours). Learn more here
2. All contact-initiated conversations are open to all businesses but business-initiated conversations require additional Meta Business Verification
3. Facebook Business Manager admin access is necessary
4. The WhatsApp number you choose to use cannot be connected to an existing WhatsApp or WA Business Account. Using a new one is highly recommended

Getting Connected

Getting a WhatsApp number successfully connected to ManyChat can be done in a few quick steps. This next section goes further into how to get connected. 

For new ManyChat users

1. Click Get Started Free
2. Select WhatsApp as the channel and give ManyChat all necessary permissions
3. Connect your Facebook profile that is an admin of the FB Business Manager account you’d like to connect with

For existing ManyChat users

There are three ways to add WhatsApp as a channel offering to an existing ManyChat account:

On the left-hand drop-down, select Create new account

In the Insights tab on the Home page under Channels

Within Settings > Channels > WhatsApp and press Connect. You will be given the option in this setup to be given a number provided by ManyChat free of charge or use your own

For existing ManyChat accounts, you can select to either use your own new phone number or have one given to you by ManyChat.

All Users

1. Create a new or connect an existing WhatsApp Business Account and Profile to ManyChat. These permissions are necessary to use ManyChat for WhatsApp correctly and get the expected behavior.
2. Connect your Facebook Business Manager and create the WhatsApp Business Profile to be associated with this number. As mentioned previously, we recommend using a new WA Business profile and number, if you would like to use one previously connected to another messaging software, please delete this number from the existing WA Business Account or other services. For any questions, contact our support team.
3. Add your WhatsApp Business Display name, this name should match your business’s name and add in a category that best matches your business.
4. The last step requires verifying your Business Number so please enter the new number you’d like to use. Make sure that this number can receive calls and SMS messages. 

After successfully verifying your business’s number, you have successfully connected your WhatsApp number to ManyChat!

Additional Meta Business Verification for Business-Initiated Conversations 

No additional verification is required to send messages that are inbound, aka “customer-initiated”, but to send messages outside of 24 hours using Message Templates, aka “business-initiated”, more Verification is required to pass through for your business. Follow the instructions below to get started: 

Within ManyChat, we will guide you through how to get verified correctly. 

1. Go to your Facebook Business Manager Settings>Security Center
2. When you see “Business Verification”, select “Start Verification
3. Follow the on-screen instructions and submit the following: Certificate of formation, Articles of Incorporation, Business License, Business Tax File, Business utility or phone bill and a bank statement. 
4. Once all those steps are completed, verification can take 2-3 weeks at busy times so keep an eye out in your inbox and email for more information when Verification is approved/declined

After this verification is complete, you can harness the full power of ManyChat for WhatsApp and start re-engaging your customers with Message Templates. To use Message Templates, create your first one under Settings > WhatsApp > Message Templates. 

Select a category, topic, and create the message content. After creating the MT, it must be approved by Meta and then you are all ready to re-engage your customers after 24 hours within Broadcasts or any other re-engagement tactic.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does ManyChat for WhatsApp cost?

ManyChat for WhatsApp is an additional charge on top of paying for ManyChat Pro. The pricing breaks down as the following:

1. Charged on a per new conversation basis (24-hour window) divided into two categories: Business-Initiated and Contact-Initiated. 
2. Your first 1000 conversations per month are free 
3. Pricing varies based on country. Learn more here
4. To use WhatsApp Automation, please load your ManyChat Wallet under Settings

A Business-initiated conversation is when a business starts a conversation by sending a message to the contact for the first time, or 24 hours after the contact’s last message (24-hour messaging window). Business-initiated conversations must be sent via a Message Template.

A Contact-initiated conversation is when a business starts a conversation by replying to a contact’s message. This type of conversation includes anytime a business replies to a contact within the 24-hour messaging window. Businesses can send an unlimited number of messages of any type during this window.

Can I integrate my WhatsApp account with other ManyChat channels?

Yes, you can connect your WhatsApp number to an already existing ManyChat account. 

On the Flow level, while you cannot connect WhatsApp messages directly to other channels currently, you can collect emails and phone numbers to re-engage using ManyChat email and/or SMS channels in the future.

Do I need a phone number to use ManyChat for WhatsApp? 

Yes, to use ManyChat for WhatsApp you will need a unique phone number.

Are conversations viewable and answerable on the mobile WhatsApp Business App?

After connecting, your conversations will not be viewable and answerable on the mobile WhatsApp Business App but are easily viewable within the ManyChat Live Chat interface.

Are existing phone numbers compatible with ManyChat?

While they can be, we strongly recommend using a new phone number that is not currently in use with other WhatsApp apps. 

If you’d want to use an existing phone number in the future for other WA apps in the future (e.g. for WhatsApp Business App or personal WhatsApp app), save it and use a brand new number.

You can also use the number provided by ManyChat (available only if WhatsApp is activated as an additional channel in your existing account).

Is Facebook Business Manager verification required?

For all customer-initiated conversations (inbound messaging), Business Verification is not a necessary step to get started. 

For business-initiate conversations (outbound messaging), businesses will need to go through the Facebook Business Manager verification process to gain this access. We will walk you through the approval process.

Are you allowed to switch to ManyChat from another Business Solution Provider (BSP)?

Yes, if you’d like to do so and keep your old number please contact our support team.

Is WhatsApp available on a ManyChat Free plan?

Yes, until one of the following things happens: 

– 30 days pass from the moment of successful phone number connection

– 1000 contacts are gained

– First 1000 free conversations ends

After one of those actions happens, ManyChat for WhatsApp will only be available for Pro accounts. 

Ready to get started with ManyChat x WhatsApp?

The post A Guide to Using ManyChat for WhatsApp appeared first on Manychat Blog.

If you were a PowerPass holder at Instagram Summit, there’s still time to rewatch the on-demand sessions. If not, don’t worry; this article explores some of the tips she shared. (But make sure you get a PowerPass next year!)

But before we dive in, let’s start with a solid foundation. 

What is a Chatbot? 

Generally speaking, a chatbot is specific software that effectively functions as a digital assistant and facilitates online conversations itself and between users. 

When a chatbot is part of Instagram DM Automation, it enables you to host automated conversations on Instagram with your audience.  

How effective are chatbots?

Very effective, according to Ormo. She proved her point by sharing how she used a combination of chatbots and ads to generate 20,000+ leads for an infopreneur in less than one month. 

Separately, Ormo used chatbots in every part of the funnel to generate 39,000+ leads in approximately three weeks for our Instagram Summit.

How can you replicate Ormo’s success for your business?

Ormo has a few measured steps for using chatbots (or Automation) to increase leads. 

Define your end goal 

The first step is clarifying your goal. You can use Automation for many things, but you need to choose one goal at a time to create successful chatbots. Some examples of an end goal might be:

• Generating more leads
• Producing more sales 
• Relying less on humans (or removing them entirely) from the customer support process
• Automating responses to comments 

Once you have a goal, you can measure your progress towards it. 

Identify your assets 

Take inventory: What do you already have? What can you build? Consider what’s available in your channels, lead magnets, and network. Assets can be existing customers or leads, or items of value you can use as lead magnets. 

Maybe you have an established email newsletter audience or a library of on-demand webinars and ebooks. Assets like these can help lure users into your Automation funnel. 

Identify your sources of traffic 

Where is your audience coming from? Look at all of your channels (email, website, social media, affiliate channels, etc.) and note how users arrive at your content. Keep in mind that some of the assets you listed in the previous step may also be your primary traffic sources. 

Map out your chatbot blueprint 

Create a guide to use while creating your Automation. Your guide will serve as the roadmap for your chatbot, and you can refer to it while you build the steps the user will take.  

Tools you can use for the guide may include:

• Figma 
• Miro
• LucidChart 
• Google Slides 

In this step, you should also take a look at your: 

• Traffic sources: To help you understand where your audience is coming from. 
• Opt-in point: It will guide the tools you’ll use to capture your audience.  
• Customer journey: You’re the one setting the direction — what steps does the customer take to get to the end-point you have in mind? 
• End goal: Remind yourself of the end goal to ensure your efforts head in the right direction. 

Give your chatbot some personality

Is your chatbot funny? Serious? Neutral? What’s its name? If your brand voice allows for it, add emojis (they work in any language, too). 

Once you create a personality, test it. You can always rework it if it doesn’t seem to fit your brand. You want the bot to sound like someone who would work for your business and whom people would enjoy talking to. 

Start building 

Practice leads to progress. Remember, it’s not about getting things perfect — it’s about getting things done. 

Use the ManyChat Flow Builder to create your Automation funnels. 

If you’re new to ManyChat, use our free video course to guide you through all the steps for creating Automations. 

Test and launch 

Don’t forget to test your chatbot flow once you’ve created an Automation (or several). You don’t want to launch your bot if it has a typo or sends users to the wrong URL! 

When everything looks correct, launch it, and get ready for users to enter your flows. 

Chatbots can be an effective tool for filling your pipeline with leads and sales. If you follow Ormo’s tips, make your Automations personal to your brand, and use a customer journey that makes sense for your business, there’s no limit to the success you can achieve. Test, launch, and watch the leads come in! 

Ready to get started with Instagram DM Automation? 

The post How to Fill Your Pipeline With Leads and Sales Using Instagram DM Automation appeared first on Manychat Blog.

The Dream Workshop Increased Leads by 2X

The Dream Workshop is the leading mattress retailer in Costa Rica. The company utilized Facebook and Instagram for 2+ years to find new customers and engage with existing ones. 

As messaging became more popular, The Dream Workshop shifted towards Messenger ad campaigns to streamline communication and increase lead volume. The mattress retailer wanted to automate the follow-up process from its Instagram ads but couldn’t do it through Facebook’s Ad Manager. 

The Dream Workshop partnered with Trilce Jirón Garro, founder of TBS Marketing, to run a visual JSON ad and Reels campaign paired with workflows from Instagram Automation by ManyChat that would solve their follow-up challenge. 

Their combined efforts generated 2X leads on Instagram and a 50% conversion rate on incoming messages while minimizing acquisition costs by 30% between November 2021 and December 2021.

Read more about how the Dream Workshop used ManyChat to increase leads.

Astral Restaurant Systems Produced $52,000 in Extra Sales

Operating out of the United States and Mexico, Astral Restaurant Systems helps restaurants build a customer database and implements strategies to increase views on social platforms, repeat customers, order size, and overall return on investment (ROI). 

When asked how he could have such success with his company, Gonzalez’s answer was simple: ManyChat. 

“We incorporate ManyChat analytics with our customer data, captured through QR codes and interactive chat prompts, funneled into live dashboards,” he said. “We integrated ManyChat with Google Sheets to build our dashboards.”

Read more about how Astral Restaurant Systems produced $52,000 in sales using ManyChat.

Astral Restaurant Systems grew its subscriber list by 23,000

Astral Restaurant Systems has experienced great success after implementing ManyChat into its business strategy.

Digging deeper into Gonzalez’s success, we wanted to know a few best practices he feels helped him achieve this fantastic return. Here are seven tips that you can implement in your strategy.

Tip 1: Experiment with different growth tools

Tip 2: Create a user-friendly chatbot

Tip 3: Use Facebook Custom Audience action for retargeting

Tip 4: Collect as much data as possible

Tip 5: Create multiple interactions with the same customer across all platforms.

Tip 6: Utilize the bot fields

Tip 7: Use the randomizer to do split tests

Read more about how Astral Restaurant Systems grew its subscriber list by 23,000. 

We are grateful to have had the opportunity to conduct these case studies and understand how ManyChat helps its users. 

Ready to get started with Instagram DM Automation? 

The post A Closer Look at ManyChat’s Recent Case Studies appeared first on Manychat Blog.