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Facebook Messenger Remarketing: All you Need to Master in 2020

Last updated on May 17, 2022

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Facebook Messenger Remarketing: All you Need to Master in 2020

Facebook Messenger Remarketing is going to become huge. In fact, many e-commerce businesses are already using Facebook Messenger to grow. From retargeting to abandoned cart recovery, targeted alerts, social proof, segmented re-engagement campaigns and quick replies to Messenger messages, Messenger is a game changer that can transform your business.


In this article, you will find everything you need to know for Facebook Messenger Remarketing. The best part? All these strategies work GREAT in 2019.


Let’s dive right in.


Contents

Chapter 1: Facebook Messenger for Business

Chapter 2: Facebook Messenger Automation

Chapter 3: What is Facebook Messenger Remarketing

Chapter 4: Facebook Messenger for E-commerce

Chapter 5: Last thoughts

 

Chapter 1: Facebook Messenger for Business


On April 12th, 2016, Messenger introduced a better way for businesses to communicate with their audience, by enabling them to build apps on top of the platform.

facebook messenger for business

According to the official announcement regarding Messenger’s new capabilities:


“Bots can provide anything from automated subscription content like weather and traffic updates to customized communications like receipts, shipping notifications, and live automated messages all by interacting directly with the people who want to get them.”


Of course, many Messenger competitors like WeChat, Telegram, Kik, Slack or Skype have adopted similar technology earlier. 


However, that didn’t stop Messenger from dominating the chatbot ecosystem the following years. From the very beginning, Messenger destined automated chats to become an e-commerce tool that could help merchants send receipts or shipping notifications.

blocking conversions


In the following two years, these automated chats became more than just receipts or shipping notifications for e-commerce. That created a shift towards a more “conversational e-commerce” or as people call it today: conversational commerce. Here are some powerful live chat experiments you should go through for inspiration. 


On Thursday 7th January 2016 -- a few months before Messenger opened its platform to app developers -- there were 800 million people using Messenger each month. 

facebook messenger statsMoreover, there were over 50 million businesses on Messenger back at that time, making it the second most popular app on iOS and the fastest growing app in the US in 2015.


Right now, over 1.3 billion people are using Messenger every month. Also, there are over 60 million businesses on Messenger -- communicating with their customers efficiently and directly.


Moreover, more than 20 million Facebook pages are using messaging to run and grow their businesses. Messenger’s exponential growth is astonishing, and many aspects played a role in the evolvement from this:

facebook messenger

To that:

facebook messenger retargetingWith Messenger, Facebook opened a new way of possibilities for businesses and individuals all around the world. This is why people from more than 200 countries are using it to communicate and share moments and feelings.


Before I delve further, let’s get one thing out of the way -- if you have used Messenger and haven’t seen any results yet, it’s probably because you haven’t done it right. This is why you should be consistent with your efforts and trust me, results will definitely pay you out.


Do you want to know how? Just keep reading.

 

Chapter 2: Facebook Messenger Automation


Facebook Messenger Automation is a buzzword nowadays.The term is strictly related to Messenger bots, which are also on the rise. But the truth is that there is much more to Facebook Messenger Automation than just bots.

Facebook Messenger Automation

In fact, Messenger has moved way beyond that. Nowadays, Facebook Messenger is a channel that e-commerce businesses use to:

  • Give quick replies to potential customers
  • Reduce their cart abandonment
  • Retarget their website visitors
  • Start conversations that turn random chats or comments into sales
  • Have a checkout page right on Messenger

Compliment Facebook messenger retargeting with Web Push Notifications to get more sales. Try web push for free!


Many people today claim that Facebook Messenger is the new Email marketing. Is it though? Everyone knows that almost no Email marketing campaign can have an 88% Open Rate or 56% Click-through Rate.

Neil Patel Facebook Messenger

The results pose that Messenger is far more effective than Email marketing. But, how does Facebook Messenger Automation work? Let’s wrap up things with an example. So for the sake of example, let’s assume that you run a Shopify store that sells gadgets.

Gadget Tornado Home PageHere is what your product page looks like:

facebook messenger remarketing

As you can see, right beneath the Add to Cart button, there is a little Send to Messenger button. If the visitor checks that button (assuming they are logged in to Messenger) and presses the Get your Discount button, will receive Messenger message with a 5% discount.

Facebook Messenger CouponSounds good, right?


Here is how the message looks like:

Facebook Messenger MessageOf course, you can adjust the copy of your Messenger message and other aspects of the process, but what I need you to keep is:


Facebook Messenger Automation can help you get higher conversion rates and increase the number of your shopping carts. And, as you can see, there was no interaction with your Facebook page -- the interaction was solely on your website and your visitor’s Messenger account.

Now, I want to be clear about something -- this was just an example of how automation on Messenger works. There are many other aspects of Facebook Messenger Automation -- aspects like Facebook Messenger Ads (or Retargeting Ads) and Cart Recovery Reminders.

Facebook Messenger Abandoned Cart RemindersRetail marketing automation (e-commerce automation) is huge right now. And, Messenger plays a key role when it comes to e-commerce automation. Use it wisely, and you can get your online store to the next level.


Send triggered notifications and nudge the right users at the right time. Try Web Push notifications to increase sales!


 

Chapter 3: What is Facebook Messenger Remarketing?


Facebook Messenger Remarketing is a part of Facebook Messenger Automation. It allows you to retarget (or remarket to) people who have interacted with your online business in one way or another.

According to Google:

Google RemarketingAs you can see, according to Google “remarketing is a way to connect with people who previously interacted with your website or mobile app.” Now, I want you to think of Facebook Messenger Remarketing as the same thing, but instead of just using online ads, you can use many other ways to remarket to your audience.


As I mentioned earlier, this is a game changer for e-commerce businesses. And, as I showed you in the previous chapter, Facebook Messenger Automation and Remarketing can go beyond:

  • Social media
  • A landing page
  • Your Facebook page
  • Your website
  • A Facebook Messenger bot
  • A Facebook Messenger Ad

For example, Facebook Messenger Remarketing allows you to capture your subscribers’ attention with powerful 1-2-1 Messenger Campaigns:


Facebook Messenger Campaign

 

Or, you can follow-up to people who abandoned their shopping cart and prompt them into finishing what they started:

 

Facebook Messenger Abandoned Cart

And, you can get people who visited your website (think Facebook Pixel), click on your Messenger Ads to learn more about your products, chat to find which variants suit them best and make their purchases right on Messenger.

Facebook Messenger Messages

Cool, right?


As you can see, the CTAs are there, the copy is there, and the metrics to track your campaigns’ performance are there too. Thus, you can build a subscriber base of potential customers who may not be ready to buy from you in the first place but will convert eventually.

Conversion Rates and Open Rates on Facebook Messenger is astonishing. And possibilities with Facebook Messenger Retargeting are endless.


In chapter 4, I am going to talk about Facebook Messenger for e-commerce. So, if you are running an e-commerce business, stick with me here.



Chapter 4: Facebook Messenger for e-commerce


If you are running a Shopify store and still haven’t used Facebook Messenger, you are missing out a great opportunity. As I showed you in the previous chapters, Messenger is powerful automation and remarketing channel for e-commerce. Check out this infographic to know the importance of Facebook for e-commerce marketers.


And, with 1.3 billion monthly active users, you don’t have to worry about your audience being on Messenger or not. That’s the same as the total number of internet users back in 2007:

Internet Users in 2007 stats

Some of the ways Facebook Messenger can help your Shopify store include (but are not limited to):

  • Messenger campaigns
  • Customer support and quick replies to inquiries
  • Cart recovery (more shopping carts for your business)
  • Start conversations with potential customers
  • Turn Facebook messages into sales opportunities
  • Checkout page, right on Messenger (Add-to-cart button)
  • Searchable Messenger store (get your product pages on Messenger)
  • Website Chat

Many people get this wrong:


Facebook Messenger for e-commerce doesn’t equal Facebook Messenger bots. We’ve moved beyond that. Nowadays, there are Shopify Apps that offer you a complete solution when it comes to Facebook Messenger Automation and Facebook Messenger Remarketing.


The Enterprise Guide to Global e-commerce by Shopify Plus anticipates a 246.15% increase in worldwide e-commerce sales from $1.3 trillion in 2014 to $4.5 trillion in 2021.

Total Worldwide eCommerce Sales in Trillions of U.S. Dollars


This means that e-commerce is growing. However, at the same time organic Click-through Rates decrease:

Change in Organic Click-through Rates

Shopify stores and e-commerce businesses, in general, have to find new ways to generate revenue. Messenger is one of these ways. According to the report 2018 Digital Trends in Retail by Adobe:


“The most exciting prospect for retailers is delivering personalised experiences in real time.”


With Facebook Messenger, you can deliver a personalised experience in real time and across touch-points. But, what do merchants have to say about this? When people in the e-commerce industry were asked the question:

“Over the next five years, what is the primary way your organisation will seek to differentiate itself from competitors?”


Here is what they responded:

2018 Digital Trends in Retail by Adobe

Thus, it is clear that the enhancement of the customer service across touch-points is a vital issue for e-commerce entrepreneurs. One thing is for sure:

If competition cares about it, you should get your gears turning and do something about it.

Chapter 5: Last Thoughts


Facebook Messenger Remarketing is a game changer in e-commerce. If used correctly, Messenger can help you seamlessly grow your business.

The best part?

It is a relatively untouched channel with many possibilities. Now I turn it over to you. Which Facebook Messenger Remarketing tactic or strategy are you going to use first? Is it going to be the cart recovery or Messenger campaigns? Either way, let me know by leaving a comment below!

This is a guest post from Vaios Gkitsas of Flashchat. You can get in touch with him on LinkedIn

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Vaios Gkitsas
Vaios Gkitsas
Vaios Gkitsas Founder & CEO at Flashchat. He is a serial entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience in world-class Mobile commerce companies. Nowadays, he runs Flashchat.ai, an All-in-one Messenger Commerce solution for online retailers.

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