How Will Chatbots Influence B2B Marketing?

Today, big messenger apps are the future of our phone usage. That includes B2B buyers.

With the rise in messenger app popularity, the utility of chatbots has increased massively – and more companies are taking them onboard in business operations. As companies all across the globe begin to experiment with the opportunity for marketing through messenger services, chatbots are starting to emerge as useful pieces of technology.

What Is a Chatbot?
A chatbot is a computer program that carries out conversations with people using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. They can chat with humans using natural phrases from our language rather than traditional user interfaces. Many bots are now being created – for Facebook Messenger, Kik, Amazon Echo, and Slack – that can talk directly to users. For example, a retail company like Nordstrom now uses a chatbot to help with online customer service.

These chatbots can do stuff such as recommend outfits (as seen with H&M), complete orders (Domino’s), and even order you a car ride (Uber). They are transforming marketing, too, and here’s how.

1. Engagement: Chatbots can engage consumers beyond mere clicks. An excellent example of this would be Disney, which created a chatbot called “Officer Judy Hopps” when the film Zootopia was released. This drummed up excitement for the film and got people engaged with it before the release.
2. Insights: People will directly converse with these chatbots, just as they do with real people – making it highly personal. Chatbots can ask questions that cannot be asked through traditional advertising to get extra information about a customer, such as where that person lives or what she thinks about the latest product.
3. Personalization: Although ads have become more targeted over time, companies are always looking for ways to connect and appeal to consumers personally. Chatbots can personalize a conversation with an individual, which helps build up brand loyalty and make that individual feel seriously valued.

These are just three of the most important ways by which chatbots are changing the face of digital marketing, and it’ll be amazing to see them in action as more companies start to rely on them in the years to come.

If you want to learn more about chatbots, including some fascinating history and facts, check out this infographic.

Karthik Reddy, community manager at www.16best.net, is the author of India’s number one travel blog. A passionate traveler and photography enthusiast with an MBA in computer science, he aspires to share his experiences and help people see the world through his lens.