First, social media needs targeting but not too much
"Consumers have shown that extreme personalization doesn't make them more likely to buy on social. In fact, 55 percent of U.S. consumers would stop using an app if they knew their message could be read or analyzed by third-parties. Consumers are smart, and when they see an ad that is over personalized they often feel their privacy has been compromised," said Cristina Constandache, CRO, Rakuten Viber.
Messaging apps, on the other hand, need high personalization and an increase in privacy.
"Customer experience is everything when it comes to brand loyalty. Chat apps provide a unique space where brands can solve complex customer issues quickly and privately. They provide similar value to multi-platform customer support as they create a space for consumers to share their woes--whether it's through a description or sharing photos or videos--and receive immediate feedback from an agent who can help solve their problem," said Constandache.
Second, remember many use social media is about content, apps are more about experience
"Try advertising [on social media] with content that has been specifically curated for your brand by an outside party (i.e. an influencer or partner). This tactic provides a more natural feel to the ads and lessens the creep factor that often comes with hyper-personalized ads. It also cuts down on the content creation budget since your brand doesn't have to reinvent the wheel to create engaging images," said Constandache. "Chat apps with shopping features such as keyboards allow brands to provide consumers with a more natural experience. All within one app consumers can browse items, share with friends and complete purchases, making the experience not just natural but also convenient. This format brings shoppers back to what originally made shopping fun--browsing and enjoying the experience with friends.
Third, social media is about the group, messaging apps about one-to-one contact
"Social media can be a great platform to collect feedback for upcoming new product launches or features for your brand. Pushing out a questions through a feature like polls can provide feedback directly from your target audience that may be hard to achieve otherwise. This valuable feedback can provide needed direction for the future of the brand or product," said Constandache. "Using messaging apps can take brand engagements to the next level as consumers can "opt-in" to communication with a brand by choosing to interact with them one-on-one. This creates a more meaningful connection than traditional social media advertising and provides brands with valuable customer insight. It also allows brands to create that nice balance between having meaningful interactions and protecting consumer privacy."
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