Messaging app use is growing by leaps and bounds. It’s even becoming a preferred method of communicating for many, even for conducting business. Six of the top 10 social apps are messaging apps. Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp now each have 1.3 billion users and are still seeing huge growth. Messenger is reporting 8 million messages are exchanged per month. Word is that Instagram is considering splitting messages into a separate app, as well.

Why the increase? Facebook’s research reveals the top reasons people give for using messaging apps are that they are:

  • Easy to use
  • Accessible
  • Time-saving
  • Effective
  • Reliable
  • Documented
  • Fun
  • Real time/fast

People they surveyed are also more likely to rate the effectiveness of messaging a business as “excellent” or “very good” compared to calling on the phone. The catch for the businesses? Those customers expect a faster response than through traditional methods. Are you ready to respond?

These facts and sentiments must lead businesses to consider whether messaging is the future of business communications. More specifically, to consider how to use messaging apps, and the technology they can employ, to their full advantage. This growing momentum is leading to new expectations among consumers, requiring new, innovative and responsive measures from marketers.

Keeping up with market demands and competitors’ innovations takes an understanding of the platforms, a familiarity with available techniques and technologies and a strategy to combine the them. GMS is working with companies to build those strategies. We’re known for our social media programs and this new trend offers yet more opportunities for our clients to connect with customers. Technology and support are the keys to gaining success in this new era of what has been called “conversational commerce.”

We’d love to start our own conversation with companies who are looking for effective, strategic, affordable ways to employ messaging into their business marketing plan.