Heyday by Hootsuite, a leading conversational AI platform, has announced it has integrated Instagram Direct Messages and Facebook Messenger within its powerful e-commerce Shopify chatbot app, creating new opportunities for merchants to connect with their customers.
Social media has evolved as a key driver for e-commerce, with three-quarters (75%) of Internet users ages 16-64 using social networks to find brands, services or products, according to the July update of Hootsuite’s Digital 2022 statshot. In this digital-first climate, consumers are demanding more from the businesses they interact with online – seeking to directly engage with brands and receive real-time customer service via social messaging.
This integration will help take merchants’ business to the next level by providing access to powerful conversational AI features across Instagram Direct Messages and Facebook Messenger, ensuring chats are operating 24/7 year-round, to both sell products and answer FAQs in real-time, any time of day.
“Businesses are under pressure to deliver exceptional experiences that meet consumers’ demands for real-time, authentic communication,” said Steve Desjarlais, Co-Founder and VP of Conversational AI at Heyday by Hootsuite. “This announcement enables businesses to bridge this gap by meeting customers where they are at: Instagram and Facebook Messenger. This will be a game-changer in helping brands build stronger relationships with their customers, by leveraging automation in a cost-effective way.
“Shopify research has shown that customers are close to 70% more likely to make a purchase from a business that responds to their chat inquiry within a few minutes,” added Ellen Dunne, Senior Product Lead for Messaging at Shopify. “This immediacy, combined with having insight-driven conversations with customers, have proven to be key drivers of more e-commerce conversions for Shopify merchants. We know that customers who initiate a chat are extremely high-intent and merchants can capitalise on that to make the first sale and start building a lasting customer relationship.”
As more Shopify merchants scramble to compete for the attention of digital-first buyers, offering immediate and personalised experiences on the social media channels they frequent is critical to staying competitive. The chat app, originally launched in November 2020, also integrates with web chat and email – centralising every single direct message in one unified inbox.
The use of automation to guide customers towards their first purchase has had a favourable impact on e-commerce sales for Heyday customers, such as Montreal-based Rose Buddha. After implementing Heyday for Shopify in 2021, the company has seen a 95% customer satisfaction rating amongst their consumers while shopping online.
“Having Heyday integrate with Instagram and Facebook Messenger means that we can gain a full picture of all our customer questions that need answering,” said Jennifer Pellettier, Director of Operations at Rose Buddha. “It means providing a better service to our customer and it will be a great add-on for our business.”
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