Facebook held their annual F8 conference this week on 12th and 13th April, and unveiled new tools and updates they are in the process of developing. It’s an exciting time for social media users, and indeed businesses that advertise on the platform, as many of the features in the pipeline are set to revolutionise digital marketing and advertising, offering more ways than ever before of drawing in customers.
Messenger updates
Businesses will now be able to use Facebook’s Messenger app to advertise their services within the chat tool, meaning users can order a cab, book a hotel room and more, without needing to leave the app. Messenger has 900 million active monthly users, according to the Guardian , and this new function will enable businesses to connect with countless more potential customers, and gain more business from existing ones.
Paying companies will be able to contact previous users of their service via re-engagement messages, although there was concern that too many of these messages will actually irritate the user. However, Facebook has thought of everything, claiming there will be a block button and such messages will be limited.
Virtual reality
The addition of virtual reality to Facebook has the potential to transform e-commerce, as highlighted by Social Media Today. The new technology, which is currently in the earliest stages of development, will allow users to engage with real-world settings via a VR avatar. A virtual shop could be recreated inside a customer’s home, combining the ease of shopping online with the experience of visiting the high street.
Save button
As Facebook says, this feature would enable users to save not only their favourite articles or videos, but also products. This maximises the chance of someone returning to a company’s page or site to buy a product at a more convenient time, and reminds the user to buy it later on. Therefore, digital marketing will prove even more competitive, as companies will try to do whatever they can to encourage users to save their adverts and products.
