Using direct messages on social media is a useful way to have contact with your customers. They can message you when they want to communicate with you directly and perhaps have a more confidential conversation, rather than communicating with you publicly. Messaging on different social media platforms works in slightly different ways, offering varying benefits and ways to use each messaging tool. Instagram and Facebook are owned by the same company and their messaging functions have recently been merged for businesses in an app called Facebook Business Suite. LinkedIn also has a useful messaging feature but, as a network focused on professional connections, its messaging functions differently.
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Messaging on LinkedIn
If you are a business owner who has been using LinkedIn to network with others, you might have used direct messaging to start conversations and stay in touch with people. On LinkedIn, you are talking to professionals and perhaps other business owners and decision-makers. You might be using messaging to reach out to people you want to connect with and build relationships with them. LinkedIn allows you to message your first-degree connections for free, as well as other members within groups. If you’re not connected, you have to use InMail, which you can do with a Premium account. However, other people can choose not to receive InMail.
This means that messaging on LinkedIn isn’t particularly open. You can’t just message anyone you want. Additionally, messaging on LinkedIn is fairly basic compared to messaging features on other social networks. It’s more limited and you’re much less likely to be using it to connect with customers. Instead, it’s best for forming and growing connections for people such as business contacts, potential employees, and others in your industry.
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Messaging on Instagram and Facebook
You can manage your messages on both Facebook and Instagram using the Facebook Business Suite. This is an app that you can use with your Facebook page and with the option to connect an Instagram account on desktop, as well as on mobile devices. Facebook Business Suite actually allows you to manage every aspect of your Facebook Page and Instagram account, which includes viewing and responding to messages, as well as seeing comments, managing your posts and viewing insights into your data. Of course, you can also use other social media management tools to manage your messages.
One thing to remember about Facebook and Instagram messaging is that both platforms are generally more casual. You’re more likely to be using them for B2C marketing and customer service, rather than for B2B business. Direct messaging on Facebook and Instagram includes a variety of features, such as the ability to send videos, GIFs, images, voice messages, locations, and embeds of posts. These features allow for an experience that engages the customer and helps to create a personalized conversation.
Messaging on Instagram and Facebook is excellent for engaging your audience and providing customer service. You can use your CRM to keep track of the contact you have with people on these platforms and other channels.
