To Bot or Not To Bot?

To bot or not to bot? Now say that three times fast.

No, really. As a marketer, you need to keep asking yourself whether a messenger bot is right for your brand. We’ve all heard the horror stories. Bots can cause frustrating experiences for consumers because of their lack of, dare I say, human interaction. This can lead to a decrease in sales, engagement, and brand loyalty. Or course, it could be worse. The bot could end up racist and sexist. Yes, it actually happened. Look here.

What about some success stories? Beauty brands across digital are using messenger bots to drive revenue, and they’re actually working. Estée Lauder, Kiehl’s, and Sephora are just a few brands that are killing the bot game. Why? They’re creating personalized smart bots that make it easier for consumers to search for what they’re looking for in real time.

Are the days of fighting with bots gone? Not sure, but we’re getting there. With about 1.3 billion Facebook Messenger users, companies are creating one-on-one experiences with consumers in ways they couldn’t before. Sephora’s Virtual Makeup Artist helps you find the right lipstick. And I’m not talking about just typing in “ruby red lipstick.” Forbes’ Adelyn Zhou says users can snap a picture of their red dress and the system will find a color match for that user. They will even augment a selfie with that exact ruby red lipstick. Talk about a smart bot.

Estée Lauder has been a messenger champion for awhile now. In 2016, the brand launched a messenger bot for shoppers to order holiday gifts while the company had them delivered throughout London in an hour or less. That’s not all. According to Mobile Marketer, the brand uses a bot to help consumers find a foundation shade that matches their skin tone and preferences. Like many of these bots, you can even buy the product via the messenger bot.

Scheduling consultations, finding color matches, and buying products. Messenger bots are the latest fad, but it will grow legs because consumers are abandoning brick and mortar stores, and opting in for a personalized digital experience. But sometimes a bot isn’t the best option for a brand.

The brand, 1-800 Flowers allows users to order flowers right from the bot, but according to Digiday, the bot doesn’t exactly offer all options from the website. News organizations also incorporated chat bots for their own brands with little success. It goes to show that brands need to evaluate their goals, understand the consumer’s needs, and decide whether a bot can help those needs.

It’s no surprise that beauty brands are succeeding in this trend. They can use bots to provide personalized experiences, beautiful creatives, and easy-to-access information for users. If you’re a beauty brand who needs to create unique one-on-one experiences with your consumers, I would highly recommend the tactic. After all, who doesn’t want a personalized beauty stylist for their everyday needs?