Facebook is rolling out a series of updates including audio and video calling in Messenger, live audio rooms, and appointment bookings to better facilitate connections.
Facebook is starting to test audio and video calling with select small and medium-sized businesses using Business Inbox in messenger. These enhanced features can help close business more deals by allowing customers to find items right then and there.
This will bring phone, video and texting in one app.
Businesses can communicate and facilitate transactions with customers without leaving Messenger.
Live audio rooms
Live audio rooms were introduced this year. Small businesses can host live conversations on topics relevant to their customers, and people can discover across Facebook. Small businesses can invite friends, followers or any listener in the room to be a speaker.
Appointment booking
Facebook is also making its appointment tools available for small businesses and appointment bookings on Facebook are now expanding globally. Facebook has been working on its appointment booking tool for several months. This tool enables businesses to setup quick and easy appointment scheduling direct on your company’s Facebook page.
Changes to personalized ads
Facebook is also supporting small businesses when they engage with personalized ads and grow from an idea into a livelihood.
For example, users may see messages in their feeds when they click like on ads from small businesses. The message will reinforce to the user that their engagement is helping the small business grow.
Facebook’s also adding a new File Manager option to Business Suite, which will make it easier to manage your Facebook content through the app, while it’s also adding Post Testing, through which brands will be able to compare multiple versions of a post to see which one people are more likely to engage with.
Facebook’s also adding a new business tool to WhatsApp, with catalog collections, which will enable small businesses to organize their products by category, making it easier for potential customers find what they’re looking for.
Facebook will also now enable businesses to add a WhatsApp click-to-chat button to their Instagram profile.
Facebook also notes that, soon, businesses will be able to create ads that click to WhatsApp directly from the Instagram app.
And finally, Facebook is also looking to expand its Business Explore program to more people in the US, as well as additional regions like Australia, Canada, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, etc.
