Focus
A good bot does one thing well. Users want to achieve a goal or solve a problem with a relevant experience.
Simplify entry
Buttons and menus are easier than a wall of text. Typing on mobile is laborious whereas tapping a button is easy. Add buttons to show users where to go next and keep control over their journey pointing them towards end goals. Find out more about buttons, quick replies and the persistent menu.
It’s a conversation
Structure the bot to answer user questions.
Broadcasts re-engage
A user never quite stops talking to a bot. Broadcasts allow you to send messages to users at anytime, restarting the conversation. In order to send broadcasts, your users needs to opt-in ( explained in more detail here ). Ask if they’d like to opt-in to receive broadcasts early on in the journey.
Notify with care
You can choose from three types of notification when sending out a broadcast; Notification only, notification + sound / vibration and none. Not every message needs a notification. Being deliberate with notifications can increase impact.
Automated response
“Set and forget” the basic reader journey.
Start with the end goals
Start with the end goal and work back. This will give laser focus to the user journeys you’re providing.
Create a rich experience
Add powerful interactive message parts to your bot to create a rich, engaging experience.
Keep interactions short
On average the first conversation between people and a bot is about 5 interactions, so try and get the task done as quickly and efficiently.
Your users can jump in where they left off
A message thread is a permanent record, when someone comes back to a thread, they are exactly where they were when they left.
More human than an app or a website
Because a bot lives in a conversational medium it can feel more human than an app or a website. Content should flow like a narrative.
Retain engagement during a message chain
Use the delay message part to show that the bot is about to send another message and keep users engaged.