Facebook has announced a variety of new tools for small
businesses, including the option to directly video and audio call from the
Facebook inbox, and an appointment booking functionality to better facilitate
connection between businesses and customers.
The new calling option that Facebook is testing will be
available in the Business Inbox in Messenger. It will allow selected businesses
to make audio and video calls directly from chat streams with customers, hence providing
the opportunity for immediate connection. It is meant to help facilitate business
queries in a better way.
In addition to that, businesses will now be able to access
live audio rooms. According to Facebook, the functionality will let them “host
live conversations on topics relevant to their customers, and people can
discover them across Facebook.” The live audio rooms will provide the host
options to invite friends, followers, creators or any listeners in the room as
speakers.
Next, Facebook is also working on providing appointment booking
tools to small businesses. These will help businesses schedule appointments with
customers in a quick and easy way, directly on their Facebook Page. The tools can
also be synced with popular booking tools and Google Calendar, to help with
data integration in real-time.
Facebook is also developing new prompts to support small
businesses when people engage with a small business ad. For instance, when a
user engages with an ad, they will be shown a message where they are explained how
engaging with ads from SMBs can help the business grow its presence.
Facebook states, “72% of US small businesses who use
personalized ads say it’s important to their success, so we’ll continue to test
more ways to highlight how personalized ads are an important way people
discover small businesses on Facebook and Instagram and help small businesses
grow from an idea into a livelihood.”
