On November 8, 2016, Facebook officially launched the option to send “sponsored message” advertisements through Facebook Messenger. This option allows companies “to deliver automated customer support, e-commerce guidance, content and interactive experiences through chatbots.” Ads however, are only shown to people who have existing conversations with companies. I believe this is a good thing since it ensures that customers are already aware of the brand, and would thus increase the likelihood of them responding to the ad. An example of how the company, Jasper’s Market is utilizing the option is showcased in the video below.

Despite how personable, efficient and simple these sponsored messages may look, they currently cannot be “automatically modified to simultaneously run on Facebook or Instagram, unlike a typical Facebook or Instagram ad.” As well, sponsored messages can only contain one link and one photo. Now how will Facebook monetize off of this option? Facebook charges companies for their sponsored messages whenever the ad appears on a customer’s Messenger screen, and companies are expected to pay for the ad impression whether the customer opens the message or not.

Will this be an effective digital advertising technique or not? Some critics believe that Messenger ads will dilute the overall experience for users and will be viewed as spam messages. Facebook’s VP of product for Messenger however, claims that the company will monitor the ads and limit the usage rates to protect the general interests of users. Furthermore, Facebook plans to define more rules for sponsored messages in the near future. I encourage you all to be on the lookout for these ads and judge the effectiveness yourself before utilizing this option.