Facebook announces today that it is formally launching new business features in Messenger, where it has 40 million active business users. It includes appointment booking, lead generation, and some more.
Besides, Facebook will also begin to phase out its Discovery tab in Messenger, following last fall redesign. The feature has previously become home to both games and businesses. The feature will disappear from the Messenger app over the next several months.
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Facebook New Business Features
Facebook will launch several business features. First, the company will launch the lead-generation product within Facebook Ads Manage this week. The template lets businesses create automated experiences to help qualify their leads in Messenger. Besides, it will also continue conversations in the app or integrate with existing CRM tools to track the leads further.
Previously, the feature has been in beta following F8, but will now be publicly available.
Second, as announced at its F8 developer conference, the company will also launch an appointment booking feature for selected developers and businesses. However, the company is now launching it into beta.
This feature allows businesses to accept appointment requests and make bookings in real-time through Messenger. Moreover, it also integrates with existing calendar-booking software. Thus, it can help Messenger conversations be turned into in-store traffic, as well as online and phone appointments, the company says.
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This feature will be launched globally to all developers next year.
Third, the company also mentions that it will launch improved event reporting in Messenger later this year. The feature will allow businesses to report and track their Messenger conversations.
Fourth, Facebook also mentions that it is updating its Standard Messaging window for business to 24 hours. Thus, later, the company will bring it in line with WhatsApp’s window.
While the biggest Messenger news from F8, a desktop app for Mac and PC, hasn’t yet come to pass but is expected sometime this year.
