The subject of bots causes many individuals to lose faith in social media marketing. So, be warned. What are they? Bots are algorithms that act in social media platforms but look like real users to common people.
Bots might appear smart, talk to you, influence how you think, yet are just mere computer programs. Just like any other stuff, social media bots have their advantages and disadvantages.
The Good of Social Media Bots
Businesses depend on chatbots to communicate to their audiences when humans are away. It is essential that the person these bots are communicating to know that they are being assisted by chatbots, instead of faking that they are getting help from real people.
They can provide customer service, offer suggestions according to the questions from the user, customize messages for different users, respond to messages, give guidance to the audience, make appointments, and provide a general quality experience to customers of a business.
The Downsides of Social Media Bots
If you make the wrong choice of bots, you can end up frustrating your consumers and affect your business in the process. Some bots are programmed poorly and would offer little help and even annoy those seeking information.
There is the risk of becoming lazy because the bots can interact with customers on most occasions. But do not forget that they are only capable of only handling simple interactions, and could never replace humans.
Use bots to gain a huge number of followers on social media to like and comment on whatever you post. By having many fake followers, you attract real ones and become famous. The deception here is the issue because at some point your real followers will find out about these bots and lose trust in you. Besides, they will only make you look good, but will never buy your products.
Bots can be used to create mischief on social media. If someone wants to bring down their competitors, they can simply program bots to comment negatively and taint the opponent’s image. Some people would send bots to like the content of their opponents and help people find out about it. This act is a bad practice for any business that seeks to operate legitimately.
Bots are capable of influencing how people perceive information. If you create thousands of bots and use them to pass certain information, it is possible to sway how people think. In the same breath, there is a danger of sending forth the wrong information like fake news or wrong message that could affect your brand image and create distrust among your followers, if for instance, you allow the bot to retweet content.
At the end of the day, the use of bots depends on individuals and businesses. You can choose to utilize them for good and legitimately make your businesses grow or cause havoc with them. Many companies with social media accounts are already using bots in various ways to improve their customer experience, and more keep coming on board. Getting bots for your business will ensure you give your audience a better experience and increase your ROI in the process.