Email vs Messenger Marketing - which one is better?

by WF Will Administrator
53 replies
Hey Warriors,

As you know Chatbots & Messenger Marketing has been the craze lately in the marketing community and there has been a lot of debate over whether Email or Messenger Marketing is better.

One of the main arguments for Messenger is because their Open Rates & CTR are currently higher than Email on average. However, with recent changes by Facebook, Messenger Marketing seems to be getting a lot more restrictive.



I understand that both have their pros and cons but I think it would be interesting to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms. I personally use Messenger Marketing more and here's what I like and don't like about it:

Pros

1. The ability to build your Subscriber List with Messenger Ads
2. Engagement Campaigns with Comment Growth Tools (you can have an automated flow that engages with people who comment on a post - they will subscribe to your list)
3. Exporting the Subscriber List to Create Lookalike Audiences for Ad Targeting
4. Real Time Chat & Automated Flows

Cons

1. Facebook is removing Broadcast Messages unless you're an approved page, but the catch is you can't send any promotional messages. The current workaround to that is running Messenger Ads ($20-40 per 1,000 impressions), Anyone who engages with your bot, you're allowed to send them another promotional message in 24 hours.
2. Approved Pages for Broadcast Messages can only send messages about News, Productivity and Personal Tracking.



What do you guys think after hearing about these updates?
Do you think this was the right move for Facebook Messenger?

Additional Resources:
Massive Messenger Policy Changes
Email VS Messenger Marketing Stats
#email #marketing #messenger
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  • Profile picture of the author sgalla414
    I don't personally use either of these but having been on the receiving end of both of these types of marketing. Email is easier to ignore. I'm not sure if it is because Messenger is still new and emails are just a part of the furniture or not but something about a Messenger notification is more exciting. I have found messenger a bit more intrusive. I still cant quite figure out how I became apart of one person's Facebook messages and I'm not 100% sure how to be removed from this. Another positive for messenger is that it does seem more personal than an email.
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    • Profile picture of the author DIABL0
      Originally Posted by sgalla414 View Post

      I have found messenger a bit more intrusive. I still cant quite figure out how I became apart of one person's Facebook messages and I'm not 100% sure how to be removed from this.
      When you receive a message from a business you can click the little cog icon and there is an option to turn off messages from them. On a cellphone, there may be a different icon to tap. I mainly use a laptop and the icon is a cog.
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    • Profile picture of the author WF Will
      Administrator
      Originally Posted by sgalla414 View Post

      I don't personally use either of these but having been on the receiving end of both of these types of marketing. Email is easier to ignore. I'm not sure if it is because Messenger is still new and emails are just a part of the furniture or not but something about a Messenger notification is more exciting. I have found messenger a bit more intrusive. I still cant quite figure out how I became apart of one person's Facebook messages and I'm not 100% sure how to be removed from this. Another positive for messenger is that it does seem more personal than an email.
      You can type "unsubscribe" to the page's messenger chat which should pull up an automated confirmation to confirm if you want to unsubscribe.
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      • Profile picture of the author sgalla414
        Originally Posted by WF Will View Post

        You can type "unsubscribe" to the page's messenger chat which should pull up an automated confirmation to confirm if you want to unsubscribe.
        I'm not sure how I was never aware of this before but thank-you !
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  • Profile picture of the author DIABL0
    My core business is monetizing email data for which I don't use mainstream methods to acquire the data, so I don't use messenger bots.

    I would assume the changes will be much more challenging for most. I heard the average cost for 1000 messages will be around $24 per 1000 sent to users in the U.S ... that's 2.4 cents per message. That's more expensive than SMS.

    While email does get lower opens rates, you can resend a message to those that didn't open and increase the overall opens for a message. Plus you can do it multiple times.

    For those that are only doing messenger marketing, I would be collecting email and SMS numbers so you also have alternative less expensive means of contacting users.
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    • Profile picture of the author WF Will
      Administrator
      Originally Posted by DIABL0 View Post

      My core business is monetizing email data for which I don't use mainstream methods to acquire the data, so I don't use messenger bots.

      I would assume the changes will be much more challenging for most. I heard the average cost for 1000 messages will be around $24 per 1000 sent to users in the U.S ... that's 2.4 cents per message. That's more expensive than SMS.

      While email does get lower opens rates, you can resend a message to those that didn't open and increase the overall opens for a message. Plus you can do it multiple times.

      For those that are only doing messenger marketing, I would be collecting email and SMS numbers so you alternative less expensive means of contacting users.
      Yes, that pricing does sound about right. It'll be interesting to see how people change their approach within the next year. I believe the no broadcast rule is going to be heavily enforced starting in July.
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      • Profile picture of the author DIABL0
        Originally Posted by WF Will View Post

        Yes, that pricing does sound about right. It'll be interesting to see how people change their approach within the next year. I believe the no broadcast rule is going to be heavily enforced starting in July.
        Yes, it's Aug 1 that the broadcast API is supposed to go away.
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        How to Build LARGE EMAIL LISTS on a Budget and MONETIZE Like a PRO
        20+ Years Exp . . . . . . . . . . . . Email - CPA - PPL
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  • Profile picture of the author Delboy Trotter
    Messenger marketing without a doubt. The OR is just phenomenal.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve L
    Originally Posted by WF Will View Post

    Hey Warriors,

    As you know Chatbots & Messenger Marketing has been the craze lately in the marketing community and there has been a lot of debate over whether Email or Messenger Marketing is better.

    One of the main arguments for Messenger is because their Open Rates & CTR are currently higher than Email on average. However, with recent changes by Facebook, Messenger Marketing seems to be getting a lot more restrictive.



    I understand that both have their pros and cons but I think it would be interesting to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms. I personally use Messenger Marketing more and here's what I like and don't like about it:

    Pros

    1. The ability to build your Subscriber List with Messenger Ads
    2. Engagement Campaigns with Comment Growth Tools (you can have an automated flow that engages with people who comment on a post - they will subscribe to your list)
    3. Exporting the Subscriber List to Create Lookalike Audiences for Ad Targeting
    4. Real Time Chat & Automated Flows

    Cons

    1. Facebook is removing Broadcast Messages unless you're an approved page, but the catch is you can't send any promotional messages. The current workaround to that is running Messenger Ads ($20-40 per 1,000 impressions), Anyone who engages with your bot, you're allowed to send them another promotional message in 24 hours.
    2. Approved Pages for Broadcast Messages can only send messages about News, Productivity and Personal Tracking.



    What do you guys think after hearing about these updates?
    Do you think this was the right move for Facebook Messenger?

    Additional Resources:
    Massive Messenger Policy Changes
    Email VS Messenger Marketing Stats
    Email is still king, so it's not really a matter of either or. Even if you're engaging in Messenger Marketing, doesn't mean you shouldn't also have an email list. With that said, results with Messenger Marketing will vary depending on the audience you're targeting. Older demographic doesn't like that channel, but a younger one has no issues with it.

    Also, open rates and click thrus are meaningless if they aren't resulting in sales. What kind of sales are you generating with Messenger Marketing vs Email? Those are the metrics I really want to know.
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  • Profile picture of the author riyasharma431001
    I don't use both of them and think both of these sources are the same. In the case of the messenger, you will just come to know If someone read your message of not nothing else.
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  • Profile picture of the author klick2chat
    email marketing is the best to start
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  • I've found messenger marketing to be way more effective than email marketing. The open rate is much higher, and subscribers are more engaged. However, with FB's new restrictions, things will be more difficult.
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  • Profile picture of the author Medon
    I think messenger is doing better than email marketing. The underlying factors are many. First, social media is addictive and so people will find themselves reading whatever is posted there. In most cases, it is easier to ignore emails that look promotional. So by the end of the day, you will reach more audience if you chose to use messenger than email. But combining the two will give better results.
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  • Profile picture of the author Amarjeet Verma
    According to me, messenger is Good.
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  • Profile picture of the author lukeo
    Hey great post,
    Love how you broke everything down in terms of stats and figures. To your credit, this is not the first time I have seen someone compare the two with messenger marketing coming out on top, so I definitely appreciate the figures.
    I think the way everything is going now in terms of social media platforms is the reason that messenger marketing is yielding greater results! I do think that it is still possible to make email marketing results better depending on your audience etc.
    Still though great post man!
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  • Profile picture of the author pramodtapu
    Email Marketing is still the heo of marketing.Email is amlost 40 times more effective than Facebook and twitter combined in helping your business acquire new customers.The Answer you are looking for is both.play it on he safe side by using email marketing and experiment try to find a way to bring value instead of just pushing messages try to create a story using chatbots.
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  • Profile picture of the author talfighel
    In this case you will have to test both to see what works better for you as an individual.

    While one method works really well for one person, it may not work for another.

    Test and see.
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  • Profile picture of the author demesnial
    since messenger marketing and manychat users are still growing, it is early days, and therefore you will get better subscription , open rates etc with messenger marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author DURABLEOILCOM
    I believe Chatbots is the evolution of email Internet Marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author hardworker2013
    Yes messenger has become popular than emails in recent times, and Facebook wants you to use there ad platform to promote products and not to abuse the messenger system. Emails on the other hand has become very difficult with most email companies strengthening there spam filters. The trick is to use a reputable email auto-responder there are several of them out there, which although may be a bit costly, does get a high inbox open rate.
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  • Profile picture of the author 56ajjusingh
    As per own view facebook messenger is better way to reach up to the new customers.
    we can describe it best way that chatbot marketing. This marketing is totally based on artificial intelligence. this messenger can help you to interact your customers with your absence.
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  • Profile picture of the author komal90
    email is much better for long content and marketing to older audience. Messenger chatbox are better for young audience for quick and interactive engagemnet
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  • I like the idea of using messenger more for sales rather than for marketing. Messenger can be intrusive and it can have an negative impact on your funnel. I'd rather have the people opt-in to messenger when I'm at conversion or upselling.
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  • Profile picture of the author AGupta
    Email marketing is less intrusive and more personalized than messenger marketing.
    Also your CTA buttons are more strategically positioned letting the user interact with the actual content for a longer time.
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  • Profile picture of the author eggninny
    Email marketing is no doubt the best form of marketing which gives best results in terms of ROI but we cannot overlook the messenger marketing as it is becoming the upcoming trend and a new better way of marketing online. But still, I don't think that email marketing in any way will get affected.
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  • Profile picture of the author Adrianne_
    Email & Messenger both work well. However, messenger is a lot faster due to the potential for 2 way engagement. A customer can get their questions answered immediately instead of waiting for a reply from an email. Also, they make decisions a lot faster in messenger, especially if you have one heck of an offer.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rob Dean
    Both strategies are good and there is no way to compare them, they are very different. Messenger is highly effective today and cheap, but that party won't last forever while Email is yours and you don't have to worry about a platform taking it from you and done well, it's highly effective.
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  • Profile picture of the author patientvalve
    Email marketing is better then messenger marketing because Email Marketing is very popular and its Very use in world.
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  • Profile picture of the author nelson cortel
    Email is king of the digital marketing channels for various reasons. Email marketing is very flexible compare to messenger.
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  • Profile picture of the author donaldtr
    Email Marketing is the best!
    It is a professional way.
    I'm using it for 5 years
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  • Profile picture of the author tyronne78
    Open rates and CTR may be higher with messenger marketing but that doesn't mean sales conversions are better compared to email marketing.

    From my experience people are ready to take out their credit cards and buy usually before a Google search or from a click in an email.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cris Dawal
    Both have pros and cons. Why not use both?
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  • Profile picture of the author Meir Ben Hadar
    I'm still a sucker for good old fashioned email marketing.
    very stable and highly profitable if it's done right
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  • Profile picture of the author Randall Magwood
    Alot of temp agencies use text messaging to get instant results to new hire positions. Sometimes they dont send broadcast emails. They'll just send a broadcast text and will tell people to reply with their name to be considered.

    Had they try to do the same thing with email marketing, i bet the response rates would be amazingly lower. People these days can't pee without their cell phone in their hands.

    I'm still an email marketing lover, and i personally don't like broadcasting my clients with a text message everytime i have something new to show or teach them.

    So both strategies can be used to promote a product/service. Do your own testing and see what works best for you.
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  • Originally Posted by WF Will View Post

    Hey Warriors,

    As you know Chatbots & Messenger Marketing has been the craze lately in the marketing community and there has been a lot of debate over whether Email or Messenger Marketing is better.

    One of the main arguments for Messenger is because their Open Rates & CTR are currently higher than Email on average. However, with recent changes by Facebook, Messenger Marketing seems to be getting a lot more restrictive.



    I understand that both have their pros and cons but I think it would be interesting to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms. I personally use Messenger Marketing more and here's what I like and don't like about it:

    Pros

    1. The ability to build your Subscriber List with Messenger Ads
    2. Engagement Campaigns with Comment Growth Tools (you can have an automated flow that engages with people who comment on a post - they will subscribe to your list)
    3. Exporting the Subscriber List to Create Lookalike Audiences for Ad Targeting
    4. Real Time Chat & Automated Flows

    Cons

    1. Facebook is removing Broadcast Messages unless you're an approved page, but the catch is you can't send any promotional messages. The current workaround to that is running Messenger Ads ($20-40 per 1,000 impressions), Anyone who engages with your bot, you're allowed to send them another promotional message in 24 hours.
    2. Approved Pages for Broadcast Messages can only send messages about News, Productivity and Personal Tracking.



    What do you guys think after hearing about these updates?
    Do you think this was the right move for Facebook Messenger?

    Additional Resources:
    Massive Messenger Policy Changes
    Email VS Messenger Marketing Stats
    Personally I think Messenger Marketing is better than Email marketing because Messenger Marketing is optimizing or piggybacking on the use of mobile phones. Please are quicker to access online information via their phones than their desktop computer or laptop.

    Messenger Marketing is something I am looking into myself.

    Stay cool and successful...
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  • Profile picture of the author josias
    In my opinion, it really depends on your target audience and this brings us back to marketing personalization. So if user A mostly uses email, then let's send him emails. If user B prefers messenger, well, let's then send him text messages. For example, I usually don't use messenger/bots for other porpuses that are not related to testing something (an automation, conversions, a service, etc.), but email works well with me.

    Maybe user C prefers and old-school but effective piece of paper in the mailbox. We simple need to use whatever we can aligned with whatever the end user wants if that's aligned with the best conversions and ROI we are expecting.
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  • Profile picture of the author pramodtapu
    Email marketing is the act of sending a commercial message ,typically to a group of people using email,messenger marketing is simply the act of marketing to your customers using a messaging app.so both are good in their own ways.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrewsfm
    Email, it is king and always will be. Facebook can shut you down in a breath and boom, no more subscribers. Email is an asset, you can backup your lists and keep them forever.

    Even if say Aweber shut your account down, you can just make another with another provider and upload your list and continue as normal!

    Of course, you can do both which will make your business more effective. Focus on one main strategy for list building, and make sure that's email, then have sub focuses, messenger lists, push notifications, SMS etc.
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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelQuinn
    Personally, I'd rather have the marketing message in my email instead of messenger. I speak with a lot of people, any chat boxs or unwanted messages are ignored and immediately deleted. At least with the email I'll archive it or store it in a separate folder and come back to it.
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  • Profile picture of the author srinivasa raju
    email marketing always better.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnVianny
    It's another shiny object: could be a tool for an established business but it's not the 'magic pill' to have bunch of leads.

    FIrstly cause it's expensive, more than you think

    Secondly, cause it's another way to not take out people from the Social Network
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  • Profile picture of the author sophie marton
    Worth reading guys. read to clear the difference between Email and messenger marketing.
    Hardly some points I was knowing. Thanks, for sharing the amazing list which will help so many beginners who are starting their career in marketing like me.
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  • Profile picture of the author seokohli
    Email and Messenger Marketing both have their own pros and cons. Email is one of the oldest way of marketing but still works. Success ratio is depend on multiple things such as: way to send emails, open rates, email data, option to open email once again etc. On the other side, Messenger Marketing is creative way to provide instant resolution to customer. Customer really happy to get instant solution to his problem but drawback is messages doesn't save in messenger hence customer need to search for his solution everytime.
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  • Profile picture of the author ahmad nasir
    i think email works way better than massenger and i recommend it too
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  • Profile picture of the author webbusineses
    Isn't messenger marketing more annoying for the recipients who don't want it? Being in Email Industry, I think it has a better and a broader scope, for the sender to improve, automate and scale this data-driven engagement channel, while a recipient has a good amount of power to exercise too, email is more strictly monitored by various bodies as well. The email has a better scope.
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  • Profile picture of the author dubeyrrohini
    Banned
    Email and Facebook Messenger are both equally crucial for eCommerce businesses. Every business is unique and you'll never know which channel will perform best on any given day.
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  • Profile picture of the author eggninny
    Although we can't replace email marketing completely, messenger marketing is something which is definitely going to dominate. Still, email marketing will work great I hope.
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  • Profile picture of the author Beatriz1
    I found Messenger marketing is more convincing marketing than
    Email marketing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Beatriz1
    Messenger is best because its a cheap and effective way.
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    • Profile picture of the author Medon
      Originally Posted by Beatriz1 View Post

      Messenger is best because its a cheap and effective way.
      What about email marketing? Dont you think it is cheaper ? I think the best strategy is to combine the two.
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  • Profile picture of the author Ian Jackson
    Easy...

    Email

    Why?

    OWNERSHIP
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  • I don't personally use either of these methods as I find that building my email list and providing super value for my subscribers is the way forward.
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  • Profile picture of the author Raunik Kapoor
    Email marketing falls under Internet marketing. Whereas, Messenger marketing falls under social media marketing. Email marketing creates a bond between you and your customers, the email addresses you have are more important than you think. Those Email account owners are your subscribers, people who are interested in your products or services. Whereas, Social media marketing gives you popularity in a specific platform, which doesn't guarantee that 50% of your followers are your loyal customers, but for sure a smart social media strategy could bring you a lot of customers.

    Messenger is highly effective today and cheap, but that party won't last forever.
    For decades email has stood unopposed in the world of digital marketing. In my opinion, email marketing is one of the best tools to get high results.
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