Marketers have been leaning heavily on Facebook and Snapchat to connect with millennials over the last few years, but there are several new messaging apps that are growing in popularity. To stay ahead of the competition and to stay top-of-mind, marketing teams must be in the know about where the tech-savvy generation is spending its time. Here are four messaging apps that you need to know about this year in order to stay ahead of the curve.
One: Kik
With 240 million users and an average session of 35 minutes, Kik is turning into a hotbed of millennial activity. Kik offers data-based ads that target users based on age, location and gender. The platform also includes a Promoted Chat feature that lets brands connect directly with individual users, and people are taking advantage. The company reports that over 16 million consumers have exchanged over 500 million messages through sponsored, promoted chats.
Two: Line
Line is extremely popular with millennials in Japan, and they are now focusing their attention on a U.S. user base. They currently boast 212 million users and are reporting revenues near $650 million. Line sells “stickers” (a cross between emojis and avatars) that users send to their friends, along with free voice and video calling. Brands can set up accounts to interact with their customer base. Last year Amazon used Line to have users vote on two ugly holiday sweaters. After choosing a sweater, users were able to click through to buy the sweater they preferred. They are also launching a platform similar to Snapchat Discover, where brands can create content hubs.
Three: WeChat
One of the top messaging apps in China, WeChat reports nearly 600 million monthly users. WeChat offers brands placements in news feeds and brands like Michael Kors, Nike and Burberry have been utilizing the platform to produce original content to drive sales.
Four: Viber
Viber is new to the message scene in the U.S., but they are already making a splash with over 664 million global users on their “lifestyle portal” of entertainment, messaging and games. Like Line, marketers are able to develop custom, branded “stickers” for users, and build a network of fans for their official accounts. Spotify, Barclays, and Mashable are early, successful adopters of the platform.
Social media and messaging apps are constantly innovating and advancing, as are the tastes and attention span of the people who use them. In order to stay on the cutting edge of digital marketing trends, you need to know where to find marketing talent who stay on top of technology trends. If your company is looking to attract the best and brightest marketers, contact the sales and marketing recruiting experts at CSS ProSeach today to learn more about connecting with the professionals who will drive your business forward.