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Security and data protection are among the top priorities for any business today - and a dealbreaker for most customers. In fact, <a href="https://iapp.org/resources/article/consumer-perspectives-of-privacy-and-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">68% of consumers globally </a>are either somewhat or very concerned about their privacy online.Without efficient and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-launches-new-security-solutions-for-businesses/">effective security solutions</a>, businesses are at risk of costly data breaches and leaks. While customers risk being exposed to identity theft and compromised accounts.That’s why Rakuten Viber has recently introduced a new verification message option - to help businesses build secure, trustworthy interactions with their customers.Read on to learn what Viber Verification Messages are, how brands can use them, and the benefits of sending these message types on one of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-achieves-soc-2-type-2-certification/">the most secure super apps globally</a>.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">What are Viber Verification Messages (OTP)?</h2>Viber Verification Messages are <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">business messages</a> that enable brands to authenticate customers by sending them a one-time password (OTP).&nbsp;To help simplify the authentication process, we’ve created verification message templates in 33 languages that enable brands to send one-time passwords in seconds. And customers can complete the process just as fast.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/viber_verification_message_elements_fc39576b5c.png"><figcaption>Viber Verification Message (OTP) elements</figcaption></figure>Powered by high-security solutions on the backend, brands can use Rakuten Viber’s templates to simplify onboarding, shopping, and banking processes in a single app, while keeping all personal information safe. All they have to do is fill in text and numbers in the template and language of their choice.In essence, using Rakuten Viber to send one-time passwords helps brands set up an uninterrupted, secure authentication process with pre-approved localized templates that increase efficiency, security, and conversions.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Viber vs traditional SMS verification: What’s the difference?</h2>When it comes to authentication solutions, traditional SMS has made a name for itself in the one-time password space. However, as practical as SMS is, it lacks the key features Rakuten Viber offers to turn basic security transactions into a seamless branded experience.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/viber_verification_message_vs_sms_otp_message_24083fdd2a.png"><figcaption>Viber Verification Message vs SMS OTP message feature comparison</figcaption></figure><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Fast and simple authentication</h3>Initially, customers would receive a plain text message with their one-time password, which they would need to remember or struggle to copy and paste. Now, they can easily copy their password with the click of a button, speeding up the process and minimizing their frustration.And if you’re wondering how fast is “fast”, Viber Verification Messages can be sent within seconds - a much shorter time-to-live (TTL) than other message types.&nbsp;<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Branded experiences</h3>One-time passwords sent via SMS often arrive in a generic message thread, without a company logo or name. This can raise concern and caution among customers since they can appear as spam at first glance, especially if they are unexpected.&nbsp;With a verified and branded Rakuten Viber business account, one-time passwords are received in a verified business chat that is customized with brand elements, such as colors and a logo. This reassures customers that the message is coming from the right business, minimizing hesitation and increasing trust.&nbsp;<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Advanced security options</h3>Using Rakuten Viber, businesses can ensure their sensitive information stays protected through message encryption and sender verification checks.&nbsp;Viber SecurePlus Messages, for example, are business messages that unobtrusively check a recipient’s phone number to confirm it’s not flagged for potential fraudulent activity, and only deliver your one-time passwords when the recipient has been verified. Brands can also add on additional layers of security, such as:<ul><li>specific user checks</li><li>account activity checks</li><li>account activation/deactivation checks</li><li>device replacement checks</li></ul>Put simply, an SMS OTP message gets the job done but a Viber Verification Message integrates security into an end-to-end journey in one place.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">How Rakuten Viber improves authentication for customers</h2>By using Rakuten Viber, brands can enhance user trust, reduce friction during the authentication process, and improve overall security.In practice, when a customer initiates the OTP process, they will receive their password as a Viber Business Message delivered to a dedicated Business chat inbox, and will simultaneously receive a push notification in their notification bar or lock screen.&nbsp;The message will include a “copy” button which the customer taps to copy the password to their clipboard and paste on the website or in the app. Alternatively, if they don’t want to leave the website or app screen, they can copy and paste the password directly from the push notification.Both options offer users an easy and convenient way to complete their authentication process, eliminating friction and increasing customer satisfaction.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/viber_verification_message_in_practice_3001366ac9.png"><figcaption>Example of receiving a Viber Verification Message in-app and as a push notification</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">How to get started with Viber Verification Messages</h2>If you already have a Rakuten Viber business account, the process of sending an OTP message is simple. Once our <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners/">messaging partner</a> of your choice updates the Rakuten Viber API, you will be able to unlock the verification message features. Reach out to your messaging partner or your Rakuten Viber Account Manager to learn more.<h3>Don’t have a Rakuten Viber business account?</h3>If you want to start using verification message templates but don’t have a Rakuten Viber business account, you can talk to our experts or <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners/">explore our partner page</a> to get started.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">I’m a messaging platform provider, what do I do?</h3>If you’re a messaging platform provider that wants to facilitate the one-time passwords brands send on your platform, simply integrate the latest version of our API and the verification message templates feature will be available to your clients. If you have any questions, please reach out to your dedicated Rakuten Viber Account Manager.

How to use Rakuten Viber as an OTP channel

Learn more about Viber Verification Messages and why brands should use them to send one-time passwords (OTP) to customers

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The holidays bring one of the year’s most important sales opportunities for businesses, and super apps like Rakuten Viber have taken center stage for successful holiday campaigns. As consumers become more digitally engaged, the way they interact with brands is evolving, and Viber provides unique opportunities for holiday marketing that can help businesses reach their target audience and drive results.Viber for Business solutions enable you to create seamless, all-in-app customer journeys. Regardless of where your customer is in their journey, you can effortlessly continue the interaction and guide them to the next step.&nbsp;Whether you're looking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, or simply raise brand awareness, here are some effective strategies you can use to maximize your holiday marketing:<h2 style="text-align:justify;">1. Leverage Viber Rich Business Messaging&nbsp;</h2>Rakuten Viber offers advanced communication solutions and features to engage customers, and during the holiday season, they become even more powerful. Here are some options you can incorporate into your holiday marketing campaign:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Viber Business Messages: If your goal is to inform and engage customers about new products and services, Viber Business Messages are an effective tool. You can send personalized, one-to-one messages directly to clients who have given consent to receive notifications from your brand. Use <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-business-messages-essentials-for-brand-growth/">Business Messages</a> to reach your customer database with personalized, festive content. Whether it's a holiday sale announcement or a time-sensitive offer, customers can receive your seasonal promotions on the platform they use daily with friends and family - increasing visibility and conversions.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Viber Chatbots: Holiday shoppers are often looking for quick answers. With Viber’s <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-chatbot-evolution-from-simple-interactions-to-sentient-like-conversations/">chatbot integration</a>, you can automate responses to common questions about products, shipping details, or store hours. You can also set up holiday-specific workflows to guide customers through your special offers.</li></ul>Use rich media, such as high-quality images, videos, and files, to create visually appealing business messages. You can share holiday-themed content like promotional videos or gift guides to spark interest, add emojis for a playful touch, and create compelling messages of up to 1,000 characters to keep your audience engaged.&nbsp;To boost chatbot engagement, customize buttons to guide users through seamless interactions, and enhance the experience with <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/#:~:text=CONTACT%20US-,Stickers,-A%C2%A0picture%20really">holiday-themed stickers</a> and GIFs that add personality. Create carousels showcasing festive products to drive purchases, while providing personalized recommendations that resonate with your audience. These features not only capture attention but also foster deeper connections with your brand, improving customer satisfaction and driving conversion.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">2. Personalize messaging for a better customer experience</h2>Personalization is key to standing out during the busy holiday season. With Rakuten Viber, you can send customized messages that speak directly to your audience’s preferences and behavior. Here are a few ideas how:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Send relevant content: Integrate your CDP or CRM system with Viber Rich Business Messaging to analyze customers, segment your audience into different groups (e.g., frequent shoppers, first-time visitors, high spenders), and send them tailored offers. Personalization can go beyond names to include product recommendations based on previous purchases or browsing behavior.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Share holiday greetings: A simple, heartfelt message can go a long way. Send personalized holiday greetings to your customers to show appreciation for their support over the year. This adds a personal touch that helps build brand loyalty.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Offer exclusive deals to loyal customers: Create VIP promotions or exclusive discounts for your loyalty club members. Offering these special perks makes customers feel valued and encourages them to repeat purchases from your business.</li></ul><h2 style="text-align:justify;">3. Run targeted ads</h2><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-ads-vs-traditional-advertising-efficiency-and-scale/">Viber Ads</a> allow businesses to run targeted ad campaigns that reach the right audience at the right time. This solution is perfect for holiday marketing and, among many use cases, it allows you to:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Raise awareness and generate new leads: Use targeting capabilities to reach users who may be new to your brand but share similar interests or behaviors with your existing customers. Run eye-catching ads that highlight your unique holiday offerings, keeping your brand top-of-mind for your prospective audience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Retarget past customers: If you’ve been running campaigns throughout the year, you can use Viber’s retargeting capabilities to re-engage users who have interacted with your brand but haven’t converted into paying customers yet. Retargeting can help you fight cart abandonment, upsell and cross sell during the holiday season.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Create seasonal promotions: Launch geo-targeted ads to reach customers in specific regions with localized holiday promotions. Whether you’re running a holiday discount or promoting an exclusive event, location-based targeting can ensure your message reaches the right people.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Facilitate conversions: With the Click-to-Message solution on Viber, you can drive simpler and faster conversions from your ads. This solution pairs ads with a chatbot: users click the ad, interact with a pre-defined chatbot, and complete purchases in just a few clicks. It’s ideal for businesses looking for quick, effective conversions without the need to build complex chatbots.&nbsp;</li></ul><h2 style="text-align:justify;">4. Engage with customers through interactive content</h2>The holiday season is about connecting with your customers in fun and engaging ways. Viber offers several interactive options to make your brand part of the festive excitement:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Virtual showrooms: Use <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/get-creative-with-viber-lenses-how-to-leverage-them-for-unique-marketing-strategies/">AR-powered Viber Lenses</a> to create a virtual try-on experience. During the busy shopping season, customers will appreciate the option to try products from the comfort of their homes. Your Lenses can link directly to your website or Viber Chatbot, allowing customers to complete their purchases in just a few clicks. <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-and-kiko-milano-bridge-the-gap-between-online-and-offline-beauty-experiences-with-innovative-virtual-try-on/">See how KIKO Milano used this solution to simplify the shopping experience for their customers</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;">Branded stickers: Viber Stickers allow your brand to integrate seamlessly into users' conversations. Create holiday-themed stickers that feature your brand and encourage users to share them with their contacts. This provides organic exposure and makes your brand a part of the conversation. You can also link the stickers to a Viber Chatbot, guiding users to subscribe when they download your sticker pack. This helps build awareness and creates a lead generation funnel during the festive season.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Holiday Gems: Viber Gems are animations triggered by specific keywords in user chats which offer exclusive brand placement, since only one brand can reserve them at a time in each market. You can brand these animations during the holidays to seamlessly become part of the celebrations. For example, in Greece, Fanta <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/fanta-greece/">joined the carnival </a>celebrations in user chats, Puma launched branded animations during the European Championship, and in the Philippines, Nestlé Nido <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/branded-viber-gems-debut-in-apac-nido-mothers-day-campaign-in-the-philippines-on-rakuten-viber/">became a part of customers' Mother's Day</a> greetings.</li></ul>If your goal is to attract a new audience, you can create effective 360° campaigns that lead users to your chatbot, providing a seamless customer experience. For example, you can launch Viber Ads, branded Stickers, and AR-powered Lenses—all directing customers to your chatbot on Viber to drive conversions during the holiday season. Additionally, to boost your brand’s visibility, you can use branded Gems that appear in response to holiday-related keywords, immersing users in festive vibes for greater engagement.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/Ji-9e_6DQRM?si=WkzErjCv-vBxNVna"></oembed></figure>Example of a 360° campaign for Valentine’s Day<h2 style="text-align:justify;">5. Track performance and adjust your campaigns in real-time</h2>One of the biggest advantages of using Rakuten Viber for holiday marketing is the ability to track campaign performance in real-time. With Viber’s analytics tools, you can monitor seen rates, click-through rates, and engagement metrics to see how your messages and ads are performing.If you want your campaign to perform better, you can quickly make adjustments to optimize your efforts. For example, you can tweak your messaging, target a different audience segment, or experiment with a different type of content to see what resonates best during the holiday season.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">6. Build long-term customer relationships beyond the holidays</h2>While the holiday season is a great opportunity for short-term sales, it’s also important to think about long-term customer relationships. Use Rakuten Viber as a channel to foster loyalty and keep your audience engaged well beyond the holidays:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Customer support: After the holiday rush, customers often have questions about their purchases, like how to use or assemble them. And since <a href="https://www.liveperson.com/resources/reports/2021-conversational-commerce/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">91% of customers</a> prefer brands that offer the option to message or call for support, it’s important to have both of these options available to them. Keep your <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-open-a-viber-business-account/">Viber Business Account</a> active and responsive with chatbots and business messages to provide quick support. While <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-expands-its-portfolio-for-brand-user-interaction-with-business-calls/">Viber Business Calls</a> enables customers to call you for free from anywhere in the world - whether they can’t continue typing or simply because it’s easier to explain certain details over the phone.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Post-holiday promotions: Don’t let the momentum stop when the holiday passes. Run post-holiday sales and promotions to capitalize on the ongoing shopping mood and clear out leftover inventory.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Customer feedback: Ask customers for feedback on their holiday shopping experience with your brand. This shows you care about their opinions and can help you refine future marketing strategies.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Subscription offers: Encourage customers to stay connected with your brand by offering subscription options for exclusive offers, early access to sales, or birthday discounts throughout the year.</li></ul><h2 style="text-align:justify;">7. Stay ahead of trends with Rakuten Viber’s innovations</h2>Rakuten Viber is constantly evolving, introducing new solutions and features that can further enhance your holiday marketing campaigns. From raising awareness and generating new leads to driving sales and building loyalty, Rakuten Viber is helping brands create more dynamic and effective campaigns to achieve different business goals.Make sure you’re taking advantage of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/maximizing-sales-the-power-of-viber-ads-and-viber-business-messages/">Viber for Business solutions</a> to stay ahead of the curve and maximize your holiday marketing impact.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Level up your holiday marketing campaigns</h2>The holiday season is the perfect time to connect with your customers in meaningful ways, and Rakuten Viber offers an array of tools to help you do just that. From personalized messaging and interactive content to targeted ads and performance tracking, Rakuten Viber can elevate your holiday marketing efforts and drive real results.By creating a festive, engaging, and customer-centric experience on Viber, your brand can stand out from the competition, build lasting relationships, and make the next holiday season your most successful one yet.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Ready to get started?</h2>If you're looking to elevate your holiday marketing strategy on Rakuten Viber, reach out to our team for more tips, tools, and best practices!

7 ways to level up your holiday marketing with Rakuten Viber

Set up your holiday marketing campaign on Rakuten Viber to increase reach, conversions, and loyalty

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Why brands need to embrace super apps

Learn about the features and benefits of super apps and how brands are using them

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September 26 was an important day for our team and partners as we gathered in Bulgaria to discuss the current trends taking shape within business messaging and the important role super apps play in customer communication.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Challenges and trends for businesses: The super app era</h2>Our Chief Revenue Officer, Cristina Constandache, opened the event discussing the current communication challenges businesses and their customers face, and the trends we need to know today to stay relevant tomorrow.Here are a few of the key trends highlighted during the event:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">Consumers want privacy – but are looking for relevance: It’s time to move away from spray-and-pray messaging and lean into zero-party data that enables targeted and personalized two-way communication.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Mobile-first to mobile-only: As 5G and mobile commerce grow, brands will shift to mobile-only, focusing on seamless mobile engagement.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Consumers use fewer mobile apps as they settle on favorites: Brands need to embrace super apps, that will end up on users' home screens - the most expensive digital real estate.</li></ol>When choosing digital channels, brands should also pay attention to security and privacy features, as choosing an untrustworthy channel poses several threats. In her presentation, Cristina shared how Rakuten Viber has been building its <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/superapp-for-marketers-part-2-viber-a-trending-superapp/">super app</a> ecosystem over the years, while keeping security at it’s core, which has led to its top three ranking among messaging and calling apps for security.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Viber for Business: A powerful suite of solutions for brands&nbsp;</h2>Our Senior Director of Advertising solutions, Jean-Marc Alomassor, and Partnerships Account Director, Limor Bailey, shared the many ways businesses can use Viber for Business to grab customer attention, guide them on their journey with your brand, and keep them coming back for more – all in one place.With 94% of smartphone users in Bulgaria already using Rakuten Viber, brands that are thinking of building their presence on the app can ensure they’ll reach their customers - old and new.&nbsp;And with our recent innovations and newly launched features, brands have a wider scope of use cases to experiment with to learn what resonates with their customers, including:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Full screen ads that help your message grab customers’ undivided attention</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Click-to-message solution that make it easier for you to quickly convert potential leads into customers with a combination of Ads and a pre-defined Viber Chatbot</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Viber Gems which enable brands to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/fanta-greece/">build emotional connections</a> with customers with the help of branded animations in user chats that are triggered by keywords during important seasons, such as holidays or international sporting events</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Verification messages that help brands send one-time passwords in a cost-efficient and secure manner</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Enhanced-protection messages that provide maximum safety and security with user verification before sharing sensitive information</li></ul><h2 style="text-align:justify;">What’s next for Rakuten Viber?</h2>Although we are launching new solutions that brands can use to boost their marketing efforts, we aren’t stopping there.Cristina Constandache highlighted Rakuten Viber’s plans to create a one-stop shop for customers and businesses of all sizes – providing a seamless, cost-efficient way to maintain online presence that makes it easy to find, reach, and do business with brands.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">How brands use Rakuten Viber to reach their goals</h2>Our Senior Director of Sales and Partnerships, Noa Bar Shay, and Director of Global Strategic Partnerships, Konstantin Kostadinov, showed how to use Viber for Business to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/enhancing-security-efficiency-revolutionizing-banking-communications-through-viber-business-messages/">enhance security</a>, create <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9MOlK-NQZE&amp;t=1s">360-degree campaigns</a>, and build a unique and personalized <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-enhance-customer-experience-foster-customer-loyalty-with-rakuten-viber/">customer experience</a>.We even had the chance to hear the success stories from our customers and partners who have built brand presence on Rakuten Viber using our suite of business solutions. Among the presenters were:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Angela Sinkovic, Head of Enterprise at our trusted partner NTH Group, who presented the success story of Klett. The company used personalized and targeted Viber Business Messages to enhance marketing campaign effectiveness, leading to higher delivery rates and doubled event registrations.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Boryana Gigova, Marketing and Business Development at The Media Shop Bulgaria, who shared a success story of our client Mr. Bricolage about how Viber Ads and branded Viber Lenses leading to their new channel increased engagement and click-through rates.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Radoslav Dimitrov, Senior Director, Card Business at Borica Bank Services, who showcased how they used a Viber Chatbot to simplify food voucher management and access to exclusive promotions and discounts from retailers for its employees.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Maya Angelova, CEO of DSK Ventures, who explained how they used transactional Viber Business Messages with SMS fallback and rich promotional Viber Business Messages for marketing campaigns to reach more than half of their customers while reducing costs.</li></ul>The Rakuten Viber team was delighted to meet with brands and partners in Bulgaria! Watch the video of the best moments and highlights of the evening below to relive it with us.If you’re ready to tap into Viber for Business solutions to reach your business goals, <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">talk to our team</a>.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/5YnZ8sEXhWA?si=TBTkyhqWFBoi5vYc"></oembed></figure>

Discover how brands in Bulgaria can use Viber for Business solutions

Event recap: The Super App for All Your Business Needs in Bulgaria

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Rakuten Viber, a pioneer in secure global messaging solutions and a leading super app in Europe, today launches new security solutions to further protect communication on the platform. Now businesses can authenticate users to enhance trust and reduce fraud.Verification messages provide a secure and seamless way to authenticate clients through one-time passwords (OTPs). Businesses can use ready-made templates, which are designed to increase conversions, to send OTPs easily and save time. Rakuten Viber offers lower costs than SMS and allows businesses to set a time limit for delivery. The messages are encrypted, and the sender is marked with a blue tick to indicate a verified business, adding an extra layer of trust. When users receive a Viber verification message, they can quickly copy the PIN code using a ‘copy’ button in the chat. Push notifications also feature a 'copy' button, allowing users to copy codes without even opening the chat.SecurePlus messages add an extra layer of security by checking the recipient’s number to confirm it’s not flagged for potential fraudulent activity. Private and sensitive information, such as transaction details and bank statements, is only delivered once Rakuten Viber has verified the recipient in real-time. Originally developed for Eurobank, one of Europe’s leading banks, this solution is now available globally to meet the growing demand for <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-brands-can-find-the-most-secure-messaging-app-for-business-use/">advanced security</a> from companies handling sensitive customer information.&nbsp;New solutions help businesses increase trust and meet rising consumer expectations, as<a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1332294/trustworthiness-transparency-in-marketing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> 60% of online customers</a> now prioritize security and transparency in communications with businesses. This is especially important for companies in the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/enhancing-security-efficiency-revolutionizing-banking-communications-through-viber-business-messages/">finance</a>, insurance, and pharmaceutical industries, handling sensitive customer information. In addition, Viber verification messages support a fast, frictionless authentication process, and data shows that this smooth experience can boost conversions by <a href="https://www.beyondidentity.com/resource/the-importance-of-user-experience-in-customer-authentication#:~:text=The%20Benefits%20of%20Optimizing%20The%20User%20Experience&amp;text=When%20the%20UX%20behind%20your,as%2054%25%20for%20new%20customers." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">up to 54% for new customers</a>.These updates are complemented by Rakuten Viber’s recent <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-achieves-soc-2-type-2-certification/">SOC 2 Type II certification</a>, a rigorous security audit that validates the app’s robust data protection measures. As one of the top three messaging and calling apps rated for security by <a href="https://www.test.de/Messenger-Apps-im-Vergleich-4884453-0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Stiftung Warentest</a>, Rakuten Viber provides encryption in transit for communication between businesses and users, while maintaining end-to-end encryption for private and group chats as well as private calls. Rakuten Viber’s enhanced security means that private messages are never stored on the super app's servers and that all connections remain HTTPS-secure.Sokratis Kalamatianos, responsible for Digital Solutions at Eurobank comments, “As a bank, security is paramount to us. Collaborating with Rakuten Viber to develop a product for enhancing the protection of sensitive information was truly rewarding for Eurobank. Our journey through this process was seamless, driven by our shared commitment to security. The fact that this solution is being rolled out further is a testament to our innovative collaboration.”"Security is a part of Rakuten Viber's DNA," said Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Viber. "Our new solutions reinforce our commitment to safeguarding every brand-user interaction while solidifying our role as a secure super app. Our mission is to create a platform where everyone can engage seamlessly, with confidence in the privacy and integrity of their communications.”The new security solutions are available to businesses worldwide on demand.If you’d like to learn more about building customer communication within a secure ecosystem, feel free to <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">reach out to us.</a>

Learn about the latest updates for safe communications between businesses and customers

Rakuten Viber launches new security solutions for businesses 

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Leading messaging app Rakuten Viber has officially opened its new office in the Philippines, marking a significant milestone for the company as it broadens its presence and increases activities in the region. This new hub is a major indication of how Rakuten Viber - which is part of Rakuten Group, Inc. - intends to expand its investments and operations in the market.Located in the bustling BGC in Manila, the new office aims to foster a culture of creativity and innovation and is designed to facilitate collaboration and growth for the local key business units. These include Growth covering marketing and business development, B2B for advertising sales and business messages, Fintech which involves legal and product management, and Customer Support.&nbsp;David Tse, Senior Director for APAC at Rakuten Viber, shared that the opening of the Manila office is part of the goal to support the growth of the region. “Rakuten Viber is evolving into the next stage. We are adding more features to meet the growing needs of our users, both individuals and businesses. This is an essential part of our growth strategy as a true super app in the Philippines,” said Tse.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Official_opening_of_the_new_Rakuten_Viber_office_in_the_Philippines_de5d5599c2.jpg"><figcaption>Official opening of the new Rakuten Viber office in the Philippines (L-R) Karla Banua, Sales Lead – Advertising, APAC; Kris Aquino, Support Shift Manager; Kiel Desengaño, Product Manager (Fintech); and David Tse, Senior Director for APAC</figcaption></figure>Rakuten Viber has consistently extended its features and services in the Philippines, from channels promoting small businesses to enabling artists to engage with fans via the Backstage Pass Channel. The app also offers useful productivity tools such as the AI Chat Summarizer and Folders to organize chats, on top of business toolkits for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME). These initiatives have made the super app an essential part of the daily communication and lifestyle needs of Filipinos, with more features for individuals and businesses set to be released in 2025.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Rakuten_Viber_office_in_the_Philippines_aa639eb7f1.JPG"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber office in Manila</figcaption></figure>Tse added, “The Philippine market has absolutely evolved for Rakuten Viber. This would not have been possible without every person on the Rakuten Viber team in the country. We will continue to expand our headcount and are building a truly great team here. I’m happy to see their passion and dedication in providing more innovative solutions and services that will enhance the lives of our Filipino users.”&nbsp; &nbsp;

Rakuten Viber is evolving into the next stage in the Philippines

Rakuten Viber expands operations with new Manila office to boost services for Filipino users

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<a href="https://www.viber.com/">Rakuten Viber</a>, the leading global communications platform that securely connects hundreds of millions of users with thousands of brands worldwide, presented new features of the app, enabling efficient and trusted interactions between Hungarian businesses and consumers.&nbsp;At an event held in Budapest, Rakuten Viber looked at how trust impacts reputation and revenue for businesses. This is particularly important for the diverse business community in Hungary where the rules of communication are changing, with users relying on fewer mobile apps but are also expecting personalised offers while their privacy is upheld.&nbsp;&nbsp;Expanding features for businesses&nbsp;To address this changing landscape, Rakuten Viber is a superapp that matches expectations of Hungarian consumers with moderated public channels, manually verified official business accounts and high-level encryption and processes that are certified and compliant with international and local data privacy laws.&nbsp;The company enables businesses to reach their customers safely and efficiently through dedicated <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/">Viber for Business</a> solutions, which are gaining more interest among Hungarian brands. In a year, average monthly impressions for <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Viber Ads</a> grew by 15% as brands enhance their visibility and attract new users. The number of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">business messages</a>, used to build 1-to-1 communication, increased by 19%. Among these, promotional notifications like special offers grew by 27%, conversational messages used for around-sales support grew by 88%, and transactional messages, such as order confirmations and important information like account balances, grew by 47%, reflecting greater trust from brands.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Konstantin_Kostadinov_Director_Global_Strategic_Partnerships_at_Rakuten_Viber_3b14f54915.JPG"><figcaption>Konstantin Kostadinov, Director, Global Strategic Partnerships at Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>The app is expanding its suite for businesses, helping them further build brand awareness, customer engagement and trust. Amongst the updates are click-to-message solutions for simple conversions and branded <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/immersive-advertising-on-rakuten-viber-loux-fyi-marketing-easter-campaign-with-viber-gems/">Viber Gems</a> - animations that appear in response to keywords in user chats, which businesses in Hungary can now brand for special occasions.Rakuten Viber also launched Secure Rich Business Messaging solutions for one-to-one communication with customers, which provide a high level of safety for user and transaction verification. In addition, Viber now offers <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-expands-its-portfolio-for-brand-user-interaction-with-business-calls/">Business Calls</a> in Hungary, which serve as an ‘in-app business call center’ customers can reach from anywhere, for free. This feature has been developed to cater for the <a href="https://www.liveperson.com/resources/reports/2021-conversational-commerce/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">91% of consumers</a> who prefer brands that offer them the option to call or message.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Mariia_Martyrosian_Global_PR_and_Marketing_Innovations_Director_B2_B_at_Rakuten_Viber_190ee04cf5.JPG"><figcaption>Mariia Martyrosian, Global PR &amp; Marketing Innovations Director, B2B at Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>Peace of mind for users and brandsWhile these features enable businesses to optimise customer experience, trust is often eroded by identity theft and cyberattacks. Hungary has the fourth highest exposure rate to cybercrime in Central and Eastern Europe, according to a report from 2022. With Hungary also lagging behind other European countries in terms of cyber awareness, businesses in the country are particularly vulnerable to cybercrime.To support them, Rakuten Viber is built with security at its core. Rated among the top three messaging and calling apps for security by the European consumer organization<a href="https://www.test.de/Messenger-Apps-im-Vergleich-4884453-0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow"> Stiftung Warentest</a>, Rakuten Viber uses encryption in transit for brand-user communication. The app also offers end-to-end encryption for its core private and group chats as well as private calls. Private messages are never stored on Viber’s servers, and connections are secure and HTTPS-only. These high security standards give Hungarian users and brands a unique opportunity to communicate with each other in a safe space.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Noa_Bar_Shay_Senior_Director_Sales_and_Partnerships_at_Rakuten_Viber_3cc9bb8560.JPG"><figcaption>Noa Bar Shay, Senior Director, Sales &amp; Partnerships at Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>“Hungary has been one of our key markets for many years, and we are excited to expand our offering in the country”, said Noa Bar Shay, Senior Director, Partnerships &amp; Sales at Rakuten Viber. “Businesses are under a lot of pressure to build, retain and grow a loyal customer base. With budget restraints, an easy-to-use and cost-efficient platform is crucial for them to communicate safely with their customers. We will give them a boost with safe and efficient tools that help them increase customer satisfaction and retention.”The new features form part of Rakuten Viber’s superapp strategy in Hungary to build a trusted ecosystem for businesses of all sizes, from MSMEs to large corporations with international operations.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/p5tKlfxnJDs"></oembed></figure>

Viber for Business team shows how the app develops solutions to meet the needs of brands and users

Rakuten Viber reveals new superapp features for  trusted brand-user communication in Hungary

Viber for Business team shows how the app develops solutions to meet the needs of brands and users


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Athens, Greece – Rakuten Viber, <a href="https://www.coca-cola.com/gr/el">The Coca-Cola Company </a>, and <a href="https://www.mindshareworld.com/">Mindshare</a>, won the Silver Award at the <a href="https://www.digitalmediaawards.gr/">Digital Media Awards 2024</a> in Greece for Best Innovative Service, recognizing their <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/a-unique-media-first-campaign-is-led-by-fanta-on-rakuten-viber/">media-first Fanta campaign</a>. The ceremony, held at the Markou Wine Museum, celebrated top innovations in the digital media space.The Fanta campaign, launched during Greece’s vibrant carnival season, introduced two groundbreaking solutions on Rakuten Viber:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Branded Viber Gems: Fanta-themed animations were activated by carnival-related keywords and phrases in users' chats and brought the celebration spirit to life. In Greece alone, Viber Gems are used approximately 7.3 million times each month, highlighting the significant reach and impact of this innovative approach.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Branded Viber Lenses: Powered by Augmented Reality (AR) technology, these interactive lenses allowed users to embellish their photos and videos with festive carnival themes, encouraging user-generated content and deepening engagement with the Gen Z demographic.</li></ul>Both the Fanta-branded Lenses and Gems were promoted externally and within the app through the official Rakuten Viber Greece channel and a banner on the Explore screen.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Branded_Viber_Lenses_and_Viber_Gems_for_the_award_winning_Fanta_campaign_in_Greece_e4a4579963.png"><figcaption>Branded Viber Lenses and Viber Gems for the Fanta campaign in Greece</figcaption></figure>The Coca-Cola Company became the first company worldwide to use branded Viber Gems and the first to launch branded Viber Lenses in Greece. During the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/fanta-greece/">two-week campaign</a>, over 5.6 million Fanta-branded Viber Gems appeared in the chats, and more than 256,000 users engaged with the AR-powered Lenses. Impressively, 13.5% of those who tried the Lenses shared their photos with others."We're thrilled to see our collaboration with Rakuten Viber recognized on such a prestigious platform. The implementation of branded Viber Gems and Viber Lenses marked a significant innovation in digital marketing, resonating strongly with the target audience of the campaign," said Maria Fitta, Media Operations Senior Manager Greece, Cyprus &amp; Malta, at The Coca-Cola Company.Nikos Syrios, Sales Manager, CEE at Rakuten Viber, added, "This award is a testament to our mission to empower local businesses with innovative digital solutions. Our collaboration with Coca-Cola Hellas and Mindshare has pushed the boundaries of what's possible in digital media, and we are honored to have been part of this journey."To learn more about Rakuten Viber’s innovative advertising tools, feel free to <a href="mailto:advertisers@forbusiness.viber.com">reach out</a> to our team.

Branded Viber Gems and Viber Lenses take the award for Best Innovative Service

Rakuten Viber, Fanta, and Mindshare win Silver at the Digital Media Awards 2024 in Greece

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Rakuten Viber visited Vietnam to meet with local journalists, brands, and partners and announce the launch of new initiatives to strengthen ties with users and businesses in the country. At the events with media and brands in Hanoi, the company unveiled its strategy to support local communities with innovative and secure communications solutions.&nbsp;A key focus for the company, which has been in the market for several years,&nbsp; is to provide Vietnamese users and brands with innovative products and features that resonate with their daily needs. Rakuten Viber is already collaborating with multiple government services and over 100 leading brands across sectors including telecommunications, financial technology, and aviation.&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;"> App usage is growing in Vietnam, based on advanced security features</h4> Each month, Vietnamese Viber users send 474 million messages, make 16 million calls, and exchange 36 million pictures on the app. Usage numbers continue to grow and are primarily driven by highly dynamic working professionals, with the majority living in big cities and 67% aged 25 to 50. The app provides them with new intuitive tools to organize and summarize chat messages, enhancing their productivity.Rakuten Viber also provides users with peace of mind by offering end-to-end encryption for all private and group chats as well as private calls. Messages are never stored on Viber’s servers, and connections are secure and HTTPS-only, keeping the user experience safe. This is crucial as security is a growing concern in Vietnam, with 32,265 cyber attack attempts reported in Q1 2024 by the Information Technology and Cyber Security Monitoring Center of Vietnam. Rated among the top three messaging apps for security by the European consumer organization <a href="https://www.test.de/Messenger-Apps-im-Vergleich-4884453-0/">Stiftung Warentest</a>, Rakuten Viber also uses encryption in transit for brand-user chats. These high security standards give users and brands a unique opportunity to communicate with each other in a safe space.&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;"> Trusted and targeted communications for businesses</h4> To further enhance the security of these user interactions, Rakuten Viber recently introduced a secure way for brands to safely share activation passwords (OTP codes). Rakuten Viber will also launch ‘enhanced-protection messages’, which verify that a recipient's number is not connected to fraudulent activity. This feature will be available to Vietnamese brands by Q1 2025 and is especially useful for banks, financial institutions, and companies dealing with sensitive information.Vietnamese brands also benefit from Viber for Business, a suite of solutions to build tailored customer journeys within the app. These include Viber Advertising to reach and engage target audiences, and Viber Rich Business Messaging for secure and cost-effective one-to-one communication between brands and users. Viber Business Calls provide an ‘in-app call center’ that is accessible and free for customers from anywhere in the world, helping brands create a better customer experience. In Vietnam, key industries using these solutions are travel and hospitality, retail and e-commerce, finance, real estate, logistics, and transportation. During the presentations, the Rakuten Viber team showed how to use Viber for Business to elevate the brand's mobile marketing strategy.“Vietnam is one of the most developed countries in the world when it comes to smartphone usage, and messaging is a crucial element of day-to-day communications”, says David Hoang, Business Development &amp; Sales Manager for Vietnam at Rakuten Viber. “We look forward to working closely with consumers and businesses in Vietnam, to create an experience that is built on a maximum of security and brings value to both with innovative solutions. These help users to communicate freely and safely, and businesses to engage efficiently and securely with them.”&nbsp;<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/d1LO7QzIJrs"></oembed></figure>

Rakuten Viber unveils new added-value features for users and brands in Vietnam

Global app goes local: Recap of Rakuten Viber events in Vietnam

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In today's business world, customer experience and loyalty are pivotal in ensuring long-term success. As businesses recognize the profound impact of retaining existing customers versus acquiring new ones, the focus has shifted to enhancing customer experiences and nurturing lasting relationships. It is estimated that it can cost up to <a href="https://www.outboundengine.com/blog/customer-retention-marketing-vs-customer-acquisition-marketing/#:~:text=Acquiring%20a%20new%20customer%20can,customer%20is%205%2D20%25." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">five times more</a> to attract new customers than to keep existing ones, making it clear that investment in customer satisfaction and loyalty is not just beneficial but essential.&nbsp;The benefits are manifold:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Increased customer retention: A superior customer experience ensures that customers are satisfied, reducing the likelihood of them switching to competitors.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Higher customer lifetime value: Loyal customers are more likely to make repeated purchases and spend more over time.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Positive word of mouth: Happy customers are your best advocates. Their satisfaction drives recommendations and organic growth.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Enhanced brand reputation: Consistently delivering excellent customer experiences strengthens your brand’s reputation and builds trust.</li></ul>Implementing a rewards program is a highly effective strategy for fostering customer loyalty and spending. Research indicates that <a href="https://dc-docs.dcatalog.com/Bond-Brand-Loyalty/TLR-2021/ea224c14-999b-404d-9ec9-c2bd8a2ffab3/TLR2021_ExecutiveSummary_USA.pdf?v=16351975111190.2676058934113973" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">64%</a> of loyalty program members spend more money.Given that a significant number of customers prefer rewards that are accessible via mobile devices, Rakuten Viber offers an ideal platform to meet this requirement.Rakuten Viber offers a range of features designed to enhance customer experience effectively. From <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-rise-of-conversational-commerce-how-viber-rich-business-messaging-is-transforming-the-customer-experience/">Rich Business Messaging</a> and personalized interactions to integrated CRM and CDP systems, the platform ensures that your customers feel valued and understood. Rakuten Viber is not just about enhancing experiences; it's about building lasting relationships.&nbsp;<h2>Enhance Your Loyalty Program with Viber Integration</h2>Loyalty programs supported by Viber can significantly boost customer satisfaction and spending.Here are several ways you can leverage Viber:1. Virtual loyalty cards: Provide your customers with virtual loyalty cards that they can easily access and manage through the Viber app. This not only makes it convenient for them but also keeps your brand top-of-mind.2. Promoting loyalty programs and encouraging customers to join: Using <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Viber Ads</a> in conjunction with personalized messages ensures that a business’ promotional efforts are both effective and non-intrusive. Viber integrates ads seamlessly into the user experience, while personalized messages provide value and relevance, enhancing customer satisfaction and brand perception.&nbsp;3. Reminder notifications: Send timely reminders to customers about their bonus points and encourage them to redeem these points. This can effectively drive repeat purchases and maintain engagement.4. Exclusive offers and updates: Send personalized messages and exclusive offers to your loyalty program members. Keeping your customers informed about the latest deals and updates can further incentivize them to stay engaged with your brand.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Promote_and_manage_loyalty_programs_with_Viber_Ads_and_Rich_Business_Messaging_a671001b36.png"><figcaption>Promote and manage loyalty programs with Viber Ads and Rich Business Messaging</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Streamline Your Loyalty Program: Leverage CRM, CDP, and Viber Chatbots for Ultimate Efficiency</h2>Managing a loyalty program requires efficient handling of customer data and interactions. Integrating Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems with Customer Data Platforms (CDP) can significantly enhance your ability to manage and optimize your loyalty program.1. Comprehensive customer profiles: By merging CRM and CDP, you can create detailed customer profiles that consolidate data from various touchpoints. This unified view helps you understand customer behaviors, preferences, and purchase history, enabling more personalized engagement.2. Data-driven insights: The integration of CRM and CDP provides robust data analytics capabilities. You can identify trends, segment your customer base more effectively, and tailor your loyalty program to meet the specific needs of different customer groups.3. Enhanced targeting: With a comprehensive dataset at your disposal, you can design targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with individual customers. This can increase the effectiveness of your loyalty program, driving higher engagement and retention rates.4. Real-time updates: A synchronized CRM and CDP setup allows for real-time data updates. This means that any changes in customer behavior or preferences are immediately reflected, which enables you to respond promptly and keep your loyalty program relevant.Automation is a key component in managing a loyalty program efficiently, and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Viber Chatbots</a> offer an excellent solution for this purpose.&nbsp;<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Personalized communication: With the help of integrated CRM and CDP systems, Viber Chatbots can deliver personalized messages and offers to the members of the loyalty program.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Automated reminders and notifications: Chatbots can be programmed to send automated reminders to customers about their unredeemed points, upcoming expiration dates, or new rewards. These timely notifications encourage them to stay active in the loyalty program.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Interactive engagement: Viber Chatbots can facilitate interactive experiences, such as quizzes, surveys, or mini-games to keep your customers engaged. These activities can be linked to earning additional points or unlock special rewards, adding a fun element to your loyalty program.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Send_special_offers_to_loyal_customers_through_Viber_Chatbots_6addd50785.png"><figcaption>Send special offers to loyal customers through Viber Chatbots</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Podorozhnyk’s Success Story</h2>For over twenty years, the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/podorozhnyk-pharmacy/">Podorozhnyk</a> pharmacy chain has been at the forefront of the pharmaceutical industry in Ukraine, dedicated to providing high-quality pharmaceutical care.Podorozhnyk aimed to achieve the following goals through the partnership with Rakuten Viber:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Enhance customer engagement</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Generate leads and boost revenue</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Offer tailored promotions</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Collect customer feedback</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Improve customer experience and loyalty</li></ul>To meet these objectives, Podorozhnyk utilized Viber Rich Business Messaging to engage with customers throughout their purchasing journey. Personalized Viber Business Messages directed users to the chatbot, which increased engagement with promotional offers. The Viber Chatbot played multiple roles: it gathered feedback, conducted polls and promotions, acted as a virtual loyalty card, and facilitated order placements for in-store pickup.The results of this strategy were impressive:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Return on Investment: Increased by 10%</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Year-over-Year Turnover: Grew by 37%</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Promotional Campaign Performance: Achieved a 450% Return on Marketing Investment</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Chatbot Subscribers: Reached 1.1 million within the first year</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Customer Feedback: Received from 46% of bot subscribers</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Online Orders: Half of all online orders for pickup were placed via the chatbot</li></ul>This case study highlights how Podorozhnyk’s strategic use of Viber Business Messages and Chatbot functionalities significantly boosted customer engagement, feedback collection, and overall business performance.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/How_Podorozhnyk_Pharmacy_engaged_1_M_audience_in_a_year_on_Rakuten_Viber_113a9986e9.png"><figcaption>How Podorozhnyk Pharmacy engaged 1M+ audience in a year on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Seamless and Swift: Delivering Instant, Efficient Customer Support</h2>In today's fast-paced world, customers have exceptionally high expectations for support services—<a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/live-chat-go-to-market-flaw?hubs_content=blog.hubspot.com%2Fservice%2Fcustomer-service-stats&amp;hubs_content-cta=HubSpot%20Research" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">most expect assistance to be instantaneous</a>. Poor quality or delayed support can severely impact the customer experience, leading to dissatisfaction and potential loss of business. Viber Business Messages and Chatbots are designed to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/improve-customer-service-with-viber-messaging-solutions/">meet this demand</a>.1. 24/7 chatbot support: Viber Chatbots can address routine inquiries around the clock, and manage multiple questions simultaneously. This not only ensures that customers receive immediate responses but also alleviates the workload and operational costs for human agents.2. Efficiency and speed: Automated responses through chatbots handle common queries instantly, while more nuanced issues are escalated to human agents for personalized care.3. Seamless two-way communication with Viber Business Messages: Engaging with a brand on Viber is as straightforward and convenient as chatting with a friend. This ease of use enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty. Moreover, this platform supports the exchange of pictures, videos, and files, allowing for a richer and more responsive experience.4. Personalized human assistance: For more complex issues that require a human touch, Viber’s Conversational Business Messages facilitate convenient, one-on-one communication between customers and support agents. This ensures that customers receive personalized and attentive service when it matters most.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Provide_customer_support_with_Viber_Chatbots_and_Viber_Business_Messages_d62227909d.png"><figcaption>Provide customer support with Viber Chatbots and Viber Business Messages</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Viber Business Calls for Instant, In-App Support</h2>Statistics show that <a href="https://pr.liveperson.com/2022-04-20-Hold-the-phone-87-of-consumers-worldwide-prefer-brands-that-connect-their-interactions-across-voice-and-messaging" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">91%</a> of customers prefer to have the option to message or call a business. For those who prefer voice communication, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-expands-its-portfolio-for-brand-user-interaction-with-business-calls/">Viber Business Calls</a> provide a seamless and free in-app calling option.&nbsp;Early adopters have the option to set up searchable business accounts featuring an integrated Viber Business Call button or to incorporate this functionality into their current accounts. This integration simplifies the process for customers to locate and directly contact the service through the app. Moreover, users can start a call straight from a chat, such as contacting a delivery service to reschedule a parcel delivery after getting a notification.This feature serves multiple purposes across various industries, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.1. Retail and delivery sector: Assist customers with product inquiries, track orders, and provide post-sales support.&nbsp;2. Banking and financial services: Address account inquiries, schedule appointments, manage transactions, and offer personalized financial advice.&nbsp;3. Pharmacies and healthcare: Assist with prescription refills, share branch schedules, and provide consultations on medications, including advice on allergic reactions and side effects.&nbsp;4. Travel and hospitality: Manage bookings, provide travel advice, and handle cancellations or rescheduling.&nbsp;5. Telecommunications: Troubleshoot technical issues, manage service plans, and offer promotional deals.&nbsp;All in all, in-app calls enable instant resolution of customer queries, reducing wait times and enhancing customer satisfaction.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Give_customers_the_choice_to_message_or_call_your_brand_via_Viber_Business_Calls_9c7717fcdf.png"><figcaption>Give customers the choice to message or call your brand via Viber Business Calls</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Secure Your Brand’s Future</h2>Investing in customer experience and fostering loyalty is not just good practice; it's necessary for any brand aiming for long-term success. By neglecting loyalty programs and robust customer support mechanisms, brands risk losing a significant portion of clientele over time. Rakuten Viber offers a comprehensive suite of tools designed to enhance customer satisfaction, from promoting loyalty programs with Viber Ads and personalized messages to managing these programs efficiently through CRM and CDP integration and Viber Chatbots. Additionally, Viber’s capabilities in providing personalized assistance and instant support via Business Messages and in-app call centers ensure that your customers receive the timely and effective service they deserve.Don’t wait to see your customers drift away. Take proactive steps to enhance their experience and foster loyalty. Turn to the Rakuten Viber team today and revolutionize your customer engagement strategy.&nbsp;<a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">Contact us</a> now to get started.

Boost CX and loyalty with Rakuten Viber via ads, chatbots, personalized messages, and in-app calls

How to enhance customer experience & foster customer loyalty with Rakuten Viber

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<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/">Rakuten Viber</a>, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication, has teamed up with <a href="https://faisgroup.com/index.php/en/faisgroup/">KIKO Milano</a>, No. 1 makeup brand in Italy, distributed exclusively by Fais Group, to transform the beauty shopping experience in Greece. Now, Greek users can <a href="https://lenses.viber.com/4ea08b8a-3a16-41cc-b6c6-efc6f15bd0cf/05c50ddf-2c46-4c9a-b64d-9ebf738c5db2">try on the iconic KIKO Milano 3D Hydra Lipgloss</a> virtually within the Rakuten Viber app and then quickly buy it with just a few clicks.KIKO Milano creatively uses <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/get-creative-with-viber-lenses-how-to-leverage-them-for-unique-marketing-strategies/">branded Viber Lenses</a> for a virtual try-on, blending the physical and digital ("phy-gital") experiences to create a smarter, more engaging way for consumers to interact with beauty products. This innovation leverages the trend of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/why-your-e-commerce-strategy-needs-rakuten-viber-a-path-to-success/">online shopping</a>, as 67% of internet users in Greece shopped online last year, according to Eurostat.How it works:&nbsp;<ol><li>Users find KIKO Milano lipsticks in the Rakuten Viber app’s Lens collection.</li><li>They can try different shades virtually without visiting a store.</li><li>Users click the purchase button to go to the KIKO Milano website and complete the purchase.</li></ol><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Lenses_for_a_virtual_try_on_Kiko_Milano_ed766ea541.png"><figcaption>Virtual try-on of KIKO Milano lipstick with Viber Lenses</figcaption></figure>To draw customers’ attention to the virtual try-on Lens, KIKO Milano has used Viber Ads, guiding users from the Explore screen — where they typically read local content and news — straight to the Lens.Nikos Syrios, Media Sales Manager in CEE at Rakuten Viber, commented on the collaboration: "We are thrilled to partner with KIKO Milano to bring this innovative virtual try-on experience to our users in Greece. By combining the power of AR with the convenience of mobile shopping, we are setting a new standard for consumer engagement in the beauty industry."Thymios Kostakis, Head of Digital Marketing at Fais Group, added: "At KIKO Milano, we are always looking for innovative ways to connect with our customers and enhance their shopping experience. Our partnership with Rakuten Viber allows us to bring the magic of our products directly to our customers' fingertips, making beauty shopping more accessible and enjoyable."<a href="https://lenses.viber.com/4ea08b8a-3a16-41cc-b6c6-efc6f15bd0cf/05c50ddf-2c46-4c9a-b64d-9ebf738c5db2">Viber Lenses with KIKO Milano lipstick</a> are available in the app’s Lens collection until June 22.&nbsp;Would you like to create your own virtual try-on experience with branded Viber Lenses? <a href="mailto:advertisers@forbusiness.viber.com">Reach out </a>to our team to launch your innovative campaign.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/DczLWdvxmQE?si=etM4vsMy4Xd59vQ1"></oembed></figure>

KIKO Milano leverages branded Viber Lenses for an immersive shopping experience in Greece

Rakuten Viber and KIKO Milano bridge the gap between online and offline beauty experiences with innovative virtual try-on

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At Rakuten Viber, security and privacy are core to our product design and philosophy. As we aim to provide a secure communication environment for users and brands, we are proud to announce that Rakuten Viber has received the SOC 2 Type II certification.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">What is SOC 2 Type II?</h3>SOC 2 is a rigorous audit framework commonly used for SaaS companies and developed by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). SOC 2 is like a financial audit but for data security. Just as an accountant thoroughly reviews a company’s financial records to ensure they are accurate and comply with regulations, SOC 2 auditors thoroughly review a company’s data security practices to ensure they meet high standards.Type II involves extended testing of security systems: from three months to a year. This thorough approach ensures the company consistently maintains high security standards, not just for a short time. It provides stronger proof that the company's data protection measures are reliable and trustworthy.Rakuten Viber’s audit was conducted by one of the Big Four professional services firms and a true auditing expert. It confirms our high standards in security, availability, confidentiality, and privacy of customer data.This certification proves that Rakuten Viber’s security practices meet some of the highest standards in the world.“Obtaining SOC 2 Type II compliance is a significant milestone for Rakuten Viber and a testament to our unwavering commitment to ensuring the security and privacy of our users,” said Liad Shnell, VP Engineering and CISO. “This certification validates our proactive approach to information security and our dedication to maintaining the highest standards of data protection. We will continue to prioritize the confidentiality and integrity of the information entrusted to us and strive to provide a secure and reliable messaging platform for our global community.”<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber: private &amp; secure — as a standard</h3>SOC 2 compliance is an important benchmark, but it's not the only reason to trust us. In 2016, Rakuten Viber became one of the first major messaging apps to implement end-to-end encryption for all private chats and video calls, and we constantly work on improving our infrastructure to ensure security.Key security and privacy measures:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">AWS cloud infrastructure&nbsp; (Amazon Web Services): Our servers use AWS, which supports many security standards and compliance certifications: PCI-DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, FedRAMP, GDPR, FIPS 140-2, and NIST 800-171.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Secure connections: Public servers connect to ours over HTTPS only, and communication with partner or customer servers is always SSL-encrypted.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Legal compliance: We comply with PCI, GDPR, and applicable data protection laws, including CCPA &amp; CPRA. (Rakuten Viber’s GDPR compliance includes complete data mapping, adjustments to data practices where required, and also allowing the automated exercise of data subject rights.)&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">IP Whitelisting: We whitelist specific IPs, rather than domains, for each business.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">No message storage: We do not store the contents of our customers’ private messages on our servers after delivering them.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rigorous encryption: All private and group chats and private calls use end-to-end encryption by default. Viber Business Messages and bots are protected with encryption in transit: as soon as the message is sent (it’s “in transit”), it’s encrypted and will stay encrypted while it is in transit — until it reaches the final destination.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">No data selling: Rakuten Viber never sells our customer information.</li></ol>We want everyone using Rakuten Viber — both users and brands — to feel completely safe and in control of their data.&nbsp;Have questions about our security practices? Check out these resources for more information:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/privacy/">Viber for Business: security &amp; privacy</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.viber.com/en/terms/viber-privacy-policy/">Rakuten Viber: Privacy Policy</a></li></ul>

Our commitment to top security and user privacy is recognized at the highest level

Rakuten Viber achieves SOC 2 Type II certification

Our commitment to top security and user privacy is recognized at the highest level


Rakuten Viber achieves SOC 2 Type II certification.png

In collaboration with Rakuten Viber and our partner FYI Marketing House, Greek beverage company Loux , 'celebrated' Easter with an immersive marketing campaign on Rakuten Viber. Loux became the first local brand in Greece to use branded Viber Gems for an Easter celebration.Viber Gems are special animations activated by specific holiday-related words and phrases in users' conversations. So, this year, as millions of people in Greece sent Easter greetings to each other, phrases like "Happy Easter", "Many Happy Returns", and "Xristos Anesti" activated a branded Loux animation with the Easter basket.Perfect for holiday marketing, corporate branded Viber Gems offer a unique brand placement opportunity. They increase brand visibility, while staying immersive and creating a pleasant and positive association between the brand and a holiday period full of festive vibes. During the Easter period of 2024 in Greece, 13 million Loux-branded Viber Gems were created within just 5 days, making the brand a part of the nationwide celebrations. This was an excellent way to leverage the new holiday marketing tool, as well as Rakuten Viber’s tremendous presence in <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/shaping-the-future-viber-for-business-exclusive-event-in-greece/">Greece, which is one of the company’s key markets</a>.“In Lοux's DNA lies innovation, even in communication. Through the collaboration we've developed with Rakuten Viber, we believe we've done something different. The utilization of branded Viber Gems not only amplified engagement with Loux but also expanded our reach to a broader audience demographic,” says Platon Marlafekas, Vice President at LOUX. “This online campaign differs from the ways of interacting with the public that we have been using until now as it has something completely new to offer.”<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Branded_Viber_Gems_used_in_Loux_s_2024_Easter_campaign_2c635f1ce7.png"><figcaption>Branded Viber Gems used in Loux’s 2024 Easter campaign</figcaption></figure>Branded Viber Gems are an innovation in digital marketing because they:<ul><li>seamlessly integrate the brand into users' daily conversations on Rakuten Viber, providing a unique opportunity to enhance brand recognition immersively;</li><li>offer a <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/more-than-ads-discover-creative-tools-on-viber/">fun way to showcase the brand</a> and create positive emotional associations for the users;</li><li>cut through the competition and noise in the digital space as vibrant branded animations easily <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/maximizing-the-power-of-viber-advertising-solutions-for-building-brand-awareness/">garner attention from users</a>;</li><li>increase audience interaction and engagement with the brand, while offering a fun user experience on the Rakuten Viber platform;</li><li>enhance the brand's image in the digital space and highlight its use of innovative marketing tools and technical solutions, attracting new and existing customers.</li></ul>"We would like to thank our client, Loux, and our partner, FYI Marketing House, for their trust and continuous effort to innovate and offer inventive formats to the public,” says Nikos Syrios, Media Sales Manager, CEE, at Rakuten Viber. “We believe that this kind of campaign offers Rakuten Viber users a unique interactive experience and strengthens brand awareness.""We're incredibly proud of our collaboration with Loux and Rakuten Viber on this pioneering campaign,” says Giorgos Karamitsos, CEO at FYI Marketing House. “By harnessing the power of branded Viber Gems, we've not only elevated engagement with Loux but also revolutionized the digital marketing landscape in Greece. This innovative approach marks a new era in our industry."Curious about this ground-breaking tool for immersive advertising? <a href="mailto:advertisers@forbusiness.viber.com">Get in touch with us</a> to learn more about branded Viber Gems!

Immersive advertising on Rakuten Viber: Loux & FYI Marketing Easter campaign with Viber Gems

Loux joined nationwide Easter celebrations in Greece with a holiday marketing campaign using branded Viber Gems

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In the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/why-your-e-commerce-strategy-needs-rakuten-viber-a-path-to-success/">world of e-commerce</a>, one of the biggest challenges retailers face is cart abandonment. Imagine a scenario: you've spent hours curating a beautiful online store, optimizing your product descriptions, and crafting irresistible offers. A customer comes along, fills their virtual cart with items, and then, just as they're about to check out, something distracts them. Maybe their phone rings, or they get a notification on another app. Whatever the reason, they abandon their cart, denying you potential sales. Many e-commerce brands will find this scenario all too familiar.The phenomenon of cart abandonment is a menace to businesses worldwide. According to Forrester Research, it costs brands up to <a href="https://www.dynamicyield.com/blog/shopping-cart-abandonment-ebook-announcement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$18 billion</a> in lost sales revenue annually. That's a staggering amount of potential revenue slipping through the cracks.Cart abandonment rates are not static; they fluctuate based on factors such as device used, geographic location, and specific industry. However, as aggregated data from <a href="https://marketing.dynamicyield.com/benchmarks/cart-abandonment-rate/#:~:text=Cart%20abandonment%20rate%20statistics&amp;text=APAC%20has%20witnessed%20the%20most,%2C%20and%2061.18%25%20from%20desktop." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Dynamic Yield</a> shows, the average rate rose to 72.97% (as of April 2024), across all devices and regions.Assessing from a regional standpoint, the APAC region outdid others with the highest proportion of abandoned carts at <a href="https://marketing.dynamicyield.com/benchmarks/cart-abandonment-rate/#:~:text=Cart%20abandonment%20rate%20statistics&amp;text=APAC%20has%20witnessed%20the%20most,%2C%20and%2061.18%25%20from%20desktop." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">79.94%</a>, followed by EMEA at <a href="https://marketing.dynamicyield.com/benchmarks/cart-abandonment-rate/#:~:text=Cart%20abandonment%20rate%20statistics&amp;text=APAC%20has%20witnessed%20the%20most,%2C%20and%2061.18%25%20from%20desktop." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">72.8%</a>, and then the Americas at <a href="https://marketing.dynamicyield.com/benchmarks/cart-abandonment-rate/#:~:text=Cart%20abandonment%20rate%20statistics&amp;text=APAC%20has%20witnessed%20the%20most,%2C%20and%2061.18%25%20from%20desktop." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">71.76%</a>.These rates can rise even further for particular device types, industries, or types of products. For instance, as <a href="https://marketing.dynamicyield.com/benchmarks/cart-abandonment-rate/#:~:text=Cart%20abandonment%20rate%20statistics&amp;text=APAC%20has%20witnessed%20the%20most,%2C%20and%2061.18%25%20from%20desktop." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Dynamic Yield’s data</a> shows, mobile has been responsible for 76.06% of shopping cart abandonment across all industries and regions.There are differences by industry, too: for example, Luxury &amp; Jewelry saw the highest cart abandonment rate (<a href="https://marketing.dynamicyield.com/benchmarks/cart-abandonment-rate/#:~:text=Cart%20abandonment%20rate%20statistics&amp;text=APAC%20has%20witnessed%20the%20most,%2C%20and%2061.18%25%20from%20desktop." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">79.04%</a> in April of 2024 and on average <a href="https://marketing.dynamicyield.com/benchmarks/cart-abandonment-rate/#:~:text=Cart%20abandonment%20rate%20statistics&amp;text=APAC%20has%20witnessed%20the%20most,%2C%20and%2061.18%25%20from%20desktop." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">80.22%</a> over the past twelve months), compared to Pet Care &amp; Veterinary Services where it’s been the lowest in the last year, at <a href="https://marketing.dynamicyield.com/benchmarks/cart-abandonment-rate/#:~:text=Cart%20abandonment%20rate%20statistics&amp;text=APAC%20has%20witnessed%20the%20most,%2C%20and%2061.18%25%20from%20desktop.">57.43%</a>.This issue is alarmingly prevalent when it comes to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/mobile-commerce-how-messaging-apps-are-driving-sales-and-conversions/">mobile commerce</a>, especially during a time when e-commerce brands are witnessing the increased shift to mobile shopping, with <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/568684/e-commerce-website-visit-and-orders-by-device/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">78%</a> of global retail site traffic being attributed to smartphones, mobile accounts for more than two-thirds of all online shopping transactions as over <a href="https://webinarcare.com/best-mobile-e-commerce-software/mobile-e-commerce-statistics/#:~:text=The%20share%20of%20mobile%20ecommerce,2016%20market%20share%20of%2052.4%25." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">72% </a>of e-commerce sales happen on mobile devices.There is a solution to combat cart abandonment with the help of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Viber Business Messages</a>. In this article, we will explore various methods that can help <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-ultimate-guide-to-viber-for-business-for-retail-brands/">retailers</a> recover lost sales and engage with their customers effectively.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/How_to_reduce_cart_abandonment_with_Viber_Rich_Business_Messages_d890341c2c.png"><figcaption>How to reduce cart abandonment with Viber Rich Business Messages</figcaption></figure><h2>Cart Abandonment in Focus</h2>To effectively address the cart abandonment issue, businesses must understand the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8811303/pdf/fpsyg-12-829696.pdf">reasons</a> shoppers abandon purchases — and implement effective sales-rescue strategies. Here are some top reasons why consumers abandon carts:1. Distractions: Customers can be easily sidetracked by everyday occurrences like calls, messages, or other events.2. Cost-related issues: Higher total costs due to shipping fees or any other additional charges might deter a person from completing the purchase.3. Indecisiveness: Customers may have doubts and second thoughts about making a purchase, especially if they're uncertain about the product's quality, suitability, or functionality.4. Lack of time-based incentives: If offers aren't time-bound, buyers might add items to the cart intending to finalize the process later but end up forgetting all about it.5. Lack of personalized offers: Customers are always looking for deals that cater to their specific needs. If the offer isn't tailored enough, they may drop out.6. Lack of trust: Many customers have concerns about data privacy and safety and feel reluctant to provide their personal and financial details to unfamiliar websites.7. Lackluster visuals: Unappealing visual presentations of the products or the offers can lead to cart abandonment.&nbsp;8. Complex checkout process: A lengthy or complicated checkout process can cause customer friction and discourage shoppers from completing their purchases.While it sounds challenging, all of these issues can be addressed with a smart strategy that combats cart abandonment. Getting it done right would allow your business to:<ul><li>Recover lost sales: combating cart abandonments allows businesses to recover potential lost sales by convincing customers to make it through the transaction. This can significantly impact revenue and profitability.</li><li>Build customer loyalty: Implementing effective remarketing methods shows customers that the company values their business and wants to help them complete their purchase. This can build trust, loyalty, and long-term customer relationships.</li><li>Improve customer satisfaction: By addressing cart abandonment causes, businesses can improve the overall customer experience. Simplifying the checkout process, offering multiple payment options, and providing clear product information can help buyers feel more confident about their purchase decisions — which improves both customer satisfaction and your bottom line.</li><li>Increase customer lifetime value: smart remarketing tactics and personalized offers not only help recover lost sales but also increase the potential for repeat purchases. By re-engaging customers who have abandoned their carts, businesses can increase their customer lifetime value (CLTV) and generate additional revenue in the long term.</li><li>Gain competitive advantage: Companies that effectively address cart abandonment gain a competitive advantage in the market. By offering a seamless and personalized shopping experience, they can draw customers away from competitors and secure a larger market share.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Smart_remarketing_tactics_and_personalized_offers_with_Viber_Rich_Business_Messages_4b7bd85a92.png"><figcaption>Smart remarketing tactics and personalized offers with Viber Rich Business Messages</figcaption></figure><h2>Rakuten Viber's Arsenal: Tactics to Beat Cart Abandonment</h2>Let's explore some tactics that can help you beat cart abandonment using Rakuten Viber.&nbsp;1. Using Viber Rich Business Messaging for reminders: One effective tactic is sending reminders to customers about their abandoned shopping carts. Thanks to rich media available withViber Rich Business Messaging, you can create eye-catching and visually appealing messages that capture their attention and remind them why they wanted the product to begin with. Use images, video to showcase the products left in their carts and provide a link to complete the purchase easily and quickly, before another distraction or concern can get in the way. The attractive visuals and persuasive content will motivate them to finish their shopping.2. Offer personalized incentives to complete the purchase: Sometimes, all it takes is a little nudge to push shoppers toward completing their purchase. Rakuten Viber allows you to integrate CRM &amp; CDP systems, so each offer you send via Viber Business Messages can be tailored to each specific customer. Use your owned customer data to segment your audience and deliver custom incentives that would actually tempt the customer: exclusive discounts on products they buy frequently, free shipping, or a personalized offer they are likely to want. With a smart cross-selling approach, you can laser-target your offers based on the customer’s history of purchases and everything else you know about them. A compelling incentive is both more effective and appreciated: it can make your customers feel valued and provide them with an extra push to complete their purchase.3. Use instant messaging on Rakuten Viber to send time-sensitive updates and offers: Creating a sense of urgency can be a powerful motivator for customers to complete the purchase. Rakuten Viber's TTL feature enables you to send messages that must be delivered within a specified timeframe, so you can use them to send limited-time offers. Combined with good CTA buttons, the urgency compels buyers to take immediate action, reducing the chances of them abandoning their carts and boosting conversions. With limited-time personalized offers, you can create a feeling of exclusivity and encourage customers to act quickly to secure the deal.4. Remarketing strategies:&nbsp;Another effective tactic to tackle cart abandonment is remarketing. With Rakuten Viber, you can leverage the owned, first-party data you’ve collected from customer interactions and create personalized remarketing campaigns. By retargeting customers who abandoned their carts with tailored offers and messages, you can remind them of their unfinished purchases and entice them to come back. Rakuten Viber Rich Business Messaging and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Viber Advertising solutions</a>&nbsp;can both be used to engage and reconnect with potential customers.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/How_personalized_offers_via_Viber_Rich_Business_Messages_help_with_cart_abandonment_774394e45d.png"><figcaption>How personalized offers via Viber Rich Business Messages help with cart abandonment</figcaption></figure><h2>Case Study</h2><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/yespo/">Yespo</a>, an omnichannel customer data platform catering to B2C businesses, integrated Rakuten Viber as part of its communication portfolio to extend its outreach. The platform deployed the combined power of Rakuten Viber's promotional and transactional business messages, aiding brands in delivering tailored offers, diminishing shopping cart abandonment, boosting revenues, and carrying out entire omnichannel cascade campaigns.Many of Yespo's customers benefited from this integration with Rakuten Viber. For example, the international e-commerce marketplace Shafa used promotional Viber Business Messages containing links and dynamic content. Thanks to Rakuten Viber, it received 2.5x more orders at half the operational costs.Another notable example is the Auchan supermarket chain in Ukraine: after Rakuten Viber was added to Yespo’s CDP, Rakuten Viber users generated revenue accounting for an impressive 20% of their total. 70% of this revenue was attributed to reducing cart abandonment through the use of promotional Viber Business Messages.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Success_Story_how_Yespos_integration_with_Rakuten_Viber_boosted_sales_and_reduced_costs_by_reducing_cart_abandonment_b5c131eb24.png"><figcaption>Success Story: how Yespo's integration with Rakuten Viber boosted sales and reduced costs by reducing cart abandonment</figcaption></figure><h2>Rakuten Viber: Your Solution for Recovering Abandoned Carts</h2>Reducing cart abandonment and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/maximizing-sales-the-power-of-viber-ads-and-viber-business-messages/">boosting sales</a> is much easier with Viber Rich Business Messages. By using personalized offers and reminders, time-sensitive updates, and remarketing tactics, businesses can engage customers, recover lost sales, and increase revenue. With a large user base and high engagement rates, Rakuten Viber provides a wide reach and the right tools for maximum impact. By optimizing campaigns using data-driven insights in real time, businesses can enhance their cart recovery tactics and achieve even better results.Don't miss the chance to re-engage customers and maximize revenue. Contact our <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">team</a> today, and we’ll help you implement effective cart abandonment solutions with Rakuten Viber.&nbsp;

Recovering Lost Sales: Reducing Cart Abandonment with Viber Business Messages

Reduce cart abandonment with Viber Business Messages. Discover effective tactics to recover lost sales and boost conversions.

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Rakuten Viber, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication and a leading communication app in the Philippines, has <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/a-unique-media-first-campaign-is-led-by-fanta-on-rakuten-viber/">recently rolled out</a> Branded Viber Gems, its latest interactive <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/maximizing-the-power-of-viber-advertising-solutions-for-building-brand-awareness/">advertising</a> solution.One of the country’s trusted growing up milk brands and the expert in healthy toddlerhood, NIDO 3+5+, introduced the solution in the Philippines with a special Mother’s Day campaign, developed together with its integrated media agency OpenMind. The NIDO 3+5+ Branded Viber Gems campaign is the solution’s debut not just in the country, but across the entire Asia Pacific region.Viber Gems are special festive animations activated when users send certain words or phrases such as ‘Happy Birthday’ or ‘Happy New Year’. The feature has long been enlivening chats: in 2023 alone, it received over 35 million views in the Philippines. Branded Viber Gems are a unique product placement option that raises <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/more-than-ads-discover-creative-tools-on-viber/">brand visibility</a> and creates <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-power-of-being-authentic/">positive associations</a> between a popular holiday and a brand.Rakuten Viber and NIDO 3+5+ made sure to celebrate all moms and their acts of love: when users send ‘Happy Mother’s Day’ in chat, their moms, grandmas, aunts, and all kinds of mothers (fur ones included!) will see a vibrant festive greeting with a yellow heart, courtesy of NIDO 3+5+. Truly recognizing everything our moms do for us and honoring every mom as a #1Mom.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Branded_Viber_Gems_debut_in_APAC_with_Nido_Mother_s_Day_campaign_mockups_purple_fc97bf91d4.png"><figcaption>Branded Viber Gems debut in APAC with Nido Mother’s Day campaign</figcaption></figure>“NIDO 3+5+ has been the #1 Ally of Filipino moms for more than 50 years now. We take pride in supporting our moms in ensuring a healthy future for their toddlers. That's why we celebrate all moms as #1Moms! We're very excited to partner with Rakuten Viber for our Mother’s Day campaign. We see Branded Viber Gems as an innovative digital advertising tool in raising brand awareness and engagement but also a way to really connect with an evolving and modern audience,” says Gian Abaya, NIDO 3+5+ Brand Manager. “Given that 65% of Rakuten Viber users in the Philippines are women, we want to leverage this unique opportunity to boost engagement with our target market and deepen our connection with them during this highly anticipated celebration, a time when mothers get the spotlight, uplift each other, and also express love to those who raised them.”“Seeing Filipinos’ enthusiastic response to Viber Gems, we seized the opportunity to introduce it to our brand partners as an <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-impact-of-visual-content-how-messaging-apps-are-changing-the-way-we-connect/">inventive way to interact</a> with their customers,” shares Karla Banua, Sales Lead, Advertising in APAC at Rakuten Viber. “We’re thrilled to roll out this Branded Viber Gems campaign in collaboration with NIDO 3+5+ and OpenMind for Mother’s Day, a cherished occasion in the country. This partnership allowed us to launch the first Branded Viber Gems campaign in the Philippines and across Asia Pacific. Together, we hope to set new standards for creating immersive digital solutions that enhance positive brand experiences.”&nbsp;The Nido-branded Viber Gems are accessible to users in the Philippines on May 11–15: both on mobile and desktop, matching fun and festive greetings will help celebrate Mother’s Day.Curious about this ground-breaking tool for immersive advertising? <a href="advertisers@forbusiness.viber.com">Get in touch</a> with us to learn more about branded Viber Gems <a href="advertisers@forbusiness.viber.com">advertisers@forbusiness.viber.com</a>

Branded Viber Gems debut in APAC: Nido Mother’s Day campaign in the Philippines on Rakuten Viber

 The superapp and the milk brand make chats more festive for the special occasion

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Rakuten Viber, a global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication and a leading chat app in the Philippines, has partnered with Korean online-to-offline casual mobile commerce company Share Treats to introduce the first-of-its-kind gifting experience in South East Asia with <a href="https://chats.viber.com/sharetreats">Treats on Rakuten Viber</a>. Filipinos can now greet and treat the special people in their lives directly in the Rakuten Viber app, as well as request gifts for any occasion, be it a birthday, a regular fine day, or an upcoming holiday like Mother’s Day.Thanks to their partnership with Rakuten Viber, Share Treats has become the first company to introduce the gifticon technology (a combination of ‘gift’ and ‘icon’) in the Philippines. With this technology, which originated in South Korea, online gift-giving is as easy as sending a message — and comes with a plethora of options to suit every taste and budget.&nbsp;With Treats on Rakuten Viber, users can now send online gift cards to their friends and family: from beloved food chains like Jollibee, Dunkin’, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Auntie Anne’s, The Bistro Group and McDonald’s — to essential staples like the convenience store giant 7-Eleven and trusted pharmacy Mercury Drug. They can also share online gift passes for shopping destinations, such as The SM Store and Lazada, or services, like the FoodPanda food delivery and motorcycle taxi app Angkas. They can even give vouchers for e-wallets such as GCash and Maya or gift codes for GrabGifts.&nbsp;To start giving and getting gifts, users need to subscribe to the Treats on Rakuten Viber chatbot or look for it via the app’s search function. They can also subscribe to the bot simply by clicking "Send Birthday Treat" in the one-to-one chat when they see a birthday notification for a person in their contacts. Once subscribed, users can pick a brand and a specific treat. They can proceed to payment through options like GCash, Maya, and GrabPay. After payment, users can select a Rakuten Viber friend and send the treat! Similarly, to request a treat, users can simply choose a brand, or an item from the brand, and then click ‘Request’ and send it to any contact.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Gifting_experience_with_Share_Treats_on_Rakuten_Viber_501f4e7f6e.png"><figcaption>Gifting experience with Share Treats on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;As Mother's Day approaches, Share Treats and Rakuten Viber provide a way to express love and gratitude to mothers — and a variety of options to make the day truly special. Users can now send heartfelt gifts with just a few taps on their smartphones, seamlessly and regardless of distance. Soon, users will be able to create and see their contacts’ WishLists to make the gifting experience even easier.&nbsp;“It is a significant milestone in digital gifting that allows Filipinos to send greetings with treats, while prioritizing ease of use, security, and efficiency,” says Hong Bae Lee, CEO and President of Share Treats Innovation. “Rakuten Viber already has millions of Filipino users who are relying on this superapp to stay connected with their loved ones. It’s an essential part of everyday conversations. Adding the Share Treats experience to the app allows them to give gifts as easily as sending a message.”“Rakuten Viber is thrilled to partner with Share Treats because it’s part of our goal as a superapp to enrich the overall experience of our users and meet their needs at every touch point,” explains Karla Banua, Sales Lead, Advertising in APAC at Rakuten Viber. “Given the Filipino’s rich gift-giving culture, this partnership with Share Treats allows our users to strengthen connections and express their thoughtfulness in exciting new ways.”&nbsp;&nbsp;About Share Treats&nbsp;The first in the Philippines to introduce the power of Gifticon, <a href="https://www.sharetreats.ph/welcome">Share Treats Innovation Corporation</a> (STIC) allows Filipinos to send casual treats through different platforms. With more than 10,000 Merchant Redemption Centers nationwide, STIC provide its partners diverse content for their e-commerce platforms, loyalty, rewards and engagement Programs. Share Treats has offices across South Korea, the Philippines and Indonesia.&nbsp;&nbsp;About Rakuten Viber<a href="https://www.viber.com/en/">Rakuten Viber</a> connects people. No matter who they are or where they are from. The global user base has access to a range of features like one-on-one chats, video calls, group messaging, and updates and discussions with their favorite brands and celebrities. Rakuten Viber ensures users have a secure and free environment to share their emotions. Rakuten Viber is part of Rakuten Group, Inc., a world leader in e-commerce and financial services.<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/">For businesses</a>, Rakuten Viber offers rich business messaging solutions (business messages, chatbots), display ads, branded stickers and lenses, and business calling solutions. All these tools help businesses to reach their customers at each stage of the customer journey.All private, group chats and private calls on Viber are protected by built-in end-to-end encryption, and Viber Business Messages have encryption in transit, so users and brands can be sure that their conversations are always secure.

Rakuten Viber and Share Treats join forces to deliver a unique gifting experience in the Philippines

​​Rakuten Viber and Share Treats join forces to deliver a unique gifting experience in the Philippines

The Korean m-commerce company partners with Rakuten Viber to offer easy direct-into-chat gifting 

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<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/">Rakuten Viber</a>, <a href="https://www.coca-cola.com/gr/el">Coca-Cola Hellas</a>, and <a href="https://www.mindshareworld.com/">Mindshare</a> partner to create media-first advertising formats for a Fanta campaign that spotlights carnival season in Greece. With this initiative, Coca-Cola Hellas becomes the first company in the world to use branded Viber Gems, as well as the first to launch branded Viber Lenses in Greece.The capabilities of branded Viber Lenses and Viber Gems:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-snap-partnership/">Viber Lenses</a>, powered by Augmented Reality (AR): They enable users to instantly enhance their photos and videos using AR, which fosters interactive engagement. By sharing these augmented moments, users can deepen their connection with brands.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Viber Gems: ‘Gems’ are special animations triggered by specific words and phrases in users' conversations, such as 'Happy Birthday', 'Happy New Year', and similar holiday greetings. Used nearly 7.3 million times each month in Greece, Viber Gems brighten up the chats and draw additional attention to special occasions. This year, for the first time, carnival-related words (Carnival, Masquerade, Clean Monday, Meatfare Thursday, Koulouma, Costume, Dress up, Long weekend) activated a Fanta-branded carnival animation in conversations.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Branded_Viber_Lenses_and_Viber_Gems_for_the_Fanta_campaign_in_Greece_922b7a443d.png"><figcaption>Branded Viber Lenses and Viber Gems for the Fanta campaign in Greece</figcaption></figure>"We're thrilled about our collaboration with Rakuten Viber on this pioneering “media-first” campaign. Viber Gems and Viber Lenses attracted the Gen Z audience and boosted engagement with Fanta. The implementation of these solutions, for the first time in Greece, represents a significant innovation in digital marketing," stated Maria Fitta, Media Operations Senior Manager MED at Coca-Cola Hellas."Our goal is clear — to empower Greek businesses to innovate and to serve as a global superapp that addresses their local needs,” says Nikos Syrios, Sales Manager, CEE, at Rakuten Viber. “Our collaboration with Coca-Cola Hellas and Mindshare to introduce branded Viber Gems and Viber Lenses for the first time in the country has been a part of this mission, made possible thanks to the company’s trust and dedication to pushing boundaries.”<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/vz5grN5ExUI?si=OuxBZDmrZ3yiHq9o"></oembed></figure>

 Coca-Cola Hellas is pioneering innovative advertising formats with Fanta’s campaign on Rakuten Viber

A unique “Media-first” campaign is led by Fanta on Rakuten Viber

Coca-Cola Hellas is pioneering innovative advertising formats with Fanta’s campaign on Rakuten Viber


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Kyiv, April 10, 2024 — Rakuten Viber appointed Ilya Boshnyakov as the Country Director in Ukraine. He will lead the local team, oversee the adaptation of the new features for the Ukrainian market and diaspora worldwide, and manage partnerships, marketing, and communications in the country. Previously, VP of Global Marketing &amp; Growth Atanas Raykov was responsible for these activities from the office in Sofia, Bulgaria.Atanas Raykov, Rakuten Viber's VP of Global Marketing and Growth, comments on the new appointment: “Ukraine is one of the key countries for Rakuten Viber, and we were looking for a highly reputable leader who understands Ukrainian needs and how our product can best match them. At Rakuten Viber, we are building an extensive ecosystem of seamlessly integrated features and services that allow our users to save time, money, and effort in their key daily tasks. According to this strategy, Ilya will be responsible for local launches of all new products and solutions to ensure that Ukraine sees as many of the latest innovations from Rakuten Viber as possible. We have been meticulously looking for the right person. Now that he is finally on board, we are focused on greatly scaling up our activities."Ilya Boshnyakov shares his impressions of the first weeks in the team: "I have long admired the concept behind Rakuten Viber, which first set the app as the standard for many aspects of daily life and has now built an entire ecosystem of products, content, and services on that foundation. I am excited to join the team and collaborate on solutions that have a tangible positive impact on users, businesses, and the economy as a whole."Previously, Ilya led the technology media outlet AIN.UA for 8 years. In the last 3 years, he launched AIN.Capital, AIN.Business, and Recruitika. Before his media career, Ilya managed recruiting and HR for a group of British technology companies covering FinTech, GameDev, MarTech, and other industries.&nbsp;

Rakuten Viber reinforces its commitment to Ukraine by appointing its first Country Director

Rakuten Viber has appointed Ilya Boshnyakov as Country Director in Ukraine

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In recent years, with the advent of smartphones and the widespread availability of mobile internet, the way we live, communicate, and shop has completely transformed. Gone are the days when making a purchase required a visit to a physical store or spending countless hours navigating complex websites. With just a tap of a finger, we can now order goods and services from anywhere in the world, all from the convenience of our mobile devices.Conversational commerce takes this convenience to a whole new level by enabling businesses and customers to engage in real-time conversations through messaging platforms. It allows for seamless, interactive communication, transforming transactions into conversations and creating a more engaging and satisfying customer experience.<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/what-are-viber-business-messages/">Viber Rich Business Messaging</a>, which consists of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Viber Business Messages</a> and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Viber Chatbots</a>, is at the forefront of this conversational commerce revolution. With its user-friendly interface and robust features, businesses can now connect with their customers on a deeper level, providing personalized recommendations, answering queries, sending booking confirmations or transactional details, and even completing transactions within the chat interface.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Conversational Commerce: Enhancing Customer Experience Through Personalization and Convenience</h2><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/what-is-conversational-commerce/">Conversational commerce</a> is a significant shift in modern business interactions, as it enables companies to engage customers in natural and meaningful two-way exchanges. This approach refers to the use of messaging apps, chatbots, voice assistants, and other conversational interfaces to facilitate sales and customer service.&nbsp;One of the key advantages of c-commerce is the ability to provide personalized experiences. By leveraging data and AI-driven technologies, companies can tailor their interactions to individual customers, taking into account their preferences, pain points, purchase history, and even their current context. This level of personalization creates a sense of being understood and valued, which can lead to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.Another benefit of c-commerce is the convenience it offers to customers. With <a href="https://cxm.co.uk/webexs-guide-to-conversational-messaging-can-enhance-brand-interaction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">messaging apps being a preferred method of communication for many people</a>, they can easily engage with businesses at any time and from anywhere. Whether it's seeking product recommendations, getting real-time support, or making a purchase, customers can do so effortlessly through a conversation. Plus, conversational commerce eliminates the need to switch between different platforms or websites, improving accessibility for customers.Furthermore, it allows for interactive and engaging experiences. Through chatbots and voice assistants, brands can guide customers through the buying process, provide product information, and even offer personalized recommendations. This interactive nature adds an element of fun and excitement to the buyer’s journey, making it more memorable and enjoyable.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Viber Business Messages: Seamless Conversations, Unforgettable Experiences</h2><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-business-messages-essentials-for-brand-growth/">Viber Business Messages</a> empowers brands to have real-time, personalized conversations with their customers, unlocking new levels of customer engagement and satisfaction. With its impressive features and capabilities, this platform is a game-changer in the world of customer communication.&nbsp;<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Customized and individualized conversations: Viber Business Messages allows businesses to tailor their communication to ensure an experience that resonates with the customer. Be it a query, support request, or promotional message.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Instant messaging for smooth interactions: Businesses can have instant communication with their customers, just like having a conversation with a friend. This enables frictionless back-and-forth interactions, fostering trust and reliability between the brand and the consumer. Whether it's resolving a customer's concern or offering real-time support, this platform empowers you to be there for your customers when they need you the most.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Showcase creativity and brand personality: Brands can incorporate emojis, files, pictures, and even videos into their messages, adding a touch of visual appeal to their conversations.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Use interactive buttons to drive engagement and conversions: Businesses can use interactive buttons, such as call-to-action buttons, to guide customers toward specific actions or promotions. This not only enhances the user experience but also drives increased engagement and conversions.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Easy conversation management with reply and pin features: Users can reply to specific messages, allowing for easy context within the conversation. Messages can also be pinned for quick reference.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Effortless sharing and accessing of information: Users can copy codes, emails, and links directly from the message, making sharing and accessing information a breeze.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Visual communication through photos and videos: Customers can send photos and videos to the brand, enabling them to share visuals that give additional context or support their inquiries. This rich media integration allows for a more immersive and comprehensive customer experience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Send messages up to 1000 characters for comprehensive communication: Businesses can effectively convey their message with Viber Business Messages, providing all the necessary details in a concise yet comprehensive manner. This eliminates the need for multiple exchanges and ensures that customers have access to the information they need without any hassle.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Auto-reply messages for added convenience: With this feature you can automatically respond to customer inquiries, even outside of regular business hours, ensuring that no message goes unanswered.&nbsp;</li></ul>With Viber Business Messages, your brand can <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/faster-customer-service-and-lower-costs-how-viber-business-messages-make-it-happen/">elevate customer experiences</a> by integrating interactive messaging, multimedia content, and efficient customer support. By providing a convenient and engaging communication platform, you can strengthen brand loyalty and drive business growth.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Tailoring Experiences for Success: The Benefits of Personalization</h3>Tailoring messages and offers to individual customers is key to building strong relationships and driving loyalty.Studies show that customers expect personalized interactions from businesses. In fact, <a href="https://www.slideshare.net/EpsilonMktg/the-power-of-me-the-impact-of-personalization-on-marketing-performance#1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">80%</a> of consumers are more inclined to buy from companies that provide tailored experiences, while <a href="https://c.smarterhq.com/resources/Privacy-Personalization-Report.pdf?mtime=20200616175059&amp;focal=none" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">72%</a> indicate that they will only interact with brands that provide personalized messaging. By delivering <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/ua/blog/post/the-benefits-of-personalization-how-tailoring-content-to-your-audience-can-improve-engagement-and-conversions/">customized content</a>, businesses can not only meet customer expectations but also increase engagement and conversions.Viber Business Messages equip brands with the tools they need to create and send personalized messages to their customers. By leveraging customer data and insights, businesses can send tailored messages and offers. For example, new customers can receive personalized onboarding messages, offering special discounts or free samples to help them get acquainted with products or services.&nbsp;Additionally, Viber Business Messages allows businesses to send automated reminders, personalized recommendations, and exclusive offers based on customer behavior and purchase history. This level of customization creates a personalized journey for each client, increasing their satisfaction and loyalty to the brand.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The benefits of personalized recommendations and targeted marketing campaigns</h4>1. Enhanced Customer Experience: Personalized recommendations create a meaningful and relevant customer experience, boosting loyalty and engagement.2. Increased Sales: When a client feels understood and valued, the chances of making a purchase skyrocket. Individualized recommendations tap into the customer's preferences and buying behaviors, enabling you to provide offers that are almost impossible to resist.&nbsp;3. Cost-Effectiveness: Tailoring messages maximizes the impact of your marketing budget, ensuring each dollar spent delivers the desired results. Moreover, with Viber Business Messages brands pay for delivered messages only.4. Improved Customer Retention: By consistently providing relevant offers and recommendations, you foster loyalty, encouraging customers to return for future purchases.5. Data-Driven Insights: Personalized recommendations and targeted marketing campaigns generate a wealth of data. By analyzing this data, you can gain valuable insights into customer behaviors and trends, informing future marketing strategies.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Convenience at Every Step: Viber Business Messages and the Streamlined Transactions</h2>Rakuten Viber Business Messages cater to a wide range of business needs:&nbsp;Send <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/enhancing-customer-experience-in-transportation-logistics-with-viber-business-messages/">order confirmations</a> with attached receipts directly to your customers, providing them with all the necessary information at once. Keep your customers informed about the status of their orders with a tracking link, ensuring transparency and satisfaction.Want to authenticate registrations? Deliver <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/enhancing-security-efficiency-revolutionizing-banking-communications-through-viber-business-messages/">one-time passwords</a> (OTPs) through Rakuten Viber, simplifying the login process for your users and enhancing security.Running low on stock? Send personalized triggers to encourage repeat purchases, offering discounts or promotions on frequently ordered items.Don't miss out on appointments or meetings. Viber allows you to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-business-messages-for-thepharmaceutical-industry/">send reminders</a> to ensure your customers never forget important engagements.Showcase your products directly within the messaging platform: You can provide visually rich product photos or videos, detailed descriptions, and even consumer reviews. This not only enhances the customer experience but also increases the likelihood of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/why-your-e-commerce-strategy-needs-rakuten-viber-a-path-to-success/">making a purchase</a> right then and there.Supply customers with real-time product information. Whether it's the latest stock availability, pricing updates, or limited-time promotions, you can keep your customers informed and engaged.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Rich_Business_Messaging_solutions_for_streamlined_customer_interactions_94d6c60614.png"><figcaption>Viber Rich Business Messaging solutions for streamlined customer interactions</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Chatbots to Virtual Assistants: The Evolution of Conversational Commerce</h2>Viber <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-evolution-of-chatbots/">Chatbots</a> are a great rich business messaging tool that allows brands to provide automated around-the-clock support and sales assistance. Brands can customize their chatbots with interactive buttons, send personalized notifications to customers, and engage them with photos, emojis, and GIFs. They can also showcase products with carousels and lead customers to complete transactions directly in the bot. With the ability to showcase products, provide real-time information, and facilitate seamless purchases, Viber Chatbots eliminate the need for customers to jump through hoops while navigating multiple websites or filling out lengthy formsThe future of chatbots in conversational commerce is promising, thanks to advancements in technologies like artificial intelligence and natural language processing (NLP). These technologies empower businesses to create even more advanced and intelligent chatbot systems that can understand and respond to customer queries with greater accuracy and efficiency.Furthermore, AI and NLP technologies enable chatbots to learn and improve over time. With every interaction, chatbots can gather valuable insights and data, allowing businesses to refine their marketing strategies, improve customer service, and enhance the overall user experience.&nbsp;In addition to AI and NLP, other advancements include the integration of voice commands and virtual assistants. Voice technology is becoming increasingly popular, with devices like smart speakers and virtual assistants becoming commonplace in households. Customers will be able to make purchases, order products, and access customer support services using voice commands, making shopping even more convenient and hands-free.Conversational commerce will seamlessly integrate across various channels, including websites, mobile apps, social media platforms, and messaging apps. Customers will enjoy a consistent experience, regardless of the channel they choose to interact with the brand, resulting in a frictionless purchasing process.Conversational commerce is here to stay, and companies that embrace it will gain a significant competitive advantage in the future. By leveraging AI, integrating with popular platforms, and providing personalized, context-aware communication, businesses can create engaging customer experiences, drive sales, and build long-lasting relationships.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Empowering Businesses, Enchanting Customers</h2>As the world of conversational commerce continues to evolve, Viber Rich Business Messaging remains at the forefront of the customer experience transformation. By providing a perfect solution for personalized interactions, it empowers businesses to meet the evolving demands of today's consumers. With its ability to enhance the customer experience and foster loyalty, this tool is revolutionizing the way brands connect with their clientele. Stay ahead of the curve and embrace the power of Viber Rich Business Messaging to <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">transform your customer experience</a>.

Discover the power of Viber Rich Business Messaging for the elevated customer experience 

The Rise of Conversational Commerce: How Viber Rich Business Messaging is Transforming the Customer Experience

Discover the power of Viber Rich Business Messaging for the elevated customer experience

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Athens, Greece – February 13, 2024 – Rakuten Viber, one of the leading global communication companies and a pioneer in Greece, is proud to announce the upcoming launch of a cutting-edge incentive program tailored for advertising agencies in Greece. This dynamic initiative reflects the company's commitment to fostering mutually beneficial collaborations within the Greek market, assisting advertising agencies in their growth through enhanced education and new tools, thereby building stronger relationships with their clients.With the Partner Excellence Program, Rakuten Viber underscores its dedication to cultivating relationships with advertising agencies in Greece. Ready to reveal the program, Rakuten Viber sees Greece taking the lead as the inaugural market in its global rollout. This marks a significant milestone, underlining once again the strategic importance of the Greek market for Rakuten Viber.The elements of this program aim to fortify agencies and their clients to reach new heights. By opting to become official partners through the Rakuten Viber Partner Excellence Program, advertising agencies not only elevate their recognition and prestige but also gain exclusive tools that empower them to deliver distinctive services, reinforcing and enriching their collaborative endeavors.The program will have three different tiers—Partner, Gold Partner, and Platinum Partner—to access exclusive privileges, such as:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Recognition: public acknowledgment as official partners.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Education and training: access to specialized educational resources and training programs.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Priority access to new products: early access to new products or features, providing a competitive advantage.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Premium support: availability of premium support services for the highest level of assistance.</li></ul>With the Rakuten Viber Partners Excellence program, advertising agencies demonstrate their commitment to best practices in Viber's products, and each level's certification serves as a testament to the reliability by Rakuten Viber.&nbsp;To learn more information about the program's benefits for advertising agencies, please visit the <a href="https://stage.forbusiness.viber.com/partner-excellence-program/">landing page</a>.“We always strive to innovate in our industry, offering exceptional added value to our core services and more functionalities. Our mission with this program is clear: to be your steadfast partner in the advertising market's journey toward unparalleled success," stated Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer of Rakuten Viber. “We tailored the Rakuten Viber Excellence Program to be a reliable companion, offering new advantages that enable companies and advertisers to chart new paths to success. I am genuinely excited about the incredible journey we are about to embark on and look forward to celebrating new successes for your company through our collaboration”.

Rakuten Viber announces dynamic partner program to maximize advertising effectiveness

Starting with Greece: Rakuten Viber launches Partner Excellence Program for advertising companies

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Athens, Greece – January 25, 2024 – On January 24, Rakuten Viber, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication, held its first exclusive business event in Greece in seven years. The event took place at the stunning Lighthouse at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens, with a focus on exploring innovative solutions addressing contemporary business challenges. The focal point of the event was Viber for Business, an ecosystem of solutions for all business needs, powered by the well-known Rakuten Viber app.Led by Rakuten Viber's senior executive team, including CEO Ofir Eyal on his first visit to Greece since taking the role, and Chief Revenue Officer Cristina Constandache, the event drew in top industry experts and leading brands in Greece. Ofir Eyal referred to Greece as a flagship market for many Rakuten Viber updates and emphasized the country's pivotal role in the company's superapp development.&nbsp;"Greece is one of the biggest stars of Europe, seamlessly blending its heritage and culture with technology and progress. Watching how Greeks preserve their rich history while embracing innovation is truly inspiring," says Ofir Eyal, CEO at Rakuten Viber. "We are honored to be a part of your digital transformation journey, helping local businesses change, grow, and innovate."<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Ofir_Eyal_CEO_at_Rakuten_Viber_d893313537.jpg"><figcaption>Ofir Eyal, CEO at Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>This was followed by the honorable commencement delivered by Minister of Digital Governance Dimitris Papastergiou. He emphasized the importance of empowering digital transformation to make Greece even more outward-looking, brighter, and digital. In addition, a separate reference was made to the digital assistant mAIgov, the first Artificial Intelligence application for the Greek public sector. It further facilitates the daily lives of citizens and businesses, simplifying and accelerating their interaction with the state.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Dimitris_Papastergiou_Minister_of_Digital_Governance_87c90ac9d4.jpg"><figcaption>Dimitris Papastergiou, Minister of Digital Governance</figcaption></figure>Delving into the latest digital trends and future predictions, Rakuten Viber’s Chief Revenue Officer, Cristina Constandache, highlighted the key factors businesses need to be aware of today for future success. Notable trends include direct-to-consumer marketing, two-way brand-user interaction, and a reduced number of MarTech tools used by brands. Cristina noted that brands might soon be seeking a single platform to address their needs, and superapps are expected to continue their emergence in Europe, following significant success in Asia with examples such as WeChat, Line, and Grab.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Cristina_Constandache_Chief_Revenue_Officer_at_Rakuten_Viber_c1ce5f6bf5.jpg"><figcaption>Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>Rakuten Viber’s Noa Bar Shay, Sr. Director, Partnerships &amp; Sales, and Konstantin Kostadinov, Sr. Sales Director CEE &amp; CIS, presented how brands can use Viber for Business solutions as a superapp ecosystem for their various business needs: building brand awareness, boosting sales, increasing ROI, enhancing customer experience and building loyalty and more.&nbsp;They noted that the top-5 industries using Viber for Business today in Greece include: retail &amp; ecommerce (43%), finance &amp; insurance (14%), health &amp; wellness (11%), FMCG (10%), IT &amp; telecom (7%), closely followed by hospitality.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Noa_Bar_Shay_Konstantin_Kostadinov_Rakuten_Viber_f09832c566.jpg"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber’s Noa Bar Shay, Sr. Director, Partnerships &amp; Sales, and Konstantin Kostadinov, Sr. Sales Director CEE &amp; CIS</figcaption></figure>Leading industry experts and top brands in Greece shared their insights on digital transformation and trends. Expert insights included a fireside chat and a panel discussion on how brands should navigate the current digital landscape and what they should consider when building digital strategies.&nbsp;Rakuten Viber’s team offered a glimpse of a few upcoming releases that Greek brands can expect in the future. These include a click-to-message ad that allows brands to convert leads to customers in a few steps, a brand-new solution for one-time passwords, enhanced security for brand-user interactions, and an opportunity for users to make free calls to brands, recently launched worldwide."All of these updates are part of our superapp strategy, which involves building an ecosystem of solutions for businesses of all sizes to address their needs," says Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Viber. "Our goal is clear – to empower Greek businesses to innovate and to serve as a global superapp that addresses their local needs."Following the presentations, attendees enjoyed a networking soirée and a special performance by the exceptional Thodoris Marantinis, singer of the band Onirama.Watch the key highlights from the dynamic Viber for Business event in Greece in this <a href="https://youtu.be/Z_Ku0YlgMK0?si=pjXubnj-ONVyHoTc">video recap</a>.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/Z_Ku0YlgMK0?si=o4Dp9A-6e85c5WFp"></oembed></figure>

Rakuten Viber boosts digital transformation of Greek brands at Athens event

Shaping the future: Viber for Business exclusive event in Greece

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<a href="https://www.viber.com/">Rakuten Viber</a>, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication, announces the global launch of Business Calls, a solution designed to enhance communication between businesses and their customers on the app. Brands can establish a new communication channel, letting customers make free international calls to their landline numbers directly through Rakuten Viber—a unique service in the messaging app industry.&nbsp;The new offering is particularly valuable for businesses that rely on call centers. In-app calls can serve various purposes, such as assisting with product inquiries, order tracking, and post-sales support in the retail and delivery sector. Banks can address account inquiries, schedule appointments, manage transactions, and offer financial advice and support, while pharmacies can assist with prescription refills, share branch schedules, and provide consultations on allergic reactions and side effects. Rakuten Viber brings a powerful tool to businesses across various industries to effectively address customer queries in a convenient place, ultimately enhancing the customer experience.&nbsp;Surveys indicate that <a href="https://www.liveperson.com/resources/reports/2021-conversational-commerce/">91% of consumers</a> prefer brands that offer the option to either call or message.&nbsp; Viber Business Calls enhances the current communication suite of Viber for Business Solutions and complements the existing business messaging solution, which has facilitated connections between customers and brands. With the introduction of Business Calls, Rakuten Viber offers users the freedom to choose their preferred method of communication with a brand, whether through calling or messaging.&nbsp;The in-app call option allows users to make calls seamlessly within the same app, eliminating the need to switch applications. This boosts conversions for brands, facilitates immediate query resolution, mitigates customer frustration that can result in negative feedback and reputation damage, and opens up opportunities for upselling and cross-selling products during conversations.Early adopters have the opportunity to create searchable business accounts with an embedded Viber Business Call button or add the solution to their existing accounts in the app, allowing customers to easily find and call the service. Users can also initiate a call directly from a chat with a business, for example, reaching out to a delivery service to reschedule a parcel delivery after receiving a notification. Brands can include a Rakuten Viber call link on their websites, making it even more convenient for customers to get in touch with them.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Using_Viber_Business_Calls_to_contact_brand_0edb2b9b20.png"><figcaption>User contacting a brand directly from a chat via Viber Business Calls</figcaption></figure>All business calls will be free for customers, regardless of their location. This is particularly beneficial for serving customers calling from abroad, such as a foreign traveler seeking information about their booking or a local bank client experiencing issues with their credit card overseas. It allows to improve global brand accessibility, elevate crisis management, and gain a competitive advantage by providing free support calls for customers anywhere. Businesses can choose to either designate a specific number for Rakuten Viber or continue using their regular call center number.&nbsp;"Rakuten Viber was the first messaging app to offer business messaging nine years ago, revolutionizing the way businesses communicate with their customers. Since then, we have developed a robust business messaging ecosystem and are now taking a significant step forward by introducing in-app Business Calls, a distinctive offering in the market,” says Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Viber. "Being a superapp means providing our users with as many value-added services as possible throughout their day and offering brands more opportunities to engage with their customers. This update marks our next step in advancing our global superapp strategy."Viber Business Calls are now available for integration globally. To use the solution, brands can inquire with the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners/">official partners of Rakuten Viber</a> whether they already support Business Calls or <a href="mailto:calls@forbusiness.viber.com">contact the Rakuten Viber team</a> and learn how to get started.To discover more about Viber Business Calls, visit <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/business-calls.pdf">this page</a>.&nbsp;

Rakuten Viber launches a unique business tool, serving as an in-app call center 

Rakuten Viber expands its portfolio for brand-user interaction with Business Calls 

Rakuten Viber launches a unique business tool, serving as an in-app call center 


Rakuten Viber expands its portfolio for brand-user interaction with Business Calls

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Rakuten Group, Inc., a leading technology conglomerate and owner of Rakuten Viber, Ukraine’s most widely adopted messaging and communications app, today announced that the Group has established an office in the heart of the country’s capital city, Kyiv, and plans to join Ukraine’s “Diia City” initiative to grow the country’s IT sector. The new Rakuten office opened its doors earlier today.Three of Rakuten’s businesses – Rakuten Viber, Rakuten Advertising, and Rakuten Rewards – currently have software development and digital marketing operations concentrated in Kyiv and Odesa. The new Kyiv office will enable local contributors to work together to bring valuable technology products and services to users around the world, further cementing Ukraine’s reputation as an IT innovation hub. Rakuten’s commitment comes after Chairman and CEO Mickey Mikitani recently accompanied Japanese government officials on a diplomatic mission to Ukraine in September 2023. Serving as a representative of Japan’s private sector, Mikitani met with Ukraine leaders including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine’s Vice Prime Minister for Innovation, Development of Education, Science and Technology and Minister of Digital Transformation. Rakuten has provided consistent support to Ukraine throughout the war and demonstrated a commitment to its people, economy and post-war reconstruction. Among other actions,&nbsp;<a href="https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2023/0802_02.html">Rakuten signed a memorandum of understanding with VEON Ltd.</a>&nbsp;(NASDAQ: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON) to collaborate on the reconstruction of the country’s infrastructure through open radio access networks (Open RAN) and digital services. Additionally, Rakuten launched the&nbsp;<a href="https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/update/2022/0228_02.html">Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Emergency Relief Fund</a>&nbsp;through its online donation platform, Rakuten Clutch&nbsp;Special Charity Fund, and held a&nbsp;<a href="https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/update/2022/0311_01.html">t-shirt donation drive to support Ukraine</a>&nbsp;that raised more than 1.3 billion yen*.&nbsp; Mikitani has also shown strong personal support for Ukraine on multiple occasions. At the war’s onset, he made a personal donation of 1 billion yen to the Ukrainian government for humanitarian aid. Last winter, he supported the donation and delivery of 500&nbsp;power generators to Ukrainian citizens through the Samurai Donation Project. In recognition of his efforts and those of Rakuten Group, Ukraine’s Ambassador to Japan recently awarded Mikitani with the national Order of Merit for distinguished service*. Rakuten's plans for its Kyiv location include additional hiring in the technology sector and appointment of a country manager to oversee local operations. One of these is expected to be the launch in Ukraine of Rakuten Viber’s digital wallet service, following its successful introduction in several European countries. This service will provide Viber users in Ukraine, where its app is installed on 98% of mobile phones, with enhanced financial accessibility, including the ability to send money in and out of the country through secure instant messaging transactions. *1. Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Emergency Relief Fund: Approximately 1.29 billion yen&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Charity T-shirt donation drive for Ukraine: Approximately 51 million yen Both fundraising events ended June 30, 2022. *2. Ukraine Order of Merit (Distinguished service), third class.

Rakuten Viber now has an office in Kyiv, Ukraine,  along with Rakuten Advertising and Rakuten Rewards

Rakuten Expands Commitment to Ukraine with New Office in Kyiv

Rakuten Viber now has an office in Kyiv, Ukraine,  along with Rakuten Advertising and Rakuten Rewards


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Review key mobile messaging marketing trends in 2023 and how Rakuten Viber makes the most of them

2023 Recap: Top Mobile Messaging Marketing Trends

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Rakuten Viber has recently celebrated its 13th birthday and today it is one of the leading global messaging apps with users in more than 190 countries around the world. It allows people to connect via voice and video calls, private and group text messaging, media sharing, and much more. But it's not just a tool for personal communication, it's also a dynamic platform to connect with customers and solve business goals, providing solutions such as <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-solutions-for-brands-business-messages-chatbots-ads-lenses-stickers-and-business-inbox-feature/">Viber Ads and Viber Business Messages</a>. Introduced years ago as the first business tools on the app, they now help more than 20,000 brands all over the world to reach wider audiences, enhance brand visibility, and boost sales. Let’s see how these solutions that once have shaken the traditional marketing landscape can benefit your brand today.&nbsp;<h2>Redefining Advertising Strategies with Viber Ads</h2>The importance of digital campaigns in today's competitive market cannot be overstated. As the world becomes increasingly connected, businesses must adapt their strategies to reach customers where they are most active – online. Digital ads have been proven to enhance brand awareness by a staggering <a href="https://techjury.net/blog/ppc-stats/#gref" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">80%</a>, making them a vital tool in any marketer's arsenal. They also have a considerable influence on online behavior, with the likelihood of consumers searching for brand-specific terms increasing by <a href="https://techjury.net/blog/ppc-stats/#gref" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">155%</a> after being exposed to display ads. This heightened interest can directly translate into sales, as customers are <a href="https://techjury.net/blog/ppc-stats/#gref" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">70%</a> more likely to purchase via a retargeting ad. With these impressive statistics, it's clear that digital advertising is not just a trend but a necessity for companies aiming to thrive in the digital age.<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Viber Ads</a> offer businesses an opportunity to increase <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/maximizing-the-power-of-viber-advertising-solutions-for-building-brand-awareness/">brand awareness</a> and bring more customers, thus driving both online and in-store sales. It allows companies to showcase their advertising where people spend the majority of their time – on a chat app – while placing it natively within the interface. These ads can target the audience based on their interests and demographics, making it easier to attract their attention. It helps brands to stay on top of minds of their potential customers, increasing the chances of turning them into buyers, whether they choose to purchase online or in the store. Moreover, brands can get analytics about the performance of their ads to further strengthen their campaigns and optimize their strategies for maximum impact.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Ads_on_Rakuten_Viber_2d58dafbc5.png"><figcaption>Examples of different ad placements on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>For online sales, Viber Ads can drive traffic directly to an e-commerce website or a specific product page. Potential customers can be redirected to the store website by clicking on the link inside the ad, thereby facilitating an immediate purchase. This can be particularly effective during the sales season or in combination with special promotions and discounts that incentivize potential consumers to buy online. Soon, Viber Ads will also allow brands to lead customers to a specific product or selection of products within the app.&nbsp;For in-store sales, Rakuten Viber Ads can be used to promote events, new product releases, or deals available only at physical locations. Geolocation features can target Rakuten Viber users in a specific area, making the ads highly relevant and timely. This can drive foot traffic to physical shops, enhancing the opportunity for in-store sales.In a time where competition is rife and businesses are looking for effective methods to stand out, Viber Ads offer a great solution. It allows companies to reach out to their customers in a way impossible with <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-ads-vs-traditional-advertising-efficiency-and-scale/">traditional advertising</a> channels. They can help businesses build strong relationships with their clients and drive revenue, both online and in-store.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Use_Rakuten_Viber_Ads_for_targeted_campaigns_a1a375253f.png"><figcaption>Targeted Viber Ads campaigns&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><h2>Unlocking Customer Engagement: The Impact of Viber Business Messages</h2><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Viber Business Messages</a> is a powerful tool to engage clients in a more personalized and interactive manner. It allows companies to send alerts, promotional messages, and service notifications directly to their customers' Rakuten Viber app. Moreover, consumers can reply or send questions, facilitating two-way communication. Businesses can also share images, videos, buttons, URLs, and various types of files in the messages, making them more engaging and informative. It's all about enhancing customer experience and building stronger relationships while simultaneously bringing more opportunities to drive sales.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Rich_media_Viber_Business_Messages_1b03ab62ee.png"><figcaption>Examples of rich-media Viber Business Messages</figcaption></figure>The many <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-for-business-how-to-increase-engagement-and-drive-sales/">benefits of Viber Business Messages</a> include:• Broad User Base: Rakuten Viber boasts over 1 billion Android downloads, making it a widely-used messaging app globally. This assures businesses that clients from their customer base are already on the app and can be effectively reached there.&nbsp;• Direct and Instant Communication: Viber Business Messages allow brands to communicate directly with their customers in real-time. This direct and instant communication enables brands to provide immediate support, answer questions, and resolve issues efficiently.• Enhanced User Satisfaction: Businesses can integrate their CDP or CRM system with Viber Business Messages to send targeted messages to their clients, thereby increasing loyalty and enhancing client satisfaction. It ensures that every interaction is relevant to the audience.• Improved Conversion Rates: Brands can send promotional offers, assist with purchases, send updates on the delivery, and collect feedback through a single chat. This helps customers to get all essential information in one place, prevents platform-switching that can lead to shopping fatigue, and thereby increases conversion rates.• Detailed Analytics: Rakuten Viber provides analytics of your marketing campaigns, including seen and click-through rates. This allows companies to monitor their success and optimize for better results.&nbsp;• Cost Efficiency: With Rakuten Viber, businesses can benefit from pricing strategies that maximize their ROI. For example, when sending Business Messages, brands only pay for messages that are delivered, ensuring that the campaign budget is allocated to customers who have received the messages.&nbsp;<h2>Leveraging Viber Business Messages for Retail Success</h2>Viber Business Messages offer plenty of opportunities for businesses to establish a stronger bond with their customers, boost sales, and drive revenue.1. Personalized Promotions: Utilize Rakuten Viber to send consumers <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-effectively-engage-your-audience-on-viber-without-overwhelming-them/">customized promotional messages</a> or discounts based on their purchase history and preferences. Making them unique and relevant to each client increases their likelihood of purchase.2. Sales Event Updates: Keep your customers informed about new product releases, exclusive launches, or upcoming sales. This creates anticipation and increases the chance of clients visiting your online or physical store.&nbsp;3. Customer Service: Viber Business Messages can be an effective <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/faster-customer-service-and-lower-costs-how-viber-business-messages-make-it-happen/">customer service</a> tool. Prompt resolution of consumer inquiries or issues not only improves client satisfaction but also fosters a positive relationship with the consumer, encouraging them to frequent the store.4. Product Recommendations: Based on customer purchase history, recommend products they might be interested in. Such personalized suggestions can act as a catalyst for additional purchases.5. Loyalty Programs: Use Rakuten Viber to update customers about their loyalty program status, reward points, and exclusive member-only offers. This not only gives customers a sense of exclusivity but also incentivizes them to make more purchases to earn more bonuses.6. Feedback Requests: Ask customers for feedback on their shopping experience or on products they've bought. This not only provides valuable insights for the company but also makes customers feel valued and heard, which can encourage repeat purchases.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_business_messaging_on_Rakuten_Viber_8a6bc1b084.png"><figcaption>Using Viber Business Messages in retail&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><h2>A New Era of In-Store Sales: The Potential of Viber Ads and Viber Business Messages&nbsp;</h2>Using Viber Ads and Viber Business Messages can help you enhance your in-store sales. Here's how:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Boosted Brand Awareness: Using Viber Ads can boost your brand awareness among customers. Increased recognition can lead to more in-store visits and, therefore, more revenue.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">In-Store Experiences: Promote unique experiences, such as expert consultations or live demonstrations, via Viber Business Messages or Viber Ads. These events can attract customers to your physical location.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Cross-promotion: Collaborate with other local companies to offer joint promotions that can be redeemed in-store. Spread the word about these deals via Viber Business Messages.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">In-store Pickup: Promote 'buy online, pick up in-store' services through Viber Ads and Viber Business Messages. This can increase visits to your store and potentially lead to additional purchases.</li></ul><h2>Increase Your Sales Footprint with Viber for Business</h2>Viber Ads and Viber Business Messages were the first solutions that helped businesses interact with audiences on Rakuten Viber. With Viber Business Messages, businesses can engage with their customers personally and directly communicate promotions, updates, and essential information. This not only enhances the customer experience but also drives sales and fosters brand loyalty. Viber Ads provide an effective way for businesses to advertise their products or services. With its targeting capabilities, brands can ensure that their ads reach the right audience, resulting in higher brand awareness and helping to drive sales. Moreover, businesses have access to analytics and valuable insights into campaign performance, enabling them to optimize their strategies and maximize their return on investment.&nbsp;If you’d like to learn how Viber for Business solutions can help your brand achieve your goals, don’t hesitate to <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">reach out to us</a>.&nbsp;

Discover how Viber Ads and Viber Business Messages can help you boost your online and in-store sales

Maximizing Sales: The Power of Viber Ads and Viber Business Messages

Discover how Viber Ads and Viber Business Messages can help you boost your online and in-store sales 

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The Mobile Ecosystem Forum events are always a great source of learning and inspiration for professionals in the industry, and one of the most productive ways to get insights from fellow participants is — through open conversations. At <a href="https://mobileecosystemforum.com/event/mef-connects-omnichannel/">MEF CONNECTS Omnichannel 2023</a>, our Chief Revenue Officer, Cristina Constandache, and Head of Carrier Relations, Messaging, Ritu Taneja, took part in two excellent discussions, alongside industry experts:<ul><li>Catalin Badea, VP Product Management at netnumber Global Data Services</li><li>Ron Bonnici, VP Pre-Sales &amp; Product Management at HAUD</li><li>Silvija Renusa, Senior Product Partnership Manager at Infobip</li><li>Paul Louden, Regional Director UK &amp; Ireland at Sinch</li><li>Moderated by James Williams, MEF Director of Programmes</li></ul>Here are some key takeaways from these sessions.Connecting the Dots: New and Old in the OmnichannelA lot of modern conversations about traditional channels such as SMS and the “new-comers” (having been in the messaging business for over a decade, we use the term loosely) such as OTT messaging apps — focus on comparing the two, as competition. However, the simple truth is that, when it comes to omnichannel strategies, businesses should not choose one channel, but rather look for the most effective ways to use them in synergy. So, for most enterprises, it’s not a question of whether to pick SMS or a messaging app, so much as a quest to optimize their communication via both: to be most effective, to engage their customers better, and to save costs.&nbsp;As Cristina Constandache put it, OTT messaging doesn’t have to be an alternative to SMS when they can instead <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/mef-the-changing-dynamics-in-business-messaging/">work together</a>. One example from Rakuten Viber’s own practice is the SMS Fallback feature that allows our clients to automatically deliver via SMS those messages that couldn’t be delivered via Rakuten Viber (for example, if the intended recipient is not connected to the Internet). This is just one example, showing how intelligent communication strategies that use SMS and Rakuten Viber in tandem can create a better experience for the brands’ customers.Driving Omnichannel Adoption: the ChallengesBusinesses are certainly seeing value in many individual channels, and, as Paul Louden astutely pointed out, there’s an appetite for omnichannel. But there are two challenges enterprises face here: one, building a cohesive omnichannel strategy where channels work optimally and supplement each other without duplicating information and cluttering the brand-user communication. And two — integrating it all smoothly, which is where companies like Infobip and Sinch come in to save the day, that is to make implementation and use of the omnichannel strategy easier and more seamless for the brands.Another challenge is how fast <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/navigating-the-digital-transformation-trends-shaping-the-future-of-messaging-and-connectivity/">digital transformation</a> impacts communication tools. Although the pace of technological progress can hardly be viewed as a bad thing, it leaves many enterprises struggling to keep up with the ever-shifting landscape of digital communication. As a result, many companies may be underestimating the potential of some tools, such as rich messaging, or, even if interested, lack the understanding to implement them effectively. So, education of business clients is another major goal that Rakuten Viber shares with our messaging partners. Ultimately, the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-types-and-advantages-of-viber-business-messages/">advantages of rich business messaging</a> — such as the personalization capabilities, the inherent two-way nature, and the versatility of applications — speak for themselves and drive adoption.Transcending Boundaries: Use Cases for Rich Business MessagingOne important driver of digital transformation is the abundance of use cases that benefit from an optimized messaging strategy. Communication channels are applied by different departments, for different goals across each enterprise: from providing effective customer support in a channel where customers already spend their time — to sending promotions and other marketing messages or driving sales directly.&nbsp;Even <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/enhancing-security-efficiency-revolutionizing-banking-communications-through-viber-business-messages/">security can be empowered</a> by messaging: as Ritu Taneja pointed out, the ongoing challenges in identity verification have created a demand among businesses for additional safeguards, especially when communicating sensitive customer information. This is one of the reasons Rakuten Viber is working on a new offering that provides an extra layer of security for transactional business messages and helps ensure that the right messages reach the right customers.&nbsp;Establishing trust in brand-user communication is an important objective for which rich business messaging is being used by companies in a wide range of industries, from banking and finance to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-ultimate-guide-to-viber-for-business-for-retail-brands/">retail</a> and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/enhancing-customer-experience-in-transportation-logistics-with-viber-business-messages/">delivery</a> companies. These are aided both by the ability to send files, images, and video safely — and by the very conversational nature of two-way communication.&nbsp;Collaboration: Synergy between Actors in the IndustryFor Rakuten Viber, a collaborative approach has always come naturally: aside from working directly with our business clients, we have long relied on partnerships with other major stakeholders in the industry, including developers, MNOs, and, of course, our messaging partners. That includes joint efforts in driving product awareness, adoption, and customer education and onboarding.But as Silvija Renusa pointed out, another form of inter-industry collaboration is being each other’s clients: for example, many MNOs work with aggregators, such as Infobip, to use Rakuten Viber as a communication tool to reach their customer base (for instance, with special offers and entire marketing campaigns). Similarly, our partnership with Netnumber helps Rakuten Viber solve our verification objectives at scale.As our Chief Revenue Officer Cristina Constandache summarized it, “There is a place for every channel in this ecosystem, it’s just a matter of joining the dots. Finding a way to jointly educate the enterprises on how to best use the omnichannel.”You can watch the recording of these sessions here:&nbsp;<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/SDKM3ESwpTw?si=mf-U5qkiqcTCD2EG"></oembed></figure>Connecting the Dots: Building Untapped Synergies to Advance Businesses<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/8nr_ZXKgmp0?si=imSp_49tGqziDw4C"></oembed></figure>Phone Number Verification: Must-Haves, Methodologies &amp; Mastery

Discover how collaboration between different messaging players can benefit the industry

Recap: Key Discussions at MEF CONNECTS Omnichannel 2023

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In today's digital age, secure and efficient customer communication has become a cornerstone of success in the banking industry. With the surge of online and mobile finance platforms, customers expect instant yet secure conversations with their financial institutions. According to a study by The Motley Fool Ascent, <a href="https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/research/digital-banking-trends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">92%</a> of consumers consider the security of their data one of the most important features when choosing their bank. Meanwhile, research published in the International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences shows that communication and information accessibility accounted for a <a href="https://faculty.uobasrah.edu.iq/uploads/publications/1646395792.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">36%</a> variance in customer experience.Meeting these expectations is where <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Rakuten Viber’s Business Messages</a> step in. A part of the app’s Rich Business Messaging, it offers a secure, real-time means of communication, enabling banks to interact directly with their clients in an efficient, streamlined manner. This approach not only <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-banks-can-use-viber-to-reach-out-to-young-generation/">aligns with users' expectations</a> but also adds value to their experience.&nbsp;This article explores how Viber Business Messages can enhance client service, shows its key security features, and demonstrates how banks can successfully integrate business messaging into their communication strategies.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Mastering Mobile Messaging: A Look at PrivatBank and Ukrsibbank's Strategy</h2>The banking industry has seen significant changes in the way banks communicate with their customers. Viber Business Messages is an innovative tool that has redefined customer communication in the industry. Its successful implementation by leading banks throughout the world showcases its potential to drive customer engagement and improve the delivery of services. Let’s look at the real-life example showcasing how Ukrsibbank used Viber Business Messages.<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/ukrsibbank/">Ukrsibbank</a>, a subsidiary of the French international bank BNP Paribas operating in Ukraine, aimed to increase client adoption of their mobile app and educate existing clients on its functionalities. To achieve this, Ukrsibbank turned to Rakuten Viber’s official partner <a href="https://www.gms-worldwide.com/">GMS</a> and utilized Viber Business Messages, integrating images, CTA buttons, and standard text to drive user engagement and enhance campaign performance. The adoption of Viber Business Messages was a game-changer for Ukrsibbank. Over three months, they sent 6M+ messages to their clients via Rakuten Viber, resulting in a 2x higher conversion rate compared to traditional SMS. The campaign exceeded initial expectations with a 50% increase in app downloads and a 30% rise in app usage.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Ukrsibbank_using_Viber_Business_Messages_for_marketing_d90ea8301c.png"><figcaption>Ukrsibbank using Viber Business Messages for marketing</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Unmatched Security: Safeguarding Your Business Communications with Rakuten Viber</h2>Rakuten Viber Business Messages offers a robust suite of features, ensuring that banks and financial institutions can <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-power-of-customer-data-how-to-use-it-to-improve-your-marketing-efforts/">reliably communicate with their users</a>.<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">All public server connections are made over HTTPS only, designed to provide a secure connection that guards against interception and eavesdropping.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Specific IPs are whitelisted for each business, adding an extra layer of security and trust for users.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">All Viber Business Messages are encrypted in transit, ensuring a high level of security for brand-user interactions.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Client information is never sold, reinforcing Rakuten Viber's commitment to privacy.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Messages are not stored on Rakuten Viber servers after delivery, further safeguarding client data.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber’s servers support numerous security standards and compliance certifications to make sure we provide secure communication.</li></ul>These are just a few measures that Rakuten Viber is taking to secure communication on the platform. The company is also continually developing new solutions to enhance security further. The upcoming updates will include the possibility for brands to highlight any non-compliant activity for the recipient’s number before sharing essential information, such as OTP passwords, transaction notifications, account balance updates, and other confidential information. It further solidifies the security of transactional business messages which is essential for the financial industry.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Messages_for_sharing_important_information_9109b1cc1f.png"><figcaption>Viber Business Messages for sharing important information</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Streamlining Customer Communication: The Power of Efficiency with Rakuten Viber Business Messages</h2>Banks can significantly benefit from using Rakuten Viber Business Messages to enhance customer communication efficiency.&nbsp;<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">The platform provides instant message delivery, ensuring clients receive real-time updates on transactions and account balances.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The provision of read receipts enhances transparency, confirming that messages have been successfully received.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber's automation capability allows banks to program responses to frequently asked questions, freeing up time and resources for other crucial tasks.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The platform maximizes engagement through personalized messages, fostering a stronger customer bond.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber's security features mentioned above offer an added layer of protection, ensuring all communications are secure.</li></ul>To sum up, utilizing Rakuten Viber Business Messages in banking not only boosts efficiency and customer service but also fortifies client loyalty through its engaging and protected platform.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Enhancing Customer Experience: Implementing Rakuten Viber Business Messages in Banking</h2>To integrate Rakuten Viber Business Messages into your financial operations, find <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners/">a trusted messaging partner</a> well-versed in the financial sector. This partner will guide you throughout the process, providing crucial support tailored to your needs. The next step involves the creation of your business account.&nbsp;How to open a Rakuten Viber Business AccountYour chosen partner will fully support the creation of your dedicated business account and integration with your existing banking CRM system. This integration is essential to streamline and manage customer interactions skillfully. After the successful setup and once clients from your existing database have approved to receive notifications from you, you can begin client engagements, providing real-time updates and personalized services through Rakuten Viber.In order to fully leverage the potential of Viber Business Messages in the banking sector, you can follow a set of best practices. Here are several tips for successfully implementing Viber Business Messages in your financial operations:1. Thorough Training: Ensure your team is well-trained in utilizing the new platform. This will help seamless integration and efficient use of Rakuten Viber’s Business Messages.2. Clear Onboarding: Make sure to notify your customers about the new communication channel through the onboarding message on Rakuten Viber and by sharing information in your other channels.&nbsp;3. Consent is Crucial: Remember to send messages to the clients from your own customer database who gave consent to receiving marketing communication from your bank (for example, when filling out a loyalty program).4. Integration with Existing Systems: Correctly integrate Rakuten Viber into your existing CRM system. This will help in tracking user interactions and providing personalized service.5. Regular Updates: Update your customers with the latest information about your bank’s promotions. This will help in keeping your clients informed and engaged.6. Prompt Response: Open two-way communication with your clients through Viber Business Messages, enabling real-time conversations. This approach ensures swift responses to user inquiries and requests, fostering trust and boosting client satisfaction.7. Analyze and Improve: Regularly analyze the performance of your Rakuten Viber Business account. Use insights to upgrade your communication strategy.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Messages_for_enhancing_bank_clients_experience_e6943be603.png"><figcaption>Viber Business Messages for enhancing bank clients' experience</figcaption></figure><h2>Rakuten Viber: A Game-Changer in the Banking Sector</h2>Here are just a few examples of how financial organizations can use Viber Business Messages:<ul><li>Send messages about transactions to keep clients informed</li><li>Remind about important account updates</li><li>Share news about new products or services</li><li>Send interesting and informative content using multimedia features</li><li>Answer questions and provide support</li><li>Send messages based on what each client is interested in</li></ul>While banks increasingly use business messages to&nbsp;send updates, help customers, and share new offers, they also turn to Viber for Business suite to achieve more business goals. The super app makes it easy for banks to reach a wide audience, promote banking services, and strengthen customer relationships. For example, Rakuten Viber also allows banks to set up chatbots to answer questions and provide support. This helps banks stay connected and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-power-of-viber-for-banks-boosting-customer-engagement/">engage more with their clients</a>.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/raiffeisen-bank/">Raiffeisen Bank</a>, a leading financial institution in Serbia, aimed to amplify its mobile presence and offer an integrated digital experience to its existing and prospective customers. Raiffeisen Bank has chosen to utilize Rakuten Viber's Stickers and Chatbot to optimize its client engagement. Focusing on the interactive and automated elements of the platform, the bank launched an animated "free &amp; subscribe" Rakuten Viber sticker campaign and developed a chatbot in the native Serbian language. The results were striking: the campaign reached 850K Serbian users, saw over 209K sticker packs downloaded, and recruited over 120K chatbot subscribers, significantly enhancing brand awareness and client engagement.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Raiffeisen_Bank_using_Viber_Chatbot_and_Stickers_for_client_engagement_6bc8d74b73.png"><figcaption>Raiffeisen Bank using Viber Chatbot and Stickers for client engagement</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Stepping Up Banking Security and Communication: How Rakuten Viber Business Messages Makes the Difference</h2>The integration of Viber for Business solutions, Business Messages, in particular, has proven to be a significant step toward secure and efficient customer communication for many banks. This comprehensive platform and its tools enhance the financial industry's service, operational efficiency, and security.Other benefits include:&nbsp;<ul><li>Automated messages for account activities</li><li>24/7 customer service with automatic responses</li><li>Secure communication</li><li>Powerful marketing tool for targeted promotions</li><li>Greater client loyalty due to improved service</li><li>Ability to track client engagement and response</li><li>Automated reminders for bill payments or due dates</li><li>Easy integration with existing banking systems</li></ul>Adopting Viber for Business solutions, and Business Messages in particular, is not just about staying on par with technology trends; it's about future-proofing your financial operations and setting a new standard in customer service. It's an investment in your bank's future, ensuring you remain at the forefront of the ever-evolving banking industry.If you're interested in Viber Business Messages for your banking needs, feel free to <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">reach out to our team</a>.

Discover how Viber Business Messages boost secure banking communication and integration

Enhancing Security & Efficiency: Revolutionizing Banking Communications through Viber Business Messages

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Retailers face a variety of challenges, including attracting new customers, maximising sales, and building loyalty. Finding a native environment for brand-user interactions across various touchpoints to solve all of these challenges can be tricky, yet messaging apps can be an effective solution. <a href="https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Nearly 95% of adults</a> worldwide actively use chat apps, making them a great way for retail brands to interact directly with consumers. &nbsp;Rakuten Viber provides a cost-effective and efficient suite of tools for a variety of business goals. <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/">Viber for Business</a> solutions work in synergy, offering an array of features to connect seamlessly with clients, regardless of their location or stage in the buying process. Retail brands can personalize customer communication by integrating the app's business solutions with CRM and CDP tools. Rakuten Viber's rich media capabilities provide a powerful opportunity to create visually appealing, interactive, and engaging content that drives brand awareness, engagement, and ultimately, purchases.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">The Viber for Business Ecosystem: Boost Your Marketing, Sales and Customer Service</h2>A global leader in messaging communication, Rakuten Viber has an active, payable audience. The app has successfully established a worldwide presence, spanning more than 190 countries. It makes Rakuten Viber a valuable platform for businesses around the world aiming to connect with their audiences.Viber for Business suite of solutions is designed to help brands drive sales, enhance marketing, and improve customer support.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Advertising solutions</a>, which include Viber Ads, branded Viber Stickers, and branded Lenses, provide creative and effective ways to promote a brand to a wide user base.<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-solutions/">Rich Business Messaging solutions</a>, which are made up of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Business Messages</a> and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Viber Chatbots</a>, allow brands to strengthen their communication with customers. Viber Business Messages offer retailers a streamlined and efficient communication channel to become closer to their customers. Brands can drive purchases by delivering personalised promotional messages, send important notifications through transactional messages, and provide around-sales customer service through conversational messages. Viber Chatbots allow businesses to provide automated support, available 24/7 without the added costs of human resources. This gives human service agents time to focus on more complex customer care needs, ultimately enhancing customer experience.All messages from brands land in the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/boost-your-brand-with-the-power-of-business-inbox/">Business Inbox</a> by default – a dedicated folder for brand-user interactions that keeps brand-consumer conversations separate from regular chats.With the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/milestone-release-meet-commercial-account-and-business-inbox/">Business Account</a>, retailers can also establish a brand presence on Rakuten Viber. This is a searchable account where customers can learn more about the brand and initiate a conversation.&nbsp;Viber for Business offers all the business solutions a brand needs at <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/what-viber-tools-to-use-at-each-step-of-the-customer-journey/">each stage of the marketing funnel</a> to build awareness, spark interest, drive conversion, and nurture loyalty. Let's explore how Rakuten Viber for Business can solve retailers’ pain points and help them achieve their goals at each of these stages.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Rakuten_Viber_for_Business_solutions_1_fb9bcabef8_f009f88942.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber for Business: suite of solutions for all your needs</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">From Awareness to Loyalty: Optimizing the Marketing Funnel with Rakuten Viber for Business</h2>Retailers can use Viber for Business solutions for various business needs. Here are some of the ideas on how brands can achieve their objectives with Viber along the marketing funnel.<h3>Awareness</h3><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Enhance brand visibility. Use a range of Viber Ad formats and placements that can be seamlessly integrated into chat or call screens, as well as other frequently visited areas.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Catch customers’ attention. Design interactive AR Viber Lenses for your audience to use in the photos or videos. This is a great way for people to connect with your business in a non-common way.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Generate new leads. Use a synergy of solutions on Rakuten Viber. For example, you can reach users with Viber Ads with a CTA button incentivizing them to share contact information and sign up for your marketing offers. Then, you can send targeted offers via Viber Business Messages. You can also use branded Stickers, Lenses, and Ads to bring prospective customers to your chatbot on Rakuten Viber.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Drive product demand. Make the most of Viber Ads by utilizing the targeting options by age, gender, geographical location, and even personal interests. You can also create and launch personalized campaigns with contextually relevant creative content and offers.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Inform existing clients about new offerings. Multimedia features of Viber Business Messages allow you to interact with your customers in a more visually pleasing way through photos, videos, and emojis, and better showcase your products.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Building_brand_awareness_with_Viber_for_Business_solutions_d6e1d479b5.png"><figcaption>Building brand awareness with Viber for Business solutions</figcaption></figure><h3>Interest</h3><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Stay top of mind. Reach a wide audience with compelling Viber Ads and show your competitive advantage or facilitate immersive product interactions with AR-powered Viber Lenses.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Re-engage interested customers. Use Viber Ads to reignite their existing interest and encourage action. You can also use CRM and CDP insights to send Viber Business Messages with restock alerts to customers who are interested in the product. Don’t forget to share helpful content through Viber Business Messages, showcasing products through rich media.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Generating_interest_via_Viber_Lenses_Ads_and_Business_Messages_48bf84c496.png"><figcaption>Generating interest via Viber Lenses, Ads, and Business Messages</figcaption></figure><h3>Conversion&nbsp;</h3><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Boost conversions with flash offers. Use Viber Ads and Viber Business Messages to share limited-time offers with the relevant segments of the audience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Enhance holiday sales by communicating special deals. Send discount alerts or offer customers an extra perk with their purchased product to drive seasonal sales via Viber Business Messages or Viber Chatbot.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Fight cart abandonment. Send reminders about items left in the cart and offer personalized discounts on abandoned items using Viber Business Messages and Viber Chatbots.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Upsell and cross-sell. Use customers’ purchase history to recommend products &amp; make personalized offers through Viber Business Messages. Use interactive carousels in Viber Сhatbot to suggest add-on products that go with the customer’s main purchase.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Converting_leads_into_customers_via_Viber_Advertising_and_Messaging_solutions_cb15aeb875.png"><figcaption>Converting leads into customers via Rakuten Viber Advertising and Rich Business Messaging solutions</figcaption></figure><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Loyalty</h3><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Encourage repeat purchases. Remind buyers about their bonuses or discounts through Viber Business Messages or Viber Chatbots.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Build long-term relationships. You can use Viber Chatbots to provide your customers with convenient access to the loyalty program details.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Collect customer feedback. Automate customer feedback collection via Viber Chatbot to get product insights efficiently. Use Viber Business Messages to collect feedback and promptly address any issues in personal, 1-to-1 chats.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Personalise your customers’ experience. Send personalized gifts and offers to earn customer loyalty and celebrate your relationship with each customer in a personalized holiday greeting using Viber Business Messages.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Re_engaging_customers_and_building_loyalty_via_Viber_Messaging_solutions_638da269f1.png"><figcaption>Re-engaging customers and building loyalty via Rich Business Messaging on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>Viber for Business supports retailers from raising awareness to fostering customer loyalty while enhancing the buyer’s journey.<h2>The Impact of Viber for Business on Customer Support and Experience</h2>According to HubSpot research, <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/service/customer-service-stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">93%</a> of consumers are likely to continue buying from companies that provide exceptional customer service. Viber for Business solutions can help retailers significantly enhance support and the customer experience. Brands can provide real-time customer support via conversational Viber Business Messages and instantly answer urgent questions from many customers at the same time by using a Viber Chatbot to automatically reply.&nbsp;&nbsp;It allows seamless interaction between the brand and its users, enabling quick and efficient problem-solving. By integrating CRM and CDP tools with Rakuten Viber's Rich Business Messaging, brands can access relevant information for each user's query.&nbsp;Retailers can save resources by automating responses to frequently asked questions using a Viber Chatbot. It will also help brands prevent customer loss during off-hours, as Viber Chatbots can deliver customer support 24/7.Rakuten Viber makes it easy for brands to update customers on their orders and transactions. Retailers can provide rapid order status updates using Viber Business Messages or Viber Chatbot, giving customers easy access to necessary information. They can also empower customers to directly manage their orders, ensuring seamless delivery. Plus, with Viber Business Messages, brands can easily send important documents like receipts, warranties, and bills. Thus, customers will have all the information they need organised in one place.&nbsp;Rakuten Viber also allows for easy verifications through OTP messages, important reminders, and updates on purchase status.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Providing_customer_support_with_help_of_Viber_for_Business_solutions_6c999f90df.png"><figcaption>Providing customer support with the help of Viber for Business solutions</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">A Seamless Customer Journey: The Power of Viber for Business Solutions in Action</h2>In the current digital landscape, the client's purchasing journey is no longer a straightforward path. Instead, it has evolved into a complex process where consumers interact across multiple channels, devices, and touchpoints before making a purchase. Businesses need to be present where their audiences are, and Rakuten Viber, with <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-in-2022-trends-defining-the-future-of-brand-user-communication/">over a billion downloads on Android alone</a>, provides just that platform.To understand how users become loyal customers on the app, let's explore how your brand can influence a customer's journey with Viber for Business solutions. Imagine that a potential client comes across a Viber Ad and decides to opt in to marketing notifications from your brand. You can then send a personalized discount via Viber Business Message, enticing them to make a purchase. To keep the product top-of-mind, you can use Viber Ads for retargeting, reminding the person about the item they showed interest in. To further spark interest, you can send additional information about the product via another Viber Business Message.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_user_s_introduction_to_the_brand_3c273eec03.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber user's introduction to the brand</figcaption></figure>Later, the client adds products to their cart and subscribes to your chatbot to have easy access to your offering. To encourage completion of the purchase, you can send a reminder about the items in the cart via a Viber Chatbot. Once a purchase is made, a confirmation and receipt are sent via Viber Business Message.&nbsp;After the purchase, you can continue the interaction by collecting post-purchase feedback using Viber Business Messages. This prolonged engagement helps to build a lasting relationship with the client, fostering loyalty and encouraging repeat purchases.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Customers_receiving_around_sales_support_on_Viber_410d560f06.png"><figcaption>Customers receiving around-sales support on Rakuten Viber&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><h2>Success Stories of Viber for Business Clients</h2><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/coca-cola/">Coca-Cola</a>, the world's largest beverage company, wanted to expand its mobile presence and engage with both existing and new consumers in Bulgaria. To achieve these goals, Coca-Cola strategically partnered with Rakuten Viber because of its connected and engaged audience in the country. Through the launch of Viber Stickers with a promo code mechanism and a chatbot experience on Rakuten Viber, Coca-Cola was able to reach a wider audience and drive conversions over a 3-months period. By cross-promoting this campaign across their social channels and supporting an "under-the-cap" sweepstake, Coca-Cola achieved impressive results, including almost 30,000 cap codes redeemed and a 30% conversion rate, 10 times higher than the industry average.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_campaign_results_for_Coca_Cola_in_Bulgaria_0e885982e7.png"><figcaption>Coca-Cola’s marketing campaign using Viber for Business solutions</figcaption></figure>The <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/primer/">Primer Group of Companies</a>, a prominent retailer in the Philippines known for distributing a variety of consumer goods, utilized personalized promotional Viber Business Messages to stimulate client interest and drive sales. In collaboration with Rakuten Viber's messaging partner, <a href="https://www.infobip.com/">Infobip</a>, Primer sent e-vouchers to the clients of its youth apparel and lifestyle store Bratpack. The result was a staggering 401% surge in sales and a code redemption conversion rate of 53%.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Primer_s_campaign_via_Viber_Business_Messages_3d9b8161f5.png"><figcaption>Primer’s campaign via Viber Business Messages</figcaption></figure>Another compelling example is <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/leroy-merlin/">Leroy Merlin</a>, the largest home improvement retailer in Europe. They were looking for innovative ways to make interactions with the members of their new loyalty program more convenient. With the help of Rakuten Viber’s official messaging partner, <a href="https://www.m-stat.gr/">M-STAT</a>, Leroy Merlin adopted Viber Business Messages to communicate with their loyal customers. The outcome was a 300% faster customer service response and a 20% growth in basket size.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Messages_from_Leroy_Merlin_e04d976177.png"><figcaption>Leroy Merlin sending Viber Business Messages to their customers</figcaption></figure><h2>Harness the Power of Viber for Business for Retail Success</h2>Rakuten Viber for Business is the ultimate retail solution that directly addresses the needs of today's customer-centric market. Its ability to support every stage of the marketing funnel, from raising awareness to fostering loyalty, makes it an indispensable tool for retailers. Thus, retail brands around the world already see great results using Viber for Business solutions.&nbsp;In short, if you're a retailer and not using these instruments yet, you're missing out on a potential game-changer for your business. Leverage Viber for Business and experience firsthand the difference it can make in your customer engagement. Your audience is already on Rakuten Viber; it's time for your business to be there, too.Feel free to <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">contact our team</a> to learn more about Viber for Business capabilities for your retail brand.

Discover how to use Viber for Business to optimize your retail marketing funnel

The Ultimate Guide to Viber for Business for Retail Brands

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Black Friday, the annual shopping extravaganza that occurs on the last Friday of November, has become a highly anticipated event for both consumers and businesses alike. With huge discounts and limited-time offers, it's a race to snag the best deals.&nbsp;In the age of digital shopping, retailers have shifted their focus to online platforms to reach a wider audience and increase sales. The following statistics show why it's crucial to embrace mobile marketing as an essential part of your Black Friday campaign:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://influencermarketinghub.com/black-friday-mobile-shopping-trends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">89%</a> of shoppers rely on their mobile devices to read product reviews before making a purchase, emphasizing the need to have a strong mobile presence.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Smartphones accounted for a substantial <a href="https://www.salecycle.com/blog/blog/2022-black-friday-ecommerce-strategy-stats-report-webinar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">74%</a> of the total traffic on Black Friday.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Mobile shopping on Thanksgiving and Cyber Week in 2022 reached an all-time high and accounted for an impressive <a href="https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2022/Adobe-Cyber-Monday-Drove-11.3-Billion-in-Online-Spending-Breaking-E-Commerce-Record--/default.aspx#:~:text=Get%20started-,Adobe%3A%20Cyber%20Monday%20Drove%20%2411.3%20Billion%20in,Spending%2C%20Breaking%20E%2DCommerce%20Record&amp;text=SAN%20JOSE%2C%20Calif.,Black%20Friday%20and%20Cyber%20Monday." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">55%</a> of online sales.</li></ul>One tool that has proven to be highly effective in Black Friday marketing is Rakuten <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Viber for Business solutions</a>. Rakuten Viber offers a range of tools and features designed to help businesses connect with their customers, and these tools are especially relevant during this busy shopping season. From managing orders and deliveries to sending personalized alerts and announcements, Rakuten Viber for Business provides a comprehensive suite of solutions for companies to engage with their audience and drive sales.In this blog article, we will explore the various ways in which retailers can leverage Rakuten Viber for Business solutions to step up their Black Friday marketing efforts and achieve their goals.<h2>Achieving Black Friday Campaign Goals with Rakuten Viber Tools&nbsp;</h2>During Black Friday campaigns, businesses pursue several key goals to maximize their success and capitalize on the shopping frenzy. With the help of Rakuten Viber's diverse range of features and capabilities, businesses can effectively reach and engage their target audience, drive sales, and enhance customer satisfaction.&nbsp;<h3>Build Brand Awareness, Engage and Acquire New Customers</h3>Rakuten <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/more-than-ads-discover-creative-tools-on-viber/">Viber Ads, Stickers, and Lenses</a> are powerful tools for brands to engage with a wide audience and leave a lasting impression that can help drive customer acquisition.Rakuten Viber Ads allow companies to reach a vast user base and showcase their products or services. With various formats available, such as banners, videos, and native ads, brands can effectively communicate their message and capture the attention of potential clientele. By targeting specific demographics and interests, Rakuten Viber Ads ensure that the right audience is reached, improving the chances of acquiring new customers.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Sephora_s_Black_Friday_campaign_with_Rakuten_Viber_Ads_5e4793b354.jpg"><figcaption>Sephora’s Black Friday&nbsp;campaign with Rakuten Viber Ads</figcaption></figure>Branded Viber Stickers offer a unique and fun way to engage with users and increase brand visibility. On average, each sticker is shared 11 times, and over 1 billion stickers are sent every month. By creating custom stickers, you can tap into this phenomenon and establish a strong brand identity. These stickers can be shared among users, spreading the word about your Black Friday promotions and attracting new potential buyers.Branded <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/get-creative-with-viber-lenses-how-to-leverage-them-for-unique-marketing-strategies/">Viber Lenses</a> provide an interactive and immersive brand experience for users. Brands can create augmented reality lenses that allow users to try on products virtually or visualize how they would look in their homes. This innovative feature not only captures attention but also ensures a memorable experience that can leave a lasting impression on potential customers. One of the key benefits of using Lenses is the potential for viral engagement. Users love to share their fun and creative lens captures with their friends, amplifying brand reach and visibility. Within just three months of launching globally, over <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-for-business-recap-how-brands-and-users-communicated-in-2021/">52 million</a> lens captures were generated. You can link your chatbot with Rakuten Viber Ads, Stickers, and Lenses, guiding audiences to subscribe to the bot where you can steer them toward making a purchase.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/e_MAG_campaign_customer_acquisition_with_Viber_Stickers_and_Chatbots_6858b12503.jpg"><figcaption>eMAG campaign: customer acquisition with Viber Stickers and Chatbots</figcaption></figure><h3>Generate Interest and Drive Conversion</h3>As a business, you want to make sure you reach as many customers as possible and stand out from the competition. That's where <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a> come in, offering a powerful platform for brands to engage with their clientele directly where they are – on their smartphones.&nbsp;Business Messages enable brands to showcase their products, services, and special Black Friday deals directly to users. By leveraging eye-catching visuals and compelling copy, brands can capture the attention of potential customers and generate interest. You can include up to 1000 characters of text, images, videos, links, call-to-action buttons, and various types of files.&nbsp;Take advantage of rich media features to provide more information and showcase your offering. For example, if a client wants to see a product from a different angle, simply send them a picture. If a buyer is unsure about which product to choose from a category, send a video displaying all the options. And if a client needs specifications or wants to review warranty terms, just send them the relevant file. By using these rich media features, brands not only help customers make more informed purchase decisions but also keep them engaged and interested.Additionally, with Rakuten Viber's business messages, you only pay for delivered messages and ensure that you achieve your goals with every resource you invest.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Increasing_conversion_with_Viber_Business_Messages_74f33af8c8.jpg"><figcaption>Increasing conversion with Viber Business Messages&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><h3>Improve Customer Satisfaction</h3>As businesses gear up for the busiest shopping day of the year, it's crucial to have the right tools in place to ensure a satisfying customer experience.<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">During the busy Black Friday period, consumers are pressed for time and more likely to engage with brands that cater to their preferences and needs. Use Rakuten Viber's conversational features to interact with customers and help them find the perfect product. Whether it's answering their questions, providing product recommendations, or guiding them through the buying process, Business Messages allow you to offer personalized support.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Keep your customers informed about their Black Friday purchases by using transactional Business Messages. You can send order confirmations, updates on shipping status, and even tracking information. This proactive approach helps build trust and provides a seamless shopping experience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The buyer’s journey doesn't end with the purchase. With Viber Business Messages, you can offer post-sales support, address any concerns, and guide shoppers through the return or exchange process. This level of customer care helps build loyalty and encourages repeat business.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Black Friday provides a great opportunity to gather valuable insights about your customers' experiences. Use Viber Business Messages to send feedback requests to improve your products and services for future campaigns.</li></ol>During the hectic Black Friday rush, it's essential to provide immediate responses to customer inquiries. With Viber Chatbots, you can be available 24/7, instantly answering questions related to promotions, availability, and more. According to HubSpot Research, <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/live-chat-go-to-market-flaw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">82%</a> of consumers expect immediate responses to their sales or marketing questions. By meeting these expectations, you can build trust, engage customers, and drive sales.Not only can our Chatbots assist with personalized shopping experiences, but they can also streamline the payment process. People can shop and <a href="https://www.viber.com/en/blog/2022-07-27/our-latest-super-feature-viber-pay/">make payments</a> within the Rakuten Viber app, eliminating the need to switch between different channels.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Using_Viber_Rich_Business_Messaging_to_enhance_customer_experience_254e52b0c9.jpg"><figcaption>Using Rich Business Messaging on Rakuten Viber to enhance customer experience</figcaption></figure><h3>Increase Sales and Revenue</h3>The primary goal of Black Friday campaigns is to drive sales and revenue. Businesses aim to attract customers with compelling offers, discounts, and promotions to encourage them to buy during this peak season.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.infobip.com/blog/black-friday-shopping-trends-and-insights">Infobip's research</a> revealed that 54% of consumers are annoyed by impersonal messages, while 47% simply ignore messages that lack personalization. By integrating Rakuten Viber Business Messages with your CRM or CDP, you can tap into your customer database to gather valuable insights. This integration allows you to segment your audience based on their preferences, purchase history, and demographics, enabling you to deliver targeted messages that resonate with their needs and interests.Similarly, Rakuten Viber Ads offer robust targeting capabilities. Brands have the flexibility to target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, location, and more. This level of precision enables you to reach the right consumers at the right time, prompting them to make a purchase.Cart abandonment is a common challenge businesses face, especially during high-demand shopping events like Black Friday. With Rakuten Viber Business Messages, you can reach out to customers who abandoned their carts and provide them with personalized reminders and offers to entice them to complete their purchases. By addressing their hesitation and offering relevant incentives, you can significantly reduce cart abandonment and skyrocket your sales.Cross-selling and upselling are valuable strategies to increase your average order value. Viber Business Messages and Viber Chatbots allow you to showcase related products, suggest complementary items, or offer exclusive discounts to encourage shoppers to add more to their carts. By strategically promoting additional products or services, you can see a surge in sales and maximize your revenue during the Black Friday frenzy.<h2>Level Up Your Black Friday Strategy with Rakuten Viber</h2>The <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/holiday-marketing-with-viber-in-2023/">holiday season</a> is in full swing, and it's important to capitalize on every opportunity during this period, whether it's Black Friday sales, Christmas campaigns, or making the most of the 'Fifth Quarter'—the period between Christmas and late January when consumers still have a high intent to purchase with remaining cash from returned items and gift cards.Whether you're a smaller retailer or a global retail giant, Rakuten Viber campaigns on Black Friday can help you cut through the competition, boost revenue, and make a lasting impact. With the platform's powerful targeting capabilities, you can deliver tailored offers and promotions directly to your customers' mobile devices. By integrating chatbots into your campaigns, you can provide instant customer support, automate answers to frequently asked questions, and guide shoppers through their purchase journey. This not only ensures a seamless shopping experience but also boosts brand trust and loyalty. Rakuten Viber's rich business messaging capabilities enable brands to reach their customers directly, delivering personalized offers, exclusive discounts, and timely updates on Black Friday deals. The ability to send rich media content, such as images, videos, and interactive CTA buttons, enhances the buyer’s experience and increases engagement.Feel free to <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">contact our team</a> to learn more about increasing your seasonal sales with Rakuten Viber.

Discover how to increase sales and engage customers during Black Friday with Rakuten Viber solutions

Rock Your Black Friday Sales with Rakuten Viber Tools

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In the ever-evolving landscape of advertising, businesses are constantly seeking more efficient and scalable methods to reach their target audience. Traditional media, such as television, print, and radio, have long been the go-to options for reaching a wide demographic. However, with the rise of digital platforms, new advertising opportunities have emerged, including <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Rakuten Viber Ads</a>.The following statistics demonstrate the current landscape and the reasons why businesses are shifting toward mobile and digital:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.webfx.com/local-seo/statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">78%</a> of local mobile searches result in an in-store purchase, indicating the potential for businesses to drive foot traffic and sales through mobile advertising.</li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.webfx.com/digital-marketing/statistics/mobile-marketing-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">61%</a> of consumers state that they are more likely to purchase from mobile-friendly websites, emphasizing the need for businesses to adapt their advertising strategies to cater to mobile users.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Mobile users account for <a href="https://www.webfx.com/ppc/statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">52%</a> of PPC ad clicks, underscoring the importance of targeting this audience to maximize advertising effectiveness.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Consumer_trends_in_using_mobile_platforms_31d0aa3dc9.png"><figcaption>Consumer trends in using mobile platforms</figcaption></figure>Amidst these changing dynamics, Rakuten Viber Ads offer a unique advertising approach, leveraging the popularity and widespread usage of the Rakuten Viber messaging app. Unlike traditional methods, Viber Ads aim to capture users' attention in a non-intrusive way, seamlessly blending into the user interface, ensuring a more positive and engaging experience. These ads are designed to be visually rich, featuring compelling images or videos, enticing text descriptions, and clickable calls-to-action buttons.In comparison, conventional advertising often relies on interruptive tactics, such as commercials during television shows or banner ads on websites. While these techniques can still be effective, they may not always capture users' attention in the same way that Rakuten Viber Ads do. Moreover, they can often be costly and it can be challenging to track and measure the return on investment accurately.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">The Importance of Advertising Efficiency and Scale</h2>Advertising efficiency and scale are crucial in enabling businesses to reach their clientele and drive sales.Efficiency refers to the ability to reach the right audience with the right message at the right time. It involves optimizing advertising campaigns to maximize results while minimizing costs. With the advent of technology and platforms like Rakuten Viber Ads, advertisers have the opportunity to target specific demographics, interests, and behaviors, ensuring that their message is seen by the most relevant audience.On the other hand, scale pertains to the reach and impact of an advertising campaign. Traditional advertising tactics such as television, radio, and print ads have limited reach and are often expensive. However, with Rakuten Viber Ads, businesses can tap into a vast user base and have the potential to reach millions of users, both locally and globally. This scalability allows businesses to increase brand awareness on a larger scale.In this blog, we will explore the efficiency and scale of Rakuten Viber Ads compared to traditional advertising techniques. We will dive into the benefits and limitations of each approach, providing insights to help businesses make informed decisions when it comes to their advertising strategies.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Traditional Advertising: Types, Processes and the Pros and Cons&nbsp;</h2>Traditional advertising is a tried and true method that has been used for over a century to promote brands, products, and services successfully. In this digital age, where <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-ultimate-guide-to-mobile-marketing-for-e-commerce-businesses/">online marketing</a> dominates, this approach still holds its ground as a reliable and effective strategy.Types of Traditional Advertising:1. Print Advertising: Magazines, newspapers, flyers, brochures, and billboards. These timeless mediums allow you to capture the attention of your target audience, whether they are flipping through the pages of a magazine or driving down the highway.2. Broadcast Advertising: Television and radio commercials. These platforms allow you to tell your story visually or through audio, engaging viewers and listeners in a way that can be more memorable than other forms of advertising.3. Outdoor Advertising: Billboards, posters, and signage. These larger-format displays can’t be ignored, capturing the attention of consumers as they go about their daily activities.4. Direct Mail: You can also reach consumers directly through their mailboxes. This type includes postcards, catalogs, and promotional letters, allowing for targeted campaigns that can be personalized to your audience.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Types_of_traditional_advertising_6e4a2f52dd.png"><figcaption>Types of traditional advertising</figcaption></figure>Advantages of Traditional Advertising1. Tangible Presence: Traditional advertisements provide a physical presence that can't be easily ignored or clicked away. They allow consumers to hold and interact with your brand or message, leaving a lasting impression.2. Wider Reach: Traditional advertising reaches a diverse audience, including individuals who may not be active or easily reachable online.&nbsp;3. Established Credibility: By utilizing traditional methods, you can tap into the familiarity and credibility that comes with these established advertising channels.Limitations of Traditional Advertising1. Limited Interactivity: It doesn't offer immediate interaction or feedback from consumers. It can be one-way communication, limiting the opportunity for immediate engagement or data collection.2. Higher Costs: It often requires significant financial investment, especially for prime placements or airtime. The production, distribution, and maintenance costs associated with traditional advertising can be higher compared to online alternatives.3. Difficulty in Measuring ROI: Tracking the success of traditional advertising campaigns can be challenging. Unlike online advertising, where you can easily monitor clicks, views, and conversions, conventional methods may rely on surveys or indirect indicators to measure effectiveness.4. Lack of targeting and personalization: It often relies on mass media channels that broadcast messages to a wide range of people, regardless of their specific interests, demographics, or preferences. This means that a significant portion of the audience may not be interested in or relevant to the product or service being advertised. Additionally, traditional marketing methods are unable to tailor the message to address consumers’ unique pain points or desires.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Next-Level Advertising: Exploring the Advantages of Rakuten Viber Ads in Efficiency and Scale</h2>In today's fast-paced digital world, advertising has evolved drastically. Gone are the days of traditional marketing methods that relied solely on billboards, TV commercials, and print ads. The rise of mobile technology and social media platforms has given birth to a new era of advertising, and leading the way in this digital revolution is Rakuten Viber Ads.Rakuten Viber Ads offers a fresh and innovative approach, allowing brands to connect with their target clientele in a more personalized and engaging way. Unlike conventional strategies, Rakuten Viber Ads harnesses the power of mobile messaging to deliver highly targeted and relevant content to users.So, what sets Rakuten Viber Ads apart from traditional channels? Let's take a closer look:1. Precision targeting: Rakuten Viber Ads leverages the data-driven nature of mobile messaging to deliver ads to users who are most likely to be interested in a particular product or service. Through advanced targeting capabilities, brands can reach their desired audience demographics, location, and interests, ensuring maximum impact and return on investment.2. Engagement and conversion: Rakuten Viber Ads go beyond the passive nature of traditional advertising by offering brands to add interactive CTA buttons leading to their websites or chatbots and channels on the app. This not only <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/maximizing-the-power-of-viber-advertising-solutions-for-building-brand-awareness/">increases brand awareness</a> but also drives customers further down the marketing funnel.&nbsp;3. Seamless integration: Unlike intrusive pop-up ads or disruptive commercials, Rakuten Viber Ads seamlessly integrate into the user experience. Ads appear naturally within the messaging interface, creating a non-disruptive and organic experience. This ensures that users are more receptive to the content, leading to higher engagement rates and a positive brand perception.4. Measurable results: With Rakuten Viber Ads, brands can track and measure the performance of their advertising campaigns in real time and optimize their campaigns for better results. This data-driven approach ensures that advertising budgets are spent effectively and efficiently.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Ads_on_Rakuten_Viber_18d75b59e7.png"><figcaption>Examples of different types of Rakuten Viber Ads</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Ads vs. Traditional Advertising: Analyzing the Metrics of Cost, Reach, Engagement, Targeting, and ROI</h2>In comparing Rakuten Viber Ads and traditional campaigns, several aspects are critical: cost, reach, engagement, targeting, and ROI.Starting with cost, Rakuten Viber Ads offer a targeted and flexible pricing model that scales with your specific needs and usage, unlike traditional advertising campaigns that can be expensive and have fixed charges regardless of engagement or success. For example, newspaper ads can include substantial design costs and fixed space charges. The cost-effectiveness of Rakuten Viber Ads becomes evident when considering reach and engagement.Concerning reach, Rakuten Viber boasts a <a href="https://www.usesignhouse.com/blog/viber-stats#:~:text=The%20number%20of%20Viber%20users,of%208%20minutes%20per%20interaction.">massive and diverse user base</a> worldwide. This global reach presents an incredible opportunity for brands to connect with a broad range of audiences across different markets. From local businesses to international corporations, Rakuten Viber Ads offers a platform for brands of all sizes to make a global impact. Although traditional advertising may have a broader reach, Rakuten Viber Ads offer a more focused and efficient way to reach a relevant and receptive audience.Engagement on Rakuten Viber is quantifiably higher since ad placements are designed to ensure high CTRs and viewability rates way above industry standards. For instance, click-through rates (CTRs) for ads in the Business Inbox, a dedicated folder for brand-user communication, average at around 4.5%. Another example is Rakuten Viber's post-call ads which boast a 22% higher viewability rate compared to the industry benchmark.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Post_call_and_Business_Inbox_ad_placements_on_Rakuten_Viber_7a8bb60fdc.png"><figcaption>Post-call and Business Inbox ad placements on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>Rakuten Viber Ads provide superior targeting capabilities due to utilizing user demographics, interests, and location data. This level of segmentation is quite hard to replicate with conventional means. Traditional methods may blanket an entire region, whereas Rakuten Viber allows for hyper-focus, for example, targeting Android users within a specific age bracket and geographical location.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Use_Rakuten_Viber_Ads_for_targeted_campaigns_ebdfe7c89f.png"><figcaption>Use Rakuten Viber Ads for targeted campaigns&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>In contrast to traditional advertising, where tracking ROI can be challenging, Rakuten Viber Ads facilitate the attainment of measurable results. This is supported by high viewability rates and CTRs, robust targeting capabilities, and mechanisms for guiding customers from ad engagement to visiting the brand's bot or website for additional information. All of these features contribute to boosting ROI and ensuring that businesses achieve their goals with every resource they invest.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber and the Changing Landscape of Advertising in the Future</h2>As the advertising landscape continues to evolve, businesses are realizing the need to shift from traditional methods to more efficient and scalable options. One such option is Rakuten Viber Ads, which offer a unique and dynamic approach to advertising, leveraging the popularity and widespread usage of the Rakuten Viber messaging app. With their ability to capture users' attention in relevant moments, provide visually appealing content, and target a wide range of audience segments, Rakuten Viber Ads present a compelling alternative to traditional strategies. Moreover, the growing popularity of messaging apps makes Rakuten Viber Ads even more relevant in today's mobile-first age.The future of advertising is set to be influenced by various paramount trends. First, we are progressing toward a mobile-first world. Consumers increasingly rely on mobile devices for price comparisons, product research, deal discovery, and shopping. Mobile commerce is anticipated to flourish in the future, necessitating advertising <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/mobile-ad-monetisation-best-practices-to-succeed-in-the-new-business-season/">tailored for mobile viewing</a>. Second, personalization is a crucial emerging trend. Brands are leveraging data to customize their customers' experiences. As retailers gain more access to customer information, this trend is predicted to soar.In addition, the advent of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/superapp-for-marketers-part-1-what-is-a-superapp/">superapps</a> is an intriguing future prospect. Superapps offer comprehensive services including payments, transportation bookings, food deliveries, messaging, and much more. Superapps are growing in popularity globally and are forecasted to involve innovative technologies that enrich the shopping experience for customers. Platforms like Rakuten Viber align with this trend through the variety of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/">features</a> and integrations.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_s_superapp_features_solutions_and_capabilities_7cc691af32.png"><figcaption>Superapp capabilities of Rakuten Viber for Business</figcaption></figure>The future of advertising promises to be more dynamic and personalized. Emerging technologies and trends will continue to shape the industry, and it's crucial that advertisers adapt and evolve according to these new advancements.Feel free to <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-ads-form">contact our team</a> if you'd like to learn more about Rakuten Viber Ads and elevate your advertising strategy.

Discover how Rakuten Viber Ads enhance reach, engagement, targeting, and ROI

Rakuten Viber Ads vs Traditional Advertising: Efficiency and Scale

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By 2024, it is projected that over <a href="https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/sizing-mobile-messaging-app-opportunity-marketers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">75%</a> of internet users globally will be utilizing a messaging app on a monthly basis. This figure indicates an enormous opportunity for the travel and tourism industries to capitalize on this trend. By leveraging instant messaging tools, they can streamline their operations, from booking confirmations to real-time customer support.&nbsp;Notably, messaging apps are not just for exchanging information; they have evolved into versatile business tools. From sending key notifications through transactional messages to sharing personalized offers via promotional messages, these platforms offer various solutions tailored to the diverse needs of organizations. That’s what got the term “<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/superapp-for-marketers-part-1-what-is-a-superapp/">Superapp</a>”.The way people plan their trips and leisure activities has changed a lot. Nowadays, they focus more on unique experiences and interact with brands in many ways. Today, potential clientele don't just visit a website; they engage with brands on social media, read reviews, and contact them via messaging platforms for further information.The pandemic has changed what travelers expect, with a greater emphasis now on creating memorable experiences rather than just being provided with a service. Surprisingly, <a href="https://engage.sinch.com/blog/instant-messaging-apps-tourism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">25%</a> of all customer interactions in the tourism sector already happen in instant messaging apps. This trend highlights how important it is for brands to understand and adapt to the communication methods their audience prefers.In this blog post, let’s explore how <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a> can help elevate these interactions and transform the guest experience in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries.<h2>The Power of Rakuten Viber Business Messages</h2>Rakuten Viber Business Messages is a communication tool that allows businesses to connect with their customers, share different types of content, and reply to customer questions within one thread. It enables companies to send their clients customized messages, notifications, offers, updates, and help manage bookings, which helps keep them engaged and build better relationships.<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-types-and-advantages-of-viber-business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a> are tailored to suit the diverse needs of organizations:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Transactional Messages are used for sending important notifications. These can include booking confirmations, payment reminders, shipping status, and other crucial real-time information.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Promotional Messages are designed to share offers, discounts, or new product announcements, helping drive sales and increase customer engagement.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Conversational Messages (two-way communication) allow businesses to offer customer support or gather feedback, facilitating direct interaction between the brand and its customers.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Rakuten_Viber_Business_Messages_for_airlines_and_hotels_315a246a73.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Business Messages for airlines and hotels</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Enhancing Guest and Traveler Experience with Rakuten Viber Business Messages</h2>Building on the communication solutions described above, Rakuten Viber Business Messages can help personalize the guest experience in several ways:1. Send targeted and personalized messages to guests. These can include welcome notes, booking confirmations, customized recommendations, and special deals based on the guest's preferences and past interactions.2. Enable guests to ask questions, make special requests, or provide feedback in real time through the messaging app. Businesses can respond promptly, ensuring that guests feel valued and attended to throughout their stay.3. Send timely notifications and updates to guests. These can include information about check-in/check-out procedures, room upgrades, changes to amenities or services, and local events or attractions.&nbsp;4. Send recommendations to guests based on their interests, preferences, and location. This helps guests discover nearby restaurants, attractions, or activities aligned with their interests, enhancing their overall stay.5. Gather feedback and reviews from guests. After their stay, properties can send a message requesting feedback or inviting guests to leave a review on platforms like TripAdvisor or Google.6. Communicate exclusive discounts or rewards to guests who are part of a loyalty program.&nbsp;Companies can also utilize <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">chatbots</a> to provide automatic support 24/7. Chatbots work without the costs that come with human staff, allowing the team to focus on more complex customer needs. They can provide instant answers to frequently asked questions, such as check-in details, baggage restrictions, or travel requirements. For instance, once a person books a flight, the bot can provide information about guidelines for the destination, such as necessary vaccines, visas, or online forms.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Creating_advanced_customer_experience_with_Viber_Rich_Business_Messaging_0df684c9bc.png"><figcaption>Creating advanced customer experience with Viber Rich Business Messaging</figcaption></figure>Use case: How airlines can use Rakuten Viber Business Messages to improve customer experienceAirlines can leverage Rakuten Viber Business Messages in numerous ways to enhance the traveler experience.&nbsp;<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Provide instant notifications and useful information to their clients. For example, assistance with issues such as lost baggage.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Answer specific queries, like the required documents for traveling with a service dog.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Assist in arranging special accommodations, like a specific onboard menu for a passenger with dietary restrictions.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Share travel tips, destination guides, and local recommendations. This can include information about popular attractions, dining options, transportation, and cultural insights. By providing valuable and personalized content through Rakuten Viber Business Messages, airlines can help customers make the most of their trips.</li></ul>Overall, by leveraging the tool, airlines can enhance client satisfaction, build loyalty, and differentiate themselves in a competitive industry.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_airlines_using_Rakuten_Viber_Business_messages_f76d2b2b9e.png"><figcaption>Examples of airlines using Rakuten Viber Business messages</figcaption></figure><h2>Seamless Reservations: Enhancing Direct Bookings with Rakuten Viber Business Messages</h2>Rakuten Viber Business Messages play a key role in driving direct bookings by providing a seamless communication channel between accommodation providers and customers. This includes the following:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Ability to send reservation confirmations, adding to user convenience</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Sending real-time status updates, keeping customers informed about any changes to their booking, such as room upgrades or alterations in check-in/check-out timings</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Suggesting the option of automated messaging, allowing for the delivery of messages at specific times or triggered by certain events, such as timely reminders about upcoming check-in dates</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Communicating with members of the property's loyalty program. Accommodation providers can send personalized deals, rewards, or exclusive benefits to their loyal customers, incentivizing them to book directly and take advantage of these special perks.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Facilitating instant <a href="https://thebusinessmanual-onemega.com/messaging-app-viber-easily-book-flights-hotels-soon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">booking and payment</a> by sharing respective links in the chat with customers who would like to complete their reservations. This streamlined process eliminates the need to switch from the app and look for information on external websites or make phone calls, making the whole procedure more intuitive.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Supporting two-way communication, allowing customers to respond to booking confirmations and status updates. This interactive feature enables clients to ask questions or request further information, with accommodation providers being able to respond promptly, offering necessary assistance and addressing any concerns.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Including visual elements, such as images or videos of the booked room or interactive buttons for easy access to additional details or adjustments to their bookings.</li></ul><a href="https://www.cebupacificair.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">CEBU Pacific</a>, a budget airline in Asia, used the power of Rakuten Viber Business Messages to increase travel demand among its customers during the travel restrictions. The airline initiated a time-bound campaign, distributing CEB SUPER PASS vouchers via Rakuten Viber. These vouchers allowed one to book one-way flights to any destination within the Philippines and could be used at any time during the year. This straightforward, adjustable, and economical strategy yielded impressive outcomes: conversion rates improved by 278% in comparison to email campaigns, and cost efficiency increased by 26%.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Cebu_Pacific_using_Viber_Business_Messages_to_drive_sales_71ac579e0c.png"><figcaption>Cebu Pacific using Viber Business Messages to drive sales</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Driving Change: Rakuten Viber Rich Business Messaging in Ridesharing and Public Transport</h2>Rakuten Viber Business Messages has revolutionized the way ridesharing companies and public transport systems communicate with their clientele. Take BlaBlaCar for instance, a global ridesharing giant. They experienced an issue with informing passengers about changes to their ride, like a driver canceling a trip.To solve this, BlaBlaCar began using Rakuten Viber Business Messages and SMS to communicate with drivers and customers, resulting in passengers receiving booking confirmations, notifications, and the ability to share last-minute ride requests through Rakuten Viber.When there was no data signal, BlaBlaCar made sure messages still got through with SMS. BlaBlaCar's support team could also check if messages were delivered in real time, and step in when needed. This helped ensure a smooth customer experience.Thanks to this new approach, customer complaints decreased, issues were solved quicker, and positive reviews increased.&nbsp;But it's not just ridesharing companies that can benefit. Public transport systems can also harness the power of messaging apps. For example, a chatbot can alert passengers about delays or cancellations, provide timetable updates, and even allow users to select specific routes and times. In Sofia, Bulgaria, the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.editcreation.com/cgm-viber-bot/">Urban Mobility Center </a>launched a public service chatbot on Rakuten Viber where users can pay for parking spaces and get information on local traffic.&nbsp;One of the key benefits of using chatbots for the public transport industry is their always-on availability. Chatbots can operate 24/7, ensuring that passengers receive important reminders and alerts at any time of the day or night. This is particularly useful for passengers who rely on public transport for their daily commute or those who travel during off-peak hours.Another advantage of using chatbots for public transport notifications is their ability to handle large volumes of queries simultaneously. During peak hours or in situations where there are disruptions in the transport network, the number of inquiries from passengers can be overwhelming for human operators. Chatbots, on the other hand, can handle multiple conversations simultaneously, providing prompt responses to passengers' queries and concerns.<h2>Shaping the Future of Travel with Rakuten Viber Business Messages</h2>Rakuten Viber Business Messages have notably transformed the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries by facilitating real-time, personalized communication. This platform is a perfect solution for boosting guest experiences, stimulating direct bookings, and building stronger customer relationships. It enables businesses to send tailored offers, immediate updates, and quick responses to clients' inquiries. Additionally, with rich-media capabilities including the sharing of hotel room imagery, videos of local attractions, and useful files such as travel itineraries, Rakuten Viber Business Messages enrich the customer's journey from the planning stage to the actual trip.As customer expectations evolve, Rakuten Viber Business Messages are poised to become an even more integral part of the industry's communication strategy. By effectively leveraging this platform, businesses can not only stay ahead in the competitive landscape but also create memorable user experiences that keep clients coming back.<a href="https://b2b.viber.com/apply-for-bm">Reach out to our team</a> to learn how Viber Business Messages can help achieve the goals of your travel business.&nbsp;

Discover how Rakuten Viber Business Messages boost tourism communication and guest experience

Personalizing Guest Experience and Driving Direct Bookings with Rakuten Viber Business Messages in the Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry

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Businesses must explore new ways of growth and customer reach. One such avenue is the integration of Rakuten Viber into your e-commerce strategy. With mobile e-commerce projected to account for a staggering <a href="https://www.oberlo.com/blog/ecommerce-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">42.9%</a> of all e-commerce sales by 2024, the significance of leveraging communication platforms like Rakuten Viber is more relevant than ever. A <a href="https://www.textrequest.com/ebooks/state-of-business-texting-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">2023 report</a> from business texting software company Text Request highlights that an impressive 69% of consumers now prefer receiving texts related to making payments, while 46% express interest in texting businesses for sales inquiries. This blog post delves into how Rakuten Viber can be incorporated into your e-commerce strategy for unparalleled success in today's competitive digital marketplace.&nbsp;<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Navigating Rakuten Viber: A New Frontier for Businesses</h3>Rakuten Viber is a multifaceted messenger that not only serves individual users but also provides companies with the opportunity to reach their target audiences effectively. This globally popular app is available in over 190 countries and across multiple platforms such as Apple Store, Google Play, Huawei Store, and Xiaomi Store. This wide accessibility ensures that they can always stay connected regardless of your customers' devices. With over a billion downloads on Android alone, it's clear that Rakuten Viber has become a preferred communication choice worldwide. Learn more about Rakuten Viber’s product capabilities:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a> are a powerful tool for businesses to send targeted 1-2-1 messages and engage in meaningful dialogues with their customers. These messages can be personalized for specific campaigns or conversations, helping companies nurture leads, boost sales, and create a loyal client base.<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Chatbots on Rakuten Viber</a> have gained immense popularity for their ability to provide quick and automated customer service. Rakuten Viber Chatbots are user-friendly and can be created independently or with the assistance of messaging partners to perform a range of tasks.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Rakuten Viber also offers advertising solutions</a> to help businesses reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to their e-commerce stores. These include:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Native ads: These ads are seamlessly integrated into Rakuten Viber's user interface, making them appear as natural content, increasing user engagement and conversions.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Sticker packs: Businesses can create branded sticker packs to download and share, enhancing their visibility and encouraging word-of-mouth marketing.</li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-use-viber-lenses-a-guide-for-marketers/">Lenses</a>: Branded filters provided by Rakuten Viber allow brands to express their identity in an engaging way, potentially going viral as users share these lenses with others.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Rakuten_Viber_for_Business_solutions_1_fb9bcabef8.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber for Business: a suite of solutions for your goals</figcaption></figure><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Mastering E-commerce: The Rakuten Viber Advantage</h3>Integrating Rakuten Viber into your e-commerce strategy offers plenty of benefits that can significantly enhance your operations. One of the key advantages is improved customer communication. Rakuten Viber allows businesses to interact with their consumers in real time, providing instant responses to queries and fostering a sense of immediacy and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-benefits-of-personalization-how-tailoring-content-to-your-audience-can-improve-engagement-and-conversions/">personalization</a>.Another significant benefit is the strengthening of customer relationships. Companies can create <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-power-of-conversation-how-messaging-apps-will-drive-marketing-in-2023/">meaningful client dialogues</a> through targeted messaging, personalized offers, and efficient client service. This not only helps in building trust and loyalty but also encourages repeat business.Additionally, Rakuten Viber provides an excellent platform for direct marketing, allowing brands to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-for-business-how-to-increase-engagement-and-drive-sales/">boost their sales</a>:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Personalized Campaigns: Businesses can send customized messages to specific customer segments, promoting their products or services directly to those who are likely to be interested.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Exclusive Offers: Sharing exclusive promotions and discounts via Rakuten Viber can incentivize purchases and increase sales.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Product Recommendations: Based on customer browsing and purchase history, personalized product recommendations can be sent to encourage further purchases.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Order Updates: By sending order confirmations and shipping notifications, businesses can keep consumers informed and engaged, enhancing their overall shopping experience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Back-in-Stock Alerts: Informing customers of restocked items can minimize cart abandonment</li></ul>Integrating Rakuten Viber into your <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/maximize-conversions-and-performance-top-5-ideas-for-e-commerce-and-retailers/">e-commerce strategy</a> can result in improved customer communication, stronger relationships, and increased sales.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Boost Your E-Commerce Campaign: Harness the Power of Rakuten Viber Integration</h3>To successfully integrate Rakuten Viber into your e-commerce strategy, start by selecting <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners/">a reliable messaging partner</a> who will guide you through the process. Following this, your chosen partner will assist in setting up your <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-open-a-viber-business-account/">Rakuten Viber business account</a> via their interface. They should supply you with either a self-service outlet or a dedicated API that you can link to your existing CRM system. Once your Rakuten Viber account is set up, connect it to your e-commerce platform using the provided plugin. This typically involves entering your Rakuten Viber account credentials or API key in the plugin settings.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Viber_Business_Accounts_8287940dc2.png"><figcaption>Examples of official business accounts on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>After the integration is complete, customize your Rakuten Viber environment to align with your e-commerce goals. Define the trigger events that will prompt Rakuten Viber messages, such as order confirmations, shipping notifications, or abandoned cart reminders. Finally, test the system by placing test orders or triggering the specified events to ensure that Rakuten Viber messages are sent successfully. Monitor the performance of your platform and make adjustments as needed to optimize customer engagement and conversion rates.&nbsp;This integration allows you to utilize Rakuten Viber for client service, which can significantly enhance your brand's responsiveness. This not only boosts customer satisfaction but also fosters trust and loyalty. On the marketing front, Rakuten Viber serves as an effective tool for promotional activities. Its features allow companies to broadcast business messages, launch new products, and share exciting offers. Furthermore, you can use Rakuten Viber's sticker packs and interactive content to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-effectively-engage-your-audience-on-viber-without-overwhelming-them/">engage</a> your audience in a more dynamic and fun way, enriching their shopping experience.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Smart_use_of_rich_media_content_on_Viber_71a963fc8e.png"><figcaption>Engaging rich media content on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Leveraging Rakuten Viber for Remarkable Business Results: Insights from Apple and Primer Group</h3>Several companies have successfully integrated Rakuten Viber into their operations, with Apple being a notable example. In an effort to attract new users to Apple Music and Apple TV+ and engage previously registered users, Apple has partnered with Rakuten Viber specifically in the CEE, CIS, and APAC regions. They've offered Rakuten Viber users free trial periods of up to three months, with a two-month free trial incentive for existing users to promote service renewal.To achieve these goals of customer acquisition and retention, Apple and Rakuten Viber implemented a strategic plan. Rakuten Viber created a dedicated Chatbot that enables consumers to redeem their three-month subscription in just two clicks. This Chatbot was publicized using Rakuten Viber Ads, combining native Ads in various placements and localized banners on the Explore screen. Furthermore, a specific CRM campaign was launched to target all eligible customers in selected markets within the specified regions. Rakuten Viber also leveraged its social media channels to reach the relevant audience.Apple's collaboration with Rakuten Viber in this campaign yielded remarkable results. The integration brought in over 600k subscribers to the Chatbot within just the first half-year. Impressively, nearly a quarter (over 23%) of all chatbot subscribers activated the free trials. Furthermore, over 25% of users continued with the services at the total price once their free trials concluded.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Incentivising_subscriptions_for_Apple_services_via_Rakuten_Viber_1_28e3df196c.png"><figcaption>Incentivising subscriptions for Apple services via Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>Likewise, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/primer/">the Primer Group of Companies</a>, a Philippine retailer distributing various consumer goods brands, also utilized Rakuten Viber to enhance their business. Faced with pandemic-induced quarantine restrictions, Primer shifted its focus online, leveraging Rakuten Viber Business Messages to establish an online footprint. In collaboration with Rakuten Viber's messaging partner, Infobip, Primer facilitated online purchases for its e-commerce store, Bratpack. They used digital vouchers sent via Rakuten Viber Business Messages. This strategy led to a significant 401% increase in sales and a 53% code redemption conversion rate, further validating the effectiveness of Rakuten Viber integration.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Primer_s_campaign_via_Viber_Business_Messages_825a034c2b.png"><figcaption>How Primer facilitated online purchases via Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Mastering Rakuten Viber Integration: Enhancing Marketing Campaign and Ensuring Customer Trust</h3>The effective implementation of Rakuten Viber into your business strategy requires deliberate planning, similar to any other communication channel. Rakuten Viber can be leveraged to supplement <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/maximize-conversions-and-performance-top-5-ideas-for-e-commerce-and-retailers/">different marketing initiatives</a> and develop a comprehensive marketing campaign. Here's how to accomplish this:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/dare-to-engage-captivate-your-audience-with-messaging-apps-and-interactive-content/">Use Rakuten Viber Ads, branded Lenses, and Stickers</a> to attract consumer attention and guide them toward an engaging Rakuten Viber Chatbot.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Utilize the chatbot to deliver bespoke offers and stimulate interest in certain services or products.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Implement Business Messages to assist consumers in making a purchase.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Provide post-sales support to convert a one-time customer into a loyal, repeat client.</li></ul>It's also crucial to disseminate relevant and valuable information that aligns with the needs and interests of your audience. Maintain a balance between promotional and informative content, such as industry updates, tips, and insights. This strategy helps position your brand as a trustworthy source of information and cultivates loyalty.Additionally, it's vital to prioritize privacy measures to protect your customers and uphold their trust. Rakuten Viber has robust features built into its platform to ensure <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-power-of-customer-data-how-to-use-it-to-improve-your-marketing-efforts/">secure communication</a>, including:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Prioritize Security: Rakuten Viber's default end-to-end encryption for private and group chats and calls sets a high standard in security measures, guaranteeing that the content of the chat is only accessible to the sender and the receiver.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Secure Brand Communication: Rakuten Viber uses <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-brands-can-find-the-most-secure-messaging-app-for-business-use/">encryption in transit</a> for Rakuten Viber Business Messages, providing an exceptionally high level of security during the data transmission process and safeguarding your brand-user communication.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Respect User Privacy: By sending Rakuten Viber Business Messages only to users who have consented to receive business notifications, Rakuten Viber respects user privacy and prevents unsolicited chats.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Enhance Security Measures: Rakuten Viber further bolsters its security by not storing messages on servers and using secure HTTPS connections exclusively, reducing the risk of data breaches and ensuring the safe and secure exchange of information.</li></ul><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Empower Your E-commerce Strategy: Unlock the Potential with Rakuten Viber Integration</h3>The integration of Rakuten Viber into an e-commerce strategy fosters an enriched customer experience, enhances communication, and optimizes marketing efforts. The successful case studies of Apple and Primer Group highlight the potential of Rakuten Viber, demonstrating its capability to boost consumer acquisition, retention, and sales. With its robust security measures, Rakuten Viber also ensures the protection of user data, fostering trust among consumers. Businesses should, therefore, consider leveraging this globally popular platform to remain competitive in today's digital age. Harnessing the power of Rakuten Viber can lead to significant growth, stronger customer relationships, and remarkable company results.<a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">Start your journey </a>with Rakuten Viber now and witness the remarkable impact it can have on your brand's success.

Explore how Rakuten Viber for Business can transform your e-commerce strategy and direct marketing

Why Your E-commerce Strategy Needs Rakuten Viber: A Path to Success

Explore how Rakuten Viber for Business can transform your e-commerce strategy and direct marketing


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Rakuten Viber, a global leader in cross-platform messaging and voice-based communication, shares insights on how Viber for Business solutions empower brand-user interactions globally and in Vietnam.On October 16, 2023, Rakuten Viber's senior management showcased the business offer of the world-renowned app at its first business-focused media roundtable in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. The company’s team discussed Rakuten Viber's global and local presence in Vietnam, its growing audience, and Rakuten <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/viber-for-business/">Viber for Business</a> solutions for effective and convenient communication between brands and consumers.Vietnamese spend <a href="https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-vietnam" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">2h 32m</a> per day on social media and messaging apps, staying one minute longer than the average global user. Local businesses can reach their audiences through messaging as 73% of Vietnamese customers also prefer to interact with brands through chat. Rakuten Viber is well-placed to help Vietnamese businesses make the most of these trends with its growing payable audience in Vietnam where the app saw an astounding 642% spike in private calls, 24% growth in messages exchanged in channels, and a 12% increase in private messages during the first half of 2023.Being used by more than 20,000 brands worldwide, Rakuten Viber for Business offers advertising solutions (native ads, branded stickers and lenses), messaging solutions (business messages, chatbots), forthcoming business calls and an OTP solution. Rakuten Viber for Business ecosystem helps brands solve their business needs: <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/maximizing-the-power-of-viber-advertising-solutions-for-building-brand-awareness/">build brand awareness</a> and generate new leads, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-for-business-how-to-increase-engagement-and-drive-sales/">boost sales</a> &amp; increase ROI, effectively foster customer loyalty, and more.Vietnamese businesses are already benefiting from these solutions as Rakuten Viber records a growing interest in local brand-user interactions in the first half of 2023. This includes:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Average daily Rakuten <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Viber Ads</a> impressions reached 6.4M, with Vietnamese brands using ads to enhance their visibility and attract new users.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">30M stickers exchanged between users, accompanied by a remarkable 210% increase in AR-powered lens engagements. Businesses are creating <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-impact-of-visual-content-how-messaging-apps-are-changing-the-way-we-connect/">branded </a>Rakuten <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-impact-of-visual-content-how-messaging-apps-are-changing-the-way-we-connect/">Viber Stickers and Lenses</a> to express themselves in a way that is more appealing, entertaining, and fun, as well as reach a younger audience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">A significant 63% YOY growth in delivered Rakuten <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Viber Business Messages</a>, with brands increasingly using this tool to send personal 1-2-1 messages to their existing client base who gave consent to receive brand notifications.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">A notable 31% increase in Rakuten <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Viber Chatbots</a>, revealing the popularity of this automated tool for round-the-clock customer support and sales assistance.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_for_Business_in_Vietnam_cbe815e205.png"><figcaption>Viber for Business trends in Vietnam in H1 2023</figcaption></figure>In addition to Rakuten Viber's comprehensive ecosystem of business tools, brands also benefit from the app's robust security measures. Being graded among top-3 messaging and calling apps based on security by the German consumer organization <a href="https://www.test.de/Messenger-Apps-im-Vergleich-4884453-0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Stiftung Warentest</a>, Rakuten Viber offers end-to-end encryption for all private, group chats and private calls – something of a gold standard for private communication. It also uses the closest thing to it for brand-user communication – encryption in transit – an exceptionally high level of security for brands. The messages are not stored on Viber’s servers, connections are secure and HTTPS only – all the measures undertaken to keep the Viber experience safe for both users and brands.&nbsp;Rakuten Viber has recently taken a significant step forward in its global strategy with its toolkit for all businesses. The company has <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-debuts-giant-leap-forward-in-global-strategy-with-its-toolkit-for-all-businesses/">announced the launch</a> of a new suite of business tools designed for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), introducing a free, self-serve business account for small and micro businesses. Initially, the service was opened for a testing phase in the Philippines before gradually rolling out worldwide, including in Vietnam.The company is actively developing solutions and features to cater to enterprise-level businesses. Future updates include free business calls for users, an all-new OTP solution, enhanced-protection messages to confirm users' identity, engaging click-to-message ads, and more."As we expand our business portfolio, we are committed to tailoring solutions to the unique needs of businesses of different scales and locations," says Berina Tanovic, Sales Director at Rakuten Viber. "As more Vietnamese brands turn to Rakuten Viber for customer communication, we're providing solutions that enable them to connect with international and local audiences. With Viber, these businesses gain access to a secure, feature-rich communication platform that addresses their specific business needs."

Discover more about Rakuten Viber for Business solutions for Vietnamese brands

Rakuten Viber for Business live from Vietnam: Event recap

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<a href="https://www.viber.com/">Rakuten Viber</a>, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication, launches a new suite of business tools for small and medium-sized businesses. Through the introduction of diversified business solutions, the superapp is becoming a communications hub for a wide range of businesses, supporting their marketing goals and enabling local users to discover services.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/4481/personalized-marketing/#topicOverview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Sixty percent of online shoppers</a> say they would abandon brands that fail to personalize their content. To adapt to these expectations, businesses can turn to their customers' <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/why-messaging-apps-should-be-1-choice-for-marketers/">preferred messaging apps</a> to deliver tailored experiences. With over 1 billion downloads on Android alone, Rakuten Viber introduces businesses to a large pool of potential customers and brings vast opportunities for mobile marketing. Based on this growing demand for brand-user interaction on the app, Rakuten Viber expanded its suite of tools to help businesses reach new customers, build and retain loyalty, and drive sales.The first solution to launch on the platform will be a free, self-serve communications hub for small and micro businesses to conveniently engage with local customers, manage incoming queries, enhance a business's discoverability, and drive sales. Additional value-added services for medium-to-large business accounts will be available soon.Rakuten Viber’s free offering for small and micro businesses was inspired by its successful Rakuten Viber Business Accounts product for enterprise-level companies, part of the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/">Rakuten Viber for Business suite</a>. In 2023, the company recorded a 26 percent increase in business accounts created and a 31 percent year-over-year increase in delivered <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-business-messages-essentials-for-brand-growth/">Rakuten Viber business messages</a>.&nbsp;New features include:&nbsp;<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Public business profile: Businesses can create a public, searchable business page featuring all essential information. The profile can be shared with customers inside the app or even with people who are not Rakuten Viber users yet.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">1:1 customer chats: Businesses can respond to customer requests right away over instant messaging.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Discoverability through Rakuten Viber search: Businesses can find and retain loyal customers on their preferred day-to-day conversations app where customers can discover local products and services by searching for the business name or category.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Dedicated chat folders: Businesses can conveniently store customer messages separately from personal messages with family and friends. Users will also have easy access to a separate <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/boost-your-brand-with-the-power-of-business-inbox/">Rakuten Viber Business Inbox</a> folder for storing their conversations with businesses.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Product catalog: Business owners can effortlessly add new products or services to their business page's catalog. Customers can explore and inquire about the items by sharing the link to the product directly in the chat.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/A_self_serve_business_account_on_Viber_119e3c841f.png"><figcaption>Insider look: Rakuten Viber’s free, self-serve business account for MSMEs</figcaption></figure>Rakuten Viber’s new self-serve business accounts are available now in <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/empowering-brands-vibers-2023-global-events-spotlight-superapp-strategies-and-solutions/">Greece and the Philippines</a> and will launch in additional countries soon. The company also plans to introduce features like broadcast messages, voice calls, and quick and automatic replies that will take communications for small business owners to the next level. Tailored pricing plans will be offered soon based on market feedback to expand the initial set of free self-serve business solutions.&nbsp;Early adopters are already starting to see positive results from Rakuten Viber’s new features for small businesses. Philippines-based shop owner Nene Tamayo opened Nene Prime Foods in 2014 to sell bottled gourmet bangus and other Filipino specialties. Rakuten Viber is Nene’s primary platform for communicating with customers, allowing her to add a personal touch to conversations that help her build and retain a loyal following. Customers can find Nene’s business when they search for Filipino food and reach out directly over one-to-one chats, enabling a <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/at-the-intersection-of-customer-service-marketing-and-brand-building/">smooth customer experience</a>.Eleni Petroulaki, a fitness and nutrition expert and owner of Fitlab, a modern fitness laboratory in Athens, shared that Rakuten Viber has been a real help for her small business: "From connecting instantly with customers to showcasing my services, Rakuten Viber has not just been a platform, but a partner for my growing business. My presence on Rakuten Viber allowed me to build stronger relationships and ensure long-term brand loyalty with my customers.’’"As we expand our business portfolio, we are committed to tailoring solutions to the unique needs of businesses of every scale,” says&nbsp; Cristina Constandache, Chief Revenue Officer at Rakuten Viber. “Our mission is clear: to offer customized services for enterprises of all sizes. For those seeking growth, we deliver solutions that pave the way right within the app. With Rakuten Viber as a growth partner, businesses have a communications platform for adapting to new challenges that arise on their business journey."&nbsp;&nbsp;For more information, <a href="https://lp.viber.com/smblp">visit the website</a>.

Rakuten Viber empowers businesses of every size to build their digital presence, boost customer engagement, and drive sales 

Rakuten Viber debuts giant leap forward in global strategy with its toolkit for all businesses

Rakuten Viber expands its overall strategy to empower businesses of every size

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While messaging is commonly associated with casual conversations, it has rapidly emerged as a vital channel of marketing and commerce.Let’s look at numbers.In the 2020s, online shopping has experienced significant changes, primarily due to the <a href="https://www.oberlo.com/statistics/how-many-people-shop-online" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">increasing number</a> of users shopping online and the <a href="https://www.smartinsights.com/mobile-marketing/mobile-marketing-analytics/mobile-marketing-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">growing preference</a> for mobile devices. This digital acceleration is here to stay, according to <a href="https://datareportal.com/global-digital-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Datareportal</a>:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">An impressive 92.3% of global internet users access the web through their mobile phones, at least occasionally.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Mobile devices contribute to over 56.9% of our time spent online and generate nearly 60% of the world's internet traffic.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">More consumers make purchases on mobile devices than via desktops and laptops.</li></ul>Parallel to that, <a href="https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">a staggering 94.8%</a> of adult Internet users access messaging apps and chats on a monthly basis in 2023.The growing focus on mobile commerce and the popularity of messaging apps greatly impact online shopping. Consumers now expect it to be seamless, personalized, and convenient. And it is the messaging apps that can meet and surpass expectations, enabling quick and efficient communication between brands and shoppers.<h2>Driving Customers Down the Marketing Funnel</h2>Let's explore the e-commerce capabilities of messaging apps, using Rakuten Viber as an example. Rakuten Viber for Business suite of solutions allows brands to reach their audience at each stage of the marketing funnel while building a seamless and satisfying experience for customers from beginning to end.&nbsp;<h2>Introducing the brand</h2>The awareness stage is crucial, as it significantly influences a buyer's initial opinion about a brand, and altering that opinion later can be challenging. The main aim is to leave a positive impact and ignite interest in the products or services offered. At this stage, Rakuten Viber <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Ads</a>, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-snap-partnership/">Lenses</a>, and Stickers can help a brand stand out.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Showcasing_the_brand_via_Viber_Ads_Viber_Lenses_and_Viber_Stickers_b20c1798f5.png"><figcaption>Showcasing the brand via Rakuten Viber Ads, Lenses, and Stickers</figcaption></figure><h2>Help in selecting the product</h2>Brands can use messaging apps to answer questions and offer personalized recommendations: help with clothing fit, explain measurements, give suggestions based on a picture they send, and influence their choices.&nbsp;Today, it’s easier to select a product in an online marketplace because it usually offers a far broader choice than brick-and-mortar stores. Brands need to tap into this trend as it can only be expected to grow.At this point, promotional and conversational Rakuten Viber <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Business Messages</a> are very useful. You also will benefit from <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Chatbots</a> offering support around the clock, while Rakuten Viber Ads will help you stay top-of-mind and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/milestone-release-meet-commercial-account-and-business-inbox/">Business Account</a> will allow customers to easily find your brand and ask a question.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Offering_product_information_via_Viber_Business_Messages_and_Chatbots_95825f41f0.png"><figcaption>Offering product information via Rakuten Viber Business Messages and Chatbots</figcaption></figure><h2>Handling orders and deliveries</h2>Once a product has been chosen, a seamless ordering and delivery process is a must. This can be achieved through real-time order tracking, instant updates on shipping status, and easy access to customer support.&nbsp;Rakuten Viber Chatbots and conversational Rakuten Viber Business Messages are useful at this stage again, as well as transactional Business Messages that can inform customers about delivery times, warranties, and so much more.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Managing_orders_via_Viber_Chatbots_and_Business_Messages_3cd7d78014.png"><figcaption>Managing orders via Rakuten Viber Chatbots and Business Messages</figcaption></figure><h2>Offering post-sales support</h2>At this stage, a messaging app, with your brand present on it, is better than a salesman in a store as it’s always with your customers, at their fingertips. In the future, it is likely that people will leverage such personal assistants more and more when buying things.A customer support team is typically engaged for after-sales assistance. If their company is present on Rakuten Viber, they use <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-create-a-customer-focused-conversation-in-the-always-on-world/">conversational Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a> to address complex or unique problems and Rakuten Viber Chatbots for more common and repetitive inquiries. Brands can also use this opportunity to cross-sell similar products that their customers might be interested in.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Providing_customer_service_and_cross_selling_via_Viber_Business_Messages_876fdb79a8.png"><figcaption>Providing customer service and cross-selling via Rakuten Viber Business Messages</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/what-viber-tools-to-use-at-each-step-of-the-customer-journey/">See how Rakuten Viber for Business solutions can help your brand convert users into leads and leads –&nbsp;into customers.</a>&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Future of Commerce: Transforming Shopping</h2>The future of commerce is here, with popular channels evolving at a faster pace. Expect <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/navigating-the-digital-transformation-trends-shaping-the-future-of-messaging-and-connectivity/">conversational AI and augmented reality </a>to become even more important in messaging apps, reaching a wider audience and becoming essential for commerce. By establishing a presence on these popular apps, brands can connect with a large and expanding demographic. Countless companies have already <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/">done it with great results</a>.

Boost mobile commerce with Rakuten Viber messaging app

Mobile Commerce: How Messaging Apps are Driving Sales and Conversions

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The role of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets in communication, news, and entertainment has become indispensable. As our daily lives become increasingly intertwined with these devices, it's estimated that <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">over half of the world's population</a> now uses smartphones for internet access. Businesses worldwide are capitalizing on this popularity, turning to innovative online advertising strategies to build brand awareness.<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Rakuten Viber Advertising Solutions</a> enable organizations to promote their products or services to a vast and engaged user base through various ad formats, tailored to target specific demographics, locations, and interests; interactive AR Lenses; and captivating Stickers.&nbsp;The importance of these tools for your business is evident in the numbers. In 2022, mobile ads accounted for <a href="https://stockapps.com/blog/share-of-digital-mobile-ad-spend-expected-to-reach-70-by-2026/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">62%</a> of all digital ad spending. This trend shows no sign of slowing down, with mobile ad spending predicted to surpass <a href="https://www.statista.com/topics/5983/mobile-marketing-worldwide/#topicOverview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">$400 billion</a> by 2024.&nbsp;Rakuten Viber Advertising Solutions allow companies to attract new users and elevate brand awareness by maintaining a prominent presence on the platform most preferred by your audience. Brands can track the effectiveness of their campaigns and make data-driven decisions for optimization.This article aims to provide valuable insights into leveraging Rakuten Viber’s advertising toolbox for business growth and winning customer attention.<h2>Staying Top-of-Mind with Different Rakuten Viber Ads Formats</h2>There are multiple mobile Rakuten Viber Ads formats allowing brands to reach users throughout the app’s interface:1. Rakuten Viber Business Inbox: This new premium placement on the app provides advertisers with the opportunity to connect with audiences when they are most ready to see brand content. With Business Inbox serving as a dedicated space for brand-user interactions, brands can seamlessly integrate their ads, resulting in improved brand perception and impressive click-through rates (CTRs).2. Rakuten Viber Post-Call: These ads are displayed after the user closes a call and can feature an image or video, text, and a call-to-action button. It can be effectively used to promote products, services, and limited-time offers.3. Rakuten Viber Explore: Rakuten Viber Explore screen is a place where users can discover interesting content, connect with brands and influencers, and stay updated on the latest news. Businesses can leverage this space for promotion, enhancing visibility, growing their chatbots and channels on the app, and staying on top of users' minds.&nbsp;4. Rakuten Viber Chats: These ads are displayed in the form of sponsored messages within users' chats on the Rakuten Viber app. They appear as part of the chat list and are designed to seamlessly blend in with the user experience.5. Rakuten Viber Calls: Users can see your ads displayed on the call screen before they dial, allowing you to reach them on one of the frequently used screens on the app.&nbsp;6. Rakuten Viber More: Enhance your brand's visibility to users who are browsing the sticker store, subscribing to global call plans, or modifying their profile and settings.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Ads_on_Viber_d7ee02785d.png"><figcaption>Examples of Ads on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure><h2>Going Viral through Rakuten Viber Stickers</h2>Stickers are arguably the most organic form of advertising that can be implemented in a messaging app. Everyone wants to download a specific sticker pack that fosters their self-expression and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/more-than-ads-discover-creative-tools-on-viber/">Rakuten Viber Stickers</a> can be utilized to promote a brand, product, or service.Users enjoy sharing stickers with their friends, making them an ideal channel for spreading your message. Over <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/brand-building-evolved-thousands-of-micro-interactions/">1 billion</a> stickers are exchanged monthly, <a href="https://www.zenbusiness.com/blog/ways-use-viber-for-business/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">30%</a> of active Rakuten Viber users send a sticker daily, and each is used on average over <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/brand-building-evolved-thousands-of-micro-interactions/">11</a> times.&nbsp;There are numerous benefits to using Rakuten Viber Stickers for businesses:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Enhanced recognition: Creating and distributing branded stickers can enhance brand visibility among Rakuten Viber users.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Non-intrusive advertising: Stickers offer a native way to promote products or services. Incorporating subtle branding elements into stickers allows businesses to advertise without being overly promotional.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Potential for viral marketing: Stickers have the potential to become viral, especially if they are creative, humorous, or relatable. When users share them with their contacts, it can lead to organic brand exposure and word-of-mouth marketing.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Standing out from competitors: By creating unique and memorable sticker sets, organizations can set themselves apart and leave a lasting impression on customers.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Holistic campaigns: Stickers can be linked to a brand’s chatbot or channel, ensuring an interactive user experience that drives engagement. For example, downloading a free sticker pack will get users subscribed to your brand's chatbot, where they can learn more about your products and purchase them. Stickers can also provide a fun, interactive means of communication in the same chatbot, letting you <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-impact-of-visual-content-how-messaging-apps-are-changing-the-way-we-connect/">connect with your target audience</a> on a deeper, more emotional level.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_eye_catching_branded_Stickers_on_Viber_d25c45c630.png"><figcaption>Examples of eye-catching branded Stickers on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure><h2>Unleashing Creativity through Rakuten Viber Lenses</h2>Brands can drive awareness and show creativity by building engaging Augmented Reality (AR) experiences for their audience through <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/ua/blog/post/how-to-use-viber-lenses-a-guide-for-marketers/">Rakuten Viber Lenses</a>. They can integrate elements such as logos, beautification features, color filters, 3D elements, sound effects, and even customized animations into their Lenses. This level of customization allows businesses to create a truly unique and immersive experience that aligns with their image.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_engaging_branded_Lenses_on_Viber_9e857e9a0e.png"><figcaption>Examples of engaging branded Lenses on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure><h2>The Power of Rakuten Viber Advertising Solutions</h2>Rakuten Viber Advertising Solutions serve as a powerful tool for building brand awareness. Here’s what Rakuten Viber brings to the table:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">With Rakuten Viber’s vast user base, businesses have the opportunity to reach a broad audience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Ads' targeting, based on various criteria like demographics, location, and interests, enables brands to connect with the right audience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Native solutions can be seamlessly blended into the app experience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Interactive features like AR lenses and stickers create distinctive and memorable brand connections.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Ads can get viral and organic growth through user-generated content, where users can make and share content related to the brand or campaign, increasing brand visibility.</li></ul>Don't miss out on the opportunity to use the benefits of Rakuten Viber Advertising Solutions and <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-ads-form">bring your business to the next level</a>.

Boost brand awareness with native Rakuten Viber Ads, innovative AR Lenses, and engaging Stickers

Maximizing the Power of Rakuten Viber Advertising Solutions for Building Brand Awareness

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Is your business struggling with high costs and slow customer service response times? Outstanding support is the foundation of a successful enterprise and is crucial for maintaining client satisfaction.&nbsp;The solution lies in discovering an affordable approach to communicating with people without compromising quality. Traditional methods, such as phone calls, can lead to considerable costs – according to IBM, organizations spend <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2017/12/07/the-contact-center-is-having-its-model-t-moment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">1.3 trillion US dollars</a> each year on customer assistance calls. Messaging platforms can help brands lower expenses while delivering better customer care.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a> is a swift and cost-effective solution for brands looking to advance their customer support. This article examines how Rakuten Viber Business Messages transform the way companies interact with their clientele, shows the advantages of this cutting-edge tool and the ways it can elevate your brand.<h2>Message Types and Capabilities</h2>First, let’s look at the types of Rakuten Viber Business Messages.Catering to different communication goals and needs, they come in <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-types-and-advantages-of-viber-business-messages/">several types</a>:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Transactional Rakuten Viber Business Messages provide essential information, such as account updates, payment confirmations, appointment reminders, and more.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Promotional Rakuten Viber Business Messages focus on marketing campaigns, special offers, new product launches, upselling, etc.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Conversational Rakuten Viber Business Messages enable real-time, two-way communication between brands and consumers to address queries, gather feedback, and provide assistance.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_different_types_of_Viber_Business_Messages_eb5f882cfc.png"><figcaption>Examples of different types of Rakuten Viber Business Messages</figcaption></figure><h3>Sharing Files, Photos, and Videos</h3>In Rakuten Viber Business Messages, you can share multimedia files, including documents, images, and videos. Users can also send multimedia files to brands (e.g. IDs, product photos and videos, screenshots, etc.) This capability enriches the user experience and helps convey information more effectively and with greater engagement, fostering stronger customer relationships.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Only Paying for Messages Delivered</h3>With Rakuten Viber, you will pay only for business messages delivered to your customers, ensuring cost-effective communication. It also allows you to save money and allocate budgets for other business needs.&nbsp;<h3>SMS Fallback for Guaranteed Delivery</h3>If a user is not reachable via Rakuten Viber, the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/superapp-for-marketers-part-1-what-is-a-superapp/">superapp</a> can automatically send your message as an SMS, guaranteeing delivery. This feature allows companies to deliver their messages even if their customers have no internet connection, enhancing the reliability and effectiveness of their customer communication efforts.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Other Rakuten Viber Business Messages <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/new-viber-business-features-to-help-brands-succeed-in-2022/">capabilities</a>:</h3><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Customized messaging with CRM integration. This seamless connection enables you to access consumer data and preferences, resulting in more targeted and relevant messages.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Call-to-actions (CTAs) motivate recipients to perform the intended action and can be seamlessly integrated into the messages. CTAs can be used to persuade people to visit a physical store or shop online, get additional information, or complete a purchase.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rich messages of up to 1000 characters and emojis. Apart from sharing multimedia files and adding interactive CTA buttons, brands can send longer texts compared to SMS and include emojis to make communication with customers more engaging and personal.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Pin-to-top functionality allows customers to easily find the most important messages. Users can pin a chosen message inside a business chat, or the whole conversation inside the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/milestone-release-meet-commercial-account-and-business-inbox/">Business Inbox</a> or the regular Chats screen. It allows users to customize their experience and make sure that the most important content is always front and center.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Users can reply to a specific message from a brand. This creates an easier conversational flow and allows them to go back to topics that were previously discussed in the same chat.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Users can copy codes, emails, links to save contact information, one-time passwords, and more. It makes their communication with a brand more convenient and enhances customer experience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Auto-reply allows brands to share additional contact information if they cannot respond immediately.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Real-time analytics that provides valuable insights into your messaging campaigns. By tracking metrics such as delivery, seen, and click-through rates, you can monitor your campaign's effectiveness and make data-driven decisions to boost it.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Messages_capabilities_d4288be619.png"><figcaption>Capabilities of Rakuten Viber Business Messages</figcaption></figure><h2>Advantages for Businesses</h2>All the above capabilities bring the following benefits to the table:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Strengthened customer connections due to personalized and relevant content that resonates with your audience, helping with loyalty and trust between them and your brand.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Efficient—quick and reliable—message delivery, which ensures that your clients receive important information promptly, enhancing their overall satisfaction and demonstrating your commitment to excellent customer service.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Improved user experience with multimedia, such as images, videos, and interactive buttons. Engaging content captures people's attention and encourages them to interact with your brand, resulting in higher engagement and conversion rates.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Cost-effectiveness is perhaps one of the most significant advantages of Rakuten Viber Business Messages. This allows you to allocate resources to other vital aspects of your business while still providing top-notch <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-viber-for-business-can-help-with-customer-support/">customer service and support</a>.</li></ul><h2>Setting Up Rakuten Viber Business Messages</h2>To tap into the potential of Rakuten Viber Business Messages for your organization, follow these simple steps:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">Select a reliable messaging partner. Rakuten Viber works with a range of <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners/">certified partners</a> globally who can help you set up and manage your Business Account. Check how potential partners can meet your specific requirements based on their services and the region.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Open a Rakuten Viber Business Account. Your partner will guide you through the account creation process, including verification and customization of your account. This includes adding your brand logo, company information, and contact details to create a professional presence on the platform.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Start engaging with your customers. Develop a messaging strategy that encompasses transactional, promotional, and conversational messages tailored to your audience's needs. Utilize CRM integration, multimedia content, and analytics to deliver personalized and engaging experiences.</li></ol><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Viber_Business_Accounts_231ea8a127.png"><figcaption>Examples of Rakuten Viber Business Accounts</figcaption></figure><h2>Success Story: D Express</h2>One of the companies that have leveraged Rakuten Viber Business Messages and achieved great results is <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/dexpress/">D Express</a>, a forward-thinking express courier service in Serbia. It wanted to improve its mobile marketing strategy and enhance communication with customers. The company’s goal was to keep parcel recipients informed about their deliveries in a timely and convenient manner.To achieve this goal, D Express turned to Rakuten Viber as the ideal messenger marketing tool with a 97% penetration in Serbia. D Express utilized automated and personalized messages to update people on delivery details. Customers could then ask for more information, shipment redirection, and make other inquiries.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Viber_Business_Messages_chats_with_D_Express_customers_452e7a5ea4.png"><figcaption>D Express using Rakuten Viber Business Messages&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>The use of Rakuten Viber Business Messages led to significant improvements. Out of the 300,000 monthly messages, 85% were delivered for the first time, marking a 15% improvement compared to the previous approach. This allowed the business to enhance customer experience, increase trust, and&nbsp;strengthen loyalty. Considering that 81% of consumers find it difficult to communicate with businesses, D Express's success with Rakuten Viber Business Messages showcases a win-win situation for both the brand and its clients.We encourage businesses to explore the numerous benefits of Rakuten Viber Business Messages and integrate them into their customer service strategy. By doing so, you can improve the quality of the support and set your business apart as an innovative and people-centric. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">contact us</a>.&nbsp;

Improve customer service and engagement using efficient Rakuten Viber Business Messages 

Faster Customer Service and Lower Costs: How Rakuten Viber Business Messages Make It Happen

Improve customer service and engagement using efficient Rakuten Viber Business Messages

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In today's fast-paced world, the importance of providing a seamless and enjoyable customer experience cannot be overstated. For companies operating in the transportation and logistics sector, this means not only ensuring timely and efficient delivery of goods but also keeping consumers in the loop and making communication as effortless as possible.With consumers demanding greater visibility and control over their shipments, brands must adapt and innovate to meet these expectations. Enter <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a>, a powerful communication tool that can elevate the way brands interact with people. By leveraging the popularity and convenience of Rakuten Viber, companies can now provide real-time updates, quick responses to queries, and personalized services, all while maintaining a conversational and user-friendly approach.In this blog post, we will explore the numerous ways Rakuten Viber Business Messages – <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-types-and-advantages-of-viber-business-messages/">transactional, conversational, and promotional</a> ones – can enhance the customer experience in the transportation and logistics sector, helping brands truly stand out in the market.&nbsp;<h2>Rakuten Viber Transactional Business Messages</h2>Transactional notifications provide customers with relevant and timely information about a specific transaction or event. These messages can include order confirmations, purchase receipts, and other essential details related to their interaction with a business. About <a href="https://www.g2.com/articles/sms-marketing-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">83%</a> of consumers want companies to send notifications of this kind to them, and <a href="https://ridewithvia.com/resources/articles/78-of-customers-want-delivery-updates-on-orders-or-they-will-switch-brands/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">78%</a> will switch brands if they don’t receive delivery updates.<h3>Benefits of Transactional Business Messages</h3><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Real-time delivery tracking. By providing customers with regular updates on their shipment status, businesses can alleviate concerns and ensure transparency throughout the process. This not only keeps people informed but also allows them to plan their schedules accordingly, leading to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/no-more-missed-calls-how-viber-business-messages-make-customer-communication-easier-and-more-satisfying/">increased satisfaction</a>.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The ability to send purchase receipts and order confirmations instantly gives consumers peace of mind knowing that their order has been received and processed. This immediate communication helps set the stage for a smooth and worry-free transaction, fostering a sense of trust and reliability.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Courier_services_using_transactional_Viber_Business_Messages_1cae1d5952.png"><figcaption>Courier services using transactional Rakuten Viber Business Messages</figcaption></figure><h2>Rakuten Viber Conversational Business Messages</h2>Conversational messages allow customers to have a <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-power-of-conversation-how-messaging-apps-will-drive-marketing-in-2023/">dialogue with brands</a>. They aim to engage people, address their concerns, and provide personalized support and information in a user-friendly and accessible manner. By fostering a sense of connection and rapport, conversational messages significantly enhance the overall customer experience, and <a href="https://www.pwc.com/us/en/advisory-services/publications/consumer-intelligence-series/pwc-consumer-intelligence-series-customer-experience.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">75%</a> of consumers want a direct response when communicating with a business.<h3>Advantages of Using Conversational Business Messages</h3><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">A direct line of communication between consumers and companies in the event of delivery issues or unforeseen circumstances. By <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/micro-moments-how-to-capitalize-on-consumers-in-the-moment-decision-making/">promptly addressing</a> concerns and providing solutions, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction and maintain a positive brand reputation. Additionally, this open communication channel allows for gathering valuable feedback and insights, helping them improve their services.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Flexibility. Another benefit is that conversational messages empower people by allowing them to control various aspects of their orders, such as adjusting delivery times or providing additional delivery instructions. By enabling people to make changes or request support just when they need it, companies can deliver a flexible, customer-centric experience that builds trust and loyalty.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Conversational_Business_Messages_for_delivery_services_949f0a5563.png"><figcaption>Conversational Business Messages for delivery services</figcaption></figure><h4>D Express Case Study: How Conversational Business Messages Worked for Them</h4><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/dexpress/">D Express</a> is a leading logistics and delivery provider that operates on a global scale. The company continually strives to improve its services and stay ahead of the competition.To enhance customer experience, D Express used Rakuten Viber Business Messages to send shipping updates, address inquiries, and provide real-time support throughout the delivery process. Additionally, people were given the ability to control their orders by adjusting delivery times and providing specific instructions as needed.It allowed D Express to enhance its service quality, improving customer experience and fostering trust and loyalty among its customer base. Using Rakuten Viber allowed them to improve the delivery rate of their notifications by 15% – out of 300 000 D Express messages delivered every month, 85% were successfully delivered for the first time.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Viber_Business_Messages_chats_with_D_Express_customers_8fe245807f.png"><figcaption>Conversational Rakuten Viber Business Messages between D Express and its customers</figcaption></figure><h2>Rakuten Viber Promotional Business Messages</h2>Promotional messages can inform, persuade, or remind people about a company's products and special offers. These messages aim to create awareness, generate interest, and ultimately drive sales or conversions by showcasing the unique value proposition of a business.In the transportation and logistics industry, promotional messages can be particularly effective in <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/quadx/">advertising new shipping options and services</a>. By keeping people informed about the latest offerings and highlighting their benefits, companies can stay top-of-mind and encourage consumers to consider their services for future needs.With promotional Rakuten Viber Business Messages, businesses can do the following:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Customize communication: Companies can provide personalized onboarding messages to new customers, including special offers such as discounts and free samples, to help them become more familiar with their products and services.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Tackle cart abandonment: With consumers abandoning their carts in <a href="https://sleeknote.com/blog/cart-abandonment-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">70-90%</a> of cases, addressing this issue is a must. Brands can do that by sending personalized, proactive reminders, greetings, and discounts, prompting customers to shop and ship the products.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Encourage repeat purchases: By analyzing their customers' interaction history, companies can send purchase prompts based on individual interests.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Leverage personalized CTAs: Employing such CTAs can lead to a <a href="https://www.digitaldoughnut.com/articles/2019/october/how-can-personalisation-increase-impact-email" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">42%</a> higher conversion rate compared to standard CTAs.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Messages_promoting_products_and_services_ce61c25fc9.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Business Messages promoting products and services</figcaption></figure><h2>Conclusion</h2>Throughout this blog post, we've explored some ways Rakuten Viber Business Messages can significantly enhance the customer experience in the transportation and logistics industry. By providing real-time updates, enabling open communication, and offering personalized and interactive services, brands can foster trust and satisfaction among their audience. Furthermore, leveraging promotional messages can help companies showcase their unique offerings, attract new people, and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-business-messages-essentials-for-brand-growth/">drive growth</a>.If you're eager to learn more about how Rakuten Viber Business Messages can transform your customer experience, we invite you to visit the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/">Rakuten Viber for Business website</a>. Here, you'll find additional information, success stories, and resources to help you make an informed decision. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your business to new heights.

Elevate customer experience in transportation and logistics with Rakuten Viber Business Messages

Enhancing Customer Experience in Transportation & Logistics with Rakuten Viber Business Messages

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The age-old saying “seize the moment” has never been more relevant than in today's swiftly changing digital environment, where, to spontaneously do something, <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/intl/en-145/marketing-strategies/app-and-mobile/how-mobile-has-changed-how-people-get-things-done-new-consumer-behaviour-data/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">96%</a> of people reach for their smartphones. Whenever a person does that, it’s called a <a href="https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/_qs/documents/34/micromoments-guide-to-winning-shift-to-mobile-download.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">micro-moment</a>. During those, people typically want the <a href="https://www.formstack.com/blog/what-are-micro-moments" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">following</a>:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">To investigate or research a product or service without the intention to purchase.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">To go somewhere — to a local business or a local store — to see if there is anything interesting and maybe buy something there.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">To get help with completing a task or trying something new.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">To receive guidance as to where and how to buy something.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Visual_for_blog_84_01_2_4ba6402160.png"><figcaption>Mobile's impact on consumer behavior</figcaption></figure>These moments are great chances for your organization to connect with and impress people and affect their choices and likes. With over 1 billion Android downloads worldwide, Rakuten Viber is the ideal platform for businesses to tap into the real-time, instant decision-making of consumers. In this article, we'll uncover how Rakuten Viber can help you capitalize on these swift yet potentially profitable periods of time.&nbsp;<h3>Micro-Moments: The Driving Force Behind Customer Journey</h3>The significance of micro-moments has risen today as consumers want quick and accessible information. A large portion of internet surfers, around <a href="https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">43.2%</a>, utilize the internet to research products and brands, while <a href="https://uberall.com/en-us/company/press-releases/study-82-of-mobile-shoppers-doing-near-me-searches" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">69%</a> of them use their phones for shopping assistance. These micro-moments are integral to the purchasing journey: they represent the various touchpoints where people interact with companies. In the current hyper-connected era, these moments almost always involve turning to a smartphone.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Micro_moment_2eeefb2273.png"><figcaption>Customer shopping habits</figcaption></figure><a href="https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Smartphones play a vital role in the customer journey</a>, with individuals researching products (63%), comparing prices (62%), searching for deals (56%), checking store hours (54%), and finding alternate store locations (52%). A significant number of shoppers (<a href="https://www.outerboxdesign.com/web-design-articles/mobile-ecommerce-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">80%</a>) use their mobile phones while in a brick-and-mortar store to gather information or even to buy things online. According to a <a href="https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Datareportal study</a>, 58% of internet users make online purchases of products and services every week.To succeed in this landscape, embrace three tactics:&nbsp;<ul><li>Be there</li><li>be useful</li><li>be quick.</li></ul>Here is how Rakuten Viber’s capabilities help achieve this threefold goal.<h2>Be There With Rakuten Viber</h2><h3>Strengthen Your Brand Presence with Rakuten Viber Business Messages</h3><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a> can help brands be there and be useful during buyers’ micro-moments.&nbsp;<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Transactional business messages inform consumers about their purchases, delivery time and status, etc., ensuring that they feel supported throughout their buying journey.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Conversational business messages enable organizations to connect with people directly in real time, answering questions, resolving issues, and providing personalized help.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Promotional business messages keep customers updated about the latest offers, deals, and special occasions, capturing their interest during crucial micro-moments. By integrating <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-rise-of-personalization-in-mobile-marketing/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages with CRM or CDP</a> systems, companies can optimize processes and analyze conversation history to offer better service in the future.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Viber_Business_Messages_5d7717ce7d.png"><figcaption>Examples of Rakuten Viber Business Messages</figcaption></figure>In Rakuten Viber Business Messages, one can use content-sharing options like high-quality images, videos, interactive buttons, and links. These capabilities help develop in-depth tutorials, showcase products, and personalize customer assistance in other countless ways.Business messages go right to a specially designated folder, Rakuten Viber Business Inbox, described below.&nbsp;<h3>Rakuten Viber Business Inbox&nbsp;</h3><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/milestone-release-meet-commercial-account-and-business-inbox/">Rakuten Viber Business Inbox</a> is a separate area for brand-client chats, letting users manage all business messages in one place. This folder can be found in the regular Chats screen and appears automatically if a person has chats with companies or gets their first message from them.The Business Inbox folder can help brands leverage consumers' micro-moments to their advantage in several ways:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Enhanced visibility &amp; engagement: With Business Inbox prominently displayed at the top of chat lists, brands gain increased exposure and users can quickly access relevant information, leading to reduced block rates and higher open rates.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Separation of personal &amp; business chats: By keeping these types of chats separate, people can better focus on their interactions with brands.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">New advertising opportunities: Brands can take advantage of a unique ad placement within the Inbox, targeting customers who are already primed for communication with them.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Inbox_for_brand_user_interactions_44c51978a7.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Business Inbox for brand-user interactions</figcaption></figure><h3>Boost Attractiveness with Rakuten Viber Lenses</h3>During micro-moments, AR-powered <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-use-viber-lenses-a-guide-for-marketers/">Rakuten Viber Lenses</a> can offer interactive and engaging experiences to consumers, driving engagement and purchase decisions in several ways.<ul><li>Lenses can be designed as games, quizzes, randomizers, and character interactions, helping people explore various products in a fun and engaging manner.</li><li>Consumers can virtually try on different hair color or accessories using AR lenses, which adds an element of entertainment and allows making informed decisions based on how the products look on them.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Fun_customer_experiences_with_Viber_Lenses_448821a61e.png"><figcaption>Fun customer experiences with Rakuten Viber Lenses</figcaption></figure><h3>Be Lightning-Quick With Chatbots</h3>While all <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/superapp-for-marketers-part-1-what-is-a-superapp/">Rakuten Viber superapp</a>’s capabilities help brands be there and be useful, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-viber-chatbots-can-help-improve-customer-service-for-large-companies/">Rakuten Viber Chatbots</a> help them be quick. Provide instant, personalized, and seamless communication, the bots ensure that users receive the relevant information they need just in time.<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">With features such as customizable keyboards, rich media elements, easy discoverability, and secure payment options, Rakuten Viber Chatbots can enhance the user experience during micro-moments.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">They offer 24/7 support, quickly guiding customers through product selections, order management, and answering frequently asked questions.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Improved engagement and stronger connections between consumers and brands are achieved by delivering personalized and interactive communication during crucial micro-moments.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The automation provided by Rakuten Viber Chatbots ensures efficient handling of clients queries, resulting in faster responses, reduced wait times, and increased satisfaction.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Showcasing the brand's products and services within the chat interface allows for easy browsing and discovery, making it even more convenient for customers during micro-moments.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Instant_support_with_Viber_Chatbots_99e33e8c49.png"><figcaption>Instant support with Rakuten Viber Chatbots</figcaption></figure><h2>Rakuten Viber — A Key to Customers’ Micro-Moments</h2>Understanding and capitalizing on micro-moments is essential for companies looking to stay ahead. These crucial bits of time are the driving force behind customer journey, and being able to leverage them can significantly boost brand loyalty and long-term success. By utilizing Rakuten Viber's wide range of tools, such as Rakuten Viber Business Messages, Ads, Lenses, and Chatbots, companies can help their audience during these critical moments, which ultimately leads to conversions and customer satisfaction.So, don't let these fleeting moments pass you by — <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">tap into their potential</a> with Rakuten Viber.

Micro-moments: How to capitalize on consumers' in-the-moment decision-making

Harness micro-moments with Rakuten Viber to boost customer engagement and satisfaction


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Companies are constantly seeking new ways to enhance their customer engagement and drive brand growth. As mobile messaging apps gain popularity, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a>, tailored to modern business needs, help with just that.&nbsp;This blog post will discuss the essentials of Rakuten Viber Business Messages for brands.&nbsp;<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Effective Communication for Business Growth</h3>Strong – open, transparent, and unintrusive – communication is vital for business success as it helps build trust and tackle challenges with clients. As a result, they feel valued and are motivated to return.&nbsp;Poor communication, on the other hand, may cause missed opportunities, lost sales, and lost customers.&nbsp;With messaging apps on the rise, enterprises are integrating them into their daily routine to enhance communication. <a href="https://spectrm.io/resources/state-of-social-conversational-commerce-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Surveys</a> have shown that 86% of people like a brand more after messaging with it. Additionally, 82% make a purchase after engaging in messaging with a business, and 64% prefer interacting with companies via notifications as it’s fast and convenient.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Business Messages: Features, Benefits, and Security</h3>A powerful tool that enables businesses to send <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-types-and-advantages-of-viber-business-messages/">transactional, conversational, and promotional</a> messages.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Different_types_of_Viber_Business_Messages_353565d506.png"><figcaption>Different types of Rakuten Viber Business Messages</figcaption></figure><h4>Key Features</h4><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Multimedia: Companies can go beyond mere short texts and send messages with up to 1,000 characters, along with images, videos, files, links, and call-to-action buttons. Customers, in turn, can also share images, videos, links, and files.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">SMS fallback: When a user has a bad internet connection or is unavailable on Rakuten Viber, the platform automatically sends a message to them as an SMS.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Auto-reply allows sending automatic responses to people if you're not available and gives them alternative ways to contact you.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Time To Live (TTL): This feature allows companies to specify the duration of message delivery. This is particularly important for time-sensitive notifications, such as one-time passwords. Since businesses pay for delivered messages only, they can also save money on the ones that fail to reach people within a designated period.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Customized messaging and CRM integration: Rakuten Viber allows companies to integrate their CRM or CDP systems to segment customers into groups, track their preferences, and personalize notifications accordingly.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Pin-to-top: Users can pin specific messages in business chats or the whole chat with a business, such as booking confirmations and tickets to view them quickly.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Copy codes: Users can also copy codes, emails, numbers, and links which is especially useful for storing contact information, promo codes, delivery tracking IDs, etc.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Reply to a message: Customers can reply to specific messages in a chat, simplifying conversations. They can communicate with a brand as easily as if they were chatting with a friend.</li></ul>When people receive business messages on Rakuten Viber, they see that the brand is verified, has an official account with a logo, contact information, and description, and is, consequently, credible.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Empowering Businesses with Insights</h4>When integrated with CRM or CDP, Rakuten Viber Business Messages help companies make informed decisions based on the following:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Real-time interaction data: Rakuten Viber Business Messages allow real-time interaction with consumers. When information about it is fed into data platforms, businesses can gain immediate insights into consumer interests, needs, and responses that, in turn, have implications as to what businesses need to do.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Customer feedback: Rakuten Viber Business Messages can be used to gather feedback. This can provide companies with valuable input on their products or services, helping to identify areas for improvement.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Improved segmentation: By segmenting customers based on their behaviors, preferences, and interactions, businesses can better understand how they need to tailor their communication.</li></ul><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Keeping Your Brand Consistent and Secure</h4>A crucial benefit of Rakuten Viber Business Messages is that it provides a single chat for all kinds of messaging, and customers perceive the brands they communicate with on Rakuten Viber as consistent.&nbsp;Consistency is important in today's digital world. A vast majority of consumers, namely <a href="https://omnicus.com/blog/contact-center-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">90%</a>, seek a seamless and coherent service across multiple communication channels.When it comes to security, the app uses end-to-end encryption for private, group chats, and private calls, and encryption in transit for Business Messages. Rakuten Viber doesn’t store messages on its servers, uses only a secure HTTPS connection, and is compliant with all applicable data protection laws – all designed for safe, secure, and private communication.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Success Stories</h3><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Primer</h4><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/primer/">Primer Group of Companies</a>, a retail business in the Philippines, faced challenges due to the pandemic and mall closures. The group used Rakuten Viber Business Messages to offer online vouchers and discounts, resulting in a 53% code redemption conversion rate and a 401% increase in sales.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Primer_sending_promotional_Viber_Business_Messages_49867f79cb.png"><figcaption>Promotional Rakuten Viber Business Messages from Primer</figcaption></figure><h4>Yespo</h4>A B2C omnichannel customer data platform, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/no-more-missed-calls-how-viber-business-messages-make-customer-communication-easier-and-more-satisfying/">Yespo</a> incorporated Rakuten Viber into its array of channels to broaden its reach. Yespo tapped into the usefulness of transactional and promotional Rakuten Viber Business Messages to help brands deliver personalized offers, decrease cart abandonment, increase revenues, establish omnichannel cascade campaigns, and convey crucial, time-sensitive notifications.The integration resulted in a 17-fold growth in messages sent via Yespo's platform, a 245% YoY boost in supplier engagements, and a 4.5x revenue boost.&nbsp;Yespo's clients also reaped the rewards of Rakuten Viber's integration, with international eCommerce marketplace Shafa experiencing a 2.5x surge in orders at half the operational expenses. Superstore Auchan Ukraine attributed 20% of total revenue to Rakuten Viber users, with 70% of that due to reduced cart abandonment thanks to promotional Business Messages.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Messages_from_the_Yespo_clients_Auchan_and_Shafa_4f43d1ff32.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Business Messages from Yespo clients: Auchan and Shafa</figcaption></figure><h3>How to create Rakuten Viber Business Account</h3>To start sending Business Messages a brand needs to set up a Rakuten Viber Business Account with the help of an official <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners/">Rakuten Viber messaging partner</a>. Once the account is verified by Rakuten Viber, you'll receive a "blue tick" authentication badge, ensuring your customers recognize your brand as a trusted entity.Then develop a messaging strategy tailored to your business needs. Begin by defining your goals, target audience, and how you would like to measure your results.&nbsp;When creating promotional, transactional, and conversational notifications for a messaging campaign, follow these tips:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">Identify the campaign’s target audience and customize your notifications accordingly.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Keep messages short and attention-grabbing. Concise content is more likely to be read and interacted with, as people's attention spans are short. Utilize bullet points and multimedia elements to make your content easily digestible and memorable.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Use emojis, images, and videos to make notifications engaging and personable. Adding these creative elements can help you stand out in a crowded content landscape and humanize your brand.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Personalize content for higher conversions and deeper connections with people. This approach demonstrates that you care about your customers, fostering long-term relationships.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Time messages strategically for maximum impact. Understanding your clientele's demographics, interests, and preferences will help you determine the most effective time to send notifications. Testing different approaches will ensure optimal engagement and response rates.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Use clear and concise call-to-actions to encourage desired responses, using persuasive language and appropriate wording. However, use CTAs sparingly to avoid coming across as pushy or overly sales-focused.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Carry out A/B testing to optimize content and strategy for better results. Comparing various versions of your marketing messages will help you identify the most effective content for generating desired responses.</li></ol>Rakuten Viber Business Messages stands out as a robust communication tool for marketers around the globe. Thousands of companies already use it to achieve enhanced customer interactions, increased revenue, and improved client relationships.If you have any questions about Rakuten Viber Business Messages, feel free to <a href="mailto:messaging@forbusiness.viber.com">contact us</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Rakuten Viber Business Messages: Essentials for Brand Growth

Boost brand growth with Rakuten Viber Business Messages, a tool for enhanced customer interactions

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In recent years, messaging apps have seen a meteoric rise in marketing, transforming how businesses communicate with people. Gone are the days of relying on traditional methods like phone calls and emails. Over <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/258749/most-popular-global-mobile-messenger-apps/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">5 billion</a> people use messaging apps worldwide, <a href="https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">spending hours</a> enjoying their convenience and multimedia features that make communication more engaging and interactive.This innovation is necessary because people have an average attention span of just <a href="https://www.wyzowl.com/human-attention-span/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">8 seconds</a> – an excellent reason to use interactive content. People engage with it <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/interactive-content-stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">two times more</a> than with static content, and turning to interactive experiences is a general trend.&nbsp;Rakuten Viber is a frontrunner for delivering fun and interactive experiences to users. From vibrant stickers and chatbots to rich media-sharing features, its superapp capabilities create opportunities for businesses to drive brand awareness and foster meaningful connections with their audience.&nbsp;This article explores how Rakuten Viber tools can be used by businesses to provide dynamic experiences to their audiences.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_s_superapp_features_solutions_and_capabilities_e1616a7f57.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber’s superapp features, solutions, and capabilities</figcaption></figure><h2>Rakuten Viber Lenses: Viral Engagement with Augmented Reality</h2>Let’s begin with <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-use-viber-lenses-a-guide-for-marketers/">Rakuten Viber Lenses</a>, a tool introduced in 2021 leveraging AR technologies' popularity among wide audiences and especially Gen Z users. With its help, one can add various 3D elements, including objects and animals, to photos and videos and then share them within Rakuten Viber or save them to the gallery. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Viber_Lenses_with_3_D_elements_2f9a31d62a.png"><figcaption>Examples of Rakuten Viber Lenses with 3D elements</figcaption></figure>This Augmented Reality tool helps increase awareness about brands’ products or services in a fun and interactive way. For instance, a fashion retailer can let users virtually try on accessories, such as sunglasses or hats, or test multiple lipstick shades via a special lens.&nbsp;Here is how brands should go about creating branded Rakuten Viber Lenses:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">Identify your target audience and their interests.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Research popular lenses and see what other brands are doing for inspiration.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Create high-quality lenses that reflect your brand's values and message. Or have Rakuten Viber create them for you – <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-ads-form">contact us</a> to discuss the design and cost.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Promote the lenses to your audience via the brand's communication channels.</li></ol>Rakuten Viber Lenses – in the form of interactive games, quizzes, character interactions, and more – can encourage users to share your content and strengthen your brand visibility.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Lenses_with_interactive_games_and_quizzes_3e79d6f513.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Lenses with interactive games and quizzes&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>A brand can create a series of lenses celebrating various holidays and seasonal events and become viral while users share this content with their friends and families. An effective tactic is creating Rakuten Viber Lenses related to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/get-creative-with-viber-lenses-how-to-leverage-them-for-unique-marketing-strategies/">local context</a>, culture, and events. For instance, feature local languages or iconic landmarks on them. Brands can also design virtual trivia quizzes, sports skill challenges, or virtual dress-up lenses. The interactive experiences they offer can boost brand awareness and make the brand even more recognizable.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Stick to Success: Boost Your Brand Appeal with Rakuten Viber Stickers</h2>To strengthen brand visibility and communicate with users in an interactive way, brands can also create customized stickers that users can download and share with their friends. There is an opportunity to build more complex campaigns with "Free &amp; Follow" sticker packs. They automatically subscribe users to the brand's channels or chatbots on Rakuten Viber when downloaded, expanding their audience.With over <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/more-than-ads-discover-creative-tools-on-viber/">1 billion</a> stickers sent monthly, businesses can leverage Rakuten Viber Stickers for their marketing strategy and use them as part of brand-building and audience engagement efforts.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_branded_Stickers_Mo_Mo_Coca_Cola_Raiffeisen_Bank_0246bcd326.png"><figcaption>Examples of branded Rakuten Viber Stickers</figcaption></figure>While creating stickers, don’t forget the following:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">The text must be engaging, relevant, and conversational. It must connect with users. Avoid offensive language and focus on the context of sticker usage.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The visual design has to be creative, clear, appealing and represent your brand or campaign well. Don't make stickers look like generic ads.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Add sound to enhance the impact and capture users’ attention.</li></ul>We can help you <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-ads-form">create fun and engaging stickers</a> that will click with your audience and build awareness about your brand.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Chatbots Ignite Brand Loyalty and User Interaction</h2><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Rakuten Viber Chatbots</a> contribute to engagement via instant and personalized communication with people. These are the bots’ benefits:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">24/7 support ensuring assistance is always available for users.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Virtual storefronts showcasing the brand's products and services within the chat interface.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Efficiency in handling customer queries, which reduces wait times and increases satisfaction.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Chatbots_for_virtual_assistance_0f716db494.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Chatbots for virtual assistance</figcaption></figure>To use a chatbot effectively, follow these steps:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">Determine goals and desired outcomes, such as increasing engagement or providing instant support.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Understand your target audience and their preferences, needs, and expectations. You can integrate your chatbot with a CRM system to collect and analyze insights about the audience for even more successful campaigns.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Define the chatbot's unique identity, tone, and style that aligns with your brand.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Identify use cases where the chatbot can assist users.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Design the conversation flow and interaction patterns, including user inputs and bot responses.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Test the chatbot for smooth functionality and user satisfaction.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Launch and continuously optimize the chatbot based on feedback and data analysis.</li></ol><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Success Stories of Companies That Used Rakuten Viber Chatbots and Stickers in Synergy</h3>The examples below demonstrate how Rakuten Viber Chatbots and Stickers can effectively work together helping brands to build awareness and drive users further down the marketing funnel.&nbsp;<h4>Coca-Cola</h4>The <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/coca-cola/">company launched</a> a Rakuten Viber Sticker pack and Chatbot experience in Bulgaria to increase the reach and conversion rates of its promotional campaign. It led to almost 30 000 cap codes redeemed within 1 month and an impressive 30% conversion rate. This campaign was recognized at <a href="https://digiday.com/announcement/awards/initiative-and-adidas-are-grand-prix-winners-at-the-digiday-marketing-and-advertising-awards-europe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">The Digiday Awards Europe</a> and won the prize in the “Best Use of Mobile” category.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_campaign_results_for_Coca_Cola_in_Bulgaria_2d9ee3e03a.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber campaign results for Coca-Cola in Bulgaria</figcaption></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Raiffeisen Bank</h4><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/raiffeisen-bank/">Raiffeisen Bank in Serbia</a> leveraged animated Rakuten Viber Stickers that led users to subscribe to their chatbot. In order to engage customers and provide quality customer service, both the sticker pack and the chatbot were created in Serbian. They achieved remarkable success: 850K exposed Serbian users, more than 209K sticker packs downloaded, and over 120K users subscribed to the chatbot where they could interact with a brand.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Stickers_and_Chatbot_work_in_synergy_Raiffeisen_Bank_a54a4cc82d.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Stickers and Chatbot work in synergy: Raiffeisen Bank</figcaption></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Human Improvement Project</h4>In collaboration with the Human Improvement Project, a non-profit research institution specializing in psychology, neuroscience, and relationships, Rakuten Viber has developed a chatbot called <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/happiness-tips/">"Happiness Tips."</a> It offers a relationship quiz, videos, and helpful advice to users. A themed sticker pack was designed to promote the bot, allowing users to share positive emotions while also subscribing them to the chatbot upon download. This approach resulted in 5.3M sticker pack downloads and 1.1M users interacting with the chatbot weekly.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Stickers_and_Chatbot_for_the_Human_Improvement_Project_ab9fcf8046.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Stickers and Chatbot for the Human Improvement Project</figcaption></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Worddio</h4>A similar approach was used by a language learning platform <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/worddio/">Worddio</a> which launched the Worddio Language chatbot and sticker packs on Rakuten Viber to reach a global audience. This campaign resulted in 6.8M sticker pack downloads, 2.4M bot subscribers, and 529.1M bot messages sent.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Worddio_using_Viber_Stickers_to_promote_its_chatbot_and_interact_with_its_audience_00b4a23e60.png"><figcaption>Worddio using Rakuten Viber Stickers to promote its chatbot and interact with its audience</figcaption></figure><h2>​​Harness the Power of Interactive Content &amp; Messaging Apps for Lasting Connections</h2>Embracing new marketing trends and harnessing the power of interactive content on messaging apps is imperative for businesses that want to stay ahead of the competition. By integrating innovative strategies and engaging people through multimedia experiences, marketers can unlock immense potential for building brand awareness and increasing customer interest.To secure a competitive edge, marketers must step out of their comfort zones and explore the boundless opportunities that interactive content and messaging apps offer. So, be bold and creative and <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">let your brand's voice shine on Rakuten Viber</a>.

Discover how Rakuten Viber's Lenses, Stickers, and Chatbots can enhance your brand communication

Dare to Engage: Captivate Your Audience with Messaging Apps and Interactive Content

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Let’s take a look at Generation Z — a tech-savvy and socially aware group changing the consumer landscape. Making up <a href="https://earthweb.com/gen-z-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">26%</a> of the global population, these 2 billion people aged 10–25 will contribute to <a href="https://afterpay-newsroom.yourcreative.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Afterpay-Gen-Z-US-Report-2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">48%</a> of worldwide retail spending by 2030, making them an undeniable powerhouse. As digital natives, they are transforming shopping, brand loyalty, and customer engagement.&nbsp;This article explores the unique traits, preferences, and behaviors of Gen Z buyers and how Rakuten Viber can help engage this influential group.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Retail_spending_predictions_for_Gen_Z_consumers_b4b476fc65.png"><figcaption>Retail spending predictions for Gen Z consumers</figcaption></figure><h2>Gen Z Power: Revamping Marketing &amp; Engaging with Viber</h2>Having grown up with technology at their fingertips, Gen Z consumers have distinctive expectations and habits when interacting with brands.&nbsp;Here is an <a href="https://squareup.com/us/en/the-bottom-line/reaching-customers/what-businesses-should-know-about-gen-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">overview</a> of their preferences and purchasing habits in 2023. They:<ul><li>Expect fast and seamless services</li><li>Are optimistic about spending</li><li>Prefer to shop directly from brands, valuing eco-friendliness and ethics</li><li>Prioritize personalization and online discovery, with 40% choosing to shop online</li><li>Consider social commerce essential, utilizing social media platforms and influencers</li><li>View in-store retail as necessary still, with 26% planning to shop in brick-and-mortar stores more often</li><li>Take into account reviews, incentives, and return policies, which influence their purchasing decisions and loyalty</li><li>Expect virtual shopping experiences and AI-powered services as they are eager to <a href="https://www.benefitnews.com/news/gen-z-want-ai-at-work-according-to-ringcentral-survey" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">learn AI </a>to expand their own work skill sets</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Shopping_habits_of_Generation_Z_148fe5ff98.png"><figcaption>Shopping habits of Generation Z</figcaption></figure>Communication with Zoomers poses challenges and opportunities for businesses, and it’s important to adapt marketing strategies for this audience. Companies should address their unique preferences to build strong relationships with them and boost their loyalty. Failure to adapt may result in a declining market share.Rakuten Viber is an excellent platform for engaging these clients, thanks to its ever-evolving user-friendly features and focus on privacy. Its <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/superapp-for-marketers-part-1-what-is-a-superapp/">superapp</a> capabilities cater to the tech-savvy generation as Rakuten Viber provides targeted messages, smooth customer interactions, and personalized experiences.<h2>Gen Z's Social Pulse: Exploring Media Habits, Shopping Preferences, and Top Platforms</h2>Gen Zers’ social media usage and preferences play a significant role in shaping their consumer behavior. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/our-insights/gen-z-mental-health-the-impact-of-tech-and-social-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">35%</a> of them spend over two hours daily on social media, compared to 24% of millennials and 14% of baby boomers. They prefer researching and purchasing there, so companies need to tap into this trend.Digital natives heavily rely on social networks for finding, assessing, and interacting with products and brands. About <a href="https://earthweb.com/gen-z-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">85%</a> of them use social media to learn about products, showing that businesses targeting them need a strong online presence. Research shows that <a href="https://earthweb.com/gen-z-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">69%</a> visit stores based on social media posts, and <a href="https://earthweb.com/gen-z-social-media-usage-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">83%</a> trust customer reviews on social media more than traditional advertising platforms. It’s also something that will likely remain a trend in the coming years, as generation Alpha, who is starting to enter the ranks of financially active consumers, also trusts influencers and peer suggestions on social media.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Social_media_usage_by_Gen_Z_customers_c72f3285f2.png"><figcaption>Social media usage by Gen Z customers</figcaption></figure>To effectively communicate with this generation, marketers have to understand how they use online platforms.&nbsp;<h2>Inside Gen Z's Wallet: Thoughtful Purchases, Social Responsibility, and Reliable Earnings</h2>Gen Zers exhibit shopping habits that set them apart from previous generations. Over <a href="https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2022/08/09/gen-z-stats" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">70%</a> of them have stable sources of income, making them financially responsible and careful when it comes to spending. They save much of their earnings by investing in digital currencies or putting money into retirement accounts.&nbsp;They are known for their non-impulsive buying behavior: around 50% shop online monthly but only make purchases when necessary, and 33% look for good deals and buy things during sales. This demographic also does extensive research online before buying something. Over half of the participants in <a href="https://insight.rakuten.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Gen-Z-Study-2022.pdf">a survey</a> stated that they mainly depend on a brand's website for product or service information, nearly 40% use online reviews, and 29% prefer social media.Post-millennials are cost-conscious, with <a href="https://rakuten.today/blog/gen-z-study.html">90% of them</a> comparing prices before buying. They are discerning buyers who prioritize value, quality, and ethical practices when choosing where to spend their hard-earned money.This generation cares a lot about social issues and wants to support companies that positively impact society. They focus on the environment, equality, and justice. Organizations must be genuine in their actions and socially responsible because Gen Z can easily spot fakeness, and most of them <a href="https://insight.rakuten.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Gen-Z-Study-2022.pdf">think</a> brands should donate to charities and promote inclusivity.&nbsp;<h2>Rakuten Viber's Gen Z Formula: Targeted Messaging, Captivating Media, and Smooth Interactions</h2>To reach this young group of consumers, enterprises can leverage Rakuten Viber for Business solutions such as <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a>, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Chatbots</a>, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-to-use-viber-lenses-a-guide-for-marketers/">Lenses</a> and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Stickers</a>.<h2>Rakuten Viber Business Messages</h2><a href="https://www.insiderintelligence.com/content/gen-z-doesnt-trust-big-business" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">87% Gen Z</a> want a personalized shopping experience. If your company uses a CDP, create and send tailored <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-types-and-advantages-of-viber-business-messages/">Rakuten Viber Business Messages</a> based on interests and preferences to achieve higher conversions and sales. Visualize your content with features like call-to-action buttons, images, and emojis to personalize messages and make your brand stand out.&nbsp;Rakuten Viber Business Messages can satisfy Gen Z's need for extensive research before making a purchase. Promotional messages inform potential customers about the latest offers and special discounts, while conversational ones enable real-time interactions with customers through text, images, videos, and files.&nbsp;Transactional messages help keep Gen-Z’ers informed about their purchases, deliveries, appointments, and receive important information, such as booking confirmations and receipts, directly in chat with a brand.&nbsp;Instant support and information-sharing result in happier customers, a more seamless discovery, and greater shopping experience.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Rich_media_Viber_Business_Messages_for_Gen_Z_d47f133707.png"><figcaption>Rich-media Rakuten Viber Business Messages for Gen Z</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Clear Boundaries with Rakuten Viber Business InboxBusiness messages go to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/boost-your-brand-with-the-power-of-business-inbox/">Rakuten Viber Business Inbox</a>, a dedicated space for brand-user communications. It makes managing and accessing messages from brand accounts easier for users as the folder is at the top of the chat list by default. The Inbox helps companies get more visibility among customers who would like to interact with them, leading to higher click-through rates. Rakuten Viber Business Inbox promotes user safety and trust by not allowing messages from private accounts who might impersonate the brands and is set to improve overall user experience.<h2>24/7 Presence with Rakuten Viber Chatbots</h2><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-viber-chatbots-can-help-improve-customer-service-for-large-companies/">Rakuten Viber Chatbots</a> make it easy for brands to offer Zoomers efficient 24/7 service, let them shop and pay right within the app, and receive quick responses to queries – an experience that <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/live-chat-go-to-market-flaw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">82%</a> of modern consumers expect. Advances in AI and machine learning technologies help create smarter chatbots that provide seamless and interactive services. The Gen Z audience will certainly appreciate effortless and intuitive interactions with brands that use AI chatbots.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Building_real_conversations_with_Viber_Business_Messages_and_AI_powered_Chatbots_ab9f4d2c76.png"><figcaption>Building real conversations with Rakuten Viber Business Messages and AI-powered Chatbots</figcaption></figure><h2>The Visual Power of Rakuten Viber Lenses and Stickers</h2>To grab iGen attention in just <a href="https://www.colormatics.com/article/gen-z-attention-span/#:~:text=Gen%20Z%20is%20a%20generation,attention%20spans%20of%20previous%20generations." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">eight seconds </a>or less, brands&nbsp; should no doubt use <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/get-creative-with-viber-lenses-how-to-leverage-them-for-unique-marketing-strategies/">Rakuten Viber Lenses</a>. This solution lets people add enjoyable AR visuals and effects to their photos and videos to express feelings or for beautification. Businesses can create unique branded Lenses for different consumer segments, especially Gen Z, which can help boost a brand engagement significantly. The lenses offer fun, interactive experiences, such as mini-games, quizzes, randomizers, and character interactions, which resonate well with this audience.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Engaging_branded_Viber_Lenses_60cf0e9a49.png"><figcaption>Engaging branded Rakuten Viber Lenses&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>Rakuten Viber Lenses are not just fun – the tool can help address Zoomers’ social concerns by raising awareness for different causes like environment, mental health, and education. By supporting important initiatives, the company’s branded Lenses can create a caring corporate image and put your organization on a map of conscious consumers.Companies can also create custom stickers, incorporating their branding and messaging for a fun and engaging user experience. Getting Gen Z users to share branded Rakuten Viber Stickers allows сompanies to increase brand awareness and turn them into fans.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_branded_Stickers_Mo_Mo_Coca_Cola_Raiffeisen_Bank_d8786622c6.png"><figcaption>Examples of branded Stickers: MoMo, Coca Cola, Raiffeisen Bank&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><h2>Trust in Rakuten Viber: Consistent Branding Meets Robust Protection</h2>Zoomers tend to shop both in brick-and-mortar stores and various online shops. <a href="https://squareup.com/us/en/the-bottom-line/reaching-customers/what-businesses-should-know-about-gen-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Omnichannel shopping is crucial for connecting with Gen Z's</a> buying habits. <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/milestone-release-meet-commercial-account-and-business-inbox/">Rakuten Viber Business Account</a> helps brands align how they’re presented on the app with how they look in other media. This consistency leads to smooth shopping experiences.&nbsp;The Account helps people find and access all info and communication channels of a business on the app in one place, assisting them at different stages of their customer journey.&nbsp;In terms of security, <a href="https://www.scmagazine.com/news/security-awareness/gen-z-millennials-take-cybersecurity-less-seriously-on-work-devices-than-personal-ones" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Gen Z is at a higher risk of cyber threats</a> as they rely heavily on technology. They are less prepared to identify email phishing attempts made through emails or fake websites. Additionally, this generation is more prone to delaying required IT updates and reusing passwords for personal and work-related accounts.&nbsp;Security is incorporated in Rakuten Viber’s DNA and in all the features it delivers to users. End-to-end encryption is used by default for user-to-user communications, such as private chats, group chats, and private calls. Rakuten Viber Business Messages are protected with encryption in transit, providing an exceptionally high level of security for brand-user communication.Rakuten Viber protects client data and privacy –&nbsp;it doesn’t store user messages on it’s servers after delivery and uses secure HTTPS connections only. All of this is designed to provide safe interactions for both users and brands.<figure class="image"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/UoFHod-wBDzN_IiJu8gpH3k7ZVvwm33iwcR2_UgmqwDfuBp8w4Sn5JGltlo3Sy1y15AkN0eeqTQXhygwVmBLaBA9q5x1Vysphq2myULmzGdRoLc8iZ1NwIWruy7UCfBbhBFqYoNGDEbB860d8KwtORo"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber ranks as one of the safest messaging apps: Stiftung Warentest study</figcaption></figure><h2>Gen Z &amp; Rakuten Viber: A Winning Combination for Future-Proof Consumer Connections</h2>To engage the Internet generation consumers effectively, businesses must understand and adapt to their unique preferences and habits. Rakuten Viber offers <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-solutions-for-brands-business-messages-chatbots-ads-lenses-stickers-and-business-inbox-feature/">various tools</a> to help companies do just that: Business Messages, Chatbots, branded Lenses, Stickers, and more. Companies that embrace the superapp capabilities are better positioned to build strong connections, establish trust, and secure the loyalty of Gen Z.&nbsp;So, without further ado, <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">tap into what Rakuten Viber can do for your brand</a>.

Adapting to the rise of Generation Z: Strategies for engaging the growing wave of consumers

Engage Generation Z via Rakuten Viber, understand their preferences, habits, and social media use

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We are living in an era of conversational commerce. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, marketers should make the shift and leverage messaging apps as their #1 choice for engaging with consumers. Let’s explore why such apps are the key to effective marketing, stronger connections with audiences, and higher brand revenue.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">The Untapped Potential of Messaging Apps for Marketers</h2>Today's consumers expect tailored experiences based on their preferences, interests, and behavior. Personalized marketing not only helps to build trust and loyalty but also increases the likelihood of conversion. It’s simple: people are more likely to engage with content that is relevant and customized for them. In order to create personalized experiences, businesses must invest in tools and platforms that enable them to gain and analyze customer data in real time.A recent study from Hootsuite shows where people spend the most time. Chat and messaging apps win users’ attention: they are used more than social networks, search engines, or web portals.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Top_types_of_websites_visited_and_apps_used_0c39ec9900.png"><figcaption>Websites and apps with the highest Internet penetration, DataReportal</figcaption></figure>Since people <a href="https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-global-overview-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">spend a lot of time</a> on messaging apps, brands have a great chance to connect with their target audience more directly and personally. These apps have many features that marketers can use in multiple ways. For example, on Rakuten Viber they can:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Use targeted advertising campaigns, reaching users based on their interests and demographics.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Create viral marketing campaigns using branded AR lenses and increase visibility of their brand.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Turn users into brand fans by creating customized stickers that can be shared with friends and family in day-to-day communications and engage wider audiences.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Offer exclusive promotions, deals, and discounts through messaging apps and incentivize users to engage with the brand.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Share interactive content to drive engagement and increase brand visibility.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Update customers on important information: from delivery statuses to transaction notifications, appointment reminders, account balances and more.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Provide real-time customer support by connecting with users directly, ensuring a personalized and efficient experience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Utilize chatbots to automate customer service.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Leverage multiple solutions and create complex 360-campaigns. Examples of brands who powered their marketing by this approach include <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/raiffeisen-bank/">Raiffeisen Bank</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9MOlK-NQZE">Coca-Cola</a>, and more.</li></ul>This can ultimately lead to greater brand awareness, increased interest, higher conversion rates, brand loyalty, and significant business growth.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">The Case for Messaging Apps as the #1 Choice for Marketers</h2>One of the main reasons messaging apps should be the top choice for marketers is their reach. With hundreds of millions of users, they offer an enormous potential audience for local and global marketers. By granting access to a vast user base, chat apps can ensure that your marketing efforts are more likely to be seen and interacted with.Direct and personal communication is another benefit of messaging apps. Unlike traditional marketing methods that often rely on broadcasting a message to a wide audience, messaging apps enable one-on-one conversations between brands and consumers. This approach, known as <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-power-of-conversation-how-messaging-apps-will-drive-marketing-in-2023/">conversational marketing</a>, allows for more personalized and targeted interactions.&nbsp;Additionally, chat apps facilitate instant feedback and real-time interaction, helping marketers tailor their strategies based on customer responses and preferences. This level of personalization and engagement is difficult to achieve through other marketing channels.Messaging apps offer great flexibility, making them an ideal choice for marketers. They support various communication formats, allowing businesses to create engaging and dynamic content. Brands can adapt their marketing strategies to suit different audience preferences and stay ahead of the competition.Finally, brands can easily integrate messaging apps with other solutions, services, and customer database software, including CRM systems and CDPs. These integrations enable seamless customer service, sales, and marketing efforts, driving greater efficiency and results. It’s especially important as <a href="https://www.intercom.com/resources/guides/customer-service-trends-2023?utm_medium=internal&amp;utm_source=ii-blog&amp;utm_campaign=20230201_ALL_WC_ALL_Global_GL_ALL_Support_ALL_CST23_GlobalTrendsReport2023&amp;utm_content=ad" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">53% of business</a> leaders believe they lack the tools they need to achieve the level of personalization their customers expect, at scale. In reality, their dream solution is right on their phone screen.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Superapp</h2>Since its launch 13 years ago, Rakuten Viber has vastly expanded its user base and engagement. Today, the app has over 1 billion Android downloads and users in more than 190 countries around the world. What does it mean for marketers? They have the opportunity to tap into an engaged audience with immense trust in the service. There's no better time for businesses to leverage the app’s potential and expand their reach to a more connected and active audience.Rakuten Viber has entered the league of superapps, and this is part of its long-term strategy to provide as many services as possible throughout users’ day and offer brands more opportunities to interact with their customers in the native environment. Users already receive up-to-date information about their courier packages, make utility payments, schedule appointments, receive financial education, order food, and more, – all directly through Rakuten Viber. Its diverse superapp capabilities make Rakuten Viber the ultimate place for brand-user interactions.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_s_superapp_features_solutions_and_capabilities_37b873a7a6.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber’s superapp features, solutions, and capabilities</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber as a Marketing Goldmine</h2>It’s each brand’s dream to build one-to-one connections and reach a wide demographic. Rakuten Viber has established itself globally, including in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and North Africa, offering businesses the chance to expand their reach and establish a presence in these rapidly growing regions while keeping communication personal.Take a look at the numbers: Rakuten Viber is used by 91% of Greek mobile users, a remarkable 97% of Serbian mobile users, and even more impressive 98% of Ukrainian mobile users. In the Philippines the app boasts a 71% penetration, proving its appeal across regions worldwide.&nbsp;It’s not only the app reach – its solutions for brand-user interaction have broad adoption in different markets. For instance, the Philippines has witnessed a <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-in-2022-trends-defining-the-future-of-brand-user-communication/">603% increase</a> in Transactional Business Messages last year. Meanwhile, there has been a 433% rise in delivered Business Messages in Hungary. Simply put, Rakuten Viber is not only a popular choice for casual conversations among friends and family but also a reliable tool for businesses looking to step up their game in today's highly competitive market.&nbsp;The platform's user demographics are balanced, encompassing individuals of varying ages, professions, and interests. For example, Rakuten Viber's user base is almost equally divided between women and men with 47% and 53% respectively. 57% of Rakuten Viber users are below 35, indicating the app's popularity among younger generations. Meanwhile, over half of the users fall within the 25-50 age bracket, showcasing an opportunity for brands to reach an economically active audience.This diversity allows marketers to target a broad range of potential customers: men, women, young adults seeking the latest trends, professionals looking for reliable services, and more.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Demographics_of_Viber_s_global_user_base_1a4414ef0f.png"><figcaption>Demographics of Rakuten Viber's global user base</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Solutions For Marketers</h2>Rakuten Viber offers solutions for each step of the customer journey: from building awareness and generating interest, to driving conversions and strengthening brand loyalty.&nbsp;With <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Rakuten Viber Ads</a>, marketers can reach potential customers by targeting users based on their interests and behavior and ensuring their message is seen by the right people at the right time. Brands can create their own Stickers and <a href="https://www.viber.com/en/blog/2021-11-21/say-it-all-with-viber-lenses/">Lenses</a> for viral marketing campaigns that resonate with their audience and attract new leads.&nbsp;Then, businesses can leverage <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Business Messages</a> and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Chatbots</a> for customer service and sales. Business Messages help to build meaningful relationships with customers via a single channel – by boosting purchases via personalized promotional messages, sending timely notifications via transactional messages, and assisting customers via conversational messages. Bots can be programmed to answer frequently asked questions, provide product recommendations, and even assist in completing transactions. This saves time for your team and provides a seamless experience for your customers.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Ukrsibbank Success Story</h2>Established in 1990, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/ukrsibbank/">Ukrsibbank</a> has served nearly two million customers with dedication and excellence. In 2006, the bank joined forces with the French International bank BNP Paribas, further solidifying its reputation as a leading financial institution. Despite its success, Ukrsibbank was eager to explore new ways to enhance its services and increase customer engagement with its mobile app.Shortly after, the bank's management team decided to use Rakuten Viber Business Messages. They realized that by using Rakuten Viber's unique features, they could drive new users to their mobile app and educate existing users on its full functionality.Ukrsibbank turned to Rakuten Viber’s messaging partner <a href="https://www.gms-worldwide.com">GMS</a> and embarked on a campaign utilizing Rakuten Viber Business Messages to promote its app. They combined eye-catching images, compelling call-to-action (CTA) buttons, and engaging text to create an effective messaging strategy that captured the attention of their clients.As the campaign unfolded, the bank started to see remarkable results. Over three months, Ukrsibbank delivered more than six million messages to its clients on Rakuten Viber, promoting its latest mobile app. Rakuten Viber proved twice as effective as traditional SMS, achieving a 14% conversion rate compared to SMS's 7%. App downloads skyrocketed by 50%, while its usage significantly increased by 30%.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Mobile_marketing_campaign_of_Ukrsibbank_on_Viber_09bdbb4086.png"><figcaption>Mobile marketing campaign of Ukrsibbank on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Coca-Cola Success Story</h2>The world's largest beverage company, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/story/coca-cola/">Coca-Cola</a> was looking for ways to boost its mobile presence, interact with existing and potential consumers, and deliver a seamless digital experience in Bulgaria. The company turned to Rakuten Viber thanks to its engaged and connected audience in the country.Coca-Cola launched a three-month campaign that included a Rakuten Viber Sticker Pack with a promo code mechanism and a chatbot experience. To maximize reach and conversions, the company leveraged cross-promotion across its social media channels and integrated an "under-the-cap" sweepstakes within the Rakuten Viber campaign.The results were impressive:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">29K cap codes redeemed</li><li style="text-align:justify;">A remarkable 30% conversion rate, 10 times higher than the industry average</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Coca_Cola_s_mobile_marketing_campaign_on_Viber_6727a86214.png"><figcaption>Coca-Cola’s mobile marketing campaign on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>Once a well-kept secret known only to a few brands, the potential of messaging apps has transitioned to a common knowledge. Today, these apps transform the way businesses engage with their audience in the ever-changing digital landscape. To stay ahead of the curve and maximize growth, marketers need to recognize and utilize the power of messaging. After all, its vast opportunities are only <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">one tap away</a>.

Why messaging apps should be #1 choice for marketers

Discover how messaging apps like Rakuten Viber drive customer engagement and brand growth

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Picture this: you're scrolling through your phone, and suddenly, a video, GIF, or meme stops you in your tracks. That's right – the days of plain text and drab conversations are long gone. In today's digital world, visual content is taking center stage, making our chats more vibrant, engaging, and let's face it – downright addictive. Let’s uncover the impact of image-based media and explore how messaging apps are revolutionizing the way we connect, express, and create relationships in the blink of an eye.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Picture Perfect: The Science of Visual Processing &amp; Human Interaction</h2>Did you know that a staggering <a href="https://www.rochester.edu/pr/Review/V74N4/0402_brainscience.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">50%</a> of the human brain is either directly or indirectly involved in processing graphical data? Our retinas have <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/photoreceptors" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">150</a> million light-sensitive cells. In the cortex, <a href="https://www.seyens.com/humans-are-visual-creatures/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">30%</a> of neurons are dedicated to visual processing, compared to 8% for touch and 3% for hearing. Our eyes have a lot of nerve fibers, way more than our ears. Different parts of our brains work together to understand pictures, their direction, color, size, and shape.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Picture_Perfect_The_Science_of_Visual_Processing_and_Human_Interaction_fc11cfc56d.png"></figure><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Our brains can identify images seen for as little as <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2014/in-the-blink-of-an-eye-0116" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">13 milliseconds</a>. Furthermore, at least <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=587201" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">65%</a> of people are considered "visual learners", with some studies estimating this number to be as high as <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00086/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">80%</a>, depending on the learning style categories and research methodology used.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">People are really good at remembering visuals; some tests reveal that we can recreate an image with more than <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.95.5.2703" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">90%</a> accuracy in a few days after briefly seeing it. This fantastic memory for pictures is better than for words, probably because images help us to create associations.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Images are very important for our communication and understanding. When we get information, we usually remember only <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/visual-content-marketing-strategy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">10%</a> after three days. But if we see a related picture, we can remember up to 65%.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Visual_perception_10ce39d385.png"></figure><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Also, pictures help make presentations <a href="https://www.duarte.com/19-powerful-presentation-stats/#:~:text=Presentations%20with%20visual%20aids%20are,important%20points%20in%20your%20talk." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">43%</a> more convincing. They can make the presenter seem more clear, professional, and interesting. In social media, visual posts are <a href="https://financesonline.com/visual-content-marketing-statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">40</a> times more likely to be shared, and a story with an image every 75-100 words gets twice as many shares as one with just text. So, visuals are really important for improving how we communicate and connect with the world.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/vGl1fBxpQhC4wfcf65qRFXy4Eb8fViO3ZPaKrRu9bBcYFYZxlynmN_mASY3gxSka5cTqo-JPpcSrWk9UHBYFL2cf_RskhAPUxFxadVT5E83Kyv5ZV5kDQFmANff1-oRu6bSIdVWURgtZLLa-tA6m9tU"></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">App-solutely Connected: The Evolution of Communication in the Digital Age</h2>The <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/how-mobile-messaging-marketing-is-transforming-the-way-businesses-communicate/">rise of messaging apps</a> has revolutionized the way we communicate, shifting us from traditional methods like emails to convenient and interactive digital platforms. A recent study revealed that individuals spend an average of <a href="https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2023-deep-dive-time-spent-on-social-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">2.5</a> hours daily on chatting apps, with a younger audience devoting nearly 3 hours to these platforms. This trend can be attributed to the ease of having conversations anywhere, anytime, and the ability to send multimedia messages, such as videos, images, and various file types, making communication more engaging and informative.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/App_solutely_Connected_The_Evolution_of_Communication_in_the_Digital_Age_98340ab35c.png"></figure>As messaging apps continue to evolve, so does their ability to integrate visual content, enhancing the overall user experience. This has also opened doors for marketers to leverage these platforms for brand interaction, enabling them to connect with customers where they are most active. Personalization and creativity are key, with companies utilizing data insights to create tailored materials that capture attention and resonate with individual preferences. Examples of innovative marketing strategies include those using branded stickers, engaging videos, and interactive AR lenses.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Vibe with Rakuten Viber: Exploring Lenses, Stickers, Ads, Images &amp; Videos for Enhanced Communication</h2>At Discover the power of visual content and how Rakuten Viber can enhance communication and brand engagementViber, we truly believe that it's better to see once than to read ten times, which is why we offer a variety of solutions and features that provide users with a unique communication experience and opportunities for businesses to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/more-than-ads-discover-creative-tools-on-viber/">creatively express themselves</a>.One of our solutions are <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/get-creative-with-viber-lenses-how-to-leverage-them-for-unique-marketing-strategies/">Rakuten Viber Lenses</a>, which allow adding 2D and 3D elements, animations, and sound effects to visual content. These lenses can be tailored to resonate with customers. They can be used in various ways, such as celebrating special occasions, promoting new products, supporting social causes, and many more. Lenses help to create awareness about your brand, letting users share your content and making it viral.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Engaging_Lenses_on_Viber_d65804f41f.png"><figcaption>Engaging Lenses on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>Tailored to a local context, Rakuten Viber Lenses can be employed to promote regional branches, events, or exclusive deals, helping attract local customers and generate buzz. Examples include lenses featuring regional delicacies, local sports teams, or iconic landmarks.&nbsp;Interactive Lenses, such as games and contests, can promote a brand while offering interactive experiences. Examples include virtual trivia quizzes, dress-up, and sports skill challenges. By leveraging Rakuten Viber Lenses, companies can create engaging, personalized marketing strategies that connect with customers on a deeper level.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Interactive_brand_experience_with_Viber_Lenses_698999f2b4.png"><figcaption>Interactive brand experience with Rakuten Viber Lenses</figcaption></figure>Rakuten Viber Stickers offer an effective way to build brand awareness through <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">native advertising</a>. Stickers allow users to express themselves visually, making them an attractive marketing tool. Businesses can implement Rakuten Viber Stickers in different ways, such as creating personalized sticker packs that anyone can download and use, increasing their reach and accessibility.&nbsp;Sticker styles are flexible, allowing companies to express their brand identity or convey a specific message. Additionally, brands can link sticker packs to their Chatbots or Channels on Rakuten Viber, leading users to subscription after a download and expanding marketing message audience.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Raiffeisen_Bank_Serbia_Chatbot_using_Viber_Stickers_in_synergy_e270611b34.png"><figcaption>Raiffeisen Bank Serbia Chatbot using Rakuten Viber Stickers and bots in synergy</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Rakuten Viber Ads</a> are another media solution, allowing brands to effectively promote their products and services among the app's extensive audience in more than 190 countries around the world. This reach makes Rakuten Viber an invaluable platform for businesses to engage with people.Brands can choose from various ad placements:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Chats: As it’s the first screen seen by users when they open the app, ads displayed here provide maximum exposure.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Calls: With calls and contacts combined on a single screen, this ad placement enables brands to reach customers before they initiate a call.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber More: This option allows advertisers to expand their visibility to consumers visiting the Rakuten Viber sticker store, subscribing to Rakuten Viber Out plans, or updating their profile and settings.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Business Inbox: A dedicated folder for brand-user interactions where users find messages from businesses, it’s an excellent place to reach customers when they already want to see more from brands.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Post-Call: A rich media ad that appears when users end a call. It can incorporate a visual or a video, text, and a call-to-action (CTA) button for enhanced engagement.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Explore: Rich media ads are shown alongside premium brand content that is popular among users, ensuring a positive association with the advertiser's brand.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber for Desktop: Be it a native display ad or a premium video ad spot at the bottom of the chat list, brands can use these formats to reach a broader global audience on a desktop version of Rakuten Viber.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/fu-YWSh5n8po1znHMWqmSibDgf7OxdTptDsWX1OHDKyr_AGFBg5h0MMLP5-VZDqMDihRb0iSJ08QqmFhevs_Mqg8ih-8V58gH6m_SgGujvPokPdK2eB8mFcOxlFtZqvFVgWSQ315CimR_E2YWuEATX4"><figcaption>Examples of various Rakuten Viber Ads placements&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>Rakuten Viber's images and videos create rich <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">business messaging</a> experiences and offer a convenient way to advance customer interaction and support. Businesses can use Rakuten Viber's video-sharing feature to showcase new products and special deals, provide useful tips, and share instructions. With images and videos, companies can send attention-grabbing and self-explanatory messages, improving customer experience and building stronger relationships with their audience. Moreover, users can send photos and videos to businesses, streamlining communication and addressing issues more efficiently. For example, a customer who doesn’t know how to assemble a new table can send a video to chat with a brand where a support specialist can assist him in real time.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_rich_media_Viber_Business_Messages_to_advance_customer_interaction_02d879bda4.png"><figcaption>Examples of rich-media Rakuten Viber Business Messages to advance customer interaction</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Visual Symphony: The Art of Maintaining Brand Consistency</h2>Consistent design can help create a strong identity, build customer trust and loyalty, and reinforce company messaging. Aligned branding across platforms, including Rakuten Viber, helps build a memorable connection with your audience.&nbsp;If you have a Business Account on Rakuten Viber, make sure to maintain brand consistency with&nbsp; elements such as the logo, title, and description. Ensure they align with your other marketing materials, creating a unified and recognizable company presence. For the logo image, maintain consistency in size, color, and design features to make it easily identifiable. When choosing a title, include your organization's name and ensure it stays in line with the tone and style of your other promotional materials. Lastly, when crafting a description, provide valuable and helpful information without being overly salesy, fostering trust and a positive connection with your audience.By aligning your <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/milestone-release-meet-commercial-account-and-business-inbox/">Rakuten Viber Business Account</a> design with your branding and following these tips, you can establish trust with your clients and stay recognizable across all communication channels.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_Viber_Business_Accounts_684cc3db3a.png"><figcaption>Examples of Rakuten Viber Business Accounts&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Picture the Possibilities: Unlock Rakuten Viber's Visual Potential for Enhanced Communication &amp; Connections</h2>The impact of visual content on our communication is undeniable, as it enhances the way we express ourselves and engage with others. Rakuten Viber's understanding of the audience has allowed us to create a platform that caters to users’ love for visuals while fostering meaningful connections. As businesses strive to establish a strong presence in the ever-growing digital landscape, adding visual elements in their communication can significantly improve user experience, customer loyalty, and brand identity.Don't miss out on the opportunity to elevate your organization’s communication and engagement strategies. Explore Rakuten Viber and its solutions, such as Lenses, Stickers, Ads, and rich-media Business Messages, to create captivating and memorable experiences for your audience.&nbsp;<a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">Start your journey </a>with Rakuten Viber now and witness the remarkable impact it can have on your brand's success.

The Impact of Visual Content: How Messaging Apps Are Changing the Way We Connect

Discover the power of visual content and how Rakuten Viber can enhance brand communication 

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Welcome to the digital age. Today, adopting new technologies is not just a trend but a necessity for businesses to thrive and succeed. With rapid advancements happening in the tech world, it's evident that the future lies in embracing <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/navigating-the-digital-transformation-trends-shaping-the-future-of-messaging-and-connectivity/">digital transformation</a>. The benefits are immense – increased efficiency, convenience, and accuracy – all leading to better customer experiences.&nbsp;In fact, <a href="https://www.ptc.com/en/technologies/plm/digital-transformation-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">35%</a> of leaders say that a top benefit of going digital is being better at meeting customer&nbsp; expectations. This shows how important it is for companies to create strong connections with their audience. The era of "Digital Everything" is upon us, influencing every aspect of business, from communication and marketing to transactions and beyond.&nbsp;Technology improvements give businesses new ways to engage people, making a smart digital plan a must for lasting success. Such a strategy:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Optimizes operations</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Reduces costs</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Adapts to client needs</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Enables tailored experiences</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Boosts customer satisfaction and brand loyalty</li></ul>Tapping into this promising landscape, Rakuten Viber has become essential for helping companies connect with their audience. The <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-in-2022-trends-defining-the-future-of-brand-user-communication/">2022 numbers</a> show the growing importance of messaging:&nbsp;<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">73% rise in Transactional <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Business Messages</a></li><li style="text-align:justify;">17% growth in Conversational ones</li><li style="text-align:justify;">11% increase in Promotional Business Messages worldwide</li></ul>Also, 12 billion messages were sent and received around the world via <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Rakuten Viber Chatbots</a>, highlighting the immense popularity of this automated tool for providing 24/7 support.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Messages_and_Viber_Chatbot_a40a9e687b.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Business Messages and Chatbot</figcaption></figure>As these and related trends continue to develop, Rakuten Viber helps brands achieve exceptional business results by supporting their growth and connecting them with their audiences.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Transforming the Customer Journey: Focusing on Mobile, Multi-Channel, and Users Engagement</h2>The customer journey has transformed into a more intricate and dynamic experience today. The traditional linear path to purchase has been replaced by a more complex one that involves different channels, devices, and touchpoints. Here are the main changes:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">The growing focus on mobile devices. People now initiate their research and shopping experiences on mobile more often than ever before. Smartphones are being used to learn about products, compare prices, hunt deals, and buy things. In fact, in the past six months, a minimum of <a href="https://www.outerboxdesign.com/web-design-articles/mobile-ecommerce-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">79%</a> of smartphone users have made an online purchase via their mobile devices.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Consumers frequently switch between various channels during their journey. For instance, they might begin on a mobile device, transition to a desktop computer for further research, or even be influenced by a TV advertisement before visiting a website to gain additional information.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">People now have more ways to interact with brands. Alongside websites and apps, they also engage with social media, chatbots, and voice assistants, which means they pass through many points of contact with the brand.</li></ul>As a result, it is crucial for marketers to map out the customer journey and identify the key touchpoints that influence purchase decisions. This is necessary to ensure a seamless and personalized experience across all channels and devices. By understanding and adapting to these changes, businesses can better connect with their audience and successfully guide them through the purchase journey.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">What Rakuten Viber Offers for Businesses</h2>Rakuten Viber for Business offers a range of features designed for excellent customer service, marketing, and brand building. Classified by the journey stages, they include the following:&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Awareness</h2><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Organizations can create a searchable Rakuten Viber <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/milestone-release-meet-commercial-account-and-business-inbox/">Business Account</a>, which serves as a centralized hub for all the brand information and chat interactions. It increases visibility and encourages people to initiate conversations with a business.</li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Rakuten Viber Ads</a> play a crucial role in creating awareness and capturing attention. With targeting options based on demographics, interests, and location, businesses can run highly relevant and personalized campaigns that resonate with their audience.</li><li style="text-align:justify;"><a href="https://www.viber.com/en/blog/2021-11-21/say-it-all-with-viber-lenses/">Rakuten Viber Lenses</a> and Stickers provide immersive and interactive experiences, enabling brands to attract consumers in new and unique ways. Using them, businesses can create viral and engaging marketing campaigns.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Account_Ads_Lenses_and_Stickers_c4d12c59d8.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Business Account, Ads, Lenses, and Stickers</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Interest</h2><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">During the decision-making process, Rakuten Viber's Conversational and Promotional Business Messages ensure that companies can offer <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-benefits-of-real-time-communication-for-businesses-increased-sales-and-improved-customer-service/">real-time support</a> and spark customers’ interest by sending tailored offers based on their preferences and interests.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber Chatbots provide 24/7 assistance, effectively answering queries, recommending products, and even facilitating purchases, freeing up real agents to tackle more complex issues. This instant response time caters to the <a href="https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/live-chat-go-to-market-flaw" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">increasing consumer demand</a>, ultimately leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty. Ads prove useful at this stage, too.</li></ul><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Conversion</h2><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">To drive conversions and simplify the purchasing process, Rakuten Viber offers a seamless shopping experience through <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/business-messages/">Business Messages</a> and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Chatbots</a>. These tools help customers to complete the purchase and enable businesses to keep them informed about order statuses, shipping details, and more.</li></ul><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Loyalty</h2><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">In the post-purchase phase, Rakuten Viber helps to maintain customer satisfaction and encourage repeat purchases. By providing timely and efficient assistance through Conversational Business Messages and Chatbots, businesses can build trust, foster loyalty, and gather feedback for continuous improvement.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Rakuten Viber enables companies to effectively track their success by providing dynamic real-time analytics. By monitoring key metrics such as messages sent and delivered, open and click-through rates, businesses can gain valuable insights into their campaign performance and engagement.</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Messaging_Solutions_for_different_steps_of_the_customer_journey_f9d42796aa.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Messaging Solutions for different steps of the customer journey&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">Success Stories</h2>To see how the mentioned strategies can be applied in a real-life business scenario, consider these success stories.Coca-Cola was on a lookout for ways to strengthen its mobile presence, engage with new and existing consumers, and offer an integrated digital experience in Bulgaria. Due to its highly connected and engaged audience in the country, the company turned to Rakuten Viber.Coca-Cola launched a 3-month campaign using a Rakuten Viber Sticker pack with a promo code mechanism and a chatbot experience. The company leveraged cross-promotion across its social media channels to maximize reach and conversions and integrated an "under-the-cap" sweepstakes within the Rakuten Viber campaign.Coca-Cola's innovative approach was embraced by the Bulgarian audience, resulting in:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Almost 30 000 cap codes redeemed</li><li style="text-align:justify;">A 30% conversion rate, exceeding the industry average by 10 times</li></ul><figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Coca_Cola_s_marketing_campaign_on_Viber_9818aee337.png"><figcaption>Coca-Cola’s marketing campaign on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>Another example is Leroy Merlin, a leading home improvement retailer, aimed to enhance communication with their loyalty program members in Greece.The company reached out to our trusted messaging partner <a href="https://www.m-stat.gr" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">M-STAT</a> and chose Rakuten Viber Business Messages to achieve their goal. Rakuten Viber’s extensive reach in Greece, rich content capabilities, and SMS fallback option helped Leroy Merlin to deliver transactional coupons and promotional messages.&nbsp;As a result, Leroy Merlin experienced a 300% faster customer service response time, a 20% increase in basket size, and a 30% cost saving compared to using SMS.For more information and inspiration, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/">take a look</a> at how other brands, in collaboration with Rakuten Viber, have reached their goals and are growing increasingly successful.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Viber_Business_Messages_from_Leroy_Merlin_b41cbead88.png"><figcaption>Rakuten Viber Business Messages from Leroy Merlin</figcaption></figure><h2 style="text-align:justify;">The Advantages of Rakuten Viber for Customer Engagement, Marketing, and Brand Building</h2>A well-rounded approach to communication with customers at each stage of the customer journey is a must. Targeted marketing efforts help attract and retain clients, while excellent customer service fosters trust and loyalty. Simultaneously, building a strong brand identity sets businesses apart in the competitive digital market, creating a lasting impression on their audiences. Ultimately, it all contributes to long-term success and sustained growth.Rakuten Viber offers numerous benefits for brands, enhancing a company's digital presence. Rakuten Viber helps build a strong brand identity in a seamless and interactive way. Its advertising tools and rich media support effective marketing, driving engagement and conversions. In customer service, Rakuten Viber's chatbots and business messages facilitate prompt, personalized assistance, nurturing loyalty among clients.&nbsp;With Rakuten Viber having 1 billion downloads on Android only, it's evident that businesses must consider integrating the app into their marketing toolbox. <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/viber-for-business-form">Try Rakuten Viber </a>and see how it transforms your business and relationship with customers.

At the intersection of customer service, marketing, and brand building

Discover Rakuten Viber's digital tools for every step of the customer journey and engagement

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This partnership will provide Rakuten Viber users with discounts or free trials to the premium subscription of the music streaming platform.SAN FRANCISCO. May 22, 2023 - <a href="https://www.viber.com">Rakuten Viber</a>, the global leader in private and secure messaging and voice-based communication, announces its partnership with global music streaming platform, <a href="https://newsroom.spotify.com/company-info/">Spotify</a>. Rakuten Viber will offer hundreds of millions of users a free three-month trial to its Spotify Premium subscription or up to 90% discount on the service depending on the region.Catering to a global audience, Rakuten Viber is dedicated to offering its users the best tools and features on the market. This commitment has led to a partnership with one of the world's leading audio streaming platforms. Through this partnership, Rakuten Viber users will gain access to Spotify’s Premium music subscription, allowing them to enjoy an ad-free listening experience.Rakuten Viber holds a strong market share in the CEE and APAC regions, with penetration in some countries up to 98%. Spotify is leveraging Rakuten Viber’s key markets to drive growth in these untapped regions.&nbsp;“We are thrilled to have been selected by Spotify to share this offer with Rakuten Viber’s largest markets,” says Ofir Eyal, CEO at Rakuten Viber. “At Rakuten Viber, we always want to provide our users with fun features that are effortless to use and that is just what this offer does. Rakuten Viber continues to cement its <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/empowering-brands-vibers-2023-global-events-spotlight-superapp-strategies-and-solutions/">superapp status</a> by becoming a strong and go-to partner for global companies.”“We’re really excited to be collaborating with Rakuten Viber. They have a passionate community of users in markets where we’re looking to grow our platform. With this partnership Rakuten Viber is providing additional value to its users,” says Marc Hazan, VP, Business Development and Partnerships at Spotify. “With access to over 100 million tracks on Spotify, Rakuten Viber users can listen to the music they love and make new artist discoveries.”This offer will be available to Rakuten Viber users in select countries across Europe, Middle East, and Asia. The eligible users in these countries* will be able to activate three months free of premium subscription. Eligible users in the Philippines and Vietnam**, will be offered an exclusive discount (up to 90%) to the premium feature. Users can activate the deal through a number of Rakuten Viber in-app promo solutions: native and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">rich media Rakuten Viber ads</a>, banners on the “Explore” screen, in-app messages, posts on the official Rakuten Viber local channels.&nbsp;Countries included in this partnership are France, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, Slovakia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Iraq, Philippines, and Vietnam.To access the offer, users need the latest version of the Rakuten Viber app installed: <a href="https://vb.me/purplepr">https://vb.me/purplepr</a>* For Premium trials, eligible users will include Rakuten Viber users from the countries described above, who are 18+ of age and are new or existing users of Spotify who have never previously redeemed Spotify offers mentioned above, in their respective countries, or have never been subscribers to any ‘Spotify Premium’ tier offering.** For Premium mini trials, only available in the Philippines and Vietnam, every user is eligible to get the discounted offer once through Rakuten Viber.

Rakuten Viber joins forces with Spotify to offer Premium trial to music platform

Spotify is leveraging Rakuten Viber’s key markets to drive growth in untapped regions