Viber for Business FAQ

Here at Viber, we love speaking with our customers existing and new to help them solve problems, maximise revenues and achieve business goals.Along the way we encounter a lot of different questions about how things work and as part of our mission to help, the team have collated some of our most frequently asked questions to help you on your journey with Viber for Business.<h2>How do I open a Viber for Business account?</h2>Viber for Business is not an account in the typical sense - it’s more a collection of solutions. Let’s break them down:<h3>Business Messages&nbsp;</h3>Built as an alternative to SMS, Business Messages allow brands to initiate a conversation and create a deeper connection with their existing opt-in customer base in a one-to-one setting.Whether you need to provide customer care, delivery updates, transactional services or promotional messages, our <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-solutions/">solutions offer it all</a>.&nbsp;To get started, select one of our approved <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners/">Business Messages partners</a> to create your channel and start sending your messages - they are on call to help you achieve your goals.To learn more about how Business Messages have evolved, check out <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/product-evolution-business-messages/">our blog</a> from Noa Bar Shay, our Senior Partnerships Account Director.<h3>Chatbots&nbsp;</h3>Chatbots are the perfect channel to engage the conversation with new and existing customers. Your bot can be a true sales channel to offer your services and sell your goods. Automate workflow by adding buttons and customizing your user keyboard.To get started, create your bot account and develop your chatbot in-house by following our <a href="https://developers.viber.com/docs/api/rest-bot-api">API guidance</a>. Need assistance? Our <a href="https://forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners">trusted partners</a> can help you to develop your bot.To learn more about how Chatbots have evolved, check out <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/product-evolution-chatbots/">our blog</a> from Etienne Dupont, our Senior Director of Business Messaging Solutions.<h3>Communities&nbsp;</h3>People love to gather on Viber and we’ve made it easier than ever to engage your audience with exciting content, news and updates - whatever your industry. Create your community and spread the word to gather your fans on it to keep them updated with your latest news and updates. See and measure their reactions to your messages, videos or pictures and get their attention with polls and quizzes.Create your community in 3 clicks directly in the Viber mobile app from your Chats screen:"Write” icon &gt; New Community &gt; Add a name - Save<h3>Advertising solutions&nbsp;</h3>We offer various advertising touch points within Viber for you to reach our global audience as they interact with their family and friends. Our ads are non intrusive, multi-format and versatile.&nbsp;To get started, head over to our <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Advertising Solutions</a> page, browse and pick the solution that’s right for you then get in touch using the “Get started” button - the team will be happy to assist you further.<h3>Stickers&nbsp;</h3>We believe that a picture really is worth a thousand words. That’s why we offer numerous ways to express yourself with Viber stickers - whether it be through branding with sound or animation - we’ve got you covered. With each Viber sticker shared 11 times on average with 1 billion sent per month.To get started, as per above, head over to our <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">Advertising Solutions</a> page and navigate to the Stickers section.Want to learn more about all of the above? Be sure to check out our <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/media-kit-request">latest media kit</a> to learn more.<h2>How have others successfully used Viber for Business?</h2>Countless brands have used Viber for Business for successful customer relationships, campaigns and more - head over to our <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/success-stories/">Success Stories</a> page for more information and get inspired!

We have collated some of our most frequently asked questions to help you on your journey with Viber for Business

What is Viber for Business? Your questions answered

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Capacity Messaging & SMS World

The <a href="https://events.capacitymedia.com/event/ce5fe6fc-7ebe-4ac0-a745-dd3993210393/summary" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Capacity Messaging &amp; SMS World</a> event took place June 8 - 10 and Viber's Senior Director of Business Messaging Solutions Etienne Dupont was featured on the panel "Conversational commerce – it’s a two-way street".The rise of e-commerce over the past decade and more has arguably been even more intensified as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. As the world entered lockdown, end customers have used online retailing channels, but are somewhat missing the physical interactions and touchpoints seen in a brick and mortar store. &nbsp;The concept of conversational commerce intends to fill part of that void, creating a hub for direct conversations between a brand and end user that eventually result in transactions in commerce. So how can this vision be realised and how can CPaaS, AI and RCS players create that framework in areas such as payment solutions and providing an omnichannel experience, as well as the security implications?You can watch back the panel below. Be sure to <a href="https://b2b.viber.com/newsletter-opt-in" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">sign up to the Viber for Business newsletter</a> to receive future event updates and visit <a href="https://forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">our blog</a> for knowledge, news and more.<figure class="media"><oembed url="https://youtu.be/-cIqQ0WXpv0"></oembed></figure>

Get the low down from the Capacity Messaging & SMS World

Event recap: Capacity Messaging & SMS World

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Mobile Ad Monetisation Best Practices to Succeed in the New Business Season

As the world becomes increasingly mobile, so does advertising. Mobile advertising is one of the most efficient and effective ways to reach your audience – you can connect with your customers and prospects directly on their phones, and this trend is growing rapidly worldwide. In fact, any company that wants to catch the attention of people should reach out to audiences via their mobile devices.&nbsp;Last year, 55.7% of web traffic came through mobile devices, surpassing laptops and desktops, which held only 41% of it. And, since most customers spend a lot of time looking at their phones, it is obvious that mobile advertising is an important part of any marketing strategy today. It may include showing ads in a company’s app or displaying them on other platforms. Mobile advertising is a powerful and effective tool for promoting your brand or product, as more and more people use their mobile devices to access the internet. There are a number of advantages to this strategy, including the ability to target a specific audience, the ability to reach a large number of people, and the ability to track results, but most importantly, it’s the ability to reach your target audience when they are mostly engaged – on their phones.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Design with the User in Mind: Best Mobile Advertising Tip in 2022</h2>With smartphones becoming more than just a communication device, but a tool for entertainment, work, and shopping, too, it is especially important to design mobile advertising with the client's comfort in mind.&nbsp;First, make sure the ad is relevant to the user. It should be something that they're interested in and would actually want to see. Secondly, keep your content simple and to the point. The customers' attention span is quite short these days, so make sure your ad can be easily understood. And finally, consider using messenger marketing. This is a newer trend in mobile marketing mix that is growing in popularity. It allows you to connect with users through apps like Rakuten Viber. This is a great way to reach users directly and with more personalized content. To create the best user experience, consider adapting the best of the modern UX basics, such as prioritizing usability, being transparent, letting the customers be in control of their experience, and not interrupting them with ads. Keep in mind the need to focus on your end user and make sure that your product is delivered in a way that is easily accessible and personalized to the needs of the user.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Best Mobile Advertising Practices: Non-Invasive Formats are Key</h2>Most users see ads as an interruption to whatever they were doing on their device. Every piece of content your customers see should be carefully planned in order to keep them interested, without ever annoying them. As proved by data from the last several years, one of the best mobile advertising practices is to leverage <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/marketing-solutions/">non-invasive formats</a>. This means designing ads that are not intrusive and that allow users to consume content without interruptions. For example, on Rakuten Viber brands leverage different types of advertising that can be unintrusively placed on the chats or calls screens or other frequently visited spaces.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Non_intrusive_ad_placements_on_Viber_43d4d77b1c.png"><figcaption>Non-intrusive ad placements on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>Your customers will appreciate ads that are relevant to their interests and needs. There are a few things you can do to make your marketing messages as non-invasive as possible.<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">Make sure your content is relevant to the user. There's nothing worse than an ad that has nothing to do with what the client is interested in.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Keep it to the point. Mobile users have short attention spans, so make sure your ad is concise and easy to understand.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Keep it short. Your customers are often on the go, so they don't have time to watch a long video or look at a lot of pictures.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Add a call to action that is relevant to the user. For example, if you're selling a product, include a link to where people can buy it.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Make sure your ad is in fact mobile-friendly. It should be easy to read and navigate on a small screen. And don't forget to give the users the opportunity to easily close or skip an ad!</li></ol>By following these tips, you can make sure your ads are as non-invasive as possible. This will help you get the most out of your campaign and avoid annoying your users.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Keep Your Mobile Advertising Simple</h2>With so many options and potential pitfalls, it can be tough to know where to start. Luckily, the best practice for keeping your strategy simple is also the simplest: start with clear, concise content. Your mobile ad should be laser-focused on one thing and one thing only: delivering your message to your target audience. That means no confusing graphics or complicated animation - just a direct message that will grab their attention and get them to take action. Of course, that doesn't mean your mobile ad can't be creative or eye-catching. But the best way to make sure it is effective is to stay focused on its purpose: reaching and engaging your target audience. So ditch the bells and whistles and keep your mobile advertising simple for the best results.As the world becomes more and more mobile, commerce is following suit. However, while mobile advertising has increased in popularity, it can still be tricky to get it right. There are a few reasons to keep it simple. First, people are using their mobile devices on the go, which means they don’t have a lot of time to pay attention to ads. If your message is too complicated, they’re likely to just keep scrolling. Second, smartphones have smaller screens than desktop computers, so there’s obviously less space to work with. This means that you need to make your ad easily readable and digestible. And finally, you want to make sure your message is effective. A complex ad might look good, but if it doesn’t actually get people to take the action you want, it’s not doing its job. So, when creating mobile advertising, keep it simple. Use clear, concise language and make sure your ad is easy to understand. Test different formats to see what works best for your audience, keep an eye on your metrics to see what’s working, and adjust accordingly. By following these tips, you can keep your mobile advertising simple and effective.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Don't Get Caught Up In The Click-Through Rate Hype In Mobile Advertising</h2>Click-through rates (CTRs) are often used as a key metric to gauge the success of a mobile marketing campaign. However, they should not be the sole focus when measuring its success. There are a number of other factors that need to be considered, such as conversion rates, engagement rates, and cost per acquisition (CPA). Besides this, mobile devices are now much more than just simple machines that allow you to tap a screen. With the variety of sensors that are now included in most gadgets, we can interact with them in a variety of new and exciting ways. Use this to make your ads truly unique!Mobile advertising is all about engaging users in new and innovative ways. You want to make sure that your ads are not only seen by potential customers, but that they have a chance to interact with them, too. People have seen "click here" buttons a thousand times before, but they've never been asked to actually do something with their hands to respond to an ad. If the platform where you advertise allows experimentation, go for it! You can ask them to physically shake their phone, swipe their screen, or even engage with a little video game, like Coca Cola did for their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9MOlK-NQZE">Easter campaign on Rakuten Viber</a>, which can help to capture the attention of users and keep them engaged. That's what makes advertising so unique and exciting. It's a new way to capture customers' attention and get them involved in the ad. Another way to increase the engagement rate is to give users something in exchange for taking the time to interact with your message. This could be a discount code, a free trial, or even just an entry into a contest. By offering something of value, you’ll be more likely to encourage people to actually take the time to react to your ad. By creating a more immersive and engaging experience, you’ll be more likely to drive better results from your mobile marketing campaigns.Advertising is a necessary part of most businesses, but it can be frustrating for customers who feel like they are being bombarded with ads. Giving people the ability to opt out of ad interactions will give them the feeling of control and help your brand build a stable and positive relationship with the audience. This, in turn, leads to increased sales and loyalty.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Data Privacy: How to Keep Up with The Laws</h2>Data is essential to any mobile marketing strategy. By collecting information on customers’ interests, demographics, and browsing habits, businesses can more effectively target ads to the right people. This data can be collected through cookies, which are small pieces of code that are placed on users’ devices when they visit a website. They track information about what people do on a site, and this information can be used for marketing purposes. Using data to target ads is an effective way to reach potential customers and convert them into paying customers. If you’re not using data to inform your mobile ad strategy, you’re missing out on a major opportunity to improve your results. Make sure you are getting customer consent for any data collected.You know that data privacy laws are important. But, besides this, you need to be aware of local regulations, too. They are constantly changing and it can be difficult to follow the latest developments, especially if you operate in multiple jurisdictions. Many companies are struggling to keep up with data privacy laws, which differ from country to country. The EU has the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which regulates the handling of personal data by businesses and sets strict rules about how corporations must protect people’s private information. Meanwhile, the US has no federal law that governs data privacy, but some states have their own regulations. The California Consumer Privacy Act is the most comprehensive one. The CCPA gives customers the right to know what personal data is being collected about them, the right to have it deleted and to opt out of the sale of their information. Regardless of the location, businesses need to comply with the law or face steep fines. Keeping up with data privacy regulations is a challenge for many companies, but it’s important to always protect your customer.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Which Formats are Engaging? Pay Attention!</h2>When it comes to online advertising, it’s important to pay attention to which formats are engaging for your target audience. Different ad forms can be more or less effective depending on your goals, so it’s important to choose the right ones for your campaign. Some of the most popular ad formats include banner ads, native ads, and video ads. Banner ads are typically static images that are displayed on web pages, while native ones are more integrated into the content. Video ads are becoming increasingly popular, as they can be more engaging than other types of ads. To determine which formats are most effective for your campaign, you’ll need to test different options and measure the results. Pay attention to click-through rates, conversion rates, and other metrics to see which ads are performing the best. You may want to consider A/B testing to compare them, too. By paying attention to which ad forms are most effective, you can create a more successful online advertising campaign. Choose the right strategy and content for your target audience and goals, and you’ll be on your way to success.If you're searching for an advertising format that's sure to capture your audience's attention, video is the way to go. Those ads are highly engaging, making them ideal for driving more conversions and sales. And, with more people consuming video content than ever before, you're sure to reach your target audience with this format.Last, but not least. Mobile advertising is constantly evolving, and what works today may not work tomorrow. That's why it's important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and new instruments, like immersive and interactive videos, playable ads, and <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/rakuten-viber-snap-partnership/">AR advertising</a>, powered by machine learning and artificial intelligence. For example, last year we launched Rakuten Viber Lenses and saw incredible user engagement: <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/viber-for-business-recap-how-brands-and-users-communicated-in-2021/">more than 52 million Lenses </a>captures were generated just within the first three months since launch globally. And today, more and more brands start leveraging this new tool as a native and fun way to increase brand awareness and customer engagement by creating their own customized branded lenses.<figure class="image"><img src="https://env-stage-hosting.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Examples_of_branded_stickers_and_lenses_on_Viber_5256b8e196.png"><figcaption>Examples of branded stickers and lenses on Rakuten Viber</figcaption></figure>As companies start planning their next year budgets, businesses can adopt best practices to stay ahead of the competition as mobile is the perfect platform for companies of all sizes to <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/connecting-with-your-audience-through-viber-at-all-steps-of-the-customer-journey/">connect with their customers</a> and promote their products and services.&nbsp;Do not hesitate to <a href="https://share.hsforms.com/15Naem5LdS3umDHmkGTZ9YA4fpwx">contact us </a>if you would like to learn how Rakuten Viber advertising solutions can help you reach your marketing goals.

Mobile advertising tips to succeed in 2023. Best advertising practices

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Rakuten Viber updates its Chatbot Commercial Terms

In keeping with its dedication to smooth customer experience and effective brand-user communication, Rakuten Viber has just updated its Chatbot Commercial Terms.The changes to commercial terms serve to improve the user experience of chatbot subscribers on Rakuten Viber. They will not interfere with the businesses’ ability to use Rakuten <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">Viber Chatbots</a> to communicate with their subscribers 24/7 and to provide automated replies to their customers with free session messages: chatbots remain free to publish, and chatbot subscribers can engage in conversation or interact with your chatbot at any time without cost.&nbsp;<h2 style="text-align:justify;">What’s new?</h2>Messages exchanged in a chatbot will fall into two categories:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Chatbot session messages: messages exchanged between the chatbot and its subscribers during a session initiated by the subscriber.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Chatbot-initiated messages: messages sent by the chatbot owner to its subscribers to engage them in a conversation.</li></ul>A session starts when a subscriber messages the chatbot, either of their own accord or in response to a chatbot-initiated message, and terminates automatically within 24 hours. After that, the next time a subscriber messages the chatbot, a new session starts. For as long as the subscriber is interested in interacting with the chatbot, this brand-user interaction is smooth, free, and convenient for the user.For chatbot-initiated messages, each chatbot receives 10,000 messages per month for free, and for messages in excess of this threshold, we charge per message delivered. Chatbot-initiated messages are a great way to strike up a conversation with your subscribers and initiate a chatbot session, within which all session messages are completely free.&nbsp;<a href="https://help.viber.com/en/article/chatbot-commercial-model">Here</a> you can find out more about the new commercial terms, and if you have questions about them, please <a href="https://help.viber.com/en/article/bot-commercial-model-faq">visit our FAQ</a>.<h2 style="text-align:justify;">Why use chatbots?</h2>Rakuten Viber Chatbots are a cost-efficient and user-friendly messaging solution that helps businesses improve customer experience, be available 24/7, and even drive sales. Here are some of the <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/blog/post/the-chatbot-evolution-from-simple-interactions-to-sentient-like-conversations/">benefits</a>:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Chatbots help customers get in touch with businesses whenever they want to, on their terms, and in their own time.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Subscriber-initiated sessions put the customer in control of their interactions with brands and allow businesses to resolve customer issues in a cost-efficient and timely manner, thanks to automation.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Chatbots can leverage a rich suite of tools to provide and streamline customer service and even drive sales: cards, carousels, gifs, emojis, stickers, text, pictures, videos, links, files, call-to-action buttons, location, integrated payments systems, and personalized responses.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Chatbots help improve brand awareness and reputation thanks to personalized look and feel: from logos and branded stickers to custom colors, buttons, and themes.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Thanks to the CDP and CRM integration, Rakuten Viber Chatbot allows brands to personalize their customer communication.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Chatbots are a promising business direction: by 2025, business-to-customer interactions by chatbot are expected to reach 95% and the value of the global chatbot economy is forecasted to hit $1,25 billion.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Chatbots allow businesses to tap into the subscriber base and engage their audience thanks to free welcome messages, unlimited session chats, and a supply of free chatbot-initiated messages replenished on a monthly basis.</li></ul><h2 style="text-align:justify;">How to get started with chatbots?</h2>To make the most of Rakuten Viber Chatbots, brands need to <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GKXcMXCpoIM_ReeR6GTDZh0lonPzulr0/view">understand how they work</a>. Then, <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/chatbots/">creating a chatbot</a> takes only three easy steps:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">Create an account. In the Viber Admin panel, provide key information: name and avatar, unique URL, category and subcategory, as well as general information about the chatbot. Receive your unique access key (token), which will enable you to connect your chatbot to our Viber API. Creating a Rakuten Viber Chabot is free.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Connect your chatbot. Configure the logic of the chatbot yourself using our <a href="https://developers.viber.com/">Viber API guidelines</a> or with the help of external developers or <a href="https://www.forbusiness.viber.com/en/messaging-partners/">messaging partners</a>. Use the token to connect your chatbot to the Viber API. Publishing a chatbot is also free.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Optional: promote your chatbot. Once you have launched your chatbot, you can get in touch with the Rakuten Viber team to make it searchable and verified for increased visibility. Take advantage of our advertising solutions, to extend your reach to new segments, and leverage your monthly allotment of free chatbot-initiated messages to draw your subscribers into conversations and grow your subscriber base.</li></ol>Still have questions about Rakuten Viber Chatbots? <a href="https://share.hsforms.com/12dJLE_P8S9SFBitFV8l1Fw4fpwx">Get in touch</a>!

Changes are dedicated to keeping a smooth customer experience and effective brand-user communication

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What is Viber for Business? Your questions answered

Event recap: Capacity Messaging & SMS World

Mobile Ad Monetisation Best Practices to Succeed in the New Business Season

Rakuten Viber Updates its Chatbot Commercial Terms

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