Beyond Messaging. Rakuten Viber for Business Solutions for every stage of your marketing funnel

The age of messaging has revolutionized not only the way people communicate with one another, but also how they engage with brands and businesses. Your target audience is accustomed to sending messages to friends and family, and now they are expecting the same level of convenience from the companies they buy from. According to a recent study by Attentive, 71% of consumers want to have convenient access for communicating with the brands, and 90% expect fast responses. 

This is where messaging apps come in handy, helping brands be where the users are, communicate in real time, send promotional messages, automate customer service, and track engagement, to name a few. And all with the convenience and the swift responses that customers crave – 58% of people believe messaging is the fastest way to communicate with brands.

Brands Choose Rakuten Viber to Connect With Audiences

Rakuten Viber for Business enables communication between brands and customers, and Rakuten Viber’s suite of marketing solutions is a perfect choice for companies that want to increase reach and drive conversions. With our platform, people can interact with companies like with their friends, while businesses can create personalized experiences and connect with the clients in the app they use so often in day-to-day life. 

Over 65% of Rakuten Viber users have a purchasing power that is attractive to every business. Contact us to learn more about the audience demographics.

Not Just Messaging – Use Rakuten Viber For Multiple Marketing Goals

In this article, we are sharing features and tools available to brands through the Rakuten Viber for Business offerings. 

In addition to geography and scale (Rakuten Viber is present in more than 190 countries and 44 languages), it is also the types of reach you should explore on Rakuten Viber. From interactive chatbots to branded Viber lenses, to ads and sponsored content, there are plenty of ways to get your message across to potential and existing customers. 

Rakuten Viber Advertising solutions (including Branded Lenses)

Rakuten Viber Business Messages

Rakuten Viber Chatbots

1. Attract new users, build brand awareness and stay top of mind 

With Rakuten Viber Ads, you can attract new users and build brand awareness by staying top-of-mind in the most convenient channel for your audience. Rakuten Viber post-call can include animated visuals, text, and a CTA button, while Rakuten Viber Explore gives you exposure alongside premium brand content. Additionally, ads within Chats, Calls, More screens, and on the desktop version are all available for you to reach users either through standard or advanced targeting. Our Rakuten Viber Ads team is happy to share all options with you.

2. Amplify Engagement 

According to App Annie, a person spends 4 hours and 48 minutes on average on a mobile device every day, which provides digital marketers with ample opportunities to reach their target clientele on the screens where people are engaged the most. 

Rakuten Viber's rich media features will add up to easier, smoother brand-user interaction and even greater engagement. Maximize it by using rich media content to provide more information (photos, videos, carousels, CTAs, files): a customer needs a picture of a product from a different angle? Send it. Better yet – take a video from multiple angles! A buyer isn't sure exactly what product they want from a category? A chatbot can send a carousel showcasing the entire line. A client needs specifications or wants to review warranty terms? Send that file. 

3. Express Brand Personality With Rakuten Viber Lenses

By using cutting-edge technology, Rakuten Viber Lenses make it possible for brands to create custom AR experiences that bring their products and messages to life. How do Viber Lenses work? Customers can beautify themselves, add 3D elements, animals, objects, and much more, and share them within the app or save them to their gallery to share elsewhere. Lenses are a native part of the Rakuten Viber platform, so people can start using them instantly, without having to download any additional plugins. 

From interactive product demonstrations to fun and games, Rakuten Viber Lenses offers a new approach for businesses to express individuality and connect with customers. The benefits of using branded Rakuten Viber Lenses for companies are multiple. 

• Increase visibility in one of the most popular messaging apps
• Leverage the social component and the creativity of the users themselves
• Create an engaging brand image to raise awareness
• Connect with customers using Rakuten Viber's most viral and interactive solution
• Become more popular with the Gen Z Viber users

4. Embrace the Power of Personalization

Integrating a CRM or a CDP into the Rakuten Viber marketing toolbox will provide you with the ability to laser-target audience segments with relevant messages, thus increasing the chance of conversions.

This strategy will further multiply the wealth of customer data you own for tailoring all your communications for that special personal touch. Remember buyer preferences, their sizes, titles, and other small but important details, and use this information to shape your engagement with them. With this approach, talking to the brand online will feel just as good as chatting with a favorite shop owner or consultant in a brick-and-mortar store. According to SmarterHQ Privacy & Personalization Report, 72% of customers would love receiving personalized offers from brands they trust. Not only does it make shoppers feel good, but it also shows that your company is paying attention to their individual needs and wants. It's a simple way to show your audience that you care, which could be the difference between a one-time buyer and a lifelong fan.

Primer, the Philippines based retailer, is a great example of an organization that was able to successfully leverage the power of customer data to reach its audience. When Covid hit, Primer offered their customers an online shopping service through Rakuten Viber Business Messages, with a special voucher for a purchase. The conversion rate for the code redemption was 53%, and Primer Group achieved a total sales target of 401%.

5. Get Viral: Add Fun and Create Emotional Connections

Check out Rakuten Viber Stickers, an entertaining means of expressing the message. Creating stickers is simple, and they can be used to promote a brand, a product, or a service. People like sharing fun stickers with their friends, so they are a great way to get a message out there. Leverage the power of viral marketing, get people talking about your brand, and reach an even larger audience.

Coca-Cola launched a Sticker Pack with a promo code mechanism and a chatbot experience on Rakuten Viber. To maximize its reach and conversions, Coca-Cola amplified this with cross-promotion across its social channels. The results? 298K+ stickers sent, 680K+ chatbot interactions, 29K+ code redemptions. And this is just in one country. Read the Coca-Cola and Rakuten Viber case study.

6. Influence customer considerations 

This is one of the most powerful features that every marketer can benefit from. Leverage the power of Rakuten Viber Messaging Solutions to drive a customer down the sales funnel:

• Send updates about the products and services to nurture leads with relevant offers and respond quickly to follow-up questions. Use Rakuten Viber Chatbots, or Conversational Messages.
• Explore all benefits of Promotional Business Messages:
• Use CRM and CDP integrations to gain insights
• Use insights to personalize your promotional messages
• Use personalized offers with rich media elements and CTA buttons to drive sales

7. Drive conversions through conversations

With Rakuten Viber Сhatbots, a seller can use real-time conversations to help shoppers make up their minds and choose the right product. Whether it's helping them find the best clothing fit, explaining how to measure themselves, suggesting what fits their room based on a picture they send, or influencing their choice of purchases, people will appreciate it. Forget about stressing over missing out on a lead outside of working hours  – chatbots never sleep and can respond fast, any time the users feel like engaging.

8. Nurture brand loyalty with efficient post-sales support

A crucial factor that ensures customer loyalty is the ability to resolve issues quickly. Use Conversational Messages and Rakuten Viber Chatbots to ensure faster resolution of queries leading to customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Maximize The Synergy of Tools 

Most importantly, make the most of various Rakuten Viber features – combining them creates a powerful toolbox that can help you reach your business goals. For example, use Rakuten Viber Ads to boost visibility and reach, and Chatbots to facilitate conversions. Or use Lenses to introduce a fun factor and boost engagement, and then follow up with Promotional Business Messages to drive sales. Be creative – the possibilities are endless.