Messaging content is a way for brands to stay top of mind, without the interruption of promotional ads.
–Travis Montaque, CEO, Holler
Travis Montaque, CEO, Holler, started at Chick-Fil-A at the age of 15, rising through five promotions and even working with corporate on their South Florida expansion initiative. Soon he came to realize that he cared more about communication and connecting people. Thus, began the journey of an app – Holler (then called Spylst) that delivered news and video content.
Montaque believes that online conversations can, and should, be better. From AOL to Snapchat and now Venmo, messaging AI has come a long way. In this edition of MarTalk Buzz, Montaque discusses why AI in messaging is the new way to connect with the stay-at-home audience. He also deep dives to answer how contextual AI really captures the nuances of language in messaging.
Key Takeaways on How AI in Messaging Is Evolving Conversations:Â
- Messaging gives consumers the opportunity to actively engage with brands.
- AI is evolving to assist conversations, not take their place.
- Contextual AI is moving toward understanding the actual context of conversations.
Here’s the edited transcript from our exclusive interview with Travis Montaque:
1. Since COVID-19, brands had to find new ways to communicate with their customers. How does AI in messaging fill the gap for brands looking for new ways to connect with their stay-at-home audience?
During the pandemic, people’s minds are in a million places at once. We are shifting from work to childcare to safety, back to work and trying to get some rest and relaxation as well. Cell phones have become a lifeline, keeping us connected to those we cannot physically see.
Our data showed that text messaging increased 30% in the month of March alone, as people adapted to social distancing.
–Travis Montaque, CEO, Holler
Therefore, it is crucial to meet consumers where they are: on their phones. Marketers pulled spends at the beginning of the pandemic, not only due to stay-at-home orders and social distancing, but because they wanted to make sure they did not appear tone deaf. As they searched for new ways to apply that spend digitally, messaging became a bigger part of the equation.
As a platform, messaging gives consumers the opportunity to actively engage with brands, rather than passively scrolling through content. Because of new technologies, third-party applications and platforms, brands can be part of digital conversations in fun, creative ways. By delivering content like videos, memes, stickers or emojis, brands can own the types of conversations they are part of and make themselves accessible when people are reaching out for better ways to connect. It provides a new and more intimate way to connect with consumers during a very confusing time.
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2. Businesses are looking for marketing channels that offer fast engagement and threaded conversations with its customers. Why should brands opt for platforms that offer AI in messaging when even the slightest lag or error can disrupt a conversation?
The AI of today is not the AI of a few years ago, not just in technological advancement but also in terms of orientation. When people first hear ‘messaging AI,’ they think of old chatbots that interrupt conversations or try to take the place of human to human interactions. However, that is no longer the case. AI is evolving to assist conversations, not take their place.
Today’s AI can be used within messaging in a variety of ways: to recommend spelling, emojis, stickers, etc. Its scope has evolved to recommendations, which it is well suited for. The technology has come a long way, with recommendations being offered in microseconds.
–Travis Montaque, CEO, Holler
Additionally, the presentation has also adapted to become more user-friendly. New types of recommendations are subtle options, not obtrusive pop-ups. Messaging AI is now streamlined, helpful and a more natural part of the conversation.
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3. Digital messaging used to be a channel that was mostly reserved for friends, family, and dating. Which are some of the untapped opportunities and industries in the AI messaging realm that advertisers could explore?
What we think of as “messaging†has evolved. From AOL chats and early text messaging to Snapchat and Venmo, messaging went from being in very specific modes to now being synonymous with anywhere you interact digitally. We think of digital messaging as any medium that enables a conversation.
This means for advertisers, there is unlimited potential online, particularly when it comes to content. This is especially timely today, as messaging content (like animated stickers, Snapchat/Instagram filters, payment stickers on Venmo, etc.) can tackle advertising challenges that brands of all sizes are facing during the pandemic. Brands and marketers are unsure how to communicate with customers in a sensitive time. So, let people choose how they want to use branded content.
Messaging content is a way for brands to stay top of mind, without the interruption of promotional ads. The content can naturally connect brands to an emotion or moment of intent. For example, branded public service announcements (PSAs) are a useful addition within consumer conversations about staying healthy. But they also build brand equity for wellness brands, who want to be associated with feelings of safety, health, and well-being. Messaging is a unique platform where brands can transcend launches or new products by choosing the conversations that they appear in and allowing consumers to build a relationship with the brand itself.
All industries, from QSR and CPG to entertainment and media can build new brand relationships by providing relevant, useful messaging content. Messaging content is centered on flexibility, the ability to stay relevant, and high engagement rates, making it a beneficial tool for all types of companies.
–Travis Montaque, CEO, Holler
4. Human conversations are creative and complex, and consumer-facing AI has often created more infuriating experiences than memorable takeaways. Does contextual AI really capture the nuances of language in messaging? What are the KPIs to measure digital conversations?
Contextual AI represents a shift from older rigid AI models that just did not seem to ‘get it’. This is because we are moving away from keyword-focused analysis and recommendations and toward understanding the actual context of conversations. This opens much more sophisticated technology that improves conversations, rather than just matching keywords to stickers.
We are getting to a stage where AI can anticipate what is coming next after an exchange, rather than what has just been typed. For example, a person could type the word coffee, but really be using it more broadly to talk about being tired or wanting to take a quick break with a coworker. This changes the nature of the content being recommended; a sticker of a coffee cup will not fully relay the emotions and intent of the sender. AI is working to seamlessly pick up and adapt to the broader context of conversations, which makes for a very exciting future for the industry.
5. When it comes to AI in messaging, which are the key consumer preferences that brands need to be aware of to fit into the equation? What is the cost of support, maintenance, and upgrades for marketers who invest in conversational AI?
To naturally fit into consumer conversations and offer genuinely useful content, brands need to understand how consumers communicate and what they need to elevate their digital interactions.
After surveying over 1,000 Americans across demographics this year, Holler found that users both use visual content to express themselves and are craving more options to use when words just are not enough.
Consumers are also willing to engage with branded content. In fact, 70% reported that they would reshare brands’ original content if they thought it was cool or funny, and this number is even higher among those under 30 (84%).
–Travis Montaque, CEO, Holler
However, brands need to understand that messaging is an intimate channel. You are being invited into a conversation with your target audience, and you must respect the nuances of the medium. The purpose of branded content is to help user conversations, not market “at†them like more traditional advertising channels. This means brands must play an assistant role, rather than a direct one. The key to being welcomed into consumer conversations is staying authentic and true to your brand tone.
Knowing that consumers are asking for help in their conversations and that they are willing to look to brands for options will encourage brands to make the jump into messaging. It will also guide the kind of content they set out to provide engaging content aimed at adding emotional context and empathy.
6. What does the post-recession market have in store for conversational AI industry and where should marketers invest their marketing dollars?Â
A post-recession market is a huge opportunity for brands to invest in messaging. While social media marketing can skew young in terms of audience, messaging is the number one way people communicate online, and will continue to be after the recession. Messaging’s always-on presence is unique in that it is specifically geared to reach customers across demographics.
As messaging continues to be the central source of communication, the demand to integrate into conversations will increase. Therefore, it is crucial for marketers to integrate into and adapt to the space now: to get ahead of the curve. This boost in competition will also lead to new content, more targeted strategies and brands becoming more nuanced in the conversations they are trying to own. Overall, this will improve the messaging experience for consumers and build stronger brand relationships.
One great example of this comes from Mucinex. In the past, they aimed to be a part of morning conversations, thinking that is when users would talk about their sinus medication products. However, after working with Holler, they learned that consumers discussed colds and congestion in the evening. This changed their whole outlook on brand conversations and made them rethink existing marketing strategies.
–Travis Montaque, CEO, Holler
The tumultuous events of 2020 have increased the need for connection and in turn, messaging usage. To get a piece of that pie, brands, technology, and content creators will follow suit to meet the demand and improve the overall experience.
About Travis MontaqueOpens a new window :
As the CEO and founder of Holler, Travis leads a top-notch team of animators and AI research scientists to build the next-generation messaging experience. Travis has been included in Forbes 30 Under 30, Entrepreneur Magazine’s Most Daring Entrepreneurs, and led Holler to a place on Fast Company’s 2020 Most Innovative Companies List for developing greater emotional expression in today’s digital conversations.
About HollerOpens a new window :
Holler is a technology company using conversational content and media to reimagine how we
express ourselves on messaging platforms. By creating relatable, expressive, and diverse animated visual content and leveraging contextual AI and suggestion technology, Holler empowers brands to connect with their audiences through authentic, useful, and engaging content within messaging platforms. Its goal is to provide users with the right content, right when they need it.
About MarTalk Buzz:
MarTalk Buzz is an interview series where marketing leaders and marketing technology companies that are making a difference, connect with us and share their stories. Join us as we talk to them about their product journeys, insights on the categories they serve, what works for them, and some bonus pro-tips.
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