Over the past few years, there have been emerging talks and hype about conversational marketing.
People no longer want to go through the long process of visiting websites, finding information themselves, and picking up the phone to make inquiries. They now prefer using more direct and quicker yet engaging interactions with convenient tools such as chatbots and live chats.
Chatbots are being utilised more and more now and have started replacing traditional web forms. So, does this mean that those who stick solely with webforms are at a disadvantage? Both chatbots and forms can be quite effective for lead generation, but which one should we be prioritising? Let us explore this question further!
Chatbots
Every so often when you enter a site, you might notice a little chat box popping up with a tailored message such as "Hi, how can I help?" or "Hi, I see you're back". These are chatbots, and now more than ever, they are being used by various sites. Their purpose is to engage with users by providing them with valuable information, ultimately leading them towards the sales funnel.
Good chatbots are efficient - they take each user on a conversational journey and help them make quick decisions. They are fast, efficient and create immediate results which people now value a lot!
Web Forms
We have all come across web forms. They usually ask for details such as your name, contact number, and email address - and are used to sign us up for newsletters, connect with the sales team, register, and send other information. Their design may vary in length, information required, and appearance.
People usually see web forms as being long and unnecessary, but nowadays there are features such as autofill, dropdown lists, checkboxes, and other decision support features that make filling them out much easier.
Just like chatbots, they allow businesses to collect and manage information about their prospect easily. A webform acts as a communication bridge for many companies, but for it to work efficiently, companies must first figure out whom they are targeting and what questions they should be asking. For instance, it would be illogical to ask for a full location address if they are signing up for a newsletter or trying to download a guide.
Chatbots vs Web Forms
We recommended tackling this question with a few simple steps; assess when, why, and what data you require from your visitors.
For an official matter, it may be more suitable to use webforms. It comes across as a more formal procedure than chatbots which may seem a little too personal, and you may feel like you are chatting more informally.
However, chatbots bring the benefit of having a real-time conversation which could have a higher chance to convert leads quicker. At the same time, a form may take quite a bit of time to fill out, send and respond to.
Another option is to use chat tools alongside forms rather than replacing them. Only using forms can be a cold and less engaging process - so you may lose out on creating quick leads. Yet many prospects are not as comfortable with the idea of chatbots and, for existing customers who are used to filling out forms, using chatbots may feel a bit sudden and unexpected.
Whether chatbots or forms will work better will depend on your target audience and what each of them is trying to achieve through the interaction. It is worth trying them both to see which is more effective for your brand and audience. It is less about forms vs chatbots, and more about making use of the different conversational tools out there to enhance user experience and generate leads.
So, what do you think? Do the traditional forms seem more suitable for your organisation and its prospects, or does a chatbot seem more viable? Or if you are unsure and want to have a quick chat about what conversational marketing strategy your business should move forward with, give us a call!
