Chatbot: What it is and how to create one step by step in 2023
Chatbot tools for Facebook Messenger and other social networks are very important for anyone who wants to scale and improve their business service. But do you know what is a chatbot and how to create one? Regardless of the name used – chatbot, virtual assistant, or conversational agent – this technology must be on your radar so that you can offer an automated experience to your consumers.
While it may seem like a very complex thing to create a chatbot, some platforms, like these Instagram DM chatbot tools, make this process easier for you. Among the best on the market, we can mention:
In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide, teaching you what it is and how to create your chatbot in a simple way so that you leave here ready to implement this in your business.
What is a Chatbot?
A chatbot is a software designed to hold chat conversations much like a real human being. These robots are usually used on websites, social networks such as Facebook and Instagram, and messaging applications such as WhatsApp. Here at AppTuts, we have already talked about chatbot tools for WhatsApp.
Among the types of chatbots that deserve mention, we can mention those based on rules and those based on artificial intelligence. While the former follows a predetermined set of instructions and responses, the latter can learn from user interactions, being a more advanced option and providing a better experience.
A chatbot can service your customer in the technical support, sales, and marketing area of your company. You can also research this subject in our selection of the 20 best live chat websites and social networks, or in our compilation of the 20 best customer service software.
How to create a Chatbot?
Alright, you know what is a chatbot, but how to create one? To create a chatbot you will need to use specific tools, such as ManyChat, JivoChat, LiveChat, Flow XO, and MobileMonkey. With them, you can configure your chatbot’s behavior according to the needs of your business or personal project. Although ManyChat is one of the most used, there are those who prefer one of these ManyChat alternatives.
The relationship between the company and the customer is a growing demand in the digital environment, and it can be difficult for a human agent to handle all the work without huge queues being formed. In addition, this wait can hinder the good performance of human agents, leaving your customers irritated by the long wait time to be served.
Therefore, knowing how to create your chatbot is important. You can configure the robot to answer simple and frequently asked questions and forward only the most complex questions to human agents, streamlining the entire operation of your virtual store, for example.
To improve the quality of your support, check out these 100 ready-made messages for customer service used in 2023.
Which tool to create Chatbot?
With the popularity of online retail, there are numerous tools to create chatbots in the market. But to make things easier, we selected the two easiest to set up on the market to present their characteristics followed by a step-by-step teaching how to create chatbots in them.
1. Flow XO
Flow XO stands out on our list for allowing you to create custom workflows on the main social networks and popular messengers, all with an intuitive and personalized experience according to the needs of the persona and the target audience of your business.
With Flow XO, you can use filters to target broadcasts to specific people. The platform also offers a reporting dashboard that provides basic analytics, helping to identify the total number of users, active people, and messages sent. It is worth mentioning that this chatbot has welcome features, where you can create personalized messages for a better experience for your customer.
We can’t help but point out that Flow XO lets you connect apps like Gmail and Google Sheets to make your work more automated. Breaking new ground in artificial intelligence, Flow XO offers an AI chatbot with an intuitive editor, customizable flows, and proactive support. With it, it is possible to develop flows that control the chats of the customer or visitor to your website with the chatbot.
On the other hand, if you’d rather customize pre-existing flows in the library to get your chatbot up and running, you’ll have no problem doing that with Flow XO. The platform helps with marketing and time saving by providing pre-filtered leads based on factors such as interest, behavior, and even purchase history. With this feature, it will be much easier for you to convert a visitor to your website or social media into a customer.
Prices:
- Standard plan with 15 bots and 5,000 interactions: $19
- Plan with 20 bots and 5,000 interactions: $29
- Plan with 20 bots and 30,000 interactions: $44
Are you thinking about setting up your first virtual store? So get to know the 12 essential steps to open e-commerce. Also learn what an e-commerce assistant is, how much do they earn, and how to hire one for your company.
How to create a chatbot with Flow XO
And now that you know what Flow XO is and what a chatbot is, let’s talk about how to create one with the platform!
To create a chatbot with it, access the Flow XO official website and click “Start for free“.
Log in with your Google account or Facebook account to speed up the account creation process.
When accessing the homepage, click on “New“.
Then choose the “Bot” option.
Then choose the channel where you want to install your chatbot. In this case, let’s choose Facebook Messenger.
Now it’s time to give your bot a name, create a welcome message, select your audience’s language, and define a greeting of up to 160 characters.
At the bottom of the page, click on “Login to Facebook“.
Choose the page you want to add your chatbot to and click “Next“.
Then review all the actions your robot will perform and click “Done“.
All set. Your account will be linked to Flow XO.
Back in Flow XO, click “Next“.
And now, your bot will be ready. Now it’s time to test it out. Upon entering your Facebook page and contacting you, your customer will receive the programmed welcome message as shown in the screenshots below.
If you already use LiveChat and are looking for new software options, check out these 12 LiveChat Alternatives.
2. MobileMonkey
MobileMonkey is one of the main tools for you to create your chatbot. It can be a great ally in automating your customer service, even if you don’t have any programming knowledge. This tool has several advantages, such as the use of machine learning to identify patterns in massive data and make predictions, offering the best answers to its consumers.
Additionally, MobileMonkey has integrations with major payment platforms such as PayPal to make it easy for you to bring money into your business. Another great highlight is that, with the template system provided by the platform, you have 75 options at your disposal to start building your bot.
The tool also allows for creating funnels, dragging opt-ins into bot flows, and sending broadcasts based on the user’s location. With advanced features including artificial intelligence and a unified inbox, you can centralize all your service in one place.
Choosing MobileMonkey saves you valuable time as you don’t have to worry about generating leads and nurturing your sales using a bunch of different tools. This platform is ideal for automated service on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and even on your website. Undoubtedly, a choice that can mark your customer service as one of the best for your consumers.
Prices:
- Pro: $ 14
- Pro Unicorn: $ 36
- Team:S$ 299
The mentioned plans are billed monthly.
Also, check out these 10 support tools for Instagram DM.
How to Create a Chatbot with MobileMonkey
All right, now that you know all about what is a chatbot and what MobileMonkey is, let’s talk about how to create one with the platform.
To do so, go to the official MobileMonkey website and click on “Login“.
Choose the option to log in through Facebook.
Choose the page that will connect to your chatbot.
Fill in the requested info and click on “Get started“.
Then choose the ideal plan for your business. Here, let’s start with the free plan.
You will be taken to the Mobile Monkey page to set it up on your website. However, that is not the focus of today. So, click on “Skip“.
On the home page, click on the three dots in the center of the screen.
Then click on “Chat-Starters“.
Then click on “Welcomer Dialogue“.
Now it’s time to set up what your bot will say to visitors and customers on your Facebook page or even Instagram when they get in touch.
In addition to the default answers, you can add more options by clicking “Add Widget“.
Let’s choose “Options” as an example.
Write a message and put options for your customers to choose from.
With everything set up, choose the “Test my bot” option.
All set! Your bot’s initial settings will be complete.
What is a chatbot and what is it for?
A chatbot is a software that talks to people in a chat as if they were real people. A chatbot can auto-service your company’s technical support, sales, and marketing. In addition, tools like Flow XO and MobileMonkey can be used in several other areas, such as financial transactions and even entertainment.
What is a chatbot on WhatsApp?
This is a type of chatbot designed specifically for WhatsApp. It aims to facilitate contact between customers and the company by providing automated communication 24 hours a day. The chatbot on WhatsApp is often used to answer simple questions or provide service times to speak directly with a human agent.
What are the advantages of having a chatbot?
The advantages of having an answering robot are immense. But among the main ones, we can highlight the fact that they eliminate human errors, help to avoid service queues, work 24 hours a day, optimize company and customer time, can be used for support, sales, and marketing, and even help to reduce costs.
How much does it cost to have a chatbot?
This amount can vary between $19 and $500. It all depends on the platform you choose to create the chatbot and the plan that best suits your business. You can start by using the Flow XO or MobileMonkey free trial period and get to know the tools better, then decide which plan will best suit your needs.
What are the types of chatbots?
Chatbots can be artificial intelligence or rule-based. For companies that want to have a more advanced service, artificial intelligence bots may be the best choice, as rule bots only respond with data already programmed, while AI-based bots are capable of creating personalized responses, in addition to learning from the past time.
