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Facebook’s Messenger Platform launched, allows businesses to build bots

Released in beta, Messenger Platform allows businesses to build bots that can interact with customers or even handle purchases.

Danny Sullivan on April 12, 2016 at 12:45 pm

Facebook wants to ensure that Messenger is the new way that businesses can connect with people, pushing the platform and new bot support at today’s F8 annual developers conference.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg spoke for the first 30 minutes of the opening keynote, outlining a broad vision of a world that’s better by being more connected. Messenger had perhaps the starring role in this, which got further detailed by others in following talks.

A new Messenger Platform was announced, allowing developers to create bots that can automatically interact with customers, even to perform such actions like purchasing shoes:

And we're buying sneakers with Messenger #F8 https://t.co/L44ADCBk85 pic.twitter.com/OC42XYG3vy
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) April 12, 2016

Facebook stressed that the bots won’t simply be “command-line” chatbots that have gotten attention recently but will be more featured and app-like:

Facebook doesn't see bots as a command line interface #F8 https://t.co/L44ADCBk85 pic.twitter.com/FiHXlCLdip
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) April 12, 2016

Facebook also repeatedly positioned Messenger as a type of universal app that will prove useful in a world where people are suffering from app-fatigue, a platform that all businesses can easily use to connect with people.

Zuckerberg also said that Messenger, along with development of Live and 360 video, are top priorities over the coming five years:

The Facebook 10 year plan #F8 https://t.co/L44ADCBk85 pic.twitter.com/SEDLrATZlQ
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) April 12, 2016

Here are some of our follow-up stories out of the event:

Below, our live blog has more news, plus it touches on some of the Live and 360 video announcements.

About The Author

Danny Sullivan

Danny Sullivan was a journalist and analyst who covered the digital and search marketing space from 1996 through 2017. He was also a cofounder of Third Door Media, which publishes Search Engine Land, Marketing Land, MarTech Today and produces the SMX: Search Marketing Expo and MarTech events. He retired from journalism and Third Door Media in June 2017. You can learn more about him on his personal site & blog He can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.