Introduction and Different types of Entry Points
Updated
Introduction
There are many options for customers to start a conversation with your brand. You can use the Messages button and URL to meet customers in a place where you can contact them. You can also enable system features such as Apple Maps or Message Suggest so that customers can start conversations as they search for information about your business.
You can enable all custom entry points, such as business cards, place cards, and message suggestions, by checking the "Show Messages button for iOS and macOS" checkbox in the Apple Business Register. When this is done by default, all three of these entry points are enabled, where applicable, and the available phone numbers in the Brand Profile or the Location Profile if there is only one business location are enabled. in message suggestions.
Types of Entry Points
The entry points can majorly classify viz 12 categories for the brand to scale and make the customers engageable towards their brand on Apple Business for Messaging:
Message Suggest
Website Button
App Button
Email and SMS
Social Media
QR code and NFC tag
Augmented Reality (AR)
Wallet Passes
Apple Pay order tracking
Composing a message for a business URL
Apple Maps place card
Apple Maps and your business locations
Entry Points - Message Suggest
Reduce phone calls by providing message suggestions. When a customer clicks on a registered business phone number, a phone list appears, allowing the customer to choose between voice and message.
Entry Points - Website Button
The more visible the brand is, the easier it will be for buyers to contact. For example, brands can add a "Messaging for Business" button at the top and bottom of their website, on the contact page, and on specific use case pages.
Entry Points - App Button
Adding a button to the app makes it easy and quick for shoppers to connect with your brand when they need it, quickly and securely.
Entry Points - Email and SMS
Brands can reach specific customers by including the URL in an email or sending it via SMS.
Entry Points - Social Media
It's hard to find anyone these days who doesn't use at least one type of social media. In fact, most people have access to more than one type on a daily basis. Providing a social media entry point is another way to ensure that customers see your brand.
Entry Points - QR code and NFC tag
QR codes and NFC tags add an entry point to any location where marketing materials can be posted. You can advertise on bus stops, on streets, inside shops and malls, on business cards, tickets, and invoices. In a word, it is a limit to creativity. It's easy to create, and there are several free web apps for creating QR codes and programming NFC tags.
A QR Tag An NFC Tag
Entry Points - Augmented Reality (AR)
If AR is on your website or app, you can add it to your brand as an entry point. Customers can see how an object looks in their home and ask questions if they want to know more.
Entry Points - Wallet Passes
Brands can have a direct entry point to your business message on the back of boarding passes, loyalty cards, movie and event tickets, debit and credit cards, store cards, coupons, and gift cards.
Entry Points - Apple Pay order tracking
Starting with iOS 16 and macOS 13, brands can add order tracking status to Wallet associated with Apple Pay transactions. Customers can check the status of their order by clicking the order button in the Wallet app. From there, brands can add a link that opens the conversation in Apple Messages.
Entry Points - Composing a message for a business URL
Clients can initiate messages using the provided URL. When a customer clicks on the URL, the system redirects them to a message so they can send a text message. Decide how and where to provide the URL. Brands can embed it as a link in an email message or website, or use it as a button action in the app the customer is using.
Entry Points - Apple Maps place card
By adding and updating your brand's public location data in Apple Maps, you can win twice with this entry point. When customers use Apple Maps, your brand's location data can provide directions and an estimated arrival time. Of course, there's also a Messages button that redirects customers to Apple Messages for Business. There are several ways to add or update information about maps.
Entry Points - Apple Maps and your business locations
Messages are routed from the Messages for Business service through a Messaging Service Provider (MSP) to an agent.
Enable the Messages button on an Apple Maps location to route messages to a specific work location. Apple Maps displays a button for your location next to the call button. As with any other entry point, when a customer clicks on it, Messages for Business prompts them to start a conversation.
You can enable the Message button on your Apple Maps locations directly from your Messages for Business account in Apple Business Register. Check the box to enable iOS and macOS entry points and add the countries you want to display the Message button for your locations.
For example, if your business has locations in both the United States and Canada, but you only want to display the Message button for locations in the United States only add the United States. Once you activate the buttons submit the changes to Apple for review. When Apple approves the change, your business locations in the countries display the Messages button.
By adding intent and group ID information to your Locations profile, you can route messages directly to a business location the first time a customer taps the Messages for Business button. When performing traffic analysis, you can parse out your Messages for Business traffic by splitting out the intent and group information.
Your Apple Business Register representative enables the Locations service where you can set up your business Locations. Before creating a Location profile, determine which locations to register. The most useful locations are the ones customers visit, such as a retail stores.