D​omain introduces new Facebook Messenger bot to engage with consumers

Australian property-tech site Domain announced the launch of the first property messenger bot on the Facebook Messenger platform, enabling consumers to find property information by engaging with the social media platform.

Domain’s bot allows property searchers exploring a new suburb to use Messenger chat with Domain and ‘drop a pin’, or simply search any location. The Domain bot will then instantly show them properties relevant to their location or search

Meanwhile property searchers wanting to know the value of a house they walk by can start a chat with Domain and ask for a price on any address, even if it’s not for sale. The bot will instantly respond with full a property profile from Domain’s Home Price Guide, which delivers information on 13 million properties in Australia.

According to Domain’s chief product officer, Damon Pezaro, the new interactive feature is set to boost engagement and make the journey easier for Domain users, who can start a Messenger chat, ask for key information they need, and receive an instant response.

“We’re always looking for ways to make searching for property easier and more enjoyable, and our Messenger bot is a great way for people to instantly access the information they need quickly to get ahead in the property market,” he claimed. “Consolidating property search into one of the most popular consumer apps creates a whole new experience for Domain’s audience.”

The mobile-friendly engagement tool is in line with recent statistics showing increased smartphone use across the country, Pezaro said.

“It’s widely cited that consumers spend around 85% of their time using just five smartphone apps each month,” he added. “Creating a Domain bot for Messenger allows a more natural communication interaction and saves consumers time flipping between apps and websites.”

Facebook Australia’s head of eCommerce, Melinda Petrunoff, highlighted the new bot will make customer engagement more fun and interesting across the board.

“We loved seeing how Domain has created new ways within Messenger to make it more fun and interesting for people,” she said. “Working together has been a rewarding collaboration, delivering a leading innovation in the world of property marketing.”

Domain is the first Australian company to launch this feature, and the bot was designed, developed and deployed within just two days of Facebook launching the developer platform.

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