More than 900 million people use Messenger, Facebook's chat product, every month.
To keep people coming back, the company has been juicing up Messenger's capabilities, turning it into a platform that extends beyond just chatting to things like getting news or hailing a ride.
Here's everything you need to know to make Messenger as useful as possible:
First things first: if you want to boycott the main Facebook app but still use Messenger, it's possible to make an account using only your phone number. Just download the app or go to Messenger.com to sign up.FacebookFacebook first introduced this capability last summer.
Similarly, you can access Messenger on desktop without going to Facebook.com. If you're finding yourself too distracted by the social network's site but want to chat with your friends on your computer...BI
...check out Messenger.com. You get all the benefits of chat without any of the clutter.BI
Although Messenger was traditionally just for chatting with friends, Facebook has recently allowed businesses to start creating chatbots. You can do things like order flowers, get news updates, or check your flight status, all through Messenger.Messenger
A lot of bots are still working out their kinks or trying to prove their value, but some are genuinely useful. Learn more about Facebook's vision for bots and check out this directory of options.
One of the built-in services that you don't need a bot for is ordering a ride from either Lyft or Uber. You can access this capability by clicking on an address that someone shares, or by pressing the three dots in the right hand corner of the app and clicking "Transportation."Facebook
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
See Also:
- Analysts are going gaga for Facebook's earnings beat
- Mark Zuckerberg hints that you'll be able to chat with celebrity 'bots' on Messenger
- What Wall Street is expecting from Facebook's Q1 earnings
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