Messenger apps are a hot topic at the minute, big numbers against both users and usage, we're now seeing other platforms layering messaging into their offering. Hopefully this is a quick and easy guide to those potentially lesser known names you might being seeing buzz around. See more form Eat Sleep Social here: http://eatsleepsocial.com/2013/12/everything-you-need-to-know-about-messaging-apps/ Follow Eat Sleep Social on twitter: http://twitter.com/eatsleepsocial Sign up to the weekly Eat Sleep Social Newsletter: http://eatsleepsocial.com/newsletter/

1. Everything
You Need To Know About…
Messenger Apps
BROUGHT TO YOU BY

2. Messaging isn’t a new behaviour…

3. Messenger apps are huge
Daily image sharing
Whatsapp = 400 million
Facebook = 350 million
Instagram = 50 million
!
Active monthly users
Whatsapp = 350 million
WeChat = 235 million
Viber = 150 million

4. What are they?
Specialist apps which allow one-to-one or group messaging between friends, either via
phone book contacts, users names or social connection.
!
A majority of them are free to download and they offer unlimited messaging and calls for no
extra costs.
!
They are now a more popular choice for messaging than Facebook for teens.

5. Why they’re getting popular
1. PARENTS
Yep, the age old embarrasing parents issue. They started showing up on Facebook along with
a few other family members. Kind of changes the tone of things...

6. Why they’re getting popular
2. TOO MUCH NOISE
Farmville invites, app install ads, promoted posts, like ads etc etc.
And they’re on top on the baby pictures and other cliches that the platform has become
known for.

7. Why they’re getting popular
3. TOO MANY ADVERTS
Straying from the actual purpose and catering very much to the brands, Facebook has
become ad heavy and teens are more savvy towards that and happy to go elsewhere and
escape the barrage of highly targetted messages.

8. Why they’re getting popular
4. FAKE FRIENDS
Users are more savvy towards what ‘social media’ is now. Chances are, in the early days
users of all ages ended up becoming Facebook friends with a majority of people they met.
Again, resulting in newsfeed clutter and the odd habit of looking into strangers mundane
lives.

9. Why they’re getting popular
5. TIRED OF KEEPING UP APPEARANCES
Messenger apps offer a more private connection, as instantaneous as previous social
networks but they remove the high maintenance outward profile.

10. There’s no one single platform
THERE ARE SEVERAL BIG PLAYERS

11. Whatsapp
Started in 2009 by two ex-Yahoo staff, this smartphone messaging system
handles more than 10 billion messages a day and is reckoned to have more
than 250m users worldwide. One of the most popular paid-for apps on any
platform, and a threat to telecoms companies which charge for texts.
!
WhatsApp went from a free app to paid for - a yearly unlimited use
subscription for 69p
!
iPhone on iOS 4.3 and above - Android phones 2.1 and above - Blackberry OS
4.6 and above - Windows Phone 7.5 and above - No desktop support
FEATURES:
‣ Send free text messages embedded images, photos, video, audio, and location
‣ Reports sent messages ( server )
‣ Group Chat
‣ BBM Broadcast Message style
‣ Sync phone contacts to find friends / new users
‣ Stay connected no feature logout
350 million
active users each month
!
400 million
images shared daily

12. WeChat
The Chinese social media app, which handles voice messages, snapshots and
emoticons, has more than 200m subscribers. The vast majority of users are
in China, though it also has subscribers in the US and UK. It is being tipped as
the first Chinese social media application with the potential to go global.
!
iOS | Android | Windows Phone | BlackBerry | Nokia | Web WeChat
FEATURES:
‣ Send free text messages embedded
images, photos, video, audio, and
location.
‣ Features Live Chat and Group Chat.
‣ Chat with nearby users via neraby.
‣ Features Real Walkie Talkie up to 40
users.
‣ Notifications real time of new
messages.
!
‣ Sync Gmail contacts to the phone and
looking for a friend / new users.
‣ Stickers feature free and paid.
‣ Features offiline Message when not
connected to the internet.
‣ Features Video Call.
‣ Supports in many plaftorm phone and
can be accessed on a PC.
235 million
active users each month
!
400 million
registered users

13. Viber
Viber is very similar to WhatsApp as it uses mobile contact numbers to
identify users. You get an access code sent to your mobile number via text
message. It’ll then access your address book to see if any of your contacts
are connected to Viber; you can then instantly connect with them. Unlike
WhatsApp, Viber allows you to call users, provided your smartphone is
connected to the Internet.
!
iOS | Android | Windows Phone | BlackBerry | Nokia | Bada | Windows |Mac
!
Viber also works on Bada and has recently been made available for desktops
(Mac OS 10.7 and above, Windows) via Viber Desktop. This means that you
can make a call to friend who has Viber on their computer.
FEATURES:
‣ Free
‣ Voip calling
‣ Group chat
200 million
active users each month
‣ Location sharing
‣ Picture sharing
‣ Message popups (Android only)
!

14. Kik
You register on Kik with your email address, then choose a unique username
to allow other users to find you. The app is very simple and does a good job in
sending messages to individuals or group. There are no calling capabilities
but you have the overall basic messaging functionality supported on a wide
variety of mobile systems, for free.
!
iOS | Android | Windows Phone | BlackBerry | Nokia
!
Kik Cards, features built in HTML5 that let users search for and send YouTube
videos, find and share images, Reddit pics and GIFs, and create sketches and
memes - without leaving Kik and without downloading anything new!
FEATURES:
‣ Emoticons speak more than words,
quickly send emoticons in a
conversation by tapping the + key
‣ Easily block unwanted & annoying Kik
contacts.
‣ Miss a friend? Invite a friend your
contacts, email, or someone from your
social networks
‣ Being multi platform messenger they
wont have problem connecting to your
in Kik
50 million
active users each month
!
25 million
card downloads

15. KIK Cards
They're optional features that let you do even more with
Kik. You can use Kik Cards to search for and send YouTube
videos, find and share images, and create sketches. And
you can do all of this without leaving Kik - and without
downloading anything new.
!
See the 1D card in action here
See more about building Kik cards - lovely simple
tutorials

16. Kik
LINE registers your phone number into its database where you can then
connect with your phone contacts who are LINE users. An advantage of LINE
is that it allows you to reply to messages by installing a PC or MacOS
program, provided you register your number with an email account. Besides
text messaging, you can call other LINE contacts through the app with an
Internet connection.
!
iOS | Android | Windows Phone | BlackBerry
FEATURES:
!
‣ Line Messenger provides free services
(Only use internet data)
‣ Messenger Group could reach 100
members
‣ Add friend via QR code made free
through Line Messenger.
‣ In Line Messenger uses Stickers, similar
to emoticons but with more expression
!
‣ Line Messenger provides features Block
/ Black List ID, and also password
security features to stop other people
opening and viewing the contents of the
conversation.
!
!
300 million
active users each month
!
$10 million
in sticker revenue

17. Line Stickers
One feature of Line is the Sticker Shop where users are able to purchase virtual
stickers depicting original and well-known characters. The stickers are used
during chat sessions between users and act as large sized emoji. Users can
purchase stickers as gifts, but many stickers are available as free downloads,
depending on country availability. Purchased stickers are attached to an account
and can be used on other platforms. New sticker sets are released weekly. Line's
message stickers feature original characters as well as a number of popular
manga, anime and gaming characters, movie tie-ins, and characters from Disney
properties such as Pixar. Some sticker sets, such as those that celebrate special
events like the 2012 Summer Olympics, are released for only a limited time.

18. What does that mean for
Marketers?

19. 5 things Marketers need to know...
1. Currently no solid brand presence or paid for opportunities, but as always that will come
and there’s room to experiment with what is there - stickers or cards.
2. The audience is young and highly active, it’s not just a platform but a behaviour.
3. Usage on these apps is more personal than other social platforms
4. Messaging makes you think words but image sharing is a huge part of all of these apps.
5. If you wait to be told how to use these apps, it’ll probably be too late...

20. For more no-nonsense social…
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