What Are Promoted Chats in Kik Messenger

App advertisements suck, don't they? They clog up your apps, distract you from what you are trying to do, and you never know if you can trust them. Well, Kik messenger thinks they have the solution to that problem.

If you already use Kik, you may have seen promoted chats. The feature, which has been slowly rolled out over the last year, is intended to bring big brands straight to the consumer. The idea is simple. Kik users can opt into brands and industries that they like and care about.  From then on, these brands will be able to start conversations directly with you about the things you care about. Maybe your favorite fashion brand has a new line of sneakers, or the band you love has a new album out. Then, a combination of automated responses and social media staff will take your comments and opinions about the product onboard.
 
The exciting thing about promoted chat is that the experience is intended to be truly interactive. That means that the service will use keywords you type to make automated, helpful responses to your questions. Want to know what time your favorite coffee house is open? Just ask them on Kik. How about the latest deals on new headphones? Just Kik it. This service could open up the door to company-consumer interaction on an entirely new level.
 
So what does this have to do with Application advertisements? Kik is hoping to monetize their app through promoted chat in place of ads. During the first small trial of promoted chat, over six million users had conversations with their favorite brands, sending a total of 100 million messages. That is the type of user engagement that most companies can only dream of.  Big brands will be licking their lips at the idea of not only reaching out to their user base but having those same users give them valuable feedback.