September 21, 2020 
In between all the coding, programming, and computing jargon, it is easy to get overwhelmed and wonder if it is easy to make a chatbot.
Chatbots are all the rage nowadays. They are the future of online and digital marketing and are certainly worth the hype and giddiness around them.
Chatbots have been around for quite a while now and although more updates are being made, the development it has gone through over the years is impressive.
A chatbot is an artificial intelligence computer program that can simulate conversations with a user on websites, mobile applications or messaging platforms like Facebook Messenger.
The bots in existence today have improved from the simple ELIZA that was created a long time ago.
Now, we have highly intelligent bots like Siri from Apple, Alexa from Amazon as well as many other AI-Powered bots like Zebrabuzz.
If chatbots were not a big deal, bigwigs like Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon, and many more would not adopt them.
Hence, the need to have one. I am sure you already know that, but then the next question is, how do you go about it and is it easy to make a chatbot?
It is certainly not a question that is out of place. As much as it is important to consider the costs that building a chatbot may accrue, it is also good to find at how easy it is to make one.
Yes, it is easy to make a chatbot. However, just like any other thing in life, you can as well make it difficult for yourself.
Tips to Follow to Make Chatbot Building Easy
There are certain tips to follow if you want to make the experience fun and easy for you. If you follow each step, you will find it is easy to make a chatbot.
Here are a few things to take into consideration if and when you want to make a bot:
Use a Powerful Chatbot Making Platform
There is no better way to start your journey into the use of chatbot than making use of a platform.
Not only will it make it easy to make a chatbot, but it will also speed up the whole process.
However, not just any platform, you must ensure you employ the services of powerful chatbot builders.
There are many powerful chatbot builders out there. However, let us use Zebrabuzz as an example and identify what it offers, besides what the normal chatbot would give you.
Here are a few of the benefits you would gain if you use their platform:
- Works on any platform, be it on a website, for email marketing, Facebook Messenger, and so on.
- It can sell your products for you.
- How about personalised ads? Easy. Does that for you.
- Can take orders from anywhere; Facebook Messenger, company websites etc.
- Can integrate with all major payment systems
- Can provide reminders for appointments if you have a business that requires users to make bookings
- It supports many business categories and CMS platforms.
The first step to a smooth experience should be done right.
Pinpoint Goals and Expectations
Most people dive in without setting targets and goals. If you want to make it easy to make a chatbot, define your goals, targets, and expectations.
What do you want from your chatbot? In what aspect do you want to employ your chatbot? What problems should it be able to solve?
This will help you focus on the features you need to add only. You must, however, ensure you do not overload your chatbot with too many functions.
Sure they can do a whole lot for you but if you want a smooth experience, ensure you choose one or two problems you want the bot to solve.
Take a look at your business, what is the most pressing concern you face? There is your answer. Remember, your customers want quality and not quantity.
Give your Bot a Unique Name
Giving your chatbot a unique name will also make your experience in the industry smoother and as well make it easy to make a chatbot.
Presently, there are more than 300,000 chatbots on Facebook Messenger only. Add that to the bots that work only on other platforms, and you have yourself an overwhelming number.
You do not want your bot to be lost in the sea of chatbots. While building your bot, let it have a very special name that is peculiar to it only.
Choose an uncommon name. It makes it easy and fast to find your bot. Over time, your bot may also be a household name in the industry like many others we know of today.
For example, when you hear of Siri, you think Apple immediately. The same goes for Amazon’s Alexa, Window’s Cortana, and many others you may be familiar with.
Ensure your Conversation Flow is Natural
Many people make the mistake of letting their bots sound like bots. Yes, it is a bot, but a natural conversation flow will give your customers the feeling the chatbot is empathic.
Ensure your chatbot is conversational. Try and build a conversation flow that facilitates conversations with the users.
Open-ended conversations will ensure you understand the needs of your users better. Therefore, you will be able to attend to them properly.
Start Simple, Start Small
You have learned that it is better to limit the functionalities of your bot for starters and focus more on specific goals and targets.
Coupled with that, if you want to it to be easy to make a chatbot, you also need to keep it simple and start small. You can achieve this through the following ways:
- Keep the bot’s conversations concise and understandable. Yes, you want it to be conversational. But that does not take simplicity away. Keep it short and simple like a lady’s skirt.
- Do not communicate with jargon. Use words and expressions that will be familiar to anybody. Do not use technical terms that will make your users scrambling to find the meaning.
Unravel a Feature at a Time
While building, you make it easy to make a chatbot for your business when you unveil a feature at a time.
Although you may desire your chatbot to carry out several different duties but ensure each feature is introduced one after the other.
Do not overload your customers and users with too many features and information at once. It can be overwhelming at first.
Let your users get used to one at a time before moving to others.
Other ways to make it easy to make a chatbot are:
Regular bot Optimisation
Stay up to date: It is an industry that is still being developed, so more and more updates are being made.
Therefore, ensure you are always informed concerning new and latest developments that can help improve your bot and ensure you stay competitive.
Following these steps will ensure it is easy to make a chatbot for your business. What are you waiting for? Why not get started?
