What are chatbots?
Chatbots can be realised as the modern way of texting. ChatBots have been termed as biggest advancements in the evolution of the Internet. Almost every brand now has chatbots of its own. The concept of Chatbots has been trending ever since KIK, the texting application launched its own chatbots. Just how applications successfully replaced websites, chatbots have been replacing applications the same way. Chatbots are specially designed programs that work on the concept of Artificial Intelligence.
The basic function of Chatbots is to make conversing with other people easier. With the help of Internet and text, messenger application chatbots help to provide the user with a better interaction experience while communicating. Various text messengers like Kik and Facebook have been using bots recently to serve best services to users. Kik has launched around 16 bots that provide various kinds of features to the user.
Why Chatbots are a must?
Chatbots have become a necessity for the time. With the wide range of benefits that chatbots offer almost every brand wants to have their own chatbot. Kik has launched bots that have been designed especially for a particular purpose like weather, vines, comedy, shopping and much more.
Chatbots have been replacing application as now you can use bots doing every task instead of download different applications for different purposes. With special benefits like Work automation, high flexibility, easy accessibility, good handling capacity, best customer satisfaction, cost effectiveness, personal assistance and much more all the brands have been starting their own chatbots to gain more popularity with time.
Chatbots on Kik
Young people are seen as highly active in messaging applications like Kik. As per 2015, 1.4 billion people used a chat app and the number has been increasing ever since. Kik provides a reliable platform for the programmers to develop their own chatbots, to build and grow and achieve appreciable audience support. Setting up chatbots has become the easiest way to interact with the audience at really minimal cost.
There is no need to learn to use a Chabot as they are not a special application but an additional feature to the old application.
Functioning of Chatbots on kik
Chatbots are computer programs and can be easily started up with knowledge of a programming language. To configure the chatbot developed by you, the first requirement is a webhook. Webhook refers to the HTTP call-backs which are user-defined.
In simple words, a webhook is a location on the Internet where your chatbot can be found. When any user sends you a message to your boot on Kik application, the message is firstly delivered from the device of the user to Kik servers. Kik servers infrastructure performs their message delivering and account login operations and then via REST, the message is sent to your chatbot with the help of the webhook you configured while creating the bot.
That is how webhook plays a really important function in delivering a message to the right contact. The message can then be replied back with the help of the same process.
How to build a chatbot on Kik clone app?
To build a kik clone app with chatbot, you require programming skills and experience with your programming language. If you do not have the necessary programming skills then there are certain cat agencies that can help you set up your own chatbots. As the Kik’s chat infrastructure is supportive, it allows you to deploy bots in any programming language.
For example, Python, or node.js are common languages that can help you in easy development of bots, these languages also have boot development SDKs that can enhance your chatbot by speeding up the development process. The developed chatbots can be executed on MAC or PC if your Webhook is valid.
Firstly test your Kik chatbot on a proxy server network before launching it, so as to ensure smooth working of developed chatbot. Cloud services provided by Heroku, Amazon AWS, and Google Cloud Platform are more effective ways of deploying chatbots as they reduce the costs of having an actual physical server.
Basic steps to start a chatbot
- Deciding the use – You must first be sure f the purpose your bot will serve. You must first decide if it will be a common messaging bot or special purpose boot for example gaming, shopping, utility etc.
- Design your bot – After you are sure of purpose you should give your bot an outline by designing it. You choose between various options like serious or professional bot as per your need.
- Target the right audience- For any chatbot to be of use, you must first know the right audience for your bot. For e.g. shopping enthusiasts must be targeted for shopping bots.
- Make a Flowchart- You must analyse the working of your bot with the help of a systematic flowchart that can help you understand various steps that will be followed in the execution of the bot.
- Choose your platform- You must understand different tools that can work well with your chosen platform. Explore and know more about your chat platform. You can also use API documentation to learn better functioning of bots.
- Begin the coding- The most crucial step is to code the chatbot. If you have no experience with programming you can contact chat agencies as they specialize in building bots.
Bots have spread over almost all the platforms have revolutionised the working of the Internet. Hence knowledge on setting up the right bot is crucial as the scope of chatbots is immense.
Katy Connell is a Marketing Manager at AIS Technolabs. Web design and Development Company, helping global businesses to grow by Social Media Marketing Services. She would love to share thoughts on yik yak clone, Social Media Marketing Services, Game Design Development and Digital Marketing etc..