With chatbots, there is no middle ground. They’re highly tailored and impressive or easier to see through than that fourth sheet of cling wrap you angrily tore off while trying to cover your leftovers.
The good news is that automation doesn’t have to be transparent or dull. With the right tools and a little creativity, you can craft an authentic experience for your followers that’s oozing with personality — your personality.
Here we’ll cover the more 🎉fun 🎉 side of what’s possible with TikTok automations, and inspire you to create some of your own.
Fun Automation #1: Need a Sous Chef? No Problem
Recipes (and the novels that usually accompany them) have been online for as long as anyone can remember. And once you’ve waded through all the preamble, who even knows if they’ll be readable.
Of course, you can follow a video step-by-step, but what if you could control the pace? And what if, instead of searching for how long you need to sauté that garlic, all the details were available within a scroll or two?
This is where TikTok automation comes in. With some setup, you can share interactive recipes that guide visitors through preparing a dish in their kitchen. The process goes like this:
- A visitor expresses interest in seeing a recipe, either through a keyword or a response to a welcome message you’ve set up
- They’re prompted to either download the recipe or be guided through the process right there in the DM
- They’re presented with each step, replying “Done” when they’re ready to move on
That’s right; no more pop-ups or redirects will drag people away from the info, and they can move at their own pace. Pretty cool, huh?
Fun Automation #2: Tell Your Story (or Better Yet, Theirs)
First impressions are everything. So why not make sure you can get it right? And not just the first time, but every time. Using automation, you can craft the perfect introduction to you and your business, then let it roll for anyone who visits you. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even find love.
You can share what makes your brand unique with text, photos, or video. Whether it’s your mission, your products and services, or just a bit of personality, visitors will have 24/7 access to the things that make you tick, all carefully curated by you.
Ok so business info is one thing, but where’s the fun? It turns out you can use this idea for many other things too. Like, let’s say, a choose-your-own adventure.
Imagine you’re a horror writer wanting visitors to feel the fear firsthand. Using automations like in Manychat’s Flow Builder, you can set up personalized storytelling bots that take users on their own adventure guided by the prompts they put in (and the responses you craft).
It’s easy to see the possibilities here; your imagination is the only limit.
For example, imagine a teaser video or the first paragraph of a story with the caption, “What happens next? Reply ‘open the door’ or ‘back away slowly’ to decide.”
One thing worthy of note here is that, while this idea is great as a conversation starter and a fun minigame, it’s crucial to know when to step in yourself. If you’re crossing into deep conversation territory, it’s time to pick up the reins and lead ‘er on home.
Fun Automation #3: Fish For Compliments or Put on The Roast
Since we’re talking specifically about fun ideas for automation, what’s more fun than receiving a compliment? Well, lots of things, but we’ll take all the compliments we can get.
You might love the idea of creating a chat automation flow to give visitors much-needed positivity. Or, if they’re feeling a little spicy, how about a playful roast?
Either way, you can use automation to get the job done. The idea is to choose keywords like “roast” or “compliment” that trigger either a set of predefined responses (get your burn book ready) or AI-generated quips to gas the reader up — or bring them back down to earth.
Note: Manychat’s AI Step functionality isn’t available for TikTok (keep an eye on the blog for any new product announcements!), but you can use it on Facebook Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram right now.
Whichever way you configure it, automations like this can help infuse personality into your profile even when you’re away. This allows visitors to get to know you and your humor, engage with your content in new ways, and build more rapport for your interactions when you are behind the keys.
Fun Automation #4: Lend a Helping Hand Even When You’re Not Around
Speaking of helping visitors even when you’re not actively working, another excellent use for automations is to help people get the info they need in a more fun and interactive way than simply searching.
Depending on your niche, you can lend a helping hand to visitors by adding specific information related to your products, services, and interests in the automation flow. This can help answer frequent questions, cover specific material that’s not so easy to find, or even offer advice — all without you having to intervene.
Some examples to consider:
Custom workouts from your favorite gym rat
Do your followers want a custom workout plan? Sure! Break it down by the type of workout — cardio, strength, or mobility — or even the duration if visitors want a single workout or a seven-day challenge.
Care advice from your friendly neighborhood plant parent
Yellow leaves are always a drag. Share your love of plants by offering advice from different troubleshooting keywords or indicators. You might answer these questions often anyway, so why not automate them to offer always-on help?
Date ideas from your favorite lifestyle influencer
If your idea of a good time is sharing your favorite restaurant or that new experiential craft bar that’s such a vibe, consider adding them as date ideas for your local followers. After all, who doesn’t love a good rec from their favorite creator in town?
Product recommendations from a trusted techie
We’ve all been there — scrolling through top 10 lists looking for the right laptop only to find out that one deal on Amazon is eight months old (and they don’t even make the thing anymore). What if you could get recommendations from your favorite creator, though? With automation, you can easily set up frequently asked questions and common troubleshooting info.
Are The Creative Juices Flowing Yet? Go Forth and Automate!
Once you realize the power of automation, it’s hard to deny the benefits. There’s less time spent answering basic questions, your followers get what they need (and fast), and you get to spend more time on what matters i.e., growing your business, creating content, and having fun.
With these ideas, your visitors will have fun too.
If you’re ready to dive into what’s possible with automation in your corner, check out what you can do with the power of Manychat on TikTok.