WhatsApp has over 1.5 billion monthly active users around the world and celebrated it’s 10-year anniversary on Sunday. Despite global adoption of WhatsApp, many businesses are yet to leverage the app from a marketing and operations perspective.
What is WhatsApp?
A cross-platform mobile messaging app that uses an internet connection to allow users to send and receive messages, photos and files as well as make voice and video calls for free.
WhatsApp has three core methods of sharing messages and media: one-to-one chat, broadcast lists and group chats.
Why use WhatsApp for business?
Because your clients and customers use it! Customers love to communicate with brands in a way that is simple and easy, so why not reduce the barrier to conversion?
A Nielsen study on Facebook Messaging revealed that 67 percent of mobile messaging app users expect to use chat more for communicating with businesses over the next two years.
WhatsApp can fast track your business operations in a number of ways from internal communications to customer support and communication, for example following up on quotes. Some restaurants are even using WhatsApp to place orders! The sky is the limit (if you think creatively!).
WhatsApp Marketing
WhatsApp doesn’t currently sell ad space and monetisation of this platform is certainly on the horizon, but there are a number of ways marketers can utilise the enormous audience and impressive engagement rates of WhatsApp.
Marketers are using WhatsApp messenger campaigns within the Facebook ads platform to start a relationship with potential customers on WhatsApp.
Move over SMS, WhatsApp broadcast lists are perfect for direct marketing if you have 256 or less users on your database. WhatsApp allows you to share files, short video clips, text messages and images so you can be a lot more creative with your messaging. This approach is perfect for small businesses to grow their relationships with loyal customers and share new products, services and offers.
From social competitions to product launches, check out how brands like Colgate and Absolute used WhatsApp for marketing campaigns.
Convinced your business needs WhatsApp, but not sure how to get started?
Stay tuned for Part 2 next week, where we’ll show you how to set up WhatsApp as a channel for your marketing mix.
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