As the world’s most popular messaging app, WhatsApp as a channel presents a huge chance for businesses to connect with customers. Here are 5 best ways to use it.
Founded in 2009, WhatsApp was not initially intended to be used as a messaging platform. Today, it’s the world’s most popular messaging app, with 2 billion monthly active users and daily traffic of 100 billion. With this in mind, WhatsApp as a channel presents a huge opportunity for businesses to connect with customers, potential or existing.
If you’re looking to use WhatsApp Business Platform or want to improve how you’re using it, here are some of the best ways you can use this channel.
1. Rich notifications
Quick updates like an appointment reminder or an order confirmation are ideal applications for mobile messaging. While email and direct mail can also work, the former can easily be missed/end up in a junk folder and the latter may not be fast enough.
Using WhatsApp Business Platform, you can transform your messages into something more impactful than a simple notification. Just see the two examples below that show the difference between an appointment reminder sent via SMS as opposed to WhatsApp Business Platform.
Rather than a simple message (which is still impactful), you can add rich features such as interactive buttons. Let’s say you were sending an appointment reminder. A button for your recipient to reschedule via your online booking system or a button to call the practice makes it quick and easy to move the appointment (if they need to). Plus, it’s more engaging!
2. Marketing campaigns
Did you know that 81% of global consumers would consider purchasing a product from a business as a result of a marketing message received via WhatsApp? In contrast, the average conversion rate for email marketing sits between 2-3% across industries.
That’s not to say WhatsApp is superior to email. We found that nearly half of consumers (48%) chose email newsletters as their favourite way to engage with brands compared to 29% for SMS and WhatsApp. So, what we’re actually suggesting is to use WhatsApp Business Platform alongside email to send rich, engaging content and boost overall conversion rates.
Take advantage of WhatsApp Business Platform’s rich features such as buttons, locations, QR codes and web link previews. Not only will these make your messages about flash sales and product launches stand out, but they will help drive traffic to your website/intended destination.
3. Customer support
Customers can be left frustrated if they face long wait times when trying to reach your customer service team. For example, we recently found that consumers are becoming increasingly impatient, with 81% expecting a response from businesses within 24 hours and a further 20% willing to wait less than an hour.
Using WhatsApp Business Platform, you can drive faster – even instantaneous – connections and have more convenient experiences.
Instead of waiting on hold or in a queue, your customers can conveniently send you a message on WhatsApp while on-the-go. Then they can close the app and continue with their day. No need to keep the window open so the chat doesn’t time out and they have to wait in a queue again.
Introducing features like automated messaging or chatbots can help save time for your customer support team. So if customers contact you out of hours, they can still interact with your business. Or, if they have a more straightforward query, the chatbot can direct them to an appropriate answer. This gives your team more time to focus on the more complex cases, like putting together bespoke packages or pricing.
4. Alerts
With email open rates sitting as low as 21% and up to 500,000 letters going missing every week in the UK, it’s easy to understand why customers miss important updates. WhatsApp Business Platform’s integrated delivery and read notifications can help reassure you that your critical messages have been received and engaged with.
This makes WhatsApp Business Platform a great channel to send important alerts such as travel updates, facility closures and security breaches.
5. Sales
Today’s consumers crave convenience and consistency. If they’re choosing to shop online instead of in person, it’s typically because it’s easier.
Using WhatsApp Business Platform, you can build shopping experiences within WhatsApp conversations. For example, upsell and cross-sell via personalised product recommendations. Rather than a simple message that features a link to your website, you can add imagery, videos and buttons – all of which can help boost message engagement.
Plus, it’s an additional channel to promote your products and services on, which is great for boosting brand awareness.
Get closer to your customers with WhatsApp Business Platform
Available in over 180 countries and 60 languages, WhatsApp has more users on a monthly basis than any other messaging app in the world. And did you know that the average user opens WhatsApp up to 25 times a day? This channel presents a huge opportunity for businesses to get closer and stay closer to their customers.
So, if you’re not already using WhatsApp Business Platform, it’s time to start. If you already are, are you using it as per best practices? In our comprehensive resource to WhatsApp Business Platform, we cover everything you need to know on using this channel, from how it compares to SMS to how to have high-quality conversations your customers will remember.
Read more below.
