Summary

• WhatsApp for Business’ direct communication features create ideal potential to pivot into omnichannel strategy.
• Omnichannel WhatsApp strategy can promote consistent cross-channel communication with the right integrations, allowing for precise retargeting.
• Marketing automation can prove instrumental in creating effective WhatsApp campaign strategies.

Already a popular app before the pandemic, WhatsApp has seen its usage grow even more as in the post-COVID world. With over two billion active users, the messaging app has permeated multiple aspects of life—from daily communication to transactions to resource coordination. WhatsApp has already established its presence in countries like India, Brazil, and Singapore, while other markets are quickly warming up to the app for commerce and convenience.

So, what potentials does the channel hold for businesses looking to expand their market mix? In this blog, we will look at some of those potential applications.

WhatsApp for Business

WhatsApp’s business mode allows brands to set up accounts with company information, receive messages and calls from contacts, track analytics on communications via the app, and perhaps most importantly, share product catalogs directly in WhatsApp chats and brand profiles.

In fact, the WhatsApp for Business API, for an additional price, grants the brand access to a multitude of other features for marketing communication and customer assistance such as multimedia messages, templates, personalized messages, interactive messages, and multi-user access.

Creative campaigns that build direct connections

Unlike Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google, WhatsApp lends itself better to fostering direct, continuous interactions with consumers. While brands can certainly engage contacts on an individual basis, many have found great success building thriving mini communities of brand enthusiasts via WhatsApp group chats, where one can enjoy early access to product releases, raise their questions, and stay updated on other brand-related stories.

Conversations that leave an impression

While consumers most certainly appreciate timely updates on deals and products, they are still likely to grow tired of constant promotional messages without a hint of originality.

The direct nature of WhatsApp as a channel makes it a prime candidate for innovative message campaigns and celebrity or influencer-driven conversations with an already willing contact base.

Moreover, think of all the viral campaigns for major album releases and sought-after fashion brands where cryptic, hyper-localized marketing is utilized to generate buzz across online and offline worlds. WhatsApp group chats can be another prime candidate for such campaigns, utilizing gradual sharing of hints about pop-up promotional events and/or exclusive digital brand experiences.

Convert WhatsApp interactions to omnichannel engagement

While WhatsApp for Business allows the audience to shop directly within the app, there is still the question of how brands can persuade those who do not complete the purchase to cross that finish line.

To prepare for those cross-channel conversion efforts, brands can start by introducing the right technologies for audience identification and attribution on key touch points like their mobile apps and websites. They can then re-engage the contacts with WhatsApp messages and/or SMS containing additional discounts and a link to those follow-up touch points. Better still, they can significantly scale this process with marketing automation tools like Resulticks to map entire omnichannel engagement journeys that begin on WhatsApp.

Conclusion

As WhatsApp occupies a bigger place in everyday consumption across the world, brands in an increasing list of sectors will have to welcome the app as a new frontier in their marketing strategy.

Like any growing app, the secret to success is effortless in theory, but demanding in execution: It’s about utilizing every single feature with abundant innovation and pushing for maximum returns by adopting the most suitable tools.