WhatsApp is the most popular messaging platform in the world. In 2024, WhatsApp boasts over two billion users worldwide, underscoring WhatsApp’s dominance, unparalleled reach and engagement opportunities. But what is WhatsApp marketing for business and how can you use it to increase your client engagement and ROI? Join us as we dig into the basics.
What Are The Benefits of WhatsApp Marketing for Business?
- WhatsApp messages have an open rate of 98%, higher than email marketing which is 20-30% on average.
- Over 40% of users respond to WhatsApp messages within minutes.
- WhatsApp messages have a delivery rate of over 90%, ensuring your messages reach the intended audience.
- WhatsApp is the most used messaging app in over 180 countries.
- WhatsApp messages see an average CTR (click through rate) of 45-60%, compared to 1-5% for email marketing.
- Businesses using WhatsApp report a 27% higher conversion rate.
- Over 53% of customers say they prefer messaging apps like WhatsApp compared to phone calls.
- Personalised communication on WhatsApp leads to a 70% higher retention rate compared to traditional channels.
- Businesses using WhatsApp for lead generation report a 30-50% lower cost per lead compared to other digital channels.
- Automated WhatsApp bots can handle up to 70% of customer queries, saving on staff costs.
How To Create A WhatsApp Marketing Strategy
We’re big on strategy here at Contentworks Agency. That’s because a well-made strategy underlies the effectiveness of everything you do. Here’s what the framework of a solid WhatsApp marketing strategy might look like.
#1 Define your goals and KPIs
To get your WhatsApp marketing strategy started, determine your objectives. Your WhatsApp marketing should slot into your overall communication strategy in a cohesive and aligned manner. That means you don’t send spammy “off brand” messaging on that platform when your other content is sleek and professional. It also means messaging sent on WhatsApp should be accessible in other areas such as your blog or email marketing.
Your WhatsApp marketing strategy may be aimed at a particular segment of your database or those who prefer to receive communication via WhatsApp. Understanding your goals will help you to plan your content and campaign execution.
#2 Segment Your Audience
When you opt clients into your database (they should be opted in to be contacted under GDPR rules) they may have provided information. This can include their region, product preference, ability (beginner, intermediate or pro), income, job title, sector, age and much more. Knowing your target audience can define your success when creating WhatsApp content because personalised is better. If you didn’t yet gather that information from your client base, you can try surveying them on social media and collecting data from Google Analytics.
Once you’ve decided on the key criteria for segmentation, you can create contact groups from your database. Each group can then receive a tailored message.
#3 Use The WhatsApp Business App
WhatsApp has a stand-alone application, WhatsApp Business. This tool means you can utilise:
- A business profile for your address, business description, email address, and website.
- Catalog – a virtual showcase of your products.
- Labels to organise your chats with customers.
- Quick and automated replies to stay in touch with customers and provide quick answers.
- Stats to track sent, delivered, received, and read messages.
Companies can use bulk WhatsApp messaging to efficiently communicate with a large audience. This can be done by sending out personalised or standardised messages to multiple recipients simultaneously. Businesses can craft customised messages containing text, images, videos, PDFs, or links and then use bulk messaging tools to distribute these to segmented customer lists.
#4 Understand The Platform
As with any social media or communication platform, understanding the rules is key to your success. Here are a few to remember when creating content for your WhatsApp marketing campaigns:
- Small businesses using the WhatsApp Business app can link a supported payment partner such as Cielo, Mercado Pago or Rede, and create an order within the app to securely accept payments from their customers.
- The maximum content for a message is 1024 characters (around 500 words). Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to use them all!
- WhatsApp will automatically truncate messages that are longer than 90 characters. After this recipients must click Read More. That means your most important content should be at the start.
- The time you send your messages matters. Align your sending schedule with your target audience and their time zones.
- Ensure compliance with GDPR and data privacy laws. Purchasing telephone lists is noncompliant and could land you in hot water.
- If a message is reported as spam, WhatsApp uses automated systems to analyse the message and its content. If the message is determined to be spam, WhatsApp may remove the reported message from the platform, preventing it from being sent to other users
WhatsApp spam filters check for red flags like:
- The use of certain words
- Links to spammy websites
- Messages in ALL CAPS
- Colorful and different-sized fonts
- Broken HTML code
- Emails without an unsubscribe button
#5 Design Your Communication
WhatsApp messages have impressive open rates but whether they deliver on ROI depends largely on your content and design. If you offer poorly produced content, you are unlikely to see positive results.
Ensure your key messaging is delivered before the Read More cut off and keep your communications short and sweet. You can also send videos, animations, emojis or pictures. But remember that if you’re sending for the first time, readers may be reluctant to open links. Similarly maintain consistency with your communication. If you bombard your readers with messages, they are likely to flag them as spam and block you. We would too!
You can develop templates for your automated messages. These can include welcome messages, FAQs, order confirmations and educational instructions. You can also implement feedback mechanisms via WhatsApp polls or surveys.
#6 Don’t Neglect Your Analytics
WhatsApp analytics provides valuable insights into user interactions on the platform. By leveraging tools and APIs designed for WhatsApp Business, you can track metrics like message open rates, response times, and customer retention. Advanced analytics enable segmentation of audiences, identification of high-performing campaigns, and user behaviour patterns. Reporting features often present data in visual formats like charts and dashboards, simplifying decision-making. These insights help businesses to optimise the effectiveness of their outreach efforts.
- Monitor campaign performance (message delivery rates, open rates, and engagement).
- Run split tests with different content and designs for different segments of your database.
- Analyse customer queries and feedback for actionable insights.
WhatsApp marketing has proven to be an effective channel for direct, personalised communication with audiences. Its high open rates, real-time messaging capabilities, and multimedia support make it a great tool to connect authentically with customers. Contentworks Agency specialises in crafting tailored marketing strategies that align with your brand’s objectives. Book a free Zoom call with our team to get started.