Introduction of WhatsApp as a marketing tool
Evolution of WhatsApp
WhatsApp marketing tool is one of the popular marketing tools that enhance businesses to communicate with each other. Earlier, Jan Kaum and Brian Acton founded WhatsApp in 2009. The basic need was text messaging. Later, upgradation with a few feature improvements. Then, developed long-distance communication by video call and voice call facilities. Next, the sharing of videos, photos, and information through documents was available. Later addition of the function status. Earlier it faced security issues, used privacy concerns, and developed end-to-end encryption for sending messages (dwitama, 2023).
WhatsApp Business introduction with special features in addition to the business to enhance digital communication. It has made a versatile program with advanced features in marketing. Generally, digital marketing helps to connect to various audiences and brands maintain promotions and build a relationship with customers. Moreover, this supports product promotions and drives customer retention globally. The objective of this research is to find the new features that WhatsApp marketing tool has developed and improve marketing strategies for customer acquisition in boosting the conversion rate and better management of features with enhanced customer experience.
Overview of WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp API
WhatsApp Business Account
For small and medium-sized businesses, WhatsApp business has features that are more than WhatsApp Messenger that enhances the interaction with customers. The engagement and reach to audiences with an active user base and over 2 billion customers are available with the application for personal and business use. The key feature – quick reply in which messages replies faster. Automatic messages where engagement increases when the business is offline. Media messaging is where images, videos, and documents are sent (K, 2023). Alerting the notifications such as reminders, and responses that are automated through chatbots. Using features with interactive buttons for rapid responses.
WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business Account
WhatsApp Business API
There would be higher customer volumes of interaction with the WhatsApp business API. There will be no availability of a stand-alone interface but it integrates with the CRM system which enhances automated customer interaction. Moreover, It helps the customer’s interest and daily use of interactions by giving a real-time experience. The key features are unlimited users and devices, there will be collaboration with customer support with contacts daily, and enhanced interaction. Generally, getting a green check mark which is a verified business account displays with names. Also, gains trust with the customers the integration of API with CRM for taking this experience and managing the contacts. Enhance the usage of automation and chatbots for handling tasks such as reminders, bookings, purchases, and order updates improving efficiency without any manual interference without any manual interference
Importance of marketing
One of the essential advantages of WhatsApp marketing tool is real-time communication, immediate responses are expected by customers in WhatsApp businesses to query advisors, support, and engagement with the customers. It enhances customer satisfaction and is also able to build loyalty and trust to the customers (Jannah, 2023). Facebook conducted a survey and found that most of the users use WhatsApp for communicating with businesses. Personalization is also essential for allowing tailored messages that depend on the preferences and purchase history of customers (Tekay, 2024). To create more engaging content, it also supports the usage of text, videos, images, and various documents, and promotional catalogs are provided to attract customers. Customers get timely responses through chatbots with automated messages. Accordingly, messages regarding order confirmations, payment confirmations, and deliveries through WhatsApp to the customers.
New features in WhatsApp marketing
WhatsApp channels
To send messages to many customers at once. One message is sent to a lot of people based on important information such as the launch of products, sales, deals, and news. By following particular channels, the latest updates are seen. “Updates” is a new tab to find any channel. Moreover, the status feature is extended its use to teams, celebrities, and various persons. Accordingly, for a selected group of people, the information and updates are shared. Once the channels agree, the status is changed to update and both updates are followed in the updates tab. Reactions also be given to the updates in the channels and people in the channel views them (Boruah, 2024). Also, there is a forwarding message facility. Moreover, the history of the channel is stored for up to 30 days and blocking screenshots from any updates.
Product Catalogs
WhatsApp catalog features provide product categorization, where customers find the needed products, and it allows creating multiple categories with detailing. Moreover, real-time updates are provided based on the orders. The descriptions of products include size, measurement, and information with high-quality images and price tags mentioned. Also, sharing of catalogs to the customers through the WhatsApp business account. Moreover, it enhances the purchasing capability rather than waiting to connect to the customer. It also adds links to products (Andy’s Gudies, 2024). Options in pricing and list the discounts based on the product. Customers directly purchase by adding to the cart and making payments via WhatsApp chat. With the help of marketing, many e-commerce websites use WhatsApp for sales and increase the customer base.
Integration with AI and Chatbot
The WhatsApp chatbots are helpful in instant message responses to queries without any delay. It engages customers with 24/7 availability regardless of any time zone. Moreover, this offers customer support with a high volume of inquiries and make customers comfortable without long waiting hours (Gupta, 2024). Also, provides accurate information. It gives detailed solutions and guide the users. Also, this maintains the quality by increasing the customer interaction. Moreover, gathers more data by enabling businesses based on their personalized experience. Moreover, this generates leads by collecting contact information and keeps the customer’s loyalty and engagement through repeated purchases. Assist to handle multiple languages to enhance the business reach. Also, it provides automated transactions in bookings, purchases, and transactions. In addition, it also offer feedback on the products. This gives an improved user experience.
WhatsApp payments
Earlier, links sent on WhatsApp which needs another app such as Gpay, Phone Pay, and cards for payment process involves high loading time. Later, It upgraded to collect payments directly within WhatsApp and enhance end-to-end shopping. Moreover, It sends payment requests directly via chat and transaction proceeds. It has increased the usage by 27%. With trusted customers, the acceptance of payments enhances the brand trust. It has encrypted payment procedures. Once the confirmation happens for the order processing, instant notifications are also possible.
No need to involve third-party payments and it saves transaction fees. Immediate payment is possible. E-commerce platforms uses WhatsApp payment. Automating the payment process. Both online classes and workshops use course fees through WhatsApp payments (Aggarwal, 2024). The restaurant partners uses it for delivering the orders. Also, helps for subscription-based services. Moreover, charitable organizations collects donations through WhatsApp payments.
WhatsApp pay
Click-to-WhatsApp Ad
Meta has introduced CTWA which helps to redirect users to WhatsApp. Customers contact through WhatsApp immediately after clicking and answering the questions. There is engagement with customers without saving the phone numbers. It also enhanced engagement with the shopping experience and targeting features that direct ads to the people. This also shows company branding through advertisements to get a higher-level audience. The integration with the CRM tool helps to connect to the audience and the ad reach to specified members. Instant sending of messages which drives sales. Live chat features help in answering queries. The conversion rate is higher in WhatsApp communication. Direct messaging helps to make purchases faster as it is real-time and gains trust.
Strategies of marketing using new WhatsApp features
Personalization and customer engagement
For improving customer retention, the usage of segmented messaging is the most effective strategy. Based on the customer groups and audiences’ preferences and behaviors, personalized messages reach to specific segments or groups. It makes good connections and enhances customer retention. An example includes a fashion retailer that might send customers product discounts. Moreover, it collects feedback from the services and drives opinions. Improvements based on feedback. Offers are provided with exclusive deals and make the audience feel appreciated by promoting the business. Accordingly, monitor the feedback.
Data-driven marketing
Personalized product recommendations are provided by focusing on the content, whereas businesses also keep track of products the customers are buying and based on the interest, promotions are made. Based on the customer base, the product specifications are made and follow-up messages are managed. By analyzing the behavior of customers, the segments are made. The targeted messages are provided by offering discounts based on the preference of the customer. Scheduling of broadcasts also helps in customer preference.
Cross-platform integration
There is integration of WhatsApp with Facebook and Instagram, which allows multiple channels. The ad runs on Facebook and Instagram, which helps to join WhatsApp channels and buy directly in WhatsApp. Phones cross-promote the content and enable the feature of the WhatsApp chat button so that they land on WhatsApp. The ads run by clicking on WhatsApp to more of the product catalogs and interactive advertisements.
WhatsApp Marketing
Source
Challenges and limitations
For integration of new features of WhatsApp marketing tool with the existing system might feel technically difficult. The products in the e-commerce platform when integrated with the WhatsApp catalogue might require a better integration process. Thus, the channels and chatbots need to be trained. The automated features need to be understood. With the help of large budgets, it might be difficult for small businesses to expand. The advanced features need third-party tools, limit the scalability.
The large volume of messages should be handled without delays. Privacy concerns where payments are made and sensitive customer information such as details of customers and financial details would be present. So, the end-to-end encryption is provided to ensure security. For the analysis of preference of customers lot of data need to be collected. General Data Protection Regulation needs to be taken for data protection before processing all the personal information. Furthermore, regular updates on the security practices need to be provided to maintain the trust of the customer.
Conclusion and Future Implications
- Increase automation where it enables batch messaging and notifications
- Enhancement in interactive content like GIFs, images, and videos in messages to convey information to customers (Ganesh, 2024)
- The use of improved data analytics creation hyper-personalization and high engagement rates
- By 2025 WhatsApp shopping e-commerce platforms which enable to showcasing of the products that are available on the applications and follow-up the purchase.
- The latest news of companies and promotions through status updates.
References
Aggarwal, S. (2024, Dec 19). WhatsApp Payments for Businesses: Complete Guide. Retrieved from Aisensy: https://m.aisensy.com/blog/whatsapp-pay-for-business-guide/
Andy’s Gudies. (2024, Apr 08). How to Create Product Catalogs on Whatsapp Business (Full 2024 Guide). Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKvfCzpBsS0
Boruah, M. (2024, Dec 16). WhatsApp Channels – What Is It and How You Can Use It For Your Business In 2025. Retrieved from Kommunicate: https://www.kommunicate.io/blog/whatsapp-channels-for-businesses/
dwitama, T. (2023, Aug 19). The Evolution of WhatsApp. Retrieved from Medium: https://medium.com/@titusdwitama/the-evolution-of-whatsapp-f8753275d033
Ganesh, S. (2024, Dec 23). WhatsApp as a Marketing Tool in 2025. Retrieved from Industrywired: https://industrywired.com/technology/whatsapp-as-a-marketing-tool-in-2025-8551325
Gupta, H. (2024, Sep 11). How to Create a WhatsApp Chatbot: A 2024 Guide. Retrieved from Quickreply: https://www.quickreply.ai/blog/how-to-create-a-whatsapp-chatbot#
Jannah, R. (2023). Utilization of Whatsapp Business in Marketing Strategy to Increase the Number of Sales Through Direct Interaction with Customers. Syntax Idea, 5(4), 488. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370284522_Utilization_of_Whatsapp_Business_in_Marketing_Strategy_to_Increase_the_Number_of_Sales_Through_Direct_Interaction_with_Customers
K, K. (2023, Aug 03). WhatsApp Business: Pros and Cons for Small Businesses. Retrieved from Bepragma: https://www.bepragma.ai/blogs/benefits-and-limitations-of-whatsapp-business-for-small-businesses
Tekay, T. (2024, Feb 15). The Impact of WhatsApp on Sales and Customer Service in B2C SMEs. Retrieved from Exairon: https://exairon.com/the-impact-of-whatsapp-on-sales-and-customer-service-in-b2c-smes/
Keywords
Whatsapp new feature, WhatsApp Business Account, Customer engagement, Marketing, Latest features
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