What’s Up With WhatsApp Business? Explanation And Benefits
Instant messaging is nothing new. In fact, instant messaging is said to have started in the 1970s, with Talkomatic, an early online chat facility which allowed five people to chat simultaneously on a plasma display. It allowed for five lines of text and one status per person.
Since these (very) humble days, instant messaging has grown and changed significantly, with apps now replacing online Instant Messaging (IM) rapidly. But what does this mean for businesses?
With the inundation of IM apps in the world, consumers are now more in-touch than ever before…it also means that they demand instant communication from businesses. Luckily, there is a solution to this.Â
WhatsApp has recently launched its WhatsApp Business account, aimed at small to medium-sized businesses. It is a separate app which allows business owners to interact with and contact consumers directly. And users do not need to download a separate app, which is one of the major benefits in terms of brand engagement. So, let’s delve a little deeper in the world of WhatsApp Business.Â
Who Should Use WhatsApp Business?
In order for users to create a WhatsApp Business account, they should be business owners. The app has been designed specifically for business owners to use for contacting consumers. It provides a platform that allows businesses, ranging from small to more established, to provide their consumers with updates and support directly.Â
Simply put, business owners can run the communications-side of their establishment from the comfort of their mobile phone or device. This means that, as a business owner, you can contact consumers directly, and can use WhatsApp Business for customer service. Small business owners, in particular, will benefit from this app because it can help to increase brand awareness and brand interaction.Â
What Are The Advantages Of A WhatsApp Business Account?
Crazily Cost-Effective
WhatsApp Business is free to download. For a small or even medium-sized business on a tight budget, having a free app that allows you to communicate with consumers is certainly positive. You can then use this money to craft and deliver personalised marketing messages to your audience.Â
With this new and innovative platform emerging, some believe that SMS marketing could become a thing of the past. While this is a possibility, SMS is still a useful marketing tool. Another cost-saving element of WhatsApp Business is that it eliminates the cost of having someone manning the phones, business owners can communicate directly with consumers without the need for a middle man.Â
Branded Business Profiles
Creating brand awareness is simple with a business profile on this popular app. You can create a business profile with all of your pertinent information such as your email address, phone number, location, and website.Â
You can also use your company branding in your profile, such as using your logo as the profile picture and your brand colours in the banner image. Consumers will know immediately that it is your business profile, and not your personal profile, which will improve brand engagement ten-fold. Your brand will be kept front-of-mind because consumers will see it every time they message you. This could easily be considered as free advertising.Â
Savvy Messaging Tools
In today’s digital world, automation is fast-becoming common-place in apps and in marketing. WhatsApp Business is no stranger to this and has built-in some savvy marketing tools to help with streamlined communication. These tools are easy-to-use and simple to maintain.Â
Some of the tools include “Quick Replies”, which allows you to save replies that you use frequently and reuse them, saving you time and allowing you to answer common questions quickly and accurately. The “Automated Messages” function allows you to set an “away message” for those times when you are unavailable. You can also set up a greeting message to welcome consumers to your business profile.Â
Smart Statistics
Statistics and data are to marketers what…well…what air is to most humans! And WhatsApp Business provides simple (but smart) messaging statistics which allow users to review the metrics behind the messages being sent.Â
The metrics include the number of messages sent, how many were successfully delivered, how many were read and how soon the messages were read. This way, you can make simple changes to your messages in terms of content and reply speed in order to improve the consumer experience. It might be a small feature, but small business owners can make big changes to their business with it.Â
Imagining An Instant World
Instant messaging for businesses makes sense, and so we see innovations such as WhatsApp Business coming to the forefront. Business owners now have a cost-effective communication tool that allows them to reach consumers directly. Creating a branded business profile and using messaging tools and statistics also allow business owners to better engage with consumers and improve their marketing efforts.Â
If you would like an app developed, or if you need a mobile-friendly site developed to compete in your industry, contact NetMechanic today to find out how we can bring you into the 21st century. Â
