WhatsApp has undoubtedly risen to be one of the most popular platforms worldwide for messaging and communication. The audience and community has grown up to nearly 2 billion active users. WhatsApp Channels can be utilized by businesses to connect with wider audiences in developing nations.

“WhatsApp Marketing” describes the practice of using the WhatsApp messaging service for commercial and advertising objectives. With billions of users globally, WhatsApp is a popular messaging software that offers businesses a compelling way to engage with their intended audience. 

What Is Whatsapp Channel – An Overview

The latest update of WhatsApp as in the launch of September 13th 2023 version has created a major buzz in the internet. The introduction and initiation of “Channel” is going to prove to be a huge game changer! The feature allows users a secure way of receiving updates from celebrities, content creators or sports professionals! 

Leveraging WhatsApp for personalized communication can be a powerful strategy. WhatsApp’s new feature allows exciting opportunities for businesses to maximize their growth. WhatsApp channel makes brands reach enormous audiences, build stronger relationships with customers, and increase sales. 

Channels are a one-way, dynamic broadcasting tool that administrators may use to easily share a range of information, including as polls, stickers, photographs, videos, and text. 

WhatsApp’s ongoing commitment to enhance user experience makes it create a searchable, user-friendly directory, that would be convenient to use. With the help of the directory, one can quickly find channels covering a wide range of topics.

Invite links that are sent via chat, email, or the internet also make it easier to access a channel. Owing to this easy approach, one will always be able to access the stuff that is most important to you.

By using WhatsApp Channels as a tool of communication or promotion, one can enhance the customer experience, address concerns, and build a strong relationship with audience, ultimately influencing their decision to move forward with significant purchases.

WhatsApp Channels: A Force to Beckon!

Assuming you’re here, the marketing prowess of WhatsApp likely isn’t lost on you. Let’s delve into the depths of its effectiveness.

Individuals are definitely more likely to buy from brands they can connect with, interact or resolve queries.

• Channels are found in the new tab called “Updates” where Meta has combined the Channels and Status tabs. 
• Earlier the status of contacts could be seen under this “status” tab where the contacts would share life updates.
• WhatsApp Channels takes this feature ahead by extending it to sports, celebrities, or others. 
• Meta aims to hook them to the app for longer!

Importance of WhatsApp Channels

Why is WhatsApp aspiring to build a private broadcasting service?

Protection of personal information from both admins as well as followers becomes primarily significant. 

• As an ADMIN of a channel, the profile photo or phone number is not visible to followers.
• Similarly for FOLLOWERS, contact details would not be shown to other followers or the admin. Deciding who to follow is completely in your hands!

Interestingly channel updates would not be sticking around for long. Channel history is stored on the server for not more than a month and there are methods to let updates disappear quickly from the devices of the followers.

Admins can also block forwards and screenshots from their channel. This highlights the strong focus of the app on user security and privacy. 

The platform safeguards user data and limits potential exposure of sensitive information. Guarding the storage duration of a channel history allows WhatsApp to optimize data management on the servers, thus ensuring effective processing and handling of data. 

Admins can control who would decide to follow their channel and if or not they want their respective channels to be discoverable. As channels aim to fundamentally reach a wide audience base, channels cannot be encrypted end-to-end.

This is just done keeping in mind the intentions of some organizations, health agencies, or NGO’s who might wish to have a limited, specific reach.

In the context of a business landscape, it is an opportunity to support admins in building their respective businesses using WhatsApp’s expanding payment services.

Admins can control who would decide to follow their channel and if or not they want their respective channels to be discoverable. As channels aim to fundamentally reach a wide audience base, channels cannot be encrypted end-to-end. This is just done keeping in mind the intentions of some organizations, health agencies, or NGO’s who might wish to have a limited, specific reach.

In the context of a business landscape, it is an opportunity to support admins in building their respective businesses using Whatsapp’s expanding payment services.

Features of WhatsApp Channels

•  Search as per your interest

They are classified into categories like ‘popular’, ‘most active’, ‘new’, ‘all’. Simply choose and tap to follow.

•  Forward messages from Channels:

If you forward certain messages to contacts, they can navigate back for reading the whole story.

•  Channel history remains for a month:

Admins can block followers if they do not want the followers to take screenshots of updates they provide.

•  React to channel updates:

Similar to liking a text or comment in a whatsapp group, you can react to messages you like!

•  Guaranteed privacy:

Meta cannot reveal your number to a channel’s members or the admin.

Top 4 Benefits of Using WhatsApp Channels for Business

There are several positive outcomes of utilizing WhatsApp channels in business promotion.

Better sales

WhatsApp Channels acts as a potent catalyst for boosting sales. The simple strategy of incorporating a WhatsApp phone number on a website can yield a remarkable 27% increase in sales leads.

The idea of being able to associate with a company via any messaging app gives prospective customers trust. 

Establishing Meaningful Connections with Customers

As people feel connected to brands over messaging apps, WhatsApp channels serve bulletproof strategies to build profound long-term bonds with clients and customers. This is not only a way to retain their customers or fan base, but also understanding how individuals open WhatsApp involuntarily and keep coming back for more. 

Brands can majorly cut down on expenditures with customer retention using less cost than acquisition.

WhatsApp Channels opens the door to a myriad of personalized opportunities for businesses. From tailored welcome messages to exclusive offers and birthday greetings, the platform enables a highly individualized interaction with customers. 

High conversion rate

Choosing the ideal channel for initial customer contact is pivotal. Some people may find calls intrusive, while others remain less responsive to emails or social media outreach. We know Growth marketing utilizes data gained to drive growth. In such scenarios, WhatsApp proves to be a valuable tool, effectively guiding potential customers toward making a purchase.

As people follow their favourite influencers or a lucrative business on channels, they receive continuous updates. This can help brands make a mark, talk about discounts, share personal stories and so much more!

Lower marketing cost

WhatsApp remains an affordable marketing gem, especially appealing to small businesses. All one needs to do is install the app to kickstart efforts. 

The cost-effective platform not only boosts conversions and sales but also facilitates the cultivation of meaningful customer relationships at minimal expenses of marketing.

How Are  Brands Using Whatsapp Channels For Customer Engagement?

How do Powerful Brands Harness WhatsApp Channels for Effective Engagement and Communication?

Netflix

Netflix is a genius in terms of its streaming efficiency and user engagement. It just adds a little something by offering a service that gives personal recommendations. 

This collaboration allowed for users with subscriptions for Netflix and WhatsApp both to be able to stay in touch through the messenger.

Netflix uses very short questions and texts to peak the curiosity of the audiences, after their videos and images. Netflix effectively uses the platform for their unique storytelling measures. It’s a smart way for making followers draw back to their channel.

Saffola

Being on a diet makes one crave a pizza or a coke just that much more! Saffola, the known healthcare brand built its campaign around stopping these cravings itself, to essentially stop unhealthy habits!

Saffola made a chatbot where users could send messages to the bot when they longed for comfort food. The chatbot is automated to distract people in those times with songs, puzzles, and positive affirmations. 

They can also promote products particularly targeted to the health-conscious audience. This could aid individuals in addressing unhealthy eating patterns.

Quite the use of brains!

See what these companies are doing here? They are using technology in their favour!

Effective WhatsApp Marketing Strategies

A marketing channel can only be effective with efficient strategies, planned steps, and changing direction if required.

Defining KPIs and Goals

Think about your marketing goals! Your attention should be levied on meaningful tasks and stopping the unnecessary extras.

Hold the Target Audience

Understand why people would use your brand’s product, what value is to be gained from them, and also what outcomes need to be attained! Social media surveys, google analytics, fb and google ads can add to the creation of customer profiles.

Get a Business App

An application would stand alone and out when it utilizes all the essential features that combine to be a business profile. It will highlight the website, address, business description, catalogues for virtually showcasing products, labels for organizing customer chats, automated responses, and statistics for tracking.

Form a Brand Image

Do we not prefer communicating with people instead of speaking to automated chats in businesses? For successful marketing using

WhatsApp, a brand persona has to be created, including attitudes and values shared by the brand. Market leaders tend to carry a personality. For instance, Nike would be associated with vigorous, Fanta to jolly and Apple as intellectual. This outlines the tonality and prospects of communication on WhatsApp.

Design the Communication

WhatsApp messages carry open rates quite impressively as opposed to other channels.

But poor or irrelevant content can lead to reduction in marketing.

Deliver Efficient Customer Service

Customers utilize messaging apps for getting brand support, as people believe responses and answers would be solved faster through messages. Customers trust the communication channel for seeking care and advice. WhatsApp allows brands to receive queries.

Conclusion

WhatsApp Channels have powerfully emerged as a potent mode of sharing information, by becoming effective resources for both corporations and individuals. These channels facilitate deep relationships and easy connections with characteristics designed for personalized exchanges, one-way broadcasts, and real-time involvement. 

WhatsApp’s commitment to provide a vibrant and safe platform is emphasized by its stance on user control, privacy and data management. 

The utilization of WhatsApp channels by businesses for marketing, community building, or customer service, as well as by individuals looking for content that aligns to their interests is evident. It indicates that WhatsApp channels will continue to play a significant role in the digital marketing landscape.