What The Launch of Whatsapp Business App Means for Your Brand
For most marketers and businesses the wait on Whatsapp has finally ended. The long expected Whatsapp monetization promise that would see Whatsapp making money off brands who want more effective ways to reach users has finally come to roost. The ‘no ads on Whatsapp’ veil is no more; you can now communicate directly with customers with the new Whatsapp Business App.Whatsapp, the mobile communication app for chatting, sending pictures, making voice and video calls would by this open the floodgates for interactions between businesses and consumers – and potentially allow ads. However, brands would first need verification.Verification allows the business set up an account; input its description and details after which it get a green badge signaling its verification for users to contact.
From news gathered, the business app would be free for small businesses while larger ones would pay. It is however still in testing phase. Some countries and select brands already gained access while we await a global release. We cannot wait for a Nigerian unveil.
Users already had ways to reach their favourite brands through the likes of Twitter, brand Facebook pages and via calls. The game changer app could literarily change how brands and customers would communicate. Think, more personal, and chat like.
If you are stll wondering what you stand to gain, these value areas may get the hardest hits and should guide your focus.
#1 Customer service
Brands now have a way to communicate and get feedback from their customers. This can be an opportunity to fill a form, get how users feel about a product and even a way to test run new products to a select few customers. This also means user complaints and reviews would now have a direct way to reach the brands and brands can relate back.
#2 Marketing and sales
Brands will get the chance to use the Whatsapp Business app to directly market to users asides driving sales (hopefully we will get words on the scope of monitor the app would give). One benefit the app would give brand is the opportunity to actually communicate with loyalist. These loyalist would be those who have opted in to receive notification from the brand – which means marketers would not be communicating with a vague audience.
You do not need to worry about your content being hacked, the business app is encrypted at both ends, meaning only the user and business have access to what is shared. The only exception to this is when the business decides to use a third party tool.So far, KLM is the only airline verified and has started using the service. We wait to see when other brands and those in Nigeria would get verified.
