WhatsApp is the most widely-used texting platform across India, and it is a convenient and easy application to chat, call, share and connect. Thus, even businesses started to use Whatsapp to communicate with their customers. After that, Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, came up with WhatsApp Business, an application with features such as catalogues, shopping carts etc., which aids small businesses in efficiently managing their businesses via Whatsapp.
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What is WhatsApp API?
With the pitching of WhatsApp Business, the WhatsApp API came into existence. It is designed with small and medium businesses (SMBs) in mind. It enables enterprises to improve their sales, manage their stack with technology and use it as an online marketing channel. Besides, its user-friendly features provide efficiency, thus increasing the business’s productivity.
WhatsApp Marketing
When you say marketing, it is not just about massive campaigns and launches but many small activities that help you build better connections with your customers. And in this digital marketing era, what better than a platform that the masses already love? That’s where WhatsApp Marketing comes in. With many M-commerce and e-commerce diversifying into integrating with WhatsApp for the ease of business, one can not only chat with customers but also handle their marketing activities, with WhatsApp being the primary marketing channel.
One might wonder, how a messaging platform can be used as a marketing channel. Well, if you optimise the WhatsApp API and integrate it with your business, that can happen too!
How? Have a look.
Leveraging WhatsApp For Your Business
Above, we saw how WhatsApp could be useful in business operations. However, a business is beyond just buying and selling. The company needs to become a brand too. And all of that doesn’t happen merely by ‘sales’. Thus, you need to level up with your marketing too. And with Whatsapp being the conduit of communication with the audience, one can leverage it as a marketing platform by using its distinct features.
Here are some ways in which you may use WhatsApp API as a marketing channel –
1. As we all know, Whatsapp is a chatting platform, and through the API, you may integrate it with your website or online store via a chatbot, and customers can ask queries to you on your business’s WhatsApp.
2. Besides chatting, you can use the chatbot to provide 24×7 support to your customers. Since an online store is operational round the clock, customers may shop anytime. Hence, it is preferable to have a system that can cater to your customers. You can also use the chatbot to send automatic messages and FAQs to customers and thereby provide better customer service.
3. Trust issues are a massive hurdle to the online business industry in India, and many people do not trust online sellers due to authenticity issues and fear of scams. Through the WhatsApp Ecosystem, sellers can get “Green-Tick Verification”, which provides a basis to gain audiences’ trust in the seller’s business.
4. One of the other ways for WhatsApp marketing is “WhatsApp Ads”. These ads are like internet ads; when users click on them, the seller’s WhatsApp becomes their landing channel.
5. Another way to leverage WhatsApp for your business is to check the API’s analytics. Using them, a company can analyse consumer behaviour and thus help the sellers mould their business accordingly to provide maximum customer satisfaction.
Conclusion
WhatsApp is a widely used messaging platform amongst Indians, and its integration with M-commerce and e-commerce has given rise to WhatsApp marketing via the WhatsApp API. E-commerce and M-commerce enablers provide various features which can accelerate your business, boost your sales and pave the way for your business to become a brand through simplified processes. No wonder WhatsApp for Business is the future of online businesses and their marketing.
