With its ever-growing user base, WhatsApp has become a vital channel for managing e-commerce marketing, sales, and customer support. Here’s a comprehensive guide on WhatsApp Business, WhatsApp Business API, and how to get started.
When we walk into a physical store, there’s usually a salesperson who convinces us to make a purchase. Sometimes, we even end up buying items we didn’t plan to! That’s the power of conversations and personalized marketing.
However, many e-commerce businesses rely on one-way marketing tactics like social media ads, search engine promotions, SMS marketing, and emails to reach consumers with their products, discounts, and deals. In an era where consumers prefer buying from people rather than brands, conversational commerce is becoming crucial. This is why more leading brands are turning to conversational channels like WhatsApp to engage their customers. In this article, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know to kickstart your WhatsApp marketing.
What is WhatsApp Marketing?
WhatsApp marketing is a form of messenger marketing that allows businesses to connect with customers via WhatsApp. It’s similar to SMS marketing but comes with additional features like sending images, files, videos, emojis, and more.
Why Use WhatsApp Marketing for E-commerce?
WhatsApp is one of the fastest-growing messaging apps in India, with a highly active user base. Since messaging on WhatsApp has become a natural part of daily communication, it offers businesses an opportunity to reach customers where they are most engaged and ensure their promotions are noticed.
Here are some key statistics on WhatsApp usage in India:
- According to eMarketer, India has more WhatsApp users than any other country. Current statistics indicate there are 390.1 million monthly active users on the app, and this number continues to grow.
- If you sell internationally, you can tap into WhatsApp’s global user base of 2 billion.
- The average user opens WhatsApp 23-25 times a day.
To begin with WhatsApp marketing for e-commerce, you can’t just use your personal phone number. You need a WhatsApp Business account to seamlessly send and receive messages from your customers. By the way, studies have shown that sending voice messages instead of text messages from WhatsApp provides 75% productivity increase for customer service.
What is WhatsApp Business API?
Launched in August 2018 by Facebook, WhatsApp Business API is designed for medium to large businesses that want to use WhatsApp with multiple users. Unlike the WhatsApp Business app, the API doesn’t have a front-end interface and requires integration with business software.
To use the WhatsApp Business API, you need a solution provider that simplifies this integration. These providers typically offer a dashboard similar to email marketing tools, enabling you to create, manage, and monitor your WhatsApp marketing campaigns easily. One of the highly recommended solution providers is Dondy. Dondy offers an easy-to-use interface and robust features to help you leverage WhatsApp for your marketing, customer service, and sales needs.
Use Cases of WhatsApp Business for E-commerce
E-commerce businesses can leverage WhatsApp Business API in various ways:
- Automate Lead Generation: With a click-to-chat feature, you can encourage store visitors to interact with your business on WhatsApp, similar to how live chat works to gather visitor information. The WhatsApp Business API can automate interactions to collect specific information from leads for personalized follow-ups later.
- Broadcast Promotions for New Launches, Sales, and Discounts: WhatsApp’s broadcast feature allows you to send updates about ongoing and upcoming sales, discounts, and deals to keep customers engaged. Automated broadcast campaigns can be scheduled to promote and remind customers of your offers.
- Automate Abandoned Cart Reminders: E-commerce businesses often face a 69% cart abandonment rate. Using WhatsApp Business API, you can automate reminders to reach out to consumers about the products and offers left behind, or offer exclusive discounts to encourage purchase completion.
- Offer Customer Support Before, During, and After Purchase: WhatsApp’s conversational interface simplifies providing customer support to online shoppers, addressing their concerns before, during, and after a purchase. Brands like Nestasia have achieved a 200% increase in support efficiency using WhatsApp Business API automations.
- Automate Order Status and Shipping Alerts: Over 70% of online shoppers want proactive notifications about their order status. Integrating your business account with a logistics aggregator via WhatsApp Business API allows you to send out order status and shipping alerts to customers, reducing anxiety and improving customer satisfaction.
Getting Started with WhatsApp Marketing on Shopify
WhatsApp offers numerous benefits to businesses, bringing back conversational elements to online shopping journeys. To tap into its potential, you should start with WhatsApp marketing today. For Shopify store owners, it’s easy to get started with WhatsApp marketing in India. Shopify apps offer plug-and-play solutions to access the WhatsApp Business API for improved marketing, customer service, and support.
Why Choose Dondy?
Dondy stands out as a top solution provider for WhatsApp Business API integration. Here’s why you should consider Dondy for your Shopify store:
- User-Friendly Interface: Dondy offers an intuitive dashboard that simplifies the management of WhatsApp campaigns.
- Advanced Automation: Automate lead generation, abandoned cart reminders, order status updates, and more with ease.
- High Open Rates: WhatsApp campaigns via Dondy enjoy higher engagement rates, ensuring your messages reach and resonate with customers.
- Comprehensive Support: From setup to ongoing support, Dondy provides excellent customer service to ensure you maximize the potential of WhatsApp marketing.
- Exclusive Discount: Get a 10% discount on your first month by reaching out to the Dondy support team and mentioning that you’re an UpPromote user.
Some popular Shopify apps in India include:
- Dondy
- Zoko
- Interakt
- QuickReply.ai
People Also Ask
Can WhatsApp be used for marketing?
- Yes, with the launch of the WhatsApp Business API, you can send marketing messages directly to customers. These include promotional broadcasts, order alerts, abandoned cart reminders, and customer support.
What is the difference between WhatsApp Business and WhatsApp API?
- The WhatsApp Business app is designed for small businesses needing one-on-one communication with customers. In contrast, the WhatsApp Business API is for larger brands requiring scalable customer communication with automation for marketing, customer service, and support.
How do I use WhatsApp marketing?
- To start using WhatsApp for marketing, create a WhatsApp Business account and download the WhatsApp Business app to communicate with customers. For advanced features, request access to the WhatsApp Business API or install a solution provider like Dondy.
What is the difference between a group and a broadcast group?
- A WhatsApp group is a chat where all members can see and participate in the conversation. A WhatsApp broadcast sends messages to multiple recipients privately, where recipients cannot see each other.
Can WhatsApp broadcast recipients see each other?
- No, broadcast recipients cannot see each other. Broadcasts send messages to lists of recipients (such as existing customers and subscribers), similar to email marketing lists, ensuring recipient privacy.
By leveraging WhatsApp for marketing, customer service, and sales, e-commerce businesses can enhance customer engagement and drive better results. Start your journey with WhatsApp marketing today and take advantage of its powerful features. For a seamless experience, consider using Dondy as your WhatsApp Business API solution provider. Don’t forget to claim your 10% discount on the first month by mentioning that you’re an UpPromote user when you reach out to Dondy support.
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