When it comes to social media marketing, most marketers think of social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter. But recently messaging apps have grown in terms of the number of marketers who use it for promotion. With 1.5 billion users and counting, and an open rate of 70%, Whatsapp has become a powerful marketing tool. This blog mentions ways, in which businesses can do social media marketing through WhatsApp.
Social media refers to websites or mobile applications which allow users to communicate with each other. It is a medium of communicating information through various kinds of content like videos, blogs, images, messages, etc. Social networking sites allow users to create public profiles and connect to people on the basis of some common interests. It is important to note that WhatsApp is not a social networking site but can definitely serve as a medium of digital marketing. It is a free instant messaging platform that allows smartphone users to exchange texts, images, videos, and audio messages.
Whatsapp business allows a company to create an account with information like website, location, contact details, etc. It is extremely useful as brands can connect with customers by using tools to automate, sort, and respond to messages. A business account can be set up using a landline number as well. Using WhatsApp business, you can analyze user activity using simple metrics like the number of delivered and read messages. Another useful feature is the ‘Away’ option which sends a message to customers who have messaged you outside the business hours. The ‘away’ message can also have FAQs or common instructions.
HOW TO PROMOTE BUSINESS ON WHATSAPP?
1. Build a WhatsApp marketing list
It is very important for every business to know WhatsApp promotion techniques. To send out messages on WhatsApp, you need to have the recipient’s number. When you are starting with social media marketing through WhatsApp, start with sending messages to existing customers. This is because they are more likely to be responsive to the messages. From here, you can start building a WhatsApp list. You can ask website visitors or your followers on social networking sites to fill up contact forms specifically created for WhatsApp users. Read the beginners guide to attract new customers to the business, in our blog: A BEGINNERS GUIDE ON HOW TO ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS TO BUSINESS.
2. Send out marketing messages
To send marketing messages you can use the feature of ‘broadcast message’. This feature allows you to send messages to multiple people at the same time without revealing who the recipients are. You can use WhatsApp to send content like teasers to blogs, discount coupons, sales reminders, etc. It is especially beneficial to include links to content or web pages or landing pages as the recipients can access information or convert using their phones. Thus, social media marketing through WhatsApp allows you to contact prospects and convert them into customers.
3. Use WhatsApp for customer support
A lot of businesses are unaware of WhatsApp promotion techniques. Businesses can use WhatsApp for customer support. Many disgruntled customers would prefer to send WhatsApp messages instead of calling the customer support hotline. This is because WhatsApp offers a better one-on-one medium to solve their problems rather than being put on hold while their problem is solved. Therefore, it is very important to explore social media marketing through WhatsApp as well. You can offer real-time customer service through text, audio, or videos. Though, responding to messages on WhatsApp might not be a practical option for big companies that get hundreds of calls each day. To know how to increase customer engagement on Facebook and Twitter, read our blog: INCREASE CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER WITH THESE SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIES.
4. Use WhatsApp as a method of feedback for products
The open rate for WhatsApp messages is approximately 70%. Instead of calling customers or creating forms with landing pages, you can create a questionnaire for them which they can answer. By developing interesting questions, businesses can get feedback without being intrusive. For encouraging engagement and future feedbacks, you can reward customers who offer valuable feedback with special offers or coupons. Read about product marketing, in our blog: A COMPLETE GUIDE ELABORATING TECHNIQUES TO SELL A PRODUCT.
5. Group messaging
One of the best WhatsApp promotion techniques is to use group messaging. By creating groups of customers on WhatsApp based on their interests and sending targeted offers or useful tips, you can boost engagement and loyalty. You can also use groups to share promotional content, announce upcoming events, share product demonstrations, or announce giveaways.
6. Integrate videos and images
WhatsApp allows users to send videos and images to their contacts. To increase the effectiveness of social media marketing through WhatsApp, integrate videos and images in messages. Videos and images are a great way to tell the audience about the features and uses of various products. Demonstrations or videos showing new uses of products can be a great way to create engaging content that will compel customers to convert. These are some WhatsApp promotion techniques that must be used by businesses.
To ensure that a WhatsApp marketing campaign brings positive results, it is necessary to send visually striking content. Long text messages will not bring fruitful results as most people will choose to ignore such messages. Whatsapp is a powerful communication tool that businesses can take advantage of. The key to using it effectively for promotion or engagement is to send content every week or so. Less is more in the case of WhatsApp. By following the above-mentioned techniques for social media marketing through WhatsApp, you can spread the word about your brand, engage with customers, and gain valuable insights about the customers’ needs.
