WhatsApp Newsletters: How to Do It Right
WhatsApp offers its own business solutions. You can send messages to customers manually through the WhatsApp Business App or automatically through the WhatsApp Business API.
In this post, you will learn why businesses benefit from communicating with customers on WhatsApp, as well as the basic rules for such newsletters.
How WhatsApp newsletters work
Newsletters via personal accounts
Any user can send messages to a group of contacts, but this is not a good option for business. There is a risk of being blocked. Besides, you can't reach a large audience because the number of messages is limited. Personal accounts are best reserved for communication within the team or with partners.
The personal user account is not credible for mass messaging because it does not pass verification as an official account. In this case, it is also impossible to integrate with third-party services for automation.
Newsletters via WhatsApp groups
When you send messages to a WhatsApp group, it is also a newsletter, but without personalization. But there are some disadvantages. The main one is that subscribers sometimes miss information in the chat. Secondly, if you add people to a group without their consent and send promotional messages there, it may be considered spam on WhatsApp. Thirdly, new participants do not see previous messages. They see only those that are sent after they join the chat. So you often have to duplicate information, which is annoying. WhatsApp groups are more of a communication tool for a small team within a company, rather than a tool for mass messaging customers.
What businesses benefit from WhatsApp newsletters
- High open rate. WhatsApp messages get 98% open rates, which is higher than SMS and email.
- Messages do not go to the spam folder because there is no such thing as a spam folder.
- Different content formats are available: images, texts, video and audio.
- Instant information delivery. Users check the inbox a couple of times a day, while a phone is always at hand.
- There are message statistics to analyze the effectiveness of the campaign.
- Automation is available: chatbots and third-party services integrated via API.
- Regular personal messages via WhatsApp is the key to customer loyalty. Especially if you quickly inform users about the status of the order and delivery.
- The sender is trusted. WhatsApp tags official accounts, so users know that this is a company rep sending messages to him, and not a fake account.
- Attraction of new customers. Leads from your site or advertising are redirected to the messenger.
WhatsApp newsletter rules
It is safe to send messages to customers who have added your business account to their contact list. Don't buy someone else's contact lists. This is a sure way to block.
How to pay for newsletters on WhatsApp Business
The business sends a message and starts the session. From now on, there are 24 hours when the business and the user can exchange messages. After 24 hours, the business can start a new session. It will be charged again.
Charges for conversations depend on who starts the dialogue. If the company messages first, the price of such a conversation is higher. When it is the user who starts out, it is cheaper. But if the customer comes from an advertisement that leads to a text message, There is no charge for the conversation, if the user messages the business using call-to-actions buttons on Ads that Click to WhatsApp or Facebook Page call-to-action buttons.
You don't always have to use paid WhatsApp, there are no-cost options. For example, the WhatsApp Business API provides 1,000 free messages that are available for a month. Even if a WABA has multiple numbers attached, the free tier threshold is still 1000.
WhatsApp newsletters from personal accounts are free, but only suitable for micro-businesses. There is a limit of 256 messages and the risks of getting into spam. Besides, you can not import the contact list. That’s why small and medium-sized companies choose a WhatsApp Business account, which will bring more benefits.
How to send newsletters on WhatsApp
First, collect the contact list through advertising. To do this, set up a transition to the app. Install the WhatsApp widget on your site, make an announcement in your social networks about a new communication channel.
Without the WhatsApp Business API, automation steps are excluded. If you use the WhatsApp Business App, click the menu button and select "New list” in the menu and create a list for sending messages. In the case of a personal account, it is enough to select "New broadcast" in the menu and the users to whom it should come.
Whatever method you use, it is important to give the user the option to opt out. This is how you show respect to the customer, and at the same time insure your account against complaints.
Conclusion
A WhatsApp newsletter is a cost-effective and reliable way of personalized communication with customers. Businesses use the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business API. The latter makes it possible to send an unlimited number of messages and automate communication through third-party services.
By sending messages through WhatsApp, you get higher deliverability and open rates, as well as customer loyalty. But it is important to comply with the requirements of the app. Do not send ads, but engage subscribers. You also need to send messages only to those users who have agreed to a dialogue with your company.
If you decide to do WhatsApp newsletters, start by registering a WhatsApp business account and verifying it. Then think through your content plan and scenarios. Next, segment the audience and prepare a different message template for each type. In the case of the WhatsApp Business API, import your contact list. If you are dealing with WhatsApp Business, add the recipients manually. After your WhatsApp campaign goes out, do not forget to analyze and improve it.
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