For years, social media platforms like Facebook have dominated the marketing world. However, WhatsApp marketing is emerging as a formidable force: with 5.94 million users in Hong Kong, surpassing Facebook’s 4.45 million. Yet, WhatsApp marketing is still relatively new with limited resources for reference. At VIMOS, we aim to shed light on how to make the most of this valuable platform.
Mark Zuckerberg Announces WhatsApp as Meta’s Next Pillar
Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg has declared business communication as the next major pillar for Meta, positioning WhatsApp, following Facebook, as the top marketing platform for 2024. With a user base of 1 billion, WhatsApp offers brands access to a vast untapped audience.
Compared to Facebook and Instagram, WhatsApp still presents a largely untapped commercial potential. Zuckerberg highlighted that WhatsApp and Messenger have significant prospects in driving Meta’s next growth phase. Thus, the company is exploring ways to monetize these platforms, potentially making business communication a key pillar for Meta.
Moreover, Meta has opened up WhatsApp Cloud API features, previously offered by third parties, including automated replies, broadcasting, and multi-user access, indicating Meta’s preparation to mold WhatsApp into a traffic-driving platform like Facebook and Instagram.
Extended Reading: WhatsApp Official x VIMOS: How to Use WhatsApp Cloud API Services via VIMOS?
WhatsApp E-commerce Functionality
In 2021, WhatsApp piloted business functions in Brazil, allowing users to search for businesses and inquire about products and services, add items to a shopping cart, and make payments directly on WhatsApp. More commercial activities are beginning to take place on WhatsApp (not yet launched in Hong Kong).
How Does VIMOS Help SMEs Monetize Traffic on WhatsApp?
With its massive user base and convenience, businesses of all sizes have already been operating on WhatsApp through third-party platforms like VIMOS, using WhatsApp Business API to boost sales and efficiency:
- Contacting existing and potential customers through WhatsApp broadcasting, promoting products and services to increase sales.
- Using WhatsApp’s automated reply feature to instantly answer customer queries, retaining interested customers.
- Automating operations 24/7, significantly reducing manpower.
- Utilizing customer management tools to reclassify customers and push personalized ads on WhatsApp, increasing the chances of closing deals.
Industries such as education, retail, and services have a significant demand for WhatsApp Business API. For example, our client, a gifted education center, receives dozens of inquiries from parents daily but lacked customer service and marketing personnel. After adopting VIMOS, they started using automated replies for common questions, significantly reducing workload.
When parents inquire, the chatbot sends welcome messages with up to three quick reply buttons. Parents can click a button based on their query, triggering the chatbot’s automated response. The chatbot then collects the course content they are interested in, allowing human customer service to handle customer queries more accurately, enhancing customer satisfaction.
Extended Reading: Kelly’s Education Case Study: Boost Sales by 60% with WhatsApp API
What Services Does VIMOS’s WhatsApp Business API Offer to Businesses?
Users can directly utilize WhatsApp Business API services provided by Meta through the VIMOS platform, managing the growing customer base from WhatsApp and enhancing business efficiency, including:
- Integration with other tools like CRM, data analysis, and third-party applications.
- Setting up 24-hour automated replies.
- Broadcasting one-on-one private messages (PM).
- Multi-user access for a single account.
- Interactive buttons such as list message buttons, quick reply buttons, call-to-action buttons, and more.
Join VIMOS!
Offering a user-friendly application interface, available in desktop or mobile app versions. Businesses require no programming or software development skills to easily enjoy the stable and efficient extended features of WhatsApp Business API.
