Asia is home to some of the most dynamic and rapidly growing markets in the world, and WhatsApp is at the heart of how people communicate across the region. With over 800 million users in the region interacting with WhatsApp Business accounts in 2022 alone, WhatsApp has become an essential platform for businesses seeking to connect with their audiences. Initially used as customer service tool, WhatsApp Business has evolved into a powerful marketing tool with the introduction of WhatsApp Broadcast. For organisations aiming to reach and engage audiences at scale in Asia, leveraging WhatsApp Broadcast is not just an option—it's a necessity.
Table of contents
- What is a WhatsApp Broadcast?
- How to send a WhatsApp Broadcast on the WhatsApp Business App
- Scaling your WhatsApp Broadcasts
- Benefits of WhatsApp Broadcast
- Use cases for WhatsApp Broadcast
What is a WhatsApp Broadcast?
WhatsApp Broadcast enables businesses to send bulk messages directly to a large group of contacts. Recipients won’t know who else received the message, and they won’t be able to see responses from other contacts This functionality is similar to SMS marketing or electronic direct mail (EDM), but with the added advantage of WhatsApp's extensive reach across Asia and exceptional engagement rates, with open rates as high as 98% and click-through rates (CTR) up to 57%, far surpassing the average email open rate of 21.33% and CTR of 2.41%.
As contacts receive broadcast messages in their Chats tab, alongside their conversations with friends and family. This results in high engagement rates, enabling organisations to communicate with customers in a more personal and direct way, making it a powerful marketing tool.
How to send a WhatsApp Broadcast on the WhatsApp Business App
- Create a new broadcast list in your WhatsApp settings
- Select the contacts you want to add to your broadcast list
- Create and send your message
While the WhatsApp Business Account features offers some advantages compared to the personal WhatsApp messenger account, though it does come with a lot of limitations. The main challenge is that broadcasts can only be sent to people who have your business number saved in their contacts, and you can only send messages to 256 recipients per broadcast list.
Scaling your WhatsApp Broadcasts
For businesses looking to scale beyond these limitations, the WhatsApp Business API offers a more appropriate solution. Here’s how to send a WhatsApp Broadcast on the API:
- Create a WhatsApp Business API account
To leverage the WhatsApp Business API, you need an API account. Our expert team can help you set up your account so you can take full advantage of WhatsApp’s powerful features. Contact us to get started.
2. Create message templates
WhatsApp allows users to send broadcasts by using structured messages called templates. Each template must be approved by Meta before sending out a WhatsApp Broadcast. This is done so WhatsApp can prevent spam on their platform as these templates are used to send messages to contacts that have not interacted with your account in the last 24 hours.
3. Use a third-party platform
The WhatsApp Business API has no ready-made interface, so, to use the API, you’ll need to connect with a WhatsApp marketing software such as Sinorbis which allows you to access the API’s powerful features.
4. Segment your audience
Any new contacts that message your account can be automatically segmented based on conditions such as date added, country, email, and more. These automated segments can help streamline your WhatsApp Broadcast process as you no longer need to manually add each contact to a segment. An unlimited number of contacts can be added to a segment, making it a highly scalable marketing solution.
Learn more about our WhatsApp Automation Tool.
5. Send the broadcast
Once you’ve created your segments and your template has been approved, simply choose the segments you want to target, select your template and you’re all set to send it to your audience.
Benefits of WhatsApp Broadcast
Wide reach and high open rates: One of the most significant benefits of WhatsApp Broadcast is its impressive reach and open rates in Asia, especially when compared to email. For instance, while only 62% of internet users in Indonesia and 54% in India used email in the last month, 90% and 83%, respectively, used WhatsApp during the same period. This stark contrast highlights the region's preference for WhatsApp over email. When it is used, EDMs often suffer from poor deliverability, with messages frequently getting lost in Gmail’s dreaded promotions tab or similar features of other email providers resulting in overage open rates of 21.33%. In contrast, WhatsApp Broadcast messages appear front and center in the Chats tab resulting in open rates as high as 98%.
Optimised for conversion: WhatsApp Broadcast also offers features to optimise for conversion, particularly when compared to other channels like SMS marketing. While SMS also tends to have good open rates, WhatsApp Broadcast has a higher click-through rate, reaching up to 57% versus SMS's 36%. Furthermore, some users find SMS marketing too intrusive or spammy, with 31% of people unsubscribing due to feeling overwhelmed by messages. WhatsApp offers a more balanced approach with features like rich text, call-to-action (CTA) buttons, and personalisation options, which can help make messages more engaging and relevant to users, leading to higher conversions.
Given WhatsApp’s massive user base and impressive engagement rates, leveraging it to boost conversion is a no-brainer. To maximise your marketing efforts across Asia, request a demo to see the Sinorbis platform in action.
Compliance: WhatsApp Broadcast is designed with compliance in mind. Businesses must obtain opt-ins from customers before sending messages to ensure communications comply with privacy policies. The use of approved templates further guarantees that messages are professional, consistent, and not perceived as spam. Additionally, WhatsApp manages the number of broadcasts you can send, starting with a limit of 250 contacts in a 24-hour period, which can be scaled up to an unlimited number of contacts over time, depending on your engagement levels and Meta.
Use cases for WhatsApp Broadcast
Broadcasts can be utilised in various ways to build a successful WhatsApp marketing strategy. Here are some examples:
- Event invitations: Businesses can use broadcasts to send a WhatsApp newsletter to invite customers to events or workshops, making it easy to manage RSVPs and attendance. Broadcasts can also be used to send webinar invitations as Zoom can be integrated to your WhatsApp forms.
- Product launch announcements: Businesses can use WhatsApp Broadcast to inform their customers about new product launches, ensuring that the message reaches them instantly and directly.
- Promotional campaigns: Companies can send special offers, discounts, and promotions to a segmented audience, increasing the likelihood of conversion.
- Customer support updates: Businesses can keep their customers informed about service updates, changes in operating hours, or other critical information in real-time.
- Surveys and feedback requests: Gathering customer feedback is essential for improving products and services. WhatsApp Broadcast allows businesses to send out surveys or feedback requests quickly and efficiently.
WhatsApp Broadcast represents a significant opportunity for businesses, especially those targeting markets in Asia, to engage with their audiences at scale. By leveraging the platform’s features, businesses can create effective marketing campaigns that drive results. To explore how WhatsApp Broadcast can transform your marketing strategy, request a demo of the Sinorbis Experience Platform below.
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