WhatsApp Business Launched for Small Business Owners

If you search for ‘WhatsApp’ on PlayStore or App Store, you might find an identical app under your expected listing.

It’s called ‘WhatsApp Business’.

WhatsApp Business is optimized for small businesses, and it could be the next big thing that transforms your business.

You can install both WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business in a single device, but you will need two unique phone numbers to do so. You will not be able to use your personal WhatsApp number for your WhatsApp Business number.

Your WhatsApp Business does not need to run on mobile numbers. You can also use a landline number to set up your WhatsApp Business account. You will receive a verification code via a phone call to the landline number you selected to set up your account

Include your opening hours, business description, website, location and e-mail address in your WhatsApp Business Profile to gain more trust and confidence from prospective customers

Set up automated responses like how you would for your Facebook page. Use this feature to inform your users that you are away! You can also set up quick replies and responses to your customers’ common FAQs and inform them about your ongoing promotions with a single click

You can still send pictures, videos, make voice or video calls online et cetera, just like how you do on your personal WhatsApp account

Use labels on different messaging threads to keep track of your work progress. No more missed pending payments or new customer promotion alerts!

Keep track of the important metrics when it comes to messaging your customers. This includes number of messages successfully sent, delivered and read among several others

Last year, Facebook conducted a study to find out just how much consumers are messaging businesses. The results showed that more than half of the users who finds businesses online messages them throughout their buying journey.

When surveyed about which particular step they message a business for, 56% answered that they do so across all stages.

That’s everything from inquiring a product to purchasing or booking, followed by after-sale services and feedbacks.

Future updates also await us on Facebook and WhatsApp, including the possibilities of Click-to-Whatsapp ads on Facebook.

Running a bigger business? WhatsApp Business is also catering to that using WhatsApp Business API, a more extensive integration that makes reaching your customers easier - but with a cost