Would you like to incorporate into your company a communication and marketing channel that increases sales, responds in real time and is at the forefront of digital experiences? With the WhatsApp Business API you can achieve this by managing messages and contacts to and from anywhere in the world.
Since its launch in 2009 as a personal chat application, WhatsApp has set the standard in the mobile messaging application market.
Despite the efforts of the competition to follow in its footsteps, WhatsApp has been unbeatable, reaching more than two billion users.
Thus, such a volume of users attracted the attention of the business market, who were betting on the marketing potential of the application.
Once WhatsApp belongs to Facebook in the year 2018, it offers the following products for the business world:
- WhatsApp Business is a free download application or interface, quite similar to the traditional one, aimed at small and medium-sized businesses for direct and individual communication with customers.
- Available on iOS and Android, features include a verified business profile, labels, and quick replies on one-on-one conversations. In other words, it is accessed from an account on a single mobile device, which is somewhat limited for large brands.
- WhatsApp Business API is a fee-based platform, designed for medium and large companies that demand a more complete management, which integrates other digital and data channels.
It typically requires using BSP services or enterprise communication solution providers to send multiple automated, transactional messages to multiple devices.
What is WhatsApp Business API and what tools does it offer?
The WhatsApp Business web API version, as its acronym describes, is an Application Programming Interface in which rules, requirements and contingencies are registered to automate tasks or integrate WhatsApp API with other tools.
It helps communication on a large scale, throughout the entire process before, during and after the sale; as well as for more effective support or customer service.
As a marketing strategy, WhatsApp Business web API allows you to maximize the user experience by promoting closer and more direct communication, with fewer interferences or distractions, which is reflected in a higher delivery rate than email.
It is not for nothing that it enjoys an advantageous open rate of 98%. However, it should be noted that it does not support explosive or noisy marketing campaigns.
Advantages of using WhatsApp Business API
In principle, businesses and companies have added social networks as customer service channels and sales processes, in order to generate engagement and build customer loyalty to their brands.
In this sense, WhatsApp API responds effectively by improving the user experience with its many advantages, namely:
- Identity and trust thanks to a verified business profile and account with a green badge, detailing the business description, contact details, location, website.
- Multiple agents or operators can access the same account, facilitating responses in real time, quickly and in fewer steps, which, in short, improves the user's browsing experience and service and purchase processes.
- Configuration of automated messages and quick responses, such as welcome notes, recommendations, instructions, notifications or answers to frequently asked questions, through chatbots.
- It is a digital showcase that offers a virtual catalog and channels the online sales process and increases conversions
- The WhatsApp Business API is technology focused on the client, respecting their privacy and consent to receive messages. Which establishes first-hand excellent standards and ethics in communication.
- Avoid generic, massive, intrusive messages. On the contrary, the WhatsApp Business API allows you to send personalized, timely and interesting messages, which translate into more conversations, more conversions and add value.
How does WhatsApp Business API work?
It really is not as simple as traditional WhatsApp, although not impossible. There are two ways to access the WhatsApp Business API:
- Host the WhatsApp Business API to the company's server, which requires more resources and involves developing functions and tasks dedicated exclusively to installing, fixing and monitoring the API.
- There are 11 steps to follow to achieve the configuration and approval by WhatsApp, which is somewhat complicated for it to finally be used by a single phone number. In fact, there have been few companies that have achieved it, such as Uber, Singapore Airlines, among others.
- Through third-party services called Business Solution Providers (BSPs) or WhatsApp partners, which is much easier and more accessible, since these already have the approval of WhatsApp.
- There are two types of BSP: SMS providers and others that provide additional CRM services, chatbots and service bots.
How to sell by WhatsApp Business API?
These are the main tools to sell through WhatsApp Business API, especially for online stores or e-commerce:
- The WhatsApp Chatbot managed by different agents, to facilitate direct chats with users during the sales process, delivery service or support.
- Compatibility and coupling with your CRM systems, allows you to know or segment the market, as well as better fine-tune your strategies.
- Create abandoned shopping cart recovery campaigns, optimizing the conversion rate.
Finally, WhatsApp Business API together with the Business Solution Providers (BSPs) of your choice, are the best opportunity to communicate with more users, monitor online sales processes and achieve more conversions.
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