WhatsApp Business is a free software for businesses of all sizes that includes a variety of functions. Using a WhatsApp Business account means creating a pleasant purchase experience for your users, from saving time to personalizing chats.
When paired with the WhatsApp chatbot, WhatsApp Business becomes a highly effective tool for commerce. Thanks to a slew of new features that the platform keeps rolling out, WhatsApp is quickly becoming a fantastic shopping destination, especially for those who live far away.
Numerous new features that the platform keeps launching. Even if you don’t plan to construct a WhatsApp chatbot, there are a lot of useful features in WhatsApp for business that you may use. Read on and also explore what is business and all you need to know about business.
12 WhatsApp Business App Features
Let us take a closer look at some of the WhatsApp Business app’s features that we think you will enjoy as much as we do.
1. Business Profile
2. Quick Replies
3. Automated Greeting Message
4. Automated Away Message
5. Labels for Contacts.
6. Statistics on Messages
7. Catalogues.
8. Interactive Business Message
9. Reply Buttons and List Messages
10. Integration with Facebook Stores
11. WhatsApp Payments
12. WhatsApp Business Directory
1. Business Profile
Create a customer profile that includes information like your address, business description, email address, and website. Business accounts can be used by brands to gain a user’s loyalty. A company’s “face” is given to it through a corporate profile “and a sense of self Having a ‘Verified’” WhatsApp must verify that this is a verified business account simply by affixing a badge to your business’s name.
Steps to include information about your company: Open the WhatsApp Business app and select Settings > Business Settings > Profile from the drop-down menu.
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2. Quick Answers
Messages of this format are regularly delivered in response to frequently asked questions. Quick answers allow you to save and reuse messages that you send regularly, allowing you to quickly respond to popular questions. To send a rapid reply, simply use the “/” key on your keyboard.
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3. Automated Greeting Message
You can write a welcoming message to users who start a conversation with your organization or after 14 days of inactivity on WhatsApp for business. With no delays or waiting time, you can welcome and introduce a company to a new potential consumer by sending an instant message.
To create a greeting message, follow these steps: Greeting message can be found under Settings > Business settings > Greeting message. You may either create a new greeting message or edit an old one from here.
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4. Automated Away message
Greeting messages are similar to away messages. Everyone who attempts to contact the company after business hours receives a customized message. You can submit a personalized message or your working hours. You can set a timer for them to turn on.
Follow these steps to set up an away message: Under Settings > Business settings > Away message, you’ll find “Activate away message.”
You can also use this page to edit your away message and schedule when it will be sent. The options are Always sent, custom scheduling, or after-work hours.
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5. Labels for contact
Businesses can manage their contacts by labeling them and categorizing them for easier access. This allows you to quickly search through your contacts while also grouping and organizing them.
To add a label to a new contact, follow these steps: On the client’s chat page, click the menu button, then select a label and save.
To add a new label, follow these steps: On the client’s chat page, click the menu button > select “New label” > save.
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6. Get Statistics on Messages
WhatsApp Business gives you access to important statistics like the number of messages sent, delivered, and read.
The following are the steps to obtain statistics: Select Menu > Settings > Business Settings > Statistics from the drop-down menu.
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7. Collections and Catalogues
Catalogues are another function that will be valuable to your business.
Catalogues allow your organization to display its products so that customers can simply browse and inspect products they are interested in purchasing. Do not transmit every item, price, and description one by one like you used to with catalogues.
You no longer need to drive your consumers to the website or elsewhere because everything is simply gathered on your WhatsApp page. You can add information to each item in your catalogs, such as the price, description, and product code. For your consumers, this is far more convenient than having to ask you about each item separately or switching from WhatsApp to the website.
WhatsApp added Collections in October 2021 to make buying easier. They will operate like folders within a company account, allowing items to be grouped. Users may quickly navigate to the category they want without having to scroll through the entire product list.
You can edit the Collection just like products to keep the information up to date once it’s been uploaded.
On e-commerce platforms, collections can be thought of as categories. “Last chance” or “Sale” may convert as well to WhatsApp as they do on the website. Using them on a WhatsApp Business account entails delivering a similarly smooth purchase experience.
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How can I make a WhatsApp Collection?
- On your phone, open the WhatsApp Business app.
- Select the Chats option from the drop-down menu.
- Select More options > Business tools > Catalog > Add a new collection from the drop-down menu.
- Give your collection a name.
- Press the NEXT button.
- Choose the catalogue items you’d like to include in this collection from the drop-down menu.
- Press the DONE button.
Users can explore your services or products and place orders inside WhatsApp once you’ve added the items, collections, and catalogues. They can then share their order and talk about payment choices in chat later.
As a trader, you may receive a large number of these communications. WhatsApp enables Interactive Business Messages to handle such requests in a fast and pleasant manner for customers.
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8. Interactive Business Messages
You can include interactive and visually appealing buttons in this type of messaging.
– CTA: the user will be led to a certain homepage or will be able to make a phone call by clicking this button.
– Quick reply: allows users to respond using pre-defined alternatives rather than having to put the response in manually.
Interactive buttons are beneficial to a seamless journey and overall customer experience (CX). Foremost, your users will be far more aware of what they should do. For the user, it might be extremely perplexing.
Is it appropriate for him to respond with the phone number? Or do you want to put “Make an order”? The bot will not understand if the user types something else, and the user will be unable to continue the conversation.
Second, employing quick responses is more aesthetically appealing and efficient for the client. He selects the correct response and continues to the next question. Because there is no typing, there is less work, which implies a better client experience.
Finally, users can easily transition between platforms by employing CTA buttons.
Let’s assume someone wants to set up a meeting with your company.
He had to copy the link previously, then go to the browser and paste it. Now all he has to do is press the proper button and the bot takes him to his desired location.
Clients will find interactive buttons in communications to be easier, faster, more understandable, and more convenient. They make the journey more pleasant and improve the customer experience, resulting in higher levels of engagement with your company.
These are paid choices, so keep that in mind. You will have to pay for each message you send if you use template messages with buttons.
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9. Messages and Reply Buttons in a List
In June 2021, WhatsApp announced two new kinds of interactive messaging coming to its platform: List Messages and Reply Buttons, in addition to CTA and Quick Reply buttons.
People could just click on the desired option instead of manually typing it out using the new list messages, which enable up to ten selections. Customers can rapidly select from up to three selections by putting the desired option into the reply button
List Messages: New list messages let you add up to ten alternatives, so instead of typing it out, people can just click on the one they want. When users contact a business, this form of communication provides a simpler and more consistent approach for them to choose.
Reply Buttons: Reply buttons allow customers to easily select one of up to three options by just touching on it. When users interact with a business, this type of message allows them to choose from a menu more quickly.
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WhatsApp’s Interactive Message Specifications
- Users cannot select more than one option from a list or button message at the same time, but they can go back and re-open a previous message.
- Notifications can’t be utilized with a list or reply button messages. You can only send them within 24 hours of the user’s last message being sent.
- You will get an error notice if you try to send a message outside of the 24-hour window
- iOS, Android, and the web are all supported platforms.
When should these Interactive messages* be used?
Messages in a List:
- An FAQ or customer service menu
- A menu for take-out
- A list of stores or sites in the area
- Available Reservation times
- Repetition of a recent order
Buttons for Reply
- Adding optional items to a food order
- Changing personal details
- Reordering a prior purchase
- Requesting a return
- Choosing a payment method
Note: These are merely samples and recommendations
10. Integration with Facebook Stores
Facebook Shops is a platform that lets you create unique shopping experiences for your business and easily integrate them throughout the Facebook family of apps.
You may use your shop to display your products and services while also interacting with potential customers. It’s a crucial tool for every expanding company.
How to connect your WhatsApp Business account with your Facebook Store
Customers who visit your Facebook store can send you a message using the WhatsApp Business app if you link your WhatsApp Business account to your Facebook shop.
To link these accounts, you will need to do the following:
- Have a registered phone number on the WhatsApp Business app.
- Note that a shop cannot be linked to a phone number registered with WhatsApp Messenger.
- Make your Facebook Business Manager account an admin.
- Use the same Business Manager account to link your Facebook Page and Catalog.
- On Business Manager, have Manage Page rights for the Facebook Page and Manage Catalog permissions for the Catalog.
- Connect your shop to your WhatsApp Business account.
- To begin, open the Facebook Commerce Manager and establish a shop.
- Then, in your shop, add your WhatsApp Business number and choose WhatsApp as your primary contact method.
- After you’ve accomplished these steps, you can set up your shop so that consumers can start a WhatsApp Business chat with you by tapping the Message button on your shop pages.
11. Payments via WhatsApp
According to WhatsApp’s blog, “making payments simple can help bring more businesses into the digital economy, opening up new potential for growth.”
WhatsApp could not possibly be without payment options for both personal and commercial accounts.
WhatsApp payments are available in a few countries, including India, Brazil (for personal use only), and the United States (for some users).
12. WhatsApp Business Directory. (in Brazil)
The WhatsApp business directory is a new Android feature that allows businesses to be found on a map. Users of WhatsApp can use it to locate nearby shops, restaurants, and businesses without having to leave the app.
A limited number of firms in central So Paulo are currently eligible to participate. Local retailers and service providers can apply for this category by going to More options > Business tools > Business directory on the Chat screen.
You must have the most recent version of an app as well as a unique CNPJ number. In the WhatsApp directory, you may learn more about the prerequisites.
WhatsApp plans to expand the directory over time to include new categories and geographies, as well as organizations that use the WhatsApp Business App for iOS and the WhatsApp Business API.
WhatsApp Business App on Apple Store
If you are using an iPhone, you can download the WhatsApp Business iOS app from the Apple store.
WhatsApp Business App on Google Play Store
If you are using an android phone, go ahead to download the WhatsApp Business application on the Google play store.
Conclusion
There are additional ways for potential clients to find you on WhatsApp. Another compelling incentive to set up a business account on WhatsApp in a search-optimized approach is that users may search for local businesses depending on their location.
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