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If you're not using WhatsApp for your business, you are missing close to 2 billion potential customers!
WhatsApp is owned by Meta (formally known as Facebook, Inc.), the parent company of Facebook and Instagram. Because it's so easy to integrate WhatsApp with your Facebook and Instagram accounts as a messaging service, most people who are on these social media sites are also on WhatsApp. If you're on Facebook or Instagram, this gives you a great open door straight into your customer's DM's.
This article will walk you through the differences between WhatsApp and Whatsapp Business, and how you can take advantage of the platform's huge customer base for your own business.
WhatsApp vs WhatsApp Business: The Differences
WhatsApp for most people is a messaging platform to contact their friends and family. It lets you integrate your contacts and find contacts who also have WhatsApp, and it offers the same standard of encryption and privacy you'd expect from the likes of Instagram or Facebook.
However, as the need for small businesses to contact their customers directly grew, WhatsApp started work on what is now WhatsApp Business.
Capabilities of WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp Business offers a whole range of features you can use to personalize the branding of your account and messages:
Business Information
The business version of the app will let you add business categories to show what services or products you offer. It'll also let you put up your business address and operating hours, so customers know when they're likely to receive a reply (unless you offer 24/7 contact).
You can also add a link to your website, which is a great way to funnel traffic to your site, and your catalog of products and services.
Branding
WhatsApp Business lets you put your logo as a profile picture. Use this, and your bio, to prove to people you're the real deal. Having a clear, consistent brand both visually and through the tone of your messages will foster trust between you and your audience - an important factor of successful digital marketing.
Conversational AI and Quick Replies
Are you running the business on your own, or know your employees are going to be away from their accounts and unavailable for contact? Setting up automations with conversational AI can help you streamline a 24/7 service and scale up your business without having to add multiple agents.
Agentbots can help you recognize frequently asked questions, and immediately send quick replies with one of your pre-approved messages. For example, customers might often ask you "what are your opening hours?" or "how fast do you deliver?" You can preempt this by setting up answers to those questions that go out straight away - saving you time, freeing up your inbox, and offering your client good customer service.
Labels
If customers contact your business frequently, you'll have a busy inbox. More so, if you're the only one managing every message, things can get hectic. WhatsApp Business lets you set up labels to organize chats and customers by category - for example, "refunds and returns" or "general queries."
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WhatsApp vs WhatsApp Business: The Similarities
You'll be happy to hear it won’t take long before you get accustomed to WhatsApp Business. After all, they're the same app but with different goals. Here are the most important similarities between the two interfaces:
Free
Both apps are free, which is a huge bonus for your company. More people will be willing to download it and use it regularly for this incentive, and it also means your customer service and communication overhead is lower.
Similar Interfaces
While there is some difference - different options, capabilities, analytics, and processes - the interface between WhatsApp and WhatsApp business are very similar. This means you don't have to learn or teach a whole new system.
One Connected Number
There is one limitation to WhatsApp: one account = one number. This was a hurdle for small-medium businesses, but WhatsApp has introduced a new feature that almost cancels out this issue.
Now, you can use WhatsApp on desktops. You just have to download the app and connect it to the account you want to use. If your customer service team is desktop-based, then this is a perfect solution!
WhatsApp Business API
If your business isn't small, you might need a more hardy solution. WhatsApp Business allows you to use its API for messaging automation, which is vital for larger companies.
It also helps you in sending massive messages at the same time without the lag or labor that goes into manually responding.
There are a few more restrictions to APIs:
- It has no calling capabilities
- You can use template and session messaging, but WhatsApp needs to approve them
- Account creation requires WhatsApp's approval
- You must respond to messages within 24 hours, or WhatsApp will start to charge you
However, the pros are strong:
- An unlimited number of users and/or devices
- Can connect to CRM through integrations
- No limit to messages or broadcasts
- No limit to contacts
- No limit to characters (message length)
- Often used by call centers and automated systems - obviously trustworthy and able to handle the influx
Connect With Your Audience With Tailored WhatsApp Messaging
WhatsApp is a fantastic communication option for businesses looking to communicate with their customer base. It's simple and quick, but most importantly, it's used by almost 25% of Earth's population.
If you're looking for a no-code, easy-to-use, customizable messaging solution, Aivo offers everything you're looking for and more. We've automated over 1 million conversations between businesses and satisfied customers.
Learn how our super-smart conversational AI can help your business. Why not make your life easier, and your customers happier?
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