A complete guide to WhatsApp marketing

The WhatsApp Business Platform offers marketing teams a secure and effective way to broadcast promotions, share product launches and cultivate customer loyalty. 

While marketing emails are easily ignored or deleted, users naturally associate WhatsApp with real conversations and important updates from trusted sources. This makes the platform ideal for reaching people in a way that feels personal and relevant. 

In this guide, we will explore how to build a compliant WhatsApp marketing strategy, choose the right type of account and implement interactive features across your campaigns. 

Key takeaways

• Messages sent via the WhatsApp Business Platform are far more effective than marketing emails – with an open rate of up to 98%.
• Integrating the WhatsApp Business API with your CRM system lets you segment customer lists automatically, allowing your team to broadcast highly targeted, personal offers to thousands of customers at once. 
• The WhatsApp Business Platform includes interactive marketing tools like product catalogues, automated chatbots and scrollable media carousels so customers can check out instantly.
  

What we’ll cover

• What is WhatsApp marketing?
• Why use WhatsApp for marketing?
• WhatsApp vs other marketing channels
• Best practices for compliant WhatsApp campaigns
• How to get started with WhatsApp marketing
• WhatsApp strategy and campaign ideas
• Choosing the right WhatsApp account
• Frequently asked questions

What is WhatsApp marketing? 

WhatsApp marketing uses the WhatsApp Business Platform to send promotional messages, product updates and personalised offers to customers who have chosen to hear from your business. Alongside text, you can include images, videos, documents, buttons and links to create more engaging and effective campaigns compared with standard emails. 

For many businesses, WhatsApp works because it’s already part of customers’ everyday lives. Instead of competing for attention in an email inbox, your messages appear in an app people regularly use to talk to friends and family. When messages are relevant and well timed, they carry more weight on WhatsApp than on other platforms. 

Using the WhatsApp Business Platform through a provider like Esendex also gives you greater control over your campaigns. You can connect it to your CRM, segment customers based on factors such as previous purchases or location, and send tailored messages to the people most likely to be interested.

Interactive buttons and links make it easy for customers to take the next step without searching your website themselves. For example:

We’ve got exciting news! We’ve just launched our BRAND NEW Rewards Scheme, where you can earn points for your purchases, plus other members-only perks. Ready to get started? [LINK] [LEARN MORE]

You can use WhatsApp marketing throughout the customer journey, from introducing new products to encouraging repeat purchases. Common uses include:

• Building awareness: Promoting new products, services or campaigns, and following up with people who have engaged with your social media ads.
• Driving sales: Sharing personalised offers, product recommendations and discounts.
• Recovering lost sales: Sending abandoned basket reminders, cross-selling related products or offering exclusive discount codes.
• Encouraging loyalty: Rewarding existing customers with birthday offers, loyalty rewards and updates tailored to their interests.

Why use WhatsApp for marketing?

WhatsApp has become an important marketing channel for businesses of all sizes. With 90% of UK online adults using the app, businesses can reach a large audience through a channel many of their customers already use every day.

Two-way conversations

One of WhatsApp’s biggest strengths is that it supports two-way conversations. Customers can reply to your messages, ask questions and continue the conversation without switching to another channel. This makes it easier to answer queries, recommend products and help people complete a purchase.

Because conversations remain open for 24 hours after a customer responds, your team has time to continue the discussion without starting a new chat. You can also use pre-approved message templates to keep your communications consistent while tailoring them to different campaigns and audiences.

If you’re managing a high volume of enquiries, chatbots can answer common questions, recommend products or direct customers to the right team. This helps customers get a faster response while allowing your staff to focus on more complex queries. 

CRM and business integrations

The WhatsApp Business Platform can be integrated with your CRM system, making it easier to manage conversations and personalise your marketing. This gives your team access to previous chats and customer information in one place, helping them respond more quickly and consistently.

You can also automate messages based on customer actions, such as abandoned baskets or recent purchases, and connect your product catalogue so customers can browse products and complete purchases without leaving the conversation.

Some of the most useful features available through the WhatsApp Business Platform include:

• Product catalogues: Display products and collections directly within WhatsApp.
• Catalogue links: Share individual products across WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram.
• Broadcast lists: Send updates to groups of customers who have opted in to receive marketing messages.
• Click-to-chat adverts: Turn Facebook and Instagram adverts into conversations with your business.

WhatsApp in action 

Rhenus Home Delivery, part of the global Rhenus Logistics Group, integrated WhatsApp with a chatbot to automate customer service. Before making the switch, the company relied on telephone support during office hours and wanted to give customers a quicker way to get answers at any time of day.

Within a few weeks, the business had reduced call centre volumes, improved response times and lowered the cost of handling customer enquiries. The move proved so effective that Rhenus eventually replaced its telephone support with WhatsApp and chatbot automation. 

Read the full story here.

WhatsApp vs other marketing channels

Different communication channels have different strengths, and many businesses use several as part of their marketing strategy. Here’s how WhatsApp compares with some of the most common alternatives.

WhatsApp vs SMS
SMS is well suited to short, time-sensitive messages such as appointment reminders, delivery notifications and verification codes. WhatsApp supports messages of up to 4,096 characters, along with images, videos, documents and interactive buttons, making it a better choice for richer marketing campaigns.

Customers can also reply directly, ask questions or interact with polls and quick-reply buttons. SMS remains a good option for reaching customers who don’t use WhatsApp or don’t have an internet connection.

WhatsApp vs RCS
Like WhatsApp, Rich Communication Services (RCS) supports multimedia and interactive content. It also works through a phone’s default messaging app and can fall back to SMS if RCS isn’t available.

While both channels support rich messaging, the WhatsApp Business Platform includes features designed specifically for businesses, including verified profiles, click-to-chat adverts and end-to-end encryption by default.

WhatsApp vs email
Email remains a valuable channel for newsletters, product updates and longer-form content. WhatsApp is often a better choice when you want customers to see and respond to a message quickly, such as during a sale or product launch.

Open rates also tend to be significantly higher on WhatsApp. While marketing emails average an open rate of around 21%, WhatsApp messages can achieve open rates of up to 98%.

Best practices for compliant WhatsApp campaigns

To get the best results from WhatsApp marketing, your campaigns should be relevant, well timed and sent only to customers who have chosen to receive them. Following these best practices will help you stay compliant while giving customers a better experience.

Secure clear opt-ins
Before sending marketing messages, you must have a customer’s permission to contact them. You can collect opt-ins at different points in the customer journey, such as during checkout, after a customer service interaction or through a sign-up form on your website.

Be clear about what customers are signing up for. Let them know whether they’ll receive exclusive offers, product updates, early access to new launches or other marketing messages so they can make an informed choice.

Create engaging content
Although WhatsApp supports longer messages than SMS, shorter messages are usually more effective. Keep your copy clear and easy to scan, and use interactive features such as quick replies and CTA buttons to encourage customers to take the next step.

Where possible, tailor your messages using customer data. Recommending products based on previous purchases or interests is far more relevant than sending the same promotion to everyone. Details such as a customer’s name can also help messages feel more personal, provided they’re used naturally.

Finish with a clear call to action so customers know what to do next, whether that’s shopping a new collection, claiming an offer or finding out more.

Use a verified business profile
A business profile helps customers recognise who they’re talking to and builds confidence that messages are coming from a legitimate organisation. If you’re eligible, apply for an Official Business Account to add a verified badge to your profile.

Track your campaign performance
Reviewing how your campaigns perform will help you understand what resonates with your audience. Metrics such as delivery rates, read rates and button clicks can show which messages encourage customers to engage and where future campaigns could be improved.

If you send campaigns through a platform such as Esendex, you can also access detailed reporting to measure performance over time and refine your marketing strategy.

How to get started with WhatsApp marketing

1. Choose a WhatsApp Business solution

If you’re planning to use WhatsApp for marketing, you’ll need access to the WhatsApp Business Platform through an approved Business Solution Provider such as Esendex. 

This gives you access to features such as CRM integrations, automation, reporting and bulk messaging that aren’t available through the free WhatsApp Business app.

2. Set up your business profile

Add your business name, logo and contact details so customers can recognise your business when they receive messages. If you’re eligible, you can also apply for an Official Business Account to add a verified badge to your profile.

3. Import your contacts

Before sending marketing messages, make sure everyone on your contact list has opted in to receive them. You can then organise your contacts into different groups based on factors such as previous purchases, interests or location, making it easier to send relevant campaigns.

4. Connect your CRM

Connecting WhatsApp to your CRM allows you to keep customer information and conversation history together in one place. You can also automate messages based on customer actions, helping you deliver more personalised campaigns as your contact list grows.

WhatsApp strategy and campaign ideas

Here are some of the ways businesses use the WhatsApp Business Platform for marketing.

Welcoming new subscribers
Sending an automated welcome message when someone signs up to your marketing list is a good opportunity to introduce your brand, explain what subscribers can expect and share a welcome offer.

Promoting products and offers
Share new product launches, seasonal promotions and exclusive discounts with customers who have opted in to receive marketing messages. Adding images, videos and CTA buttons makes it easier for customers to browse products and complete a purchase.

Recovering abandoned baskets
If a customer leaves your website before completing their purchase, you can send an automated reminder with a link back to their basket. You could also include a discount code or recommend similar products to encourage them to return.

Rewarding loyal customers
Use WhatsApp to send birthday offers, loyalty rewards or early access to new products. Tailoring these messages to each customer helps make them feel more special and encourages loyalty.

Collecting customer feedback
After a purchase or support interaction, invite customers to share feedback through a short survey or quick-reply options. This gives you valuable insight into the customer experience while making it easy for customers to respond.

Choosing the right WhatsApp account

Which WhatsApp account is right for you depends on how you plan to use the platform. If you’re a small business sending occasional messages, the free WhatsApp Business app may be enough. If you want to run marketing campaigns, automate conversations and integrate WhatsApp with your CRM system, you’ll need the WhatsApp Business Platform.

Feature	WhatsApp Business App	WhatsApp Business Platform
Best suited to	Small businesses with lower message volumes	Businesses running marketing campaigns at scale
Pricing	Free	Usage-based
Business profile	Basic business profile	Verified business profile available
Marketing campaigns	Limited manual campaigns	Bulk messaging and automation
CRM integration	No	Yes
Chatbots	No	Yes
Product catalogues	Yes	Yes
Reporting	Basic	Advanced reporting and analytics
Team access	Up to five devices	Multiple users and business integrations

Start using WhatsApp for marketing today

Whether you’re new to WhatsApp marketing or ready to take it further, Esendex makes it easy to create campaigns, manage conversations and engage new customers.

Start your free Esendex trial today.

Is WhatsApp better than email for marketing?

It depends on the type of campaign you’re running. Email is well suited to newsletters and longer-form content, while WhatsApp is often a better choice for time-sensitive promotions, product launches and interactive campaigns where you want customers to respond quickly.