Helping Businesses Chat with Customers at Scale on WhatsApp

Facebook Business

August 1, 2018

Around the world, people and businesses are connecting with one another on WhatsApp. Last year, WhatsApp began developing ways to make these communications easier and more valuable for both. We started with the WhatsApp Business app for Android phones, designed to help small businesses communicate with customers, which now has over three million users. WhatsApp internal data, April 2018 Today, we're introducing a solution for businesses that require more powerful tools to chat on WhatsApp and a new way for people to quickly start a WhatsApp conversation from an ad on Facebook.

Manage conversations at scale with the WhatsApp Business API

We’re introducing the WhatsApp Business API to help businesses manage communications with existing and potential customers at scale. With the WhatsApp Business API, you can send messages to people who with your business or who request that you send them information via WhatsApp.

You can use the WhatsApp Business API to send customized notifications with relevant, non-promotional content such as shipping confirmations, appointment reminders or event tickets. These messages will be charged at a fixed rate for confirmed delivery.

When someone messages your business, you can also use the WhatsApp Business API to respond to questions or comments for free within 24 hours. Any messages sent more than 24 hours after the last customer response will be charged.

We’ve been testing the WhatsApp Business API for months and we are now working with more than 90 large businesses including B2W, MakeMyTrip, Singapore Airlines, Uber and Wish. Businesses using WhatsApp have received positive feedback from customers who have enjoyed a fast, reliable experience in an app they're already using for messaging.

In Indonesia, e-commerce company Sale Stock uses the WhatsApp Business API to provide product recommendations, order updates, and customer service. WhatsApp has quickly become the largest source of inbound traffic for Sale Stock, and the company has found that customers read 90% of delivered messages.

We will slowly expand the availability of the WhatsApp Business API. You can to learn more.

Get discovered with Ads on Facebook that click to WhatsApp

Over the last several months, we’ve been testing ways to help people start a WhatsApp chat from ads they see on Facebook. Facebook Ads that click to WhatsApp help people discover your business, help you engage with them to explain your product or service and grow a relationship. When a person taps on an Ad that clicks to WhatsApp, they will be transferred to a prefilled WhatsApp chat where they can message your business quickly.

Businesses running these ads will receive aggregated metrics in Ads Manager to evaluate the effectiveness of their campaigns, including:

• Conversations Started: The number of conversations attributed to your Facebook ad campaign from people starting a new thread with you or messaging you for the first time in more than a week.
• Messaging Replies: The total number of messages that people sent to your business attributed to the ads you ran on Facebook.

Ads that click to WhatsApp will be available in Ads Manager over the coming weeks in most countries around the world.

The click-to-message feature can also be implemented on your business’ website or Facebook Page to encourage people to start a conversation.

Start connecting with customers on WhatsApp.

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