New WhatsApp Business features have been making headlines recently. Over the last couple of years, Meta (WhatsApp’s parent company) has begun to invest more heavily in changing the way we look at WhatsApp. The tech giant seems determined to prove WhatsApp isn’t just for customers.
A major reason for this is WhatsApp’s business audience is growing. The company announced in June this year that it had over 200 million monthly active users on its business app. That’s a significant increase from only 50 million users in 2020.
Clearly, as workplaces continue to change, and hybrid and remote working practices evolve, employees are spending more time on their favorite messaging tools. Fortunately, Meta’s latest updates to the WhatsApp ecosystem is quickly making the app a more viable option for companies.
Here are the most important WhatsApp business features you should know in 2023.
Introducing WhatsApp Business
First, a quick refresh. WhatsApp Business is a dedicated version of the WhatsApp solution specifically for companies. Notably, WhatsApp Business includes all of the core features of the standard app, plus some bonus extras.
Alongside a more advanced interface designed for managing large numbers of customer conversations, WhatsApp Business offers features to boost productivity and workplace efficiency. There are also some handy collaboration tools included for teams.
While the solution might not be as advanced as a full UCaaS or CCaaS platform, it’s highly appealing to smaller companies. You can even manage up to 1,000 conversations on the platform monthly without paying anything.
Plus, leveraging WhatsApp Business in the professional world means companies can worry less about shadow IT by allowing teams to use the tools they already enjoy.
The Top WhatsApp Business Features in 2023
Quickly establishing itself as a genuine competitor in the UCaaS and CCaaS space, WhatsApp has introduced many updates in recent years. Here are some new and existing WhatsApp business features worth checking out this year.
1. Business Profiles
One of the first features introduced with the WhatsApp Business app, “business profiles,” are designed to help companies build a professional brand image. They’re like digital business cards or mini portfolios, complete with contact details, business hours, and bio information.
Profiles are great for showcasing the legitimacy of your company and providing customers with helpful information, like when they can contact you. Plus, they’re straightforward to create. As soon as you download the WhatsApp business app, you’ll be taken on a tour through your profile setup.
You can also change your profile later with the “Business Settings” on the app.
2. WhatsApp Screen Sharing
Screen sharing is one of the most requested WhatsApp business features Meta introduced last year. Ideal for internal collaboration and customer service, the screen-sharing feature allows other people to view your screen in real time during a video call.
Since this feature is already available on channels like Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, it was an essential introduction for the WhatsApp brand. Although the screen-sharing functionality is a little more simplistic with WhatsApp, it’s still a fantastic tool.
The only downside is that screen sharing is currently only supported on the Android version of the app, so iPhone users might need to wait a little longer.
3. Call Scheduling
Another central WhatsApp feature ideal for collaboration and customer communication, “call scheduling,” was introduced in August 2023. The scheduling solution allows WhatsApp group users to plan calls and automatically notify other participants.
This is ideal for team members who want to arrange meetings with colleagues or set up crucial calls with a client. Although the functionality is rolling out slowly, it’s likely to become one of the most essential WhatsApp business features for companies in the years to come.
We might even see future integrations with calendar apps and other tools to help build on this new capability.
4. WhatsApp Business Catalogs
Perhaps more appealing to sales and marketing teams than most, WhatsApp Business Catalogs is a tool designed primarily for SMBs. They attempt to reduce the need to send multiple photos and messages back and forth between businesses and consumers.
Catalogs are essentially mobile directories where organizations can put their products on display. With them, customers can search through an entire selection of products instantly. Business owners can even add prices, descriptions, and product information.
5. Automated Personalized Messaging
In June 2023, WhatsApp announced new updates designed to help small businesses run their entire organization through the platform. The new WhatsApp features included a new option to automatically create and send personalized customer messages.
With this feature, companies can send customized messages to specific customer lists, such as birthday greetings and sales updates. Merchants can send distinct messages to different segments, including the customer’s name and customizable CTA buttons.
6. Instant video messages
While many of the top WhatsApp business features are connected to messaging, the company is embracing the power of video, too. Companies can rapidly send voice messages through the app for quick communication. However, they can also create instant video messages.
Sending a video message is as simple as sending a voice message. You just swipe to video mode on the app and hold down the button to record. Video messages are also encrypted with end-to-end protections to help keep business conversations secure.
7. WhatsApp Channels
Back in June this year, WhatsApp quietly introduced a Slack-style channels feature to its app for both customers and companies alike. Channels appear in a new “updates” tab on the WhatsApp application, allowing users to send text, photos, and videos to groups of people at once.
With channels, admin leaders can broadcast important notifications privately. Plus, you can even host polls on channels with multiple question and reply options. This gives business leaders an excellent way to keep their finger on the pulse of employee engagement.
8. Message editing
It might not be the most exciting WhatsApp business features on this list, but the ability to edit messages up to 15 minutes after sending them is still valuable. The editing option rolled out to all users in May 2023, allowing anyone to correct an error or add extra context to a conversation.
Long-press on a message and choose the “edit” option from the menu. Edited notes also show an “edited” notification so users know a correction was made.
9. Secure WhatsApp Business Features
Security and compliance are major concerns for any company embracing a new messaging app. Fortunately, WhatsApp takes your privacy seriously. The company automatically protects all video, audio, and written messages with end-to-end encryption.
It has also introduced a variety of new features in recent months. For instance, users can now silence unknown callers and use the “privacy checkup” tool to control who can contact them. There’s also a “chat lock” feature, which takes a thread out of the inbox and places it in its secure folder, which can only be accessed with a password or biometric information.
10. Automated messages
Another of the top WhatsApp business features for contact centers is that the app allows companies to create unique automated messages for customer interactions. You can create custom welcome messages for your contacts, sent as soon as someone starts a conversation.
Plus, there’s also the option to send “away” messages to other users by default when you’re not available. All you need to do is head to your Business profile and create your “business hours.”
From there, each user can create a custom message to send to contacts when they try to reach them at inappropriate times. This could be a great way to boost collaboration between people managing different schedules in the workplace.
11. Contact labels
Contact labels on WhatsApp are ideal for business users who need to keep track of many different people. You can use them to organize your team members into different segments, such as “marketing or sales.” Or you can create categories for other groups of customers.
Clustering conversations and adding contact labels can help to keep your messaging environment organized, which is valuable in today’s world.
12. Message analytics
WhatsApp’s analytical tools aren’t nearly as extensive as the options some other CCaaS and UCaaS vendors offer. However, they can still be helpful. The WhatsApp Business statistics section on your app can show you the number of messages sent, delivered, read, or received instantly.
The information isn’t broken down by contact group or presented over time. However, it can provide fundamental insights into how users access WhatsApp.
13. WhatsApp Business API
Probably one of the most useful WhatsApp business features to date; the business API is ideal for those investing in the CPaaS world. The API allows companies to integrate WhatsApp functionality into their existing workflows and tools, ensuring they can connect with customers more effectively.
It’s highly scalable, using the same architecture as WhatsApp Messenger. The API also ensures various CCaaS and UCaaS companies can integrate WhatsApp into their solutions.
14. Unique messaging options
WhatsApp is a messaging tool, so many of its top features revolve around chat. Fortunately, there are a lot of different messaging options to discover. For instance, companies can create interactive business messages with built-in CTA buttons.
There are quick reply options to help save employees time in responding to clients and colleagues. Plus, you can even create “list messages, ” allowing users to choose from a range of options when formulating a response.
15. WhatsApp marketing tools
Thanks to its close relationship with Meta, WhatsApp also offers companies a variety of ways to upgrade their marketing strategy. Various WhatsApp business features are available for QR code creation, short links, and action buttons to drive customers back to WhatsApp.
Companies can turn Facebook posts into ads that send customers into conversations with their business. Plus, you can promote the “Send Message” button on your Facebook page.
16. WhatsApp payments
Finally, with WhatsApp Business, you don’t necessarily need to send a customer to your contact center to complete a transaction. The WhatsApp Payments option, available in various countries, allows customers to make purchases within the app itself.
Since all the transactions are secured and encrypted, this offers companies a fantastic way to serve their customers on the channels they like best without compromising on compliance.
The Benefits of WhatsApp for Business
The wide range of WhatsApp business features available today suggests this tool is becoming more business-focused.
Whether you’re looking for a convenient way to upgrade collaboration between team members or you want to serve customers on new channels, WhatsApp could be a great option. As Meta continues to invest in its business audience, there’s a good chance the app’s features will continue to evolve.
While it might be a while before WhatsApp truly competes with Zoom, Webex, and Microsoft Teams, it’s certainly moving in the right direction.
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