Page 315 - Social Media Marketing for Dummies

» Mobile: WhatsApp was created for mobile. To get started with WhatsApp
you need to install it on your mobile phone (iPhone and Android) so that it’s
connected to a single phone number and country. After you’ve done that,
you can also use it as a web app and on Macs and PCs.
Because WhatsApp is tied to a single phone number, it’s hard to hide behind
a fake identity.
» Limited: You can only message those in your phone contacts who have
downloaded WhatsApp. (In Messenger you can message anyone who
downloads the app.)
» Free: It’s a mobile app that provides Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP)
calling. When you use VOIP, it means you don’t incur short message service
(SMS) text charges.
» Content: The app handles all types of content. You can send free text messages,
voice messages, voice calls, video calls, photos, videos, images, docs, emojis, and
PDFs. (There is a ten-photo limit for WhatsApp but not on Messenger.)
» Global: The main reason that WhatsApp adoption was so quick was that it’s
free and works well across countries and devices. For this reason, it’s very
popular with international audiences. If you target global markets, you’ll want
to consider using it.

Communicating with users

As you decide what marketing content you will send, there are three communication
types you can deploy:

» Personal one-to-one chat: You can message (or video call) directly with a customer.
(You can also delete sent messages if you’ve made a mistake in the message.)
» Broadcast to many: You can send the equivalent of an email that reaches
several users at once. They can only message back to you and not to each
other like in a group message.
» Groups: You can create a group(s) of up to 256 users, and they can
communicate with each other as well as with you.

Creating mobile messages with WhatsApp

As with chatbots, the objective of using messaging is to help the user ask questions
and develop a relationship with the brand. Mobile messages are no different. You
have to decide what you’re trying to accomplish and how sending a marketing
message via a mobile device makes it more appealing to the customer.

CHAPTER 20 Utilizing Messaging Apps 299