In the digital age, it's important to find innovative ways to reach your audience. WhatsApp, one of the world's leading instant messaging platforms, has established itself not only as a way for friends to communicate, but also as a powerful tool for businesses.
The numbers speak for themselves: open rates of 95% and CTRs of up to 60%, combined with over 100 billion messages per day, offer a unique opportunity to get your message directly into the pockets and hearts of your target audience.
WhatsApp's story is fascinating: within a decade of its founding in 2009, the company became the world's most used messaging service. Its acquisition by Facebook (now Meta) for the then-record sum of $19 billion further strengthened its market position.
Today, WhatsApp has 2 billion monthly users worldwide and offers not only a high usage rate, but also the opportunity to stand out in the ever-growing sea of communication. Discover with us how to strengthen your customer loyalty.
WhatsApp as a marketing channel offers a number of outstanding features that set it apart from other platforms:
What has become indispensable in the private sphere is also raising expectations in professional communication: Consumers want to interact with businesses as quickly, conveniently, and efficiently as they do in their personal lives. In a study initiated by Meta, 65 percent of respondents said they would rather contact companies via Messenger than call customer service. So as letters, emails and phone calls are increasingly replaced by live messengers, businesses need to tailor their customer service as closely as possible to the needs of their customers. One way to do this is to meet consumers where they are, in a medium they trust that is popular and established around the world
WhatsApp is often referred to as an instant messaging platform and has some similarities to social media, but is usually not directly classified as a such. There are several reasons for this distinction:
In summary, while WhatsApp has some parallels to social media, its focus on private communication, limited content continuity, and lack of public profiles generally make it more of an instant messaging platform than a social medium.
WhatsApp marketing can work for a wide range of businesses and industries. It offers the ability to communicate directly and personally with customers, which can be beneficial for many businesses. Here are some examples of businesses for which WhatsApp marketing can be particularly relevant:
WhatsApp introduced the "WhatsApp Business" service in 2018, which was developed specifically for businesses to facilitate communication with customers. Later, the capabilities were expanded with the so-called "WhatsApp Business API" (now WhatsApp Business Platform) to provide businesses with advanced features for communicating with customers. For an overview of the two options for businesses, click here:
The WhatsApp Business App is a free solution for small businesses. It is ideal for local marketing, such as hairdressers, butchers, restaurants and delivery services. This app allows businesses to connect directly with their customers and effectively promote their services or products.
The WhatsApp Business app offers handy features like a business profile, which can display important information like hours and location, as well as product catalogs and quick answers to quickly answer frequently asked questions.
Previously, businesses could send unlimited broadcast messages. However, Meta is now testing new limitations:
Free Tier: Businesses may be limited to 250 customized broadcast messages per month.
Paid Tier: Additional messages beyond this limit will incur charges.
These changes aim to reduce spam and enhance user experience.
Many other features, such as chatbots or scalable campaigns like newsletters, are only available through the WhatsApp Business Platform (formerly API). In addition, businesses get the official green check mark for business accreditation with this solution. It should be noted, however, that using the WhatsApp Business app is often a gray area in terms of privacy compliance, as user-related data is read and a device is required for use
Effective July 1, 2025, WhatsApp is transitioning from conversation-based to per-message pricing:
Marketing Templates: Charged per message sent.
Utility Templates: Free if sent within a 24-hour customer service window; otherwise, charged per message.
Service Conversations: Non-template messages within the 24-hour window remain free.
The WhatsApp Business Platform is a powerful solution for medium and large businesses that want to communicate with their customer base in a comprehensive and professional manner. The platform provides businesses with advanced features that enable targeted interaction and seamless integration with existing business structures.
A key benefit of the WhatsApp Business Platform is the ability to integrate the API with existing CRM systems, customer databases and other enterprise applications. This allows for a seamless and efficient exchange of information. By connecting to CRM systems, businesses can better organize their customer contacts and score points with more personalized interactions.
The WhatsApp Business Platform offers a variety of time-saving features, including the use of chatbots for automated interactions and targeting options. In addition, the platform offers comprehensive reporting that provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of campaigns.
An important aspect of the WhatsApp Business Solution is privacy. The opt-in principle also supports GDPR compliance when implemented properly, though businesses must still manage consent tracking and user data responsibly.
To use the WhatsApp Business Solution, businesses must register and be authorized by WhatsApp. It should be noted that there may be costs associated with using WhatsApp Business. The average cost today varies based on region and message type.
Whether WhatsApp is the right channel for your business depends on several factors that need to be carefully weighed.
Conclusion:
Last but not least, if you decide to get a WhatsApp account for your business, don't forget to promote it sufficiently (and by that I mean everywhere!). Be it on the other social channels or in the queue of your customer hotline. As mentioned above, the majority of customers want to communicate directly with companies via messenger services like WhatsApp. The only challenge is to get customers to take notice.
Happy chatting!