The goal of broadcast messaging is to send an automated message to a large number of people in the shortest amount of time.
It is not a novel or difficult concept to understand. Marketers will inevitably consider using it for promotional messaging, and customers will instantly picture themselves getting a ton of congratulations from friends and family over the holidays.
While this is true, there are other uses for the broadcast function, like informing the public of emergencies or sending automated severe weather alerts.
The greatest use case for WhatsApp marketing campaigns and messages is for businesses.
In recent years, a lot of marketing and customer service teams have started incorporating bulk broadcast messages into their social & marketing messaging strategy because messages are faster and more personal than emails.
How do WhatsApp broadcasts operate? Continue reading to find out more.
What is a WhatsApp Broadcast?
WhatsApp Broadcast essentially consists of a list of recipients who get bulk messages from your company on WhatsApp.
Sending messages to an unlimited number of users at once—even those who haven’t added you to their contacts list—is possible with a WhatsApp Broadcast that utilizes the WhatsApp Business API.
Only those who have chosen to receive WhatsApp notifications from your company are eligible to receive these messages.
A lot of users mistake group messages on WhatsApp for broadcast messages.
Yet, WhatsApp Broadcasts prevent users from seeing the names and phone numbers of other recipients and allow them to receive messages in private chat.
How to send Broadcast messages on WhatsApp Business? (for small businesses)
WhatsApp Business is the ideal option for small businesses who want to send broadcasts to their clientele and are self-sufficient.
WhatsApp Business comes with a built-in broadcasting feature, is free to use, and is simple to set up.
The WhatsApp Broadcast limit for the Business App is 256 distinct users at once. You can make it work by creating multiple broadcast lists, even though the numbers are low.
WhatsApp Broadcasting is very simple when using the WhatsApp Business App.
To make a WhatsApp Business broadcast list with up to 256 contacts and start messaging them, follow these steps:
- Select “New Broadcast” after clicking the three white dots on the right side of the WhatsApp Business app.
- To add contacts to your WhatsApp Broadcast list, select them.
- On the Business App, you can choose up to 256 contacts for a broadcast list.
- Click the green tick button to create the broadcast list.
And that’s it!
It’s simple to monitor. In front of the chats to whom you have sent the broadcast, look for two blue ticks.
Now, contacts who have added you to their contact list can send and receive WhatsApp Broadcast messages.
Limitations of sending WhatsApp Broadcast through the WhatsApp Business App
Sharing broadcasts via WhatsApp Business is simple, but is it sufficient to keep your business afloat?
Let’s examine some of the app’s shortcomings that might render it inappropriate for your company:
- WhatsApp only allows 256 contacts to be broadcast to
- limited to two devices (one PC and one smartphone) for accessibility 3. There is no intelligent message segmentation and analysis
- Lack of a chatbot integration feature for WhatsApp, fast replies, or chat automation
- The broadcast will not be seen by people who haven’t added you to their contacts.
You need a larger, more advanced platform in order to send broadcast messages to Unlimited users on WhatsApp and reach a larger audience.
What then is the more effective, larger solution?
WhatsApp Business API has the solution.
WhatsApp Business API, which was released concurrently with WhatsApp Business, enables medium- to large-sized companies to customize their customer communications.
You can use the WhatsApp Business API to send broadcasts to up to one million unique users, automate payment links and abandoned cart notifications, interact with multiple customers at once, and offer live support and WhatsApp Chatbots for round-the-clock customer service.
FAQs
WhatsApp Broadcast Vs WhatsApp Group: Which one is better?
When sent through the WhatsApp Business API, broadcast messages are sent to an unlimited number of users simultaneously.
The maximum number of members in a WhatsApp group is 256.
The primary distinction is that an individual’s privacy is compromised in a WhatsApp group.
Their phone number is public, so anyone can message them on WhatsApp. In contrast, a WhatsApp broadcast is secure and is sent to users through private chats.
Can I send promotional messages via WhatsApp Broadcast?
WhatsApp prohibited businesses from sending promotional messages on the platform before September 2021.
But now, companies all over the world can send promotional messages without worrying about being blocked.
With WhatsApp, you can quickly and easily send customers promotional messages like coupons, discounts, and other offers to increase ROI by up to 33 times.
How to export the WhatsApp Broadcast list?
- Launch WhatsApp and click the menu button (three vertical dots) in the upper right corner.
- Press settings and choose the chat settings.
- Choose Lists for Broadcasts.
- Select Share after tapping on the broadcast list you wish to export.
- Select the exportable file type.
Is using WhatsApp Business API against WhatsApp rules?
No, WhatsApp provides the WhatsApp Business API so that companies can interact with customers at scale using bots and more sophisticated features like broadcast messaging.
Final thoughts
The WhatsApp Broadcast feature is fantastic, particularly for online businesses where sending a single message to several recipients is a critical requirement.
Automated messages can be sent using it, including announcements about
company policies to your staff and promotions to your customers, among many other things.
While using WhatsApp Broadcast presents some challenges, these can be overcome with the help of some clever tools.
For example, before you begin, you may need to migrate your chat history and familiarize yourself with the WhatsApp rules.
If you abuse this feature, there’s a good chance you’ll be reported as spam. So, if you want to use WhatsApp Broadcast to grow, you really need to learn how to use it correctly and efficiently.
