A Comprehensive Guide to Effective WhatsApp Marketing Message Campaigns

June 20th, 2023 — by Bruna M.

7 min read

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To ensure success, it is essential to adhere to best practices when planning, creating, running, and measuring WhatsApp marketing message campaigns.

In this guide, we will explore the purpose of marketing messages, their value for WhatsApp Business clients, and dive into the best practices that can help businesses get better marketing results.

Understanding WhatsApp Marketing Messages:

Marketing messages on WhatsApp refer to business-initiated messages that cover various stages of the marketing funnel. They can include:

• promotions; 
• offers; 
• welcome and closing messages; 
• update; 
• invitations; 
• recommendations; 
• or requests to respond or complete a transaction.

These messages are best suited for enabling businesses to build relationships with their customers beyond simple transactions and engage in full-funnel conversations that lead to outcomes such as building awareness, converting leads, driving sales, and fostering loyalty.

The Superiority of WhatsApp Marketing Messages:

According to a recent survey by Kantar conducted among WhatsApp users in India, Indonesia, and Brazil, marketing messages on WhatsApp have proven to be highly effective. 

67% of businesses reported that marketing messages led to higher conversion rates compared to alternative marketing channels. Furthermore, 77% of businesses reported that these messages were found to have a wider reach, reaching a larger audience than other marketing channels such as SMS text, email, push notifications, and paid media efforts.

Marketing messages across the customer purchase funnel

Starting with the awareness phase, businesses can use these messages to generate leads and to share information about new products or services. In the consideration stage, marketing messages can aid in assisted selling, provide non-targeted offers, offer product recommendations, and highlight price drops. 

For the purchase and post-purchase stages, personalized product recommendations and targeted offers can enhance the customer experience. Lastly, re-engagement can be achieved through marketing messages focused on upsells, addressing cart abandonment, providing loyalty offers, and reconnecting with lapsed subscriptions.

Optimizing Marketing Message Opt-ins:

To ensure that marketing messages are expected and valuable to recipients, it is crucial for businesses to obtain opt-ins in advance. Here are some best practices to consider:

• Expected: Confirm that individuals have already opted in to receive information via WhatsApp and provide an opt-out button to honor their preferences. Sending a confirmation reply to users who choose to opt out is also essential.
• Explicit: Clearly communicate the types of messages customers are opting in to receive and respect their choices. Separate marketing messages from transaction updates to avoid confusion.
• Timely: Send messages at logical times, such as soon after engagement with the business or according to a requested cadence.
• Relevant: Personalize messages to each customer, ensuring they contain valuable information and clear calls to action. Avoid sending non-personalized or excessively long messages, as they tend to result in low-quality engagement.

Crafting Compelling Marketing Message Copy and Design

To make your marketing messages more effective, consider implementing the following strategies.

Personalize the Experience

Tailor your message to resonate with individual customers by leveraging their past purchases and browsing behaviors. Include additional information related to their interests, such as products they have browsed or valuable offers.

Make the Message Timely

Relate your messages to seasonal events or recurring occasions tied to previous purchases or recently viewed products. Additionally, avoid bombarding users with excessive promotional messages, as this may lead to frustration and potential blocks or reports.

Include Incentives

Drive purchases by highlighting competitive pricing online, as well as offering promotional incentives when appropriate. Clearly explain the user benefits associated with the offer, ensuring users understand how it works.

Emphasize Quality and Trust

Enhance message effectiveness by eliminating spammy signals, using concise and clear language, and referencing product selection, quality, and service features. Highlight aspects such as delivery quality, easy support and returns, or secure payment options like cash on delivery.

Vertical-Specific Copy and Design Themes

Tailoring marketing messages to specific industries can further enhance their impact. Here are some examples:

Retail/E-commerce

Consider product updates, such as informing customers about products back in stock or sending abandoned cart reminders. Provide product recommendations that complement their previous purchases or introduce relevant offers and promotions.

Financial Services

Focus on product recommendations, such as new credit card options, credit lines, or installment plans. Offer relevant discounts or partnership opportunities. Additionally, utilize application verification messages for credit cards or loans.

Measuring Marketing Message ROI:

To assess the success of your marketing message campaigns, it’s essential to set up proper attribution tracking and analytics. Consider the following information to track for an attribution table:

• Message Template Name: Assign a unique name to each message template to attribute events accurately.
• Phone Number or User Identity: Track the identity of the user who took action. This could be the phone number or other identifying information you already have.
• Read Timestamp: Capture the time at which the user read the message template.
• Event Timestamp: Record the time at which the predefined event occurred for the user.

Unlock Your Success with WhatsApp Business Marketing Messages

By implementing these best practices, businesses can leverage the power of marketing messages on the WhatsApp Business platform to engage customers, drive conversions, and build lasting relationships. 

Remember to personalize the experience, focus on relevance and timeliness, and emphasize quality and trust. 

Additionally, don’t forget to measure your campaign’s success through proper tracking and analysis. By following these guidelines, you’ll be on your way to unlocking the full potential of WhatsApp Business marketing messages and achieving your business objectives.