Everyday, something new is happening on the internet. In that same way, updates and features are being put out on our social media platforms. And WhatsApp is not left out.
Businesses are looking for better ways to effectively communicate with their audience.
And this brings us to today’s topic “the WhatsApp broadcast message”. A feature that is so overlooked by many business owners as a means of communication with their customers.
Therefore, this blog post is going to give you the ins of the WhatsApp broadcast message while taking you through the step by step process of setting it up.
As usual, let’s dive in!
What Are WhatsApp Broadcast Messages
The WhatsApp broadcast message is a feature on WhatsApp that allows you to send the same message to multiple contacts at once without creating a group. Hence the word “broadcast”.
These broadcast messages land straight in the recipients DM.
And when done right, it can be personalized to give your audience the same feeling of a one-on-one message.
We’ll look at examples in a bit. For now, let’s look at why you should use the WhatsApp broadcast message feature.
Why Should you Use the WhatsApp Broadcast Message Feature
The WhatsApp broadcast message feature becomes handy for a business owner when he needs to share promotions, updates or event details about his business while still keeping a personal touch.
This becomes very beneficial as WhatsApp messages are read faster than emails. Also, using this broadcast message saves time for a business owner and helps him to segment his list based on customer differences and preferences.
Moreso, this feature is used by marketers to deliver targeted campaigns to a specific group of their audience.
With these in mind, let’s look at the simple step-by-step guide to setting up the WhatsApp broadcast message.
Step-by-step guide to setting up the WhatsApp broadcast message
Step 1: Open your WhatsApp business account
Open the WhatsApp business account app on your android or IOS. Ensure you have the updated version so you can have access to all the new features.
Step 2: Navigate to the Chats tab
Navigate to the chats tab on your phone, Tap the + sign on the top right corner of the chats tab.
Step 3: Select New Broadcast
Click on the new broadcast on the screen, this will take you to the contact section where you select the audience you need. You can select up to 256 recipients for a single broadcast list.
Step 4: Create and save the broadcast list
After selecting your recipients, click on done. On the settings tab, you’ll see the broadcast list you just created. Click on it to view your list.
Step 5: Send your message
Now, simply type your message and hit send. The message will be delivered to all your recipients in their dm.
Best Practices for Using WhatsApp Broadcast Messages
Just like every other feature on WhatsApp—or any other social media platform, there are best practices to be put in place when making use of them. Therefore, let’s look at the best practices for using this WhatsApp broadcast message feature.
Personalize your Messages
Although the WhatsApp broadcast feature does not have any room for personalization, you can still personalize your messages to sound tailored to one person.
For instance, if I have a broadcast list of 105 people, and I’m trying to send updates about an event we have, instead of saying “Hey everyone, we will be having our virtual event by tomorrow, I hope y’all are ready.”
I can personalize it to sound like this “Hey friend, our virtual event finally comes up tomorrow. I hope you’re as excited as I am. Can’t wait to see you there!
Although not personalized with the individuals name, this second message feels more conversational and tailored to one person.
Respect your recipients privacy
Ensure to ask your audience if they’re okay receiving messages from you. This should be among the first set of messages you send out to your audience.
Saving your number is not a prerequisite for sending unwanted messages.
Don’t overwhelm your audience
Be mindful of how often you send updates. Spamming your audience with too many messages all in the name of broadcasting updates can lead to negative feedback.
Use clear call to actions
Always be clear on the actions you want your audience to take next. Do you want them to save the date for the event?
Or help you create awareness for your business?
Whatever it is, it is always important to let your audience know in your broadcast message.
Creative use case of the WhatsApp broadcast message for a business owner
Although the broadcast message feature can be used by institutions, individuals and business owners, our focus for this blog post is on business owners.
Therefore, as a business owner, this broadcast feature is mostly used for sending messages such as:
- Holiday greeting: Send messages to multiple contacts during the festive period without creating a WhatsApp group.
- Promotional messages: This type of messages includes, discounts, flash sales or limited time offers. Additionally, you can use the WhatsApp broadcast message feature to share flash sales offers to your esteemed customers.
- Customer updates: Use the WhatsApp broadcast feature to notify customers about restocks or new product launches.
For instance, let’s say you’re a nurse who coaches pregnant women on tips to follow during pregnancy.
If you want to share details about let’s say a webinar for women in their trimester.
Using the information they’ve provided, you can segment them, add them to a broadcast list and share details about the webinar and what they are to expect.
In addition, this helps to increase privacy as anyone among them who has any questions to ask can ask directly in your dm.
Conclusion
The WhatsApp broadcast message feature is powerful yet overlooked. For a business owner, creating and segmenting your audience into different lists is a step to changing the narrative of the results you get—for the better.
Therefore, follow the step-by-step guide provided in this blog post, create your list and always remember to adhere to best practices for using this incredible whatsapp feature.
