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Messaging app WhatsApp has finally found a way to make some money. It announced today that its business version will start charging for replies after the 1st 24 hours period is over. The fee is also dependent on the country of response.
Businesses are expected to use WhatsApp Business for:
- Request helpful information: When you need a shipping confirmation or boarding pass, you can give your mobile number to a business on their Website, on their app, or in their store to send you information on WhatsApp.
- Start a conversation: You may see a click-to-chat button on a Website or Facebook ad to quickly message a business.
- Get support: Some businesses may provide real time support on WhatsApp to answer questions about their products or help you resolve an issue.
WhatsApp’s owner Facebook said in a separate announcement:
We’re introducing the WhatsApp Business API to help businesses manage communications with existing and potential customers at scale. With the WhatsApp Business API, you can send messages to people who initiate a chat with your business or who request that you send them information via WhatsApp.
You can use the WhatsApp Business API to send customized notificationswith relevant, non-promotional content such as shipping confirmations, appointment reminders or event tickets. These messages will be charged at a fixed rate for confirmed delivery.
When someone messages your business, you can also use the WhatsApp Business API to respond to questions or comments for free within 24 hours. Any messages sent more than 24 hours after the last customer response will be charged.
For marketers, the FB-WhatsApp combo now offers a new way of getting prospects. FB has been testing ways to help people start a WhatsApp chat from ads they see on Facebook. ‘Facebook Ads’ that click to WhatsApp will help people discover your business, & help them engage with the product or service. When a person taps on an Ad that clicks to WhatsApp, they will be transferred to a prefilled WhatsApp chat where they can message your business quickly.
Businesses running these ads will also receive aggregated metrics in Ads Manager to evaluate the effectiveness of their campaigns, said FB.
