How to Use a Broadcast Group in WhatsApp for Social Commerce

Broadcasting in WhatsApp is a great way to engage with your contacts and boost your social commerce efforts. It’s a core feature of the WhatsApp Business app, as well as being possible through third-party platforms using the WhatsApp Business API. Taking the time to start conversations with your customers is a surefire way to boost engagement, conversions, and, inevitably, sales.

What is a WhatsApp Broadcast?

Broadcasts are a feature of WhatsApp Business accounts. They provide a way to send a message to multiple accounts simultaneously from one single account. In the case of WhatsApp Broadcast, a business account creates a message, selects the contacts, and broadcasts (sends) it to them all. The individual recipients receive it but have no idea who else or how many other people have received it.

Broadcasts are used for a multitude of different reasons, and we’ll explore some examples at the end of this article. Businesses are finding that even with some of the limitations imposed by WhatsApp Business, broadcasts are a great way to engage with customers on an immediate basis.

WhatsApp Broadcast Vs. WhatsApp Group: What’s the Difference?

You would be forgiven for thinking that they sound the same. You’re sending a message to a group of people at the same time. This is precisely what you do in a group. The core difference is the privacy that broadcasts provide. As briefly mentioned, recipients of a broadcast aren’t put into a group together. They cannot see each other, nor can they reply publicly. So, essentially, your broadcast is a private message that is sent to a group of people.

Consider sending an email. A group email would be when you CC people into the same mail. Everyone receives the same message but also can see everyone else that received the message too. If you were to BCC (so-called blind copying), everyone would receive the same message but cannot see who else received it. If they were to reply, they would only respond to the original sender.

How to Send WhatsApp Broadcasts to Groups With WhatsApp Business App

If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of small businesses harnessing the power of WhatsApp Business, you may have considered using the broadcast feature. There’s good reason to explore it. It is an incredibly powerful feature when used correctly and can significantly impact your engagement and conversions. With the right messaging and product position, you might even see an increase in your average order value!

One element that is key to the success of WhatsApp broadcasts is the selection of your recipients. The broadcast feature allows you to send to only 256 users. Depending on your business size, that might sound like a lot or a small amount. Either way, this limit forces you to segment your audience. That is no bad thing. Segmenting your audience ensures that your message is relevant and of value to the user.

You might be tempted to see broadcasts as a way to send advertising to everyone that you can possibly imagine, whether they have chosen to interact with your business or not. However, this is impossible as WhatsApp has put a guard in place, meaning only those who have added your business account as a contact can receive your broadcasted message.

The Sending Process

The process of sending a WhatsApp broadcast is remarkably simple, with only 3 simple steps to follow from within the WhatsApp Business app.

• Step 1: From the top right of the WhatsApp Business home screen, select the three white dots to open the menu, then click New Broadcast.
• Step 2: This opens the broadcast interface, and select which contacts you’d like to receive the message (up to 256).
• Step 3: Write and send your broadcast using the green tick button.

That is all there is to it (processes have got far more straightforward since the early days of WhatsApp). Your message has now been broadcast. At this point, you need to be sure that your customer service representatives are available, as it is likely that you’ll begin to receive inquiries shortly after the broadcast has been received.

Limitations of the WhatsApp Business App

Sending broadcasts through WhatsApp Business app is, however, with its limitations.

• You are only able to broadcast to 256 contacts. The critical word here is contacts. The recipients must have you added as a contact to receive the broadcast.
• You can only access the app on two devices, one desktop, and one mobile. This makes it difficult when working with colleagues or in a team.
• WhatsApp Business lacks any decent user segmentation or analytics. 
• Everything needs to be done manually, including the individual conversations that are likely to occur following the broadcast.

These limitations can be such a barrier to some businesses that the broadcast feature is simply ignored or overlooked. There is, however, another option that has far greater flexibility.

Sending WhatsApp Broadcasts with WhatsApp API on Zoko

One of the key features of Zoko is the ability to send WhatsApp broadcasts using the WhatsApp API. This allows you to not only send broadcast messages but also include notifications, promotional messages, send announcements, and other features. 

Sending WhatsApp broadcasts through the API offers some unique benefits and features, especially when contrasted to using the broadcast feature from within the WhatsApp Business app. 

• Sending through the API has industry-leading open rates. A higher open rate leads to a higher conversion rate.
• You can send broadcasts to an unlimited number of users as long as they have opted in.
• Even people who haven’t been able to add you as a contact can receive your broadcast.
• Matched with impressive analytics, you can segment your audience for retargeting campaigns.
• All while you proudly display your WhatsApp green tick verification.

The WhatsApp broadcast using the WhatsApp Business API is an impressive way to interact with your customers, but there is no specific platform for you to interact with. After all, that is why WhatsApp created the WhatsApp Business app. Instead, you’ll come to rely on platforms such as Zoko.

Example Use Cases for WhatsApp Broadcasts

The beauty of WhatsApp broadcasts is the flexibility of their use. As you are crafting and sending the content (without fixed templates), you can send broadcasts for various purposes. The following list is here to get you started:

Promotion or Sale

If you’ve just put a product on sale or launched a new promotion, a broadcast is a perfect way to let your contacts know about it:

Hi there [name], you’ll be pleased to hear that [product] is now on sale! With at least 30% off, now is the perfect time to restock: [link].

Event Updates

Running an event with lots of attendees? Pushing events to email can get overlooked or missed. A WhatsApp Broadcast lets all attendees know immediately:

Hi [name], you’ve booked a ticket for [event]. We want to let you know that it will now be starting at [time] which is one hour later than previously arranged—looking forward to seeing you there!

Stock Updates

If you’ve had an item that has been out of stock recently and is now available, sending a broadcast is a quick way of letting customers know they can now purchase it:

Hi [name], guess what? [Product] is now back in stock and for only [price]. Grab one now while stocks last: [link].

Confirmations and Reminders

They will work for far smaller audiences and individuals even, but broadcasts are a great way to automate your confirmations for things like orders and bookings. They also serve as reminders if customers use your services monthly or annually.

Hi [name], it’s that time of year again! Time to get your car serviced! Need to make a booking? Just visit [link] and book immediately.

Key Takeaways 

WhatsApp broadcasts are another string to the bow of doing business on WhatsApp. They provide the platform to engage with your contacts en masse and serve as a useful promotional tool should there be a need for it. The possibilities for WhatsApp broadcasts are numerous, take the time to experiment with them, and you’ll soon be reaping the benefits.

• There’s no hiding from the fact that broadcasts are better through the API than through the WhatsApp Business App.
• Developing conversation texting with your customers is a great way to increase engagement.
• Combined with your verified green tick, broadcasts are a great way to remind people of your brand.

‍