Think about the last time you received a WhatsApp message from a brand—maybe a sale alert, a personalized offer, or a simple order update. Imagine reaching hundreds or even thousands of customers like that instantly and effortlessly. That’s precisely what WhatsApp broadcast messages are designed for.
While emails get ignored and ads get skipped frequently, WhatsApp broadcasts boast an incredible 98% open rate. They help you land your messages right where your target audience is most active—their chat inbox—and ensure you don’t risk bans by relying on unofficial tools.
Whether you're announcing a flash sale, sharing order updates, or re-engaging past customers, broadcast messaging via WhatsApp API turns communication into conversion.
But before you hit "send," you must know how to use this tool correctly. This blog will explain how you can leverage the WhatsApp API to send broadcast messages to drive engagement and boost sales. Let’s get started.
WhatsApp Broadcast is a feature that allows you to send a single message to several recipients at once without them seeing one another throughout the exchange. Like the BCC (blind carbon copy) email feature, it preserves each recipient's privacy.
For instance, you may send messages about new product arrivals, delivery updates, product-related insights, trending offers, newsletter subscriptions, and more.
Additionally, the recipients can respond to your broadcast message like any other WhatsApp message. This allows you to establish a one-on-one communication channel and offer a more customized experience.
Note: Many people confuse group messages with WhatsApp broadcasts. WhatsApp Group Chat allows everyone to see every user's number and registered name, while WhatsApp Broadcasts only enables users to receive messages in private chat and not see the names and numbers of other recipients.
The WhatsApp Business app is the simplest way to send out broadcast messages, especially if you’re new in the market and don’t have an extensive broadcast list. However, there are some significant cons—let’s discuss them next.
Sharing broadcasts through WhatsApp Business seems easy enough—just select your contacts, type your message, and hit send. But here’s the real question: Is that simplicity sufficient to grow your business truly, or are you just touching the tip of the iceberg? Let us examine some of the app's drawbacks that can render it inappropriate for your communication needs.
The app can only broadcast messages to 256 people at a time. This is a huge limitation if you’re an enterprise that aims to reach thousands of contacts simultaneously and tap into the full potential of bulk broadcast messaging.
Let us imagine, for instance, that you are an online fashion retailer conducting a flash sale. You are stuck segmenting messages into multiple small batches rather than instantaneously notifying your whole customer list. This is a wasted effort and a missed opportunity for real-time engagement that may increase conversion chances.
WhatsApp Broadcast is a one-to-all communication approach, so all contacts on your broadcast list receive the same message. This feature hinders you from sending customized messages relevant to each contact.
If you want to add their names or other personal details to make the message more unique, you'll have to send one message at a time.
You cannot broadcast a message to someone not on your contact list.
For instance, if you run a D2C skincare brand and want to launch a new product, you can’t notify recent shoppers unless they’re already saved in your contacts. This often leads to a loss of potential repeat sales and reduces the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
The WhatsApp Business App lacks built-in reporting tools, leaving you wondering how your broadcasts perform. Without insights into open rates, read receipts, or delivery stats, you’re essentially sending messages mindlessly without being able to refine your strategy.
For example, if you're an e-commerce marketing manager running weekly promotions for your Shopify store, not knowing which offers resonate with customers means missed opportunities to boost conversions and tailor future campaigns effectively.
Broadcasting through WhatsApp Business comes with the risk of being flagged as spam by customers. If too many recipients report your messages, WhatsApp can block your number, cutting off your direct line to customers. This not only leads to lost leads but can also damage your brand’s reputation.
There’s no feature for chat automation, quick replies & WhatsApp chatbot integration.
For example, if you're a Shopify merchant managing a popular electronics store, handling repetitive questions like “Where’s my order?” or “Is this product in stock?” consumes hours daily. Without automation or chatbot support, you risk delayed responses, poor customer experience, and lost sales opportunities.
Also Read: WhatsApp Chatbot for E-commerce: Strategies and Use Cases
Sending broadcast messages to unlimited WhatsApp users requires a larger, better approach—the WhatsApp API. Let’s explore that next.
With the help of the WhatsApp Business API, you can communicate with your leads and clients using WhatsApp without getting blocked. You can use it to send automated, customized messages enriched with media, including audio, video, and photos, execute transactions on the app, build verified company profiles, and offer customer service.
It provides a greater level of capability than WhatsApp's business app.
Pro Tip: Since WhatsApp Business API is only an API and not a platform, you will need to use a platform like Zoko, which is backed by the WhatsApp API, to send mass broadcast messages on WhatsApp.
Establishing new business tools can be daunting, particularly if they are crucial as your channels for communicating with customers.
Now, let us break down the WhatsApp API setup into easy-to-follow steps.
Also Read: WhatsApp API Onboarding Process
Also Read: WhatsApp Business API Docs: Get Started with These 4 Crucial Things
Having understood the setup process, let’s explore how to send broadcast messages via the WhatsApp API.
Sending personalized messages to thousands of customers shouldn’t be complicated. With the WhatsApp API, you can streamline bulk messaging while staying professional and compliant. Here’s a simple step-by-step guide to help you send broadcast messages efficiently using the WhatsApp API.
Also Read: Best WhatsApp Business Auto Reply and Greeting Message Examples
Go through the tutorial "Broadcast by Importing File" to better understand Zoko's Broadcast feature.
Pro Tip: WhatsApp broadcast messaging is available via a campaign page or contact list on several WhatsApp API platforms. The campaign page offers more complex features and options; otherwise, using a contact list to send bulk WhatsApp broadcast messages works fine.
Tracking the performance of WhatsApp broadcast messages is as important as sending them. To understand analytics tracking on Zoko, refer to the tutorial “How to Get the Latest Statistics of Broadcast.”
Did You Know? Initially, you cannot send messages to unlimited customers. WhatsApp needs to believe that you are a reliable source. Gaining the four levels of trust is necessary to send messages to an unlimited user base:
Tier 1: Limited to 1,000 unique WhatsApp recipients per day.
Tier 2: Limited to 10,000 unique WhatsApp recipients per day.
Tier 3: Limited to 1,00,000 unique WhatsApp recipients per day.
Tier 4: Unlimited WhatsApp recipients per day.
Understanding the WhatsApp broadcast setup isn’t complete until you focus on ensuring your messages stand out, engage your audience, and drive real results. Let’s explore some quick hacks next.
Use these helpful pointers to maximize the effectiveness of your WhatsApp bulk message campaigns using the API.
For example, suppose you own a Shopify-based fashion store. In that case, you can segment customers by gender and past purchases—sending exclusive saree offers to women who previously bought ethnic wear, while promoting suit deals to men who purchased formal clothing. This targeted approach boosts relevance and drives higher engagement.
For example, suppose you're a Shopify merchant running a clothing store. In that case, you can test two versions of a promotional message—one highlighting a "limited-time discount" and another focusing on "free shipping." By comparing engagement rates, you’ll know which offer drives more clicks and sales, allowing you to fine-tune future broadcasts for better results.
Broadcast messaging on WhatsApp is a game-changer for customer engagement, but the WhatsApp Business App has limitations that can hinder growth. That’s where Zoko and the WhatsApp API join hands.
Zoko provides the tools to send personalized broadcasts, automate communication, and track performance, making the process efficient and scalable without manual hassle. With easy setup and innovative features like A/B testing and audience segmentation, Zoko helps you turn simple messages into powerful conversion drivers.
With Zoko, you can engage, qualify, and convert customers in real time, day or night!
Ready to move beyond basic messaging? With Zoko, you can easily integrate WhatsApp API into your Shopify or D2C store, streamline customer communication, and boost sales—all from a single platform.
Sign up for your 7-day free trial to see how Zoko can transform your broadcast messaging strategy!
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