How to Use WhatsApp Notifications to Boost Customer Engagement

While email is the go-to channel for many businesses when it comes to marketing and staying in touch with customers, an increasing number are now turning to WhatsApp as a way to increase customer engagement.

WhatsApp is incredibly popular in the Middle East, with over 80% of the UAE population for example, using the app. With statistics like this in mind, it makes sense for your business to consider using WhatsApp as a way to reach customers. New developments in the WhatsApp Business API mean that it's now possible to send notifications to customers via the app, and this can be a great way to keep customers up to date with your latest products and services.

So what are WhatsApp notifications and how can you use them to engage your customers?

What are WhatsApp Notifications?

WhatsApp notifications are messages that businesses can send to their customers through the WhatsApp Business app. These messages can be sent even if the customer is not currently chatting with the business, and they appear in the same way as regular chat messages.

User engagement algorithms are used to decide when and how often to show notifications to each customer, and anyone can choose to opt out of receiving them at any time. Relevant notifications can also be automated and scheduled to send at scale to large groups of customers.

Common Applications for WhatsApp Business Notifications

Using WhatsApp push notifications for your business can be a great way to keep your customers up to date with your latest products and services, and provide important information. You can target specific groups of customers with relevant notifications, and you can even automate them so that they're sent at the most opportune time - but what are some real-world applications for WhatsApp notifications?

Appointment Reminders

All our lives are busy these days, and it’s all too easy for appointments to slip our minds. Research has shown that the cost of missed appointments for the health industry and others which rely on face-to-face meetings, runs into billions of dollars each year. It’s also been shown that by simply sending an appointment reminder a day before, the instances of missed appointments can be reduced dramatically. Such reminders are easy to configure and distribute via WhatsApp notifications and have the potential to save the business money and increase customer satisfaction and engagement rates at the same time. A true win-win.

Announce New Launches

Using notifications for WhatsApp Business API is also a great way for businesses to announce new product launches and services. This can be done easily and at scale, and it's a great way to ensure that your customers are always up to date with your latest offerings. If as a customer, you get advance notification of a new product with images, videos or perhaps an introductory offer, that’s a great way to generate interest, sales and customer engagement.

Payments and Update Reminders

Sometimes, customers need a reminder to make a payment or update their information. WhatsApp notifications can be a great way to send these reminders in a timely and automated fashion. This helps businesses to keep their customers happy and engaged, and it can even help to reduce customer churn by helping them to manage their finances.

Customer Support and FAQs

Customers often have questions, and WhatsApp notifications can be a great way to provide answers. By sending automated notifications with a link to access FAQs, businesses can help their customers to get the information they need without having to wait on hold or send an email.

A Note of Caution

Although WhatsApp business notifications are a valuable customer engagement tool, it's important to use them wisely. Sending too many notifications can be counter-productive, so it's important to strike the right balance and ensure your notifications are GDPR compliant.

A rule of thumb is to send no more than one WhatsApp notification per day and to make sure that each notification is relevant and useful for the customer who opts in. If you're not sure where to start, our team of experts can help you to create a notification strategy that's tailored to your business.

WhatsApp Push Notifications: A Powerful Customer Engagement Tool

WhatsApp notifications provide an easy and automated way for businesses to keep their customers up to date with their latest products and services. They can target specific groups of customers and can be automated based on pre-set rules. This makes it easier for businesses to keep their customers happy and engaged and hopefully keep them coming back for more.

It's important to remember, however, that too many notifications can be off-putting for customers so don't get too carried away or you may run the risk of your customers blocking your notifications altogether. As long as you keep your notifications relevant and you limit the number of notifications sent, WhatsApp push notifications can be a powerful customer engagement tool.