The possibilities of WhatsApp for your company
Guest blog through Desirée Boon, Communication student
In the Netherlands, the use of WhatsApp is increasing 8.7 million Dutch people have now downloaded the App. A visible development is that more and more companies are looking for opportunities to use WhatsApp for business purposes. WhatsApp marketing: the free app is particularly suitable for increasing the reach and service of companies.
The app has been downloadable on every SmartPhone since 2009. At first it was only possible to send messages, but the application goes with the share era. Sending photos, sound recordings, videos and contacts are already possible. In addition, it is announced that soon one too call function will be added. How can companies benefit from WhatsApp?
Share button increases the range
There is undoubtedly a link to an interesting webpage between the messages that one person on average sends per day. You can increase the reach of your website or a specific webpage by simply placing a WhatsApp share button.
By clicking on this icon, visitors to your website can easily send the link to their friends via WhatsApp.
Such a share button is already applied on many websites for Facebook and Twitter. Various news sites, such as metronieuws.nl, have added the button for WhatsApp to the list of share buttons. More and more web shops and blog sites also see the added value of the button.
How do you add WhatsApp to your website?
WordPress
- Go to 'Plugins'in the main menu
- Choose 'new plugin"and type in the search field"Whatsapp"
- Select your desired plugin and install it. Recommended Share Buttons by Add To Any.
Don't forget to activate the plugin afterwards.
No WordPress?
Then first compile your desired button, save it as HTML, and add it to your CMS.
- Go to WhatsApp Sharing;
- Select the size, the text in the button, and the standard text that is sent with the link. You can also choose whether you always include a standard URL or the page that you visit. Choose the latter to prevent annoyance.
- Generate the HTML code and place it in your CMS.
It is useful to put this code at the bottom of your page, so that after reading your visitor can decide to share your page via WhatsApp.
Bringing together in a WhatsApp group
Exchange knowledge and collect ideas? That is possible with a WhatsApp group! Create a group, gather participants and start the conversation. The Rivierenland Library recently organized the 'WhatsApp Writer', a group discussion in which participants could ask questions to a well-known writer. Participants could register in advance for Question Time and afterwards the group was deleted.
But it can also be different. So introduced BBC recently in the fight against Ebola, a WhatsApp group for Africans. In Africa many people do not have internet, but they do have a telephone with internet connection. For that reason, among others, the BBC has chosen to use WhatsApp. The organization sends an update on the situation around ebola up to three times a day. These updates consist of text messages, photos and sound recordings. Incidentally, the messages from other recipients are not visible in this group.
WhatsApp as an additional means of communication
If customers want to contact your company's customer service, then call or email them. Have you ever thought about adding WhatsApp as a communication tool? Simple questions and announcements can easily be sent via WhatsApp. Implementing is easy, the only thing you need in the first place is a SmartPhone and a telephone number.
Fontys Colleges has added WhatsApp to its resource mix. Her target group, students and students, is used to communicate via this App. The incoming messages are answered on working days by an employee who is allowed to WhatsApp during working hours without feeling guilty. In the case of complicated questions, reference is made to the e-mail of a specialist.
Undoubtedly there are even more applications of WhatsApp by companies. In the coming period more companies will look for the possibilities to use WhatsApp. Do you know more applications? I'm curious! You can leave a comment below.
Guest blog through Desirée Boon, Communication student
Source image: Sam Azgor
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