Across the globe, WhatsApp is becoming a key communication channel for brands and businesses. It’s a platform that a billion people use to communicate with their friends, families and colleagues. But WhatsApp is preparing to make money by bringing more businesses on board, and is rolling out a variety of new features designed to make it easier for them to do so.
1.Message Yourself on WhatsApp:
Using WhatsApp to chat with yourself can be a useful way to keep track of important reminders, shopping lists and other information that’s not always easy to remember. The messaging app began testing a new feature letting users send messages to their own account in early October, and it’s now beginning to roll out globally.
2.Voice Notes on Status Updates:
The popular status update feature on WhatsApp is getting a new feature that lets users share short audio stories to their contacts. It’s called “Voice Status,” and it’s launching with a few other features like a private audience selector that let users choose which status updates will be seen by specific groups of people.
3.Whatsapp Communities:
Earlier this month, WhatsApp announced that it was expanding its chat feature to include discussion groups called Communities, which are aimed at larger groups of people. The feature allows up to 32 people to participate in group conversations and includes emojis, polls, large file sharing (up to 2GB) and more. It’s also more flexible than Facebook Groups, with sub-groups that can be created and approved by Community admins.
4.Avatars:
WhatsApp is now allowing users to create avatars that are based on billions of different hair styles, facial features and outfits. It’s a feature that’s been rolled out to some users since August, and it will start rolling out to all Android and iPhone users worldwide in the coming weeks.
5.Whatsapp Business:
WhatsApp launched a dedicated app aimed at smaller businesses last year that offers a number of smart messaging tools designed to help them connect with their customers. It includes automated quick replies, greeting messages, FAQs and away messaging. It also has access to a number of statistics, like how many messages have been sent and received.
6.Whatsapp Delete for Everyone:
In 2017, WhatsApp introduced the “Delete for Everyone” option to allow users to recall a message sent to all users in a conversation. The feature was initially limited to seven minutes, but it eventually expanded to two days and 12 hours in August this year.
7.Whatsapp Business API:
WhatsApp, whose parent company is Facebook, is preparing to charge businesses for advanced messaging tools on its free smartphone app. It’s adding business profiles and an ad API to its messaging app, with the goal of monetising it by charging businesses for a range of advanced features aimed at connecting them with their customers.
The WhatsApp Business app, which is available in select markets including Indonesia, Italy and Mexico, will be rolled out globally later this year. It is aimed at small businesses that want to set up a presence on WhatsApp and communicate with their customers, and it provides a series of smart messaging tools designed to give them a competitive edge in an already highly saturated market.
