After splashing over $19 Billion to acquire WhatsApp, Facebook seems to be finally figuring out how to make money out of the messaging platform. And that is going to be through businesses.
WhatsApp announced that it has launched a new way designed to help businesses communicate with their customers on its platform.
"Today we are expanding our support for businesses that need more powerful tools to communicate with their customers," WhatsApp wrote.
They have introduced a Business API and they believe it will change the way businesses communicate with their customers in three areas; starting a conversation, requesting information and getting support.
It is looking to ride on the increasing need for instant communication as well as a more conversational style of receiving support. Something that may not be achieved when using the more formal or established forms.
"It's quicker and easier to chat with a business than making a call or sending an e-mail," the messaging company wrote.
The businesses will be charged per message they send an effort that will deter them from spamming their customers.
Though WhatsApp says that it will allow businesses to respond to customer queries at no charge for up to 24 hours. The charge will only kick in beyond and will billed per message.
"Businesses will pay to send certain messages so they are selective and your chats don't get cluttered," wrote the company.
To help you understand this, consider this;
When a client reaches out to a business with a question, the business will be able to respond for free within 24 hours. Any messages sent by the business outside of the 24-hour window will be charged. However, if the customer responds with another query, that restarts a 24-hour cycle.
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WhatsApp's target here is to keep the already active users glued to its platform. As long as they are getting quick answers from businesses, they will prefer it to other channels.
Perhaps to avoid issues of privacy - that have already bitten the parent company - from arising, WhatsApp pointed out that the messages will still remain end-to-end encrypted.
Besides the new Business API, Facebook will as well be offering ads via its Ads Manager that open a WhatsApp chat.
“When a person taps on an Ad that clicks to WhatsApp, they will be transferred to a pre-filled WhatsApp chat where they can message your business quickly,” writes Facebook.
As one uses the ads, they will get metrics for the number of conversations started using the ad and the total number of messages people sent their business via the ad.
Whatsapp co-founders, Jan Koum and Brian Acton, both left Facebook "over data privacy and the messaging app’s business model" according to The Washington Post. Perhaps they were the reason the social media company had delayed implementing such a business model.