Why Aren’t Your WhatsApp Strategies Hitting the Mark in 2024?

Is your WhatsApp marketing underperforming? We’ve got the solutions you need. In this exclusive LinkedIn Live session, we explore advanced WhatsApp strategies that can enhance your communication efforts and deliver better results in 2024.

On 09th October 2024 at 7:00 PM IST, we hosted a LinkedIn Live webinar, “Why Aren’t Your WhatsApp Strategies Hitting the Mark in 2024?” Missed it? Don’t worry! You can still access all the expert insights and actionable strategies shared during the session.

Access the full webinar recording and discover practical approaches to optimise your WhatsApp campaigns and connect more effectively with your audience.

Webinar Transcript:

Why Aren’t Your WhatsApp Strategies Hitting the Mark in 2024?

Webinar – Why Aren’t Your WhatsApp Strategies Hitting the Mark in 2024?

• Namrata : Hello everyone! Thank you for joining us today. We’re truly excited about today’s discussion, which will focus on an important tool that’s evolving rapidly—WhatsApp.

  WhatsApp, once solely a personal messaging app, has transformed into a powerful marketing channel. It’s deeply ingrained in our daily lives, making it the perfect avenue for businesses to connect with customers on a personal and direct level.

  Today, many businesses are engaging with customers in real-time—offering support, personalised recommendations, and exclusive offers—all through WhatsApp. It’s truly amazing how businesses can be part of their customers’ lives 24/7.

  So, if you’re already using WhatsApp in your marketing strategy, you’re in the right place. We’re going to help you take that to the next level. I’m Namrata, Content Marketing Specialist at Verloop.io, and with me is Harshitha Raja, our Product Marketing Specialist, who will share advanced strategies to help you elevate your WhatsApp campaigns in 2024. So, Harshitha, over to you!

• Harshitha : Thanks, Namrata! Hi everyone! I’m really excited to be here today to talk about one of the most dynamic and evolving tools in marketing today—WhatsApp.

  I mean, think about it—WhatsApp has grown beyond just a messaging app. We’re talking about a platform that’s become part of our daily routines, where 2.79 billion people are exchanging over 100 billion messages every single day globally. The question isn’t whether your customers are on WhatsApp; it’s about how effectively you’re reaching them.

  What I love about WhatsApp is how natural it feels. You’re not just sending out generic updates—you’re starting conversations, building relationships, and creating personalised experiences in real-time. And the kicker? WhatsApp messages have a 98% open rate, which is incredible when you compare it to the 20% open rate for emails. That’s a huge leap in visibility!

  But here’s where it gets really interesting. WhatsApp isn’t just for customer support or basic engagement anymore. It’s evolved into this incredible tool where businesses can automate, personalise, and scale their communication—without losing that personal touch that we all value so much. And that’s what we’re diving into today. We’ll go over some advanced strategies that will help you take your WhatsApp marketing from “just another channel” to something that genuinely drives growth and customer loyalty.

• Namrata : Great start, Harshitha! You’re absolutely right about WhatsApp becoming this seamless extension of our lives. I think one of the key challenges businesses face is scaling without losing that sense of personalisation. So many businesses start strong but hit roadblocks when they need to grow while keeping the customer experience personal. What do you think they should focus on?

• Harshitha : You’re spot on, Namrata. Scaling is one of those “good problems” businesses face, right? You’re doing well, your audience is growing, but then you hit this wall where managing individual conversations becomes overwhelming. Suddenly, what used to feel personal can start to feel generic, and that’s the last thing you want.

  However, it’s important to avoid hyper-personalisation, where too much focus on user data can come across as invasive or creepy. Instead, keep it simple and relevant, maintaining a personal touch without overstepping boundaries. Striking the right balance ensures your messaging feels genuine, not overbearing.

  Here’s the thing—scaling personalisation can sound like a contradiction, but it’s completely achievable with the right strategies.

  The first key to that is audience segmentation. Instead of sending the same message to your entire contact list, break it down. Segment your audience based on behaviour, purchase history, demographics, or even the specific stage of the customer journey they’re in. This allows you to create messages that are hyper-relevant to each group. It’s not about sending more messages, but about sending the right message to the right audience. It’s like having a conversation that feels personal but at scale.

  Think of it this way—54% of WhatsApp users opt-in to receive updates about customer services, like order status, delivery tracking, and even personalised product recommendations. These are the moments where businesses can really shine by being timely and relevant.

  Another thing that’s crucial when scaling is automation, but—and this is important—automation doesn’t have to feel robotic. We’ve come a long way from those clunky, impersonal chatbot experiences. Today, tools like WhatsApp’s faster template approval process—which now takes under 2 minutes—mean you can create personalised responses and campaigns that feel timely and human, even when they’re automated. You can even make live edits to those templates without resubmitting, which is a huge advantage when you need to adapt quickly.

• Namrata : That’s such a good point. Faster approvals and real-time edits must be a game-changer for businesses trying to stay agile, especially in time-sensitive campaigns. But personalisation at scale can still be tricky. How do you keep it from crossing that line into being spammy?

• Harshitha : Oh, absolutely! No one likes spam—let’s just get that out there! And what’s worse is when you’re bombarding your customers with irrelevant or excessive messages. It’s one of the fastest ways to get blocked. I mean, studies show that 54% of consumers receive 1 to 3 spammy messages daily, and about 30% get 4 to 7 unsolicited messages—that’s overwhelming, right?

  So here’s what you can do to avoid falling into that trap:

  First, make sure you’re always working within WhatsApp’s opt-in policy. This is critical. Only send messages to users who have specifically opted in. Not only does this protect you from getting blocked, but it also ensures that your messages are welcome. You can enable an opt-in campaign during any other conversation flow, such as during a purchase or by informing customers and asking for their opt-in. Additionally, offering a simple opt-out option reduces block rates and shows customers that you respect their preferences.

  Second, be strategic about your messaging frequency. Sending too many messages too frequently is a recipe for disaster. Instead, focus on relevance—are you adding value with each interaction? WhatsApp is a personal space for people, so you need to be mindful of not overwhelming them. When done right, your messages should feel like a service, not a sales pitch.

  And this ties back into the importance of segmentation and personalisation. When your messages are relevant, your audience is less likely to feel like they’re being spammed. For example, if someone just made a purchase, follow up with an update on their order or offer them a complementary product suggestion through a personalised carousel—which is an amazing tool for e-commerce brands.

• Namrata : I love that—making every message feel like it’s part of a service, rather than a sales push. And speaking of carousels, can you explain how businesses can use them more effectively to enrich their customer interactions?

• Harshitha : Oh God, carousels! This is one of my favourite features, and I feel like a lot of businesses aren’t leveraging it to its full potential yet. Carousels allow you to showcase multiple products or services in a single message in a visually appealing way. Now, I know what you’re thinking—does that really make a difference? The short answer is: yes!

  Let me give you an example. Let’s say you’re a fashion retailer, and instead of sending individual messages for each new product, you could send a carousel that shows a selection of new arrivals—tops, dresses, shoes, all in one message. Your customers can scroll through it just like they would on Instagram or Facebook, but here’s the magic: they can make decisions and even purchase directly from that WhatsApp message.

  This becomes super powerful because you’re engaging them with visual content, which we know is processed 60,000 times faster than text by the brain. It’s a much more engaging experience, especially in a world where attention spans are shrinking.

  One of our clients, Nykaa, used WhatsApp in this way by offering personalised styling recommendations. They acted as a virtual stylist, guiding their customers through products in a way that felt like a one-on-one conversation, and this made all the difference in driving upsell and cross-sell efforts. The key here is not just showing products, but showing products that are relevant to the customer’s tastes and past behaviour. That’s what turns engagement into conversion.

• Namrata : That’s such a cool example, Harshitha! Nykaa really tapped into that personal touch, didn’t they? Now, another feature that’s been making waves is Click-to-WhatsApp Ads. How can businesses make the most of this feature to drive more engagement?

• Harshitha : Yes, Click-to-WhatsApp Ads are incredibly effective, especially when it comes to bridging that gap between discovery and conversation. You know how often customers come across an ad on Instagram or Facebook, and then what happens? They see the ad, maybe they’re interested, but then they have to go through a whole process—visit the website, fill out forms, go through a sales funnel… and somewhere along that journey, you lose them.

  With Click-to-WhatsApp Ads, you’re cutting through that entire process. Customers can see your ad and click a single button to start a conversation with your business directly on WhatsApp. That’s it—no friction, no barriers. They go from discovering your product to speaking with you immediately. This leads to much higher conversion rates because you’re engaging them at the moment of interest.

  Once they’re on WhatsApp, that’s where you can really shine. Personalise the conversation based on the ad they clicked on, offer them a limited-time offer, guide them through the purchasing process—it’s all about making that journey as seamless as possible. And once they’ve initiated that conversation, you can continue to build on that relationship over time—sending them updates, personalised offers, and recommendations.

• Namrata : I can see how that direct transition can really make a difference, especially when you’re trying to capture attention quickly. So once businesses have these strategies in place, how can they ensure they’re maintaining quality and compliance with WhatsApp’s guidelines?

• Harshitha : That’s a great question, and honestly, it’s crucial to stay on top of quality control and compliance. WhatsApp has really stepped up its game with Template Quality Control. They actively review user-reported templates and disable any that contain harmful or restricted content. So, it’s essential to make sure your messaging is not only relevant but also compliant with WhatsApp’s business policies.

  And remember—WhatsApp is constantly evolving, so you have to keep your finger on the pulse. They’ve introduced updates that help you scale faster while maintaining user trust. For example, businesses can now offer marketing opt-out options, which drastically reduce block rates and ensure that your audience remains engaged on their terms.

  As far as tracking success goes, there are a few key metrics every business should focus on. Engagement metrics like response rates and click-through rates will give you an idea of how well your messages are resonating. But beyond that, you’ll want to track conversion metrics—how many of those conversations are leading to sales or sign-ups? And finally, cost per conversation is another critical metric that helps you measure efficiency, especially when comparing WhatsApp to other channels like SMS or email.

• Namrata : That’s really helpful, Harshitha. I love how you’ve broken down the strategies into actionable insights. As we wrap up, what would be your final recommendations or best practices for businesses looking to excel on WhatsApp in 2024?

• Harshitha : To wrap up, I’d say there are a few golden rules for WhatsApp success in 2024:
  • Personalisation is king—make sure your messages feel tailored to your audience, and always segment where possible.
  • Stay compliant—follow WhatsApp’s business policies, offer opt-ins and opt-outs, and respect your customers’ preferences.
  • Automate smartly—use WhatsApp’s tools like faster template approvals and instant live edits to stay agile without losing that human touch.
  • Track your performance—focus on engagement, conversion, and cost per conversation to measure your ROI and optimise continuously.

  By following these strategies, you’ll not only scale your WhatsApp marketing, but you’ll build meaningful relationships with your customers that lead to long-term loyalty.

• Namrata : Fantastic insights, Harshitha. I’m sure our audience has plenty to take away from today’s session! Just to recap:
  • Focus on personalisation at scale: It’s about making sure your messages resonate with your audience, no matter how large it is. Tools like WhatsApp Carousels can help enrich the experience.
  • Seamless customer journeys: Your customer’s journey from discovery to conversation should be frictionless, and features like Click-to-WhatsApp Ads make that transition easy and engaging.
  • Stay compliant and relevant: Avoid common pitfalls like over-messaging or sending irrelevant content. Segment your audience and manage your message frequency to keep users engaged.
  • Measure and optimise: Track key metrics like engagement rates, conversions, and cost per conversation to ensure your campaigns are delivering the best ROI. Features like campaign insights can help you continuously improve.

  Thank you all for joining us today! If you have any questions, drop them in the chat, and we’ll be happy to answer them.

• Harshitha : Thank you, everyone! I truly hope today’s session has sparked new ideas on how you can elevate your WhatsApp marketing in 2024. As we discussed, it’s not just about using WhatsApp as another channel—it’s about using it smartly to build meaningful, personalised relationships at scale.

  The strategies we covered today—whether it’s about segmenting your audience, automating personalised conversations, or optimising your campaigns for better results—are designed to help you stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive digital landscape. And remember, this is just the beginning. WhatsApp is constantly evolving, and so should your approach to it.

  If you’re looking for a partner to help you implement these strategies seamlessly, that’s where Verloop.io comes in. At Verloop, we specialise in creating customer support automation that feels personal, natural, and scalable—all through platforms like WhatsApp. Whether it’s improving customer engagement, driving sales, or reducing response times, we’re here to help you get the most out of your communication channels. We’ve helped multiple businesses to achieve this, and we’d love to help you achieve similar success.

  Feel free to reach out to us if you want more insights on how to integrate WhatsApp into your broader marketing strategy or if you’re ready to take that next step in automating customer conversations with Verloop.io. We’re always here to help you get started or optimise your existing efforts.

  Thank you again for joining us today! Wishing you all the best with your WhatsApp marketing efforts, and I can’t wait to see how you implement these strategies in the coming year. Have a fantastic day!