Your WhatsApp broadcast guide: the easy way to get closer to your customers

Similar to an email newsletter, WhatsApp broadcasts allow companies to send messages to many customers at the same time, but with higher open and click-through rates. Find out what they are and how to use them here.

These days, companies are constantly looking for effective ways to reach their target groups directly and personally. One powerful tool that offers this possibility is WhatsApp Broadcast.

But what exactly is a "broadcast" on WhatsApp, and how can brands use this channel for their marketing?

In this article, we dive deep into the world of WhatsApp broadcast marketing, explain how it works and offer practical tips on how you can use it for your business.

What is a WhatsApp broadcast?

A WhatsApp broadcast allows users to send messages to multiple contacts at the same time without the recipients seeing who else has received the message.

Unlike in group chats, the recipients receive the broadcast message as an individual message. This makes a WhatsApp broadcast an ideal tool for companies that want to send their messages personally and directly to their customers without starting a public group conversation.

Where can I find Broadcast on WhatsApp?

To create a WhatsApp Broadcast, you first need to open WhatsApp and navigate to the “Chats” tab. There you will find the “Broadcast Lists” option at the top left or via the menu (depending on your device).

From here, you can create a new broadcast list by selecting the contacts you want to send your message to.

👉 See WhatsApp's explainer about broadcast lists

How does a WhatsApp broadcast work?

Setting up and sending a broadcast on WhatsApp is straightforward.

Once you have created a broadcast list, you can enter and send messages as if you were sending a normal WhatsApp message to a contact.

The message will then be distributed to all contacts sent in the broadcast list as a single message. It is important to note that recipients must have you saved in their contacts in order to receive your broadcast messages.

Advantages of WhatsApp broadcast marketing

WhatsApp broadcast marketing offers a number of benefits, including:

• Higher open rate: WhatsApp messages have a significantly higher open rate (around 85-90%) compared to emails, increasing your chances of being noticed by your audience.
• Direct and personal communication: Your messages end up directly in the recipient's personal chat, which creates a personal level of communication.
• Ease of use and time efficiency: Broadcast lists are easy to create and manage, saving time and making marketing campaigns more efficient.
  
  

Is your brand active on WhatsApp yet? Now is the right time to get started. In Europe, WhatsApp is just starting to really take off as a marketing channel.

Tips for successful WhatsApp broadcast marketing

To realize the full potential of WhatsApp Broadcast marketing, you should follow these best practices:

• Send valuable content: Send messages that offer your customers real added value, such as exclusive offers, invitations to events or useful information about your products or services.
• Comply with GDPR guidelines: Make sure you comply with data protection regulations by obtaining explicit permission from your contacts before adding them to your broadcast list. (See more about WhatsApp and GDPR.)
• Segmentation and personalization: Create specific broadcast lists based on the interests and behavior of your customers to make your messages as relevant and personalized as possible.
  
  

To contact customers for marketing purposes as a company, the GDPR requires explicit prior consent for contact via double opt-in

The limits of WhatsApp broadcasts: Why many companies are “outgrowing” it

Although WhatsApp broadcast lists offer an effective method of communicating directly and personally with your target group, they quickly reach their limits for growing companies.

One major limit is the maximum number of 256 recipients per broadcast list.

This may be sufficient for small companies, but medium-sized to large companies with an extensive customer base quickly reach their limits.

In addition, recipients must have the company's phone number saved in their contacts in order to receive the messages, which can limit the reach.

These limitations make the WhatsApp Business Platform a necessary extension for growing businesses.

With the charles Campaigns feature, you can do everything you've done before with broadcast lists and more – but with no limits on the number of recipients.  

Unlike the free WhatsApp Business app, the platform not only allows messages to be sent to an unlimited number of recipients, but also offers advanced features such as detailed analytics, automation tools – such as charles Journeys – and integrations with existing CRM systems.

This allows companies to refine their communication strategies, improve customer interaction and ultimately increase their ROI.

Case study: From WhatsApp broadcasts to the charles platform with Duschbrocken

In the case of Duschbrocken, this transition is easy to see: From an up-and-coming startup that used to use a lot of manual labor to send WhatsApp broadcasts to an established player with a large audience for whom WhatsApp has become a serious revenue channel.

Duschbrocken started out with broadcast lists. Thanks to additional Excel lists and clever workarounds, they were still able to do a lot with the simple WhatsApp Business app.

At a certain point, however, more sophisticated WhatsApp Business tools were necessary. The collaboration with charles grew out of this. 

The results (and key figures) are more than convincing: over €35,000 in sales with a single campaign at €1,100 in campaign costs, plus revenue per conversation (RPC) of more than €3.

To sum up: WhatsApp broadcasts are a powerful tool, but with limits

WhatsApp Broadcast is a powerful tool for businesses to reach their customers directly and personally. By following the tips and best practices above, you can develop an effective WhatsApp Broadcast marketing strategy that will increase your customer loyalty and sales.

For larger companies, it is clear that the step from the WhatsApp Business app to the WhatsApp Business Platform is not only unavoidable above a certain size, but absolutely essential to optimize marketing measures and make them measurable.

Too big for WhatsApp broadcasts?

If you're a medium to large company, you need a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider and official Meta Partner like charles.

Get a free 30-minute demo from our sales team today to see more about how it works and how it can generate revenue and boost retention for your brand.