How to Use WhatsApp for Marketing: Step-by-step guide 2025

13 min 56 sec Read

Use WhatsApp For Marketing

What if your marketing campaigns could reach your audience instantly and with guaranteed attention? Sounds like a dream, right? Yet, many businesses still struggle to make their marketing messages really stand out in crowded email inboxes or ineffective SMS campaigns. It’s time to evolve.

Explore WhatsApp, the messaging app that’s already part of your audience’s daily life. With over 3 billion users globally, it’s not just a tool for chatting, it’s a bar of gold for marketers. 

Number of messages sent on WhatsApp Daily

Imagine leveraging its 98% open rate to connect, engage, and convert your audience. This guide will show you how to use WhatsApp for marketing step-by-step.

Benefits of Using WhatsApp for Marketing

No spam folder, No ignored messages:

The email inbox remains highly protected by spam filters which may at times deny your genuine message from ever getting to the audience.  

You get basic SMS capability with any mobile phone model that you purchase, but do you remember the last time that you sent out an SMS or were mobilized into performing an action based on an SMS from a brand?

Although the cost of using SMS is considerably low, the means cannot be used for communications unless in a no-internet-data area. 

This is why WhatsApp marketing can be an effective method of getting ahold of your clients. Your messages will not be prevented from being delivered.

More conversions and as a result: greater revenues:

In India alone, WhatsApp boasts over 487 million users, making it a significant business platform, for how to promote business on WhatsApp.

Even though email just about eliminated postal messaging, today’s businesses understand that most emails are never even opened, on the other hand, 80% of messages sent via WhatsApp are seen within five minutes.

Once you get to the audience and your message gets opened it increases the likelihood of them taking an action. And so, you get more engagement and new revenues.

Higher Level of Customer Trust & Loyalty:

Customers trust WhatsApp because it feels safe and reliable. They want a simple way to talk to businesses without risking their private information on unsafe platforms.

WhatsApp end-to-end encryption ensures that conversations stay private and secure. This makes customers confident that no one else can read their chats.

WhatsApp also verifies your business account, so customers see a message confirming they are talking to your official brand account. This adds extra trust. This is why many companies use WhatsApp for customer support, fostering trust and loyalty among their clients.

Flexibility to choose from multiple message formats:

WhatsApp lets you share messages in many formats like text, images, videos, PDFs, and more. It makes communication easy and versatile.

Need to share your restaurant’s menu or product catalog? Send a PDF.

Want to update a customer about their delivery? A quick text works great.

Planning an event? Share the news with a short video.

You can even make conversations more personal by using emojis 😉. For a deeper connection, try leaving video, voice notes, or calls making it a powerful medium for digital marketing on WhatsApp.

How to Use WhatsApp for Marketing: Step-by-Step Guide

Learn how to set up, engage, and convert your audience using WhatsApp’s tools, automation, and targeted campaigns for impactful marketing success.

Step 1: Set Up Your Business Profile:

Set Up Your Business Profile

The additional features are available through the download of the WhatsApp Business App or the use of the WhatsApp Business API.

  • Create a professional profile:
  • Add your logo. (It is advisable to include the company’s email and phone numbers in the ad)
  • Upload a product catalog including product pictures, descriptions, and product prices.

Step 2: Built an Opt-in List:

Built- an Opt-in List
  • Add a clickable button that takes the user directly to the live chat service on your website, on your business emails, etc.
  • Share your WhatsApp number on social media platforms and physical media.
  • Promote opt-in campaigns for the customers to subscribe or to receive updates or any special promotions. 

Step 3: Use Click-to-WhatsApp Ads:

Use Click-to-WhatsApp

Use Facebook and Instagram ads for business that link to the WhatsApp conversation.

These ads work best for:

  • Lead generation
  • Recovering abandoned carts
  • Special time-bound offers are also another example.

Step 4: Automate Conversations:

Automate Conversations
  • Make your answers to Frequently asked questions and first-level responses automatic.
  • Filter the contacts using Auto Generated Bots.
  • Follow-ups and reminders should also be sent from the particular person including all the links.

Step 5: Launch Targeted Campaigns:

Divide your audience into categories based on their likes, where they are from, and how they have acted.

Craft engaging campaigns tailored to:

  • Announce new products
  • Share exclusive discounts
  • Conduct customer surveys

Step 6: Monitor Performance:

Use analytics tools to track:

  • Open rates
  • Response rates
  • Conversion metrics

Centripe offers more specific information as to how your campaigns could be adjusted and optimized.

Examples of WhatsApp Marketing Campaigns

1. Absolut Vodka’s Limited-Edition Launch:

When Absolut Vodka introduced a limited-edition bottle in Argentina, they used WhatsApp to create an exclusive and engaging campaign. Customers had to message a WhatsApp number to participate in a contest to win tickets to a high-profile launch event. The campaign leveraged WhatsApp for real-time interaction, where users had to convince a chatbot, impersonating a bouncer, why they deserved entry. This unique approach generated significant buzz, with over 600 active conversations in just three days, enhancing brand visibility and engagement.

Check out the case study video of the campaign:

2. Mercedes-Benz India’s Customer Engagement:

Mercedes-Benz India utilized WhatsApp to connect with potential buyers by offering a seamless inquiry and booking process. Customers could send messages to inquire about vehicles, receive detailed brochures, and even schedule test drives, all through WhatsApp. The platform was also used to provide updates on bookings and answer customer queries in real time. This strategy streamlined the buyer journey and contributed to increased customer satisfaction and improved conversion rates.

Mercedes-Benz India's

3. BookMyShow’s Ticketing Notifications:

BookMyShow, a popular online ticketing platform in India, integrated WhatsApp to enhance customer convenience. Instead of sending tickets via email or SMS, the platform provided users with a QR-coded ticket directly through WhatsApp. This simplified access for users, reduced the risk of lost tickets, and improved overall user experience. The initiative also allowed BookMyShow to engage customers with updates about upcoming shows and offers, resulting in higher retention and loyalty.

BookMyShow’s Ticketing

Brevo focuses on email marketing and CRM integration. It’s perfect for businesses with limited budgets. Brevo is the same powerful, email marketing platform and CRM tool with signup forms for email marketing lead generation, potentially unlimited contacts, a deal pipeline, and a plan that lets you send 300 emails per day for free.

WhatsApp messages

Best Strategies for WhatsApp Marketing

Master effective WhatsApp strategies like catalogs, chatbots, and targeted campaigns to boost engagement, drive sales, and build customer loyalty.

Create In-App Catalogs:

Create In-App Catalogs

With the product catalog feature, you can introduce your products within the WhatsApp application where customers can easily view and order simply from the app.

Use Broadcast Messages for Promotions:

Broadcast Messages

Broadcast lists allow you to send out a message or a promotion, for example, to several contacts simultaneously, it is perfect when promoting a new product or a certain offer.

Leverage Click-to-WhatsApp Ads:

Leverage Click-to-WhatsApp

Display advertising on Facebook that guides the users to the particular WhatsApp increasing traffic and allowing for easy interaction.

Utilize WhatsApp Carousel Messages:

Utilize WhatsApp Carousel

Engage your audience with visually appealing carousel messages, perfect for showcasing products or offers, leading to higher click-through rates.

Implement WhatsApp Chatbots:

WhatsApp Chatbots

Customers can be engaged by virtual assistants for questions support requests, and marketing campaigns at all times.

Automate Notifications and Reminders:

Notifications and Reminders

Such updates contain contents like an appointment reminder or an alert regarding the bill that has to be paid and help cut down on the amount of time and effort required to push similar messages.

Re-target with a personalized Message:

personalized Message

Re-engage potential customers with tailored messages, such as reminders about abandoned carts or exclusive discount codes.

Create Urgency with Limited-Time Offers:

Limited-Time Offers

Boost conversions by sending time-sensitive promotions, and encouraging quick actions with countdowns or expiration dates.

Launch Referral Programs:

Launch Referral Programs

Satisfied customers should be transformed into the company’s promoters by providing bonuses for using referral codes so that you can easily share them through the application.

Best Tools to Integrate with WhatsApp

Discover top tools like Wati, BotSpace, and Infobip to streamline WhatsApp marketing, automate workflows, and scale customer engagement effortlessly.

Wati.io:

Wati.io is an application

Wati is an application that was created to help companies re-platform their WhatsApp marketing strategy. A few of the features, for example, mass messaging, auto-reply, and parameterization assistance are potentialities that are eased by the existence of Wati.

Its compatibility with payment tools, CRM databases, and analytic tools makes it an efficient tool to run WhatsApp marketing campaigns.

BotSpace:

BotSpace

Through BotSpace the company develops hybrid chatbots for customer service automation and enhancement.

It comes with pre-existing built-in conversational patterns, it is easy to implement, and its NLP feature offers special response patterns based on queries given. WhatsApp users will appreciate BotSpace for developing one-on-one, highly functional experiences.

InfoBip:

Infobip stands

Infobip stands out as a global leader in conversational marketing and commerce. It features a drag-and-drop interface, enabling marketers to create campaigns without technical expertise.

With tools for customer support, conversational commerce, and automated workflows, Infobip ensures a smooth and scalable WhatsApp experience.

GupShup:

GupShup

As a trusted name in the WhatsApp Business Solution Provider (BSP) space, Gupshup simplifies template approvals, API integrations, and customer interactions.

It supports brands across sales, marketing, and customer service, ensuring seamless and consent-based engagement.

Whappext:

Whappext is known for its bulk messaging

Whappext is known for its bulk messaging capabilities, allowing businesses to reach millions of users effortlessly. It supports multi-language messaging, and various multimedia formats, and offers lifetime support with a one-time payment.

Whappext also provides detailed analytics and ensures customer data and security, making it a reliable choice for large-scale marketing campaigns.

These tools cater to different aspects of WhatsApp marketing, empowering businesses to engage, automate, and scale their communication effectively.

Best Practices for Whatsapp for Business Marketing

Adopt these WhatsApp best practices to ensure engaging, and impactful communication that builds lasting customer relationships.

  • Get Customer Consent: This social media management best practice indicates that permission must always be sought before messages can be sent.
  • Personalize Messages: Always hit on names and past occurrences to build relationships that people will appreciate.
  • Keep It Short: Do not write very long messages to your friends, keep everything simple but interesting.
  • Use Media Creatively: Use videos, pictures, and gif images to draw the attention of the audience.
  • Follow WhatsApp Guidelines: Do not flood the newsfeeds with lots of information that is not important at all. 

Key Takeaways

  • 98% Open Rate: Messages on WhatsApp are read almost instantly, making it a game-changer for engagement.
  • No Spam Filters: Direct communication ensures your messages reach customers without obstacles.
  • Trust-Building Platform: End-to-end encryption and verified profiles foster customer trust and loyalty.
  • Rich Messaging Options: Share texts, videos, PDFs, and more to communicate effectively.
  • Automated Conversations: Chatbots and auto-replies save time and enhance customer interactions.
  • Targeted Campaigns: Segment audiences for personalized promotions and exclusive offers.
  • Click-to-WhatsApp Ads: Drive traffic directly from Facebook and Instagram to WhatsApp.
  • Proven Results: Brands like Absolut Vodka and Mercedes-Benz India have achieved remarkable success using WhatsApp.
  • Boost Conversions: Use time-sensitive promotions and personalized messages for higher sales.
  • Scalable Tools: Integrate with Wati, GupShup, and Infobip for streamlined campaigns.
  • Easy Catalog Sharing: Showcase your products directly within WhatsApp for seamless shopping.
  • Enhanced Customer Support: Provide real-time assistance to improve satisfaction and loyalty.

WhatsApp For Marketing- All the possible questions

1. Can We use WhatsApp for bulk messaging without spamming?

Yes, use broadcast lists for personalized bulk messages while ensuring you have user consent to comply with WhatsApp’s policies.

2. How does WhatsApp Business API differ from the app?

The API supports automation, integration with CRM tools, and large-scale operations, unlike the standalone WhatsApp Business App.

3. What is the importance of a verified business profile on WhatsApp?

A verified profile boosts customer trust by confirming authenticity and improving engagement rates.

4. How can we track the success of WhatsApp campaigns?

Use analytics tools to monitor campaign optimization metrics like open rates, response times, and conversions.

5. What types of content work best for WhatsApp marketing?

Engaging multimedia like videos, images, PDFs, and interactive catalogs perform well, offering diverse communication options.

Conclusion

WhatsApp has revolutionized how businesses connect with their customers, making it a cornerstone for modern digital marketing strategies. With tools like bulk WhatsApp senders, chatbots, and versatile message formats, businesses can seamlessly blend personalization with automation. Whether you’re exploring how to do marketing through WhatsApp, this platform offers a unique mix of engagement, efficiency, and trust.

From real-time customer support to impactful campaigns using software for WhatsApp marketing, WhatsApp is more than just a messaging app, it’s a dynamic marketing engine. Brands like Absolut Vodka and Mercedes-Benz India showcase their ability to create buzz and deliver tangible results. If you’re seeking how to use WhatsApp for business promotion, this step-by-step guide equips you to tap into its full potential.

In a world where connections matter, WhatsApp stands out as a direct, reliable, and creative tool to engage your audience.