WhatsApp Marketing: Complete Guide for Businesses (2025)

Marketing has evolved beyond emails and social media. WhatsApp, a popular messaging app with a large user base, is now leading the charge with 98% open rates. Compared to email, brands see up to 4x higher ROI and significantly better response rates. It’s not just the reach though; it’s the responsiveness as well.

Users check WhatsApp 23–25 times a day, resulting in 85% higher response rates and 40–60% click-through rates. With instant reach and interactive features, WhatsApp is changing how brands connect with their audience. As a marketing channel, WhatsApp stands out for its ability to drive customer engagement and deliver results that surpass many traditional and digital channels.

From automated replies to broadcast messaging, WhatsApp Marketing isn’t just about sending texts but about creating seamless, real-time conversations. Whether you’re running promotions, providing customer support, or nurturing leads, the possibilities are endless.

This article will guide you through the WhatsApp marketing journey, showing you how to leverage the WhatsApp Business platform to enhance your marketing communication and drive results.

Let’s break down how WhatsApp can be a game-changer for your marketing strategy.

What is WhatsApp Marketing?

WhatsApp Marketing is the strategy of using WhatsApp to connect with customers, promote products, and enhance engagement. Businesses can use either the WhatsApp Business App or the WhatsApp Business Platform, depending on their size and needs.

It enables you to send personalized messages, share updates, and run promotions in a familiar, chat-based format. Setting up a comprehensive business profile with your business name, contact details, description, location, hours, and product catalog helps build trust and provides key information to customers.

With features like broadcast lists, quick replies, and interactive messages, you can create real-time conversations that feel natural and engaging. Whether it’s for customer support, sales, or brand awareness, WhatsApp Marketing helps you build stronger relationships and boost conversions effortlessly.

5 WhatsApp Marketing Benefits You Should Know

WhatsApp marketing is especially effective for small businesses and growing businesses, thanks to its affordability and high return on investment. Keep reading to learn about how WhatsApp business marketing can benefit you and help boost sales.

1. High User Engagement

Do you know what’s great about WhatsApp? People love spending time on it! That means if you’re a business, you have a fantastic chance to connect with your customers and create a stronger bond with them. WhatsApp allows businesses to connect directly with their audience, making communication more personal and immediate.

It’s like having a direct line to your audience, where you can reach them right where they are and provide instant responses through WhatsApp’s chat features. How cool is that?

2. Global Reach

With over 3 billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is one big party! And for businesses, you can reach people from all corners of the earth. It’s like having a global megaphone at your fingertips.

Compared to other channels like email or SMS, WhatsApp offers a broader and more engaged global audience, making it a powerful tool for expanding your reach.

So, if you’re looking to branch out and explore new markets, WhatsApp is the perfect platform. Get ready to reach new heights.

3. Improved Conversion Rates

Studies have shown that WhatsApp has a higher conversion rate than traditional marketing channels like SMS and email. That’s right, messages sent through WhatsApp have a 98% open rate and an average response time of 90 seconds.

Offering exclusive discounts via WhatsApp can further improve conversion rates by encouraging customers to take immediate action.

That’s why more and more businesses are turning to WhatsApp to build stronger relationships with their customers and drive real results.

4. Increased Customer Satisfaction

Do you know what the best part of WhatsApp marketing is? It’s been proven to make your customers happy! WhatsApp marketing strategies can improve customer satisfaction through personalized and efficient communication, making customers more likely to stick around and keep coming back.

Brands like Heritage Foods have seen increased customer satisfaction scores with the help of WhatsApp Business APIs.

5. Drive Better Results with Analytics

For those who love data, WhatsApp Marketing software comes with powerful analytics tools. These tools provide valuable insights into your campaigns’ performance, enabling you to make informed, data-driven decisions. Analytics tools also deliver user insights by tracking open rates, clicks, and conversions, helping you optimize your WhatsApp marketing campaigns for better results.

It’s like having a clear view of your business’s future, allowing you to stay on track and connect with your customers more effectively.

Best Practices for WhatsApp Marketing

Now, let’s get into some of the best practices of WhatsApp marketing that you can follow. Effective marketing communication on WhatsApp enables marketing teams to engage customers, promote products, and track campaign success across various channels.

1. Define your Target Audience

Before you start any marketing campaign, it’s important to figure out who you’re trying to reach. This way, you can ensure your message is speaking directly to the right people and that you’re reaching the folks who will most likely be into what you’ve got to offer.

By clearly defining your audience, you can run targeted campaigns and send targeted messages that resonate with specific groups, increasing engagement and conversion rates.

Think of it like finding the perfect match. When you know who you’re talking to, you can ensure that your message hits the right note.

2. Provide Value

If you want your WhatsApp business marketing to be a success, you need to make sure your messages are actually worth checking out. And by worth checking out, I mean they should bring value to the table for your customers. Whether it’s a sweet deal, an exclusive offer, or just some helpful info, make sure your message is something your customers will be glad they received.

The goal is to engage them, build a strong relationship, and keep them coming back for more. Integrating push notifications with WhatsApp can further enhance the value you provide by reaching customers across multiple touchpoints and ensuring they never miss important updates. Think of it as giving them a reason to smile every time they see your message pop up.

3. Personalize Messages

You want to stand out from the crowd, right? Well, here’s a secret – personalization is key! When you make an effort to customize your messages and tailor them to individual preferences, making them feel more like a one-on-one conversation, you’ll see an improvement in customer engagement in no time.

Use their name, show that you know their interests, and speak directly to their needs. Sending customized messages that reflect what matters to each customer is crucial for increasing engagement. It’s like giving them a virtual hug through your messages. Your customers will feel more connected to you and your brand.

How to Execute a WhatsApp Marketing Strategy with Wati

Executing a successful WhatsApp marketing strategy involves guiding your customers through a well-structured marketing funnel, starting with the awareness stage, moving through interest, consideration, conversion, and ending with retention. Mapping the customer journey allows you to identify key touchpoints where WhatsApp marketing efforts can be integrated to engage, nurture, and convert prospects at each stage.

Let’s understand it in detail in this section.

Integrating WhatsApp with other marketing tools for a seamless and effective strategy is important to maximize results.

Let’s see how Wati helps in every stage.

1. Awareness: Capturing Attention

To attract potential customers, you need to make it easy for them to start a conversation with your business. Adding a WhatsApp button to your website can help capture attention and drive more conversations by allowing users to contact you instantly. WhatsApp provides several tools to remove friction and bring users directly into a chat with minimal effort.

a. Launch ‘Click-to-WhatsApp’ Ads

For the awareness stage, you can use platforms like Instagram and Facebook to attract new leads by launching click to WhatsApp ads

The cool part? When someone clicks on your ad, they’re taken right to your WhatsApp chat. No waiting, no forms to fill out. You can start talking with them immediately and even get their name and phone number instantly.

To learn more about how to set up CTWA Ads, watch the video below.

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If you want to learn more about CTWA, check out our playlist featuring multiple videos on this topic.

Major Update: Google is rolling out click to WhatsApp ads (CTWA) capabilities, which are now live for select customers. This marks a major industry shift toward conversational ads, reinforcing that the future of ad interactions is chat-first!

b. Spread the Word with WhatsApp Links on All Platforms

Secondly, you can get more people chatting with your business on WhatsApp by using a special WhatsApp Link.

What’s this link? It’s a simple URL that, when clicked, takes someone directly into a chat with your WhatsApp Business account.

You can use Wati’s free WhatsApp link generator to get your WhatsApp link.

To see how it works, watch the YouTube Short below: 

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The best part about a WhatsApp Link is its flexibility—you can put it anywhere online! Add it to your social media profiles, include it in your posts, or even send it out in email campaigns.

By sharing this link far and wide, you’re making it super easy for everyone to jump right into a conversation with you on WhatsApp, no matter where they found you online. It’s direct, straightforward, and opens up a line of communication that’s bound to bring in more interest from customers.

Also Read: Maximizing Customer Engagement with AI-Powered WhatsApp Link Generator Tool

c. Drive Engagement with WhatsApp QR Codes

Want a seamless way to get more people chatting with your business? WhatsApp QR Codes make it effortless!

With Wati, you can generate a unique QR code linked directly to your WhatsApp Business account. Customers just scan the code using their phone camera, and they’re instantly in a conversation with you.

Where to use WhatsApp QR Codes?

• Product packaging & receipts: Encourage post-purchase inquiries or support requests.
• Storefronts & events: Let walk-in customers reach you with a quick scan.
• Social media & print ads: Turn offline audiences into WhatsApp leads instantly.

Want to create your own QR code? Use Wati’s free WhatsApp QR Code Generator to get started in seconds!

d. Convert Instagram DMs into WhatsApp Leads

Instagram is a bustling platform where potential customers often initiate conversations. With Wati’s Instagram DM automation, you can effortlessly capture these interactions and transition them into WhatsApp chats.​

When a user sends a message on Instagram, Wati’s system can automatically capture their contact details, such as phone numbers, and add them to your WhatsApp contact list. This seamless process ensures that you can continue the conversation on WhatsApp, where engagement rates are higher.

How Wati enhances this process:

• Unified Inbox: Manage both Instagram DMs and WhatsApp messages from a single dashboard, ensuring no lead is missed.​
• Automated Lead Capture: Automatically extract contact information from Instagram DMs and add them to your WhatsApp contact list.
• Instant Engagement: Trigger personalized welcome messages or chatbot sequences as soon as a user initiates a conversation, keeping them engaged from the start.

Must Read: How Chatbots on Instagram Are Revolutionizing Customer Support

2. Interest: Engaging Potential Customers

Once you’ve captured attention, the next step is to keep potential customers engaged. WhatsApp’s high open rates and interactive features make it an ideal platform to share promotions and personalized content. You can send customized messages and WhatsApp offers to engage potential customers, using templates and tools to deliver direct, personalized communication.

Additionally, WhatsApp is highly effective for generating leads through interactive content and targeted campaigns.

a. Broadcast Promotional Messages

Once you have a list of potential customers, the next step is to send broadcast promotional messages. With a stunning 98% open rate, WhatsApp is the best platform to send bulk WhatsApp messages. To streamline the process and ensure compliance, you can use message templates for your WhatsApp marketing messages. These templates help you efficiently send personalized, targeted offers, discounts, and promotions to your audience.

To know how to send a WhatsApp broadcast message through Wati, watch this video 👇

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Also Read: How to Create a WhatsApp Broadcast List: A Quick Guide (2024)

Use Visuals for WhatsApp Marketing​ WhatsApp isn’t just for chatting—it’s great for reaching out to customers in a way tailored just for them! You can send fun stuff in your messages, like pictures, videos, PDFs, GIFs, and more. And yes, you can even sprinkle in emojis to give your texts that personal touch!Want to add buttons for quick actions? While WhatsApp supports them through its Business API, Wati makes it easier to manage, customize, and track them.

3. Consideration: Nurturing Leads

Not all interested users convert immediately. By using WhatsApp to retarget, qualify leads, automate reminders, and showcase products, you can keep leads warm and guide them toward making a purchase. Marketing automation can help nurture leads by sending personalized messages and streamlining communication throughout the consideration stage.

Additionally, segmenting your audience allows you to target loyal customers with exclusive promotions and replenishment reminders, while also creating campaigns designed to attract new customers to your business.

a. WhatsApp Retargeting Campaigns

Consider reaching out again to people who have shown interest in what you’re selling but haven’t bought anything yet. That’s where WhatsApp retargeting campaigns shine! WhatsApp retargeting campaigns are a form of targeted campaigns, allowing you to deliver personalized marketing messages to segmented customer groups and increase engagement.

These campaigns let you send new messages to groups already familiar with your business because they’ve seen your past messages.

For example, you could send a special WhatsApp message to people who:

• Opened your earlier WhatsApp messages
• Ignored previous campaigns
• Interacted with past messages
• Clicked a button in your older broadcasts

But that’s not all! You can reach back to different groups based on many other actions they might have taken. This smart move could significantly increase your sales.

Free Retargeting via CTWA Ads (72-Hour Window) If a lead comes in through a Click-to-WhatsApp (CTWA) ad, you’ve got a golden opportunity. You can message them for free within a 72-hour window. This means you can follow up, answer questions, send product info, or even drop a special offer without any extra messaging costs. It’s a smart, budget-friendly way to stay top of mind while the lead is still warm.

b. Qualify Leads Using WhatsApp Chatbots

Once you’ve re-engaged a lead, the next step is to understand how ready they are to buy. With WhatsApp chatbots, you can set up smart flows that ask key questions, collect preferences, and qualify leads automatically.

For example, a bot could ask:

• What product are you interested in?
• What’s your budget range?
• Are you looking for personal use or business needs?

Based on their responses, leads can be segmented, nurtured further, or instantly handed over to a sales rep. This not only saves time but ensures high-intent leads are prioritized, making your sales process more efficient.

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Bonus Resource: The Benefits of Using WhatsApp AI Chatbots for Your Business

c. Set Up Automatic Alerts and Reminders

You can streamline customer communication by automating WhatsApp messages for key events, such as:

• Order confirmations
• Delivery notifications
• Cart abandonment reminders
• Appointment confirmations

Automated alerts and reminders like these are classified as utility conversations, which are essential for providing customers with timely, process-specific information throughout their journey.

With automated workflows, WhatsApp sends messages on your behalf when specific actions occur, ensuring customers stay informed without manual effort. You can also use authentication conversations for secure processes, such as account verification or login, by designing message templates that guide users through authentication steps.

For example, when an order is placed, when it’s shipped, or when a cart is abandoned, WhatsApp can send timely updates, helping nurture leads and improve engagement.

An example of an abandoned cart reminder looks like this 👇

d. Showcase Your Offerings with WhatsApp Product Catalogs

You can make shopping effortless for your customers by setting up a WhatsApp Product Catalog. Instead of directing people to an external website, you can let them browse your products or services right inside WhatsApp.

Why use WhatsApp Product Catalogs?

• Seamless browsing: Customers can view product images, descriptions, and prices without leaving the chat.
• Faster decision-making: No need to ask for details as everything is available in one place.
• Direct purchasing: Customers can quickly ask about a product and proceed to buy instantly.

WhatsApp flows can guide customers through your product catalog and purchasing process, providing a personalized and interactive shopping experience.

With WhatsApp Business API, you can manage your product catalog efficiently, ensuring a smooth shopping experience. Whether you sell fashion, electronics, or services, this feature helps move potential buyers one step closer to conversion.

4. Conversion: Turning Interest into Sales

To drive sales, you need to make the buying process as seamless as possible. A smooth and efficient process on WhatsApp not only enhances the customer experience but also helps build stronger customer relationships. WhatsApp chat buttons, quick replies, and in-chat payments help remove barriers and make transactions effortless.

a. Make Messaging a Breeze with Quick Reply Buttons and Calls to Action

A fantastic feature of the WhatsApp Business API is the ability to jazz up your messages with clickable buttons, making interactions with your customers smooth and engaging. Apart from this, they are also known to increase conversions significantly.

• CTA (Call to Action) Buttons: These nifty buttons prompt your users to do something specific, like “buy now” or “register here.” They’re powerful tools in guiding customers towards key actions.
• Quick Replies: Here’s a way to make life easier for your customers. These buttons let them respond to your messages without having to type anything.

Here’s an example of a conversation where a user inquires about gym membership. The WhatsApp chatbot responds with three button options: Basic, Standard, and Premium. The user selects Standard by simply tapping the button, without needing to type ‘Standard’.

These features streamline communication, making it more interactive and responsive, which keeps customers engaged and satisfied.

b. Make Buying Effortless with WhatsApp Payments

Imagine this: A customer is chatting with you on WhatsApp, asking about a product, and decides to buy it. Instead of switching apps or opening a website, they complete the payment right there in the chat—quick, easy, and seamless. That’s exactly what WhatsApp Pay enables.

With WhatsApp Payment Integration, you can allow customers to make secure transactions without ever leaving the conversation. This removes unnecessary steps, making the buying process much smoother.

c. Boost Ad Performance with Conversion Tracking on WhatsApp

You’re not just closing sales, you’re also gathering valuable insights. By connecting your WhatsApp Business account to your Meta Business Manager, you can automatically send conversion data back to Meta.

Why does this matter?

• Optimize Your Ad Campaigns: Meta learns which ads are driving real results (like purchases or signups via WhatsApp) and uses that data to target better.
• Lower Your Ad Costs: Smarter targeting = better performance = less wasted spend.
• Increase Your ROAS: Every conversation and conversion helps improve future ad efficiency.

This integration ensures your entire funnel, from click to conversation to conversion, is working in sync to maximize results.

Bonus Material: WhatsApp for Customer Service: Techniques + Examples

5. Retention: Keeping Customers Engaged

You can keep your business buzzing around the clock with a WhatsApp chatbot. Setting up a WhatsApp chatbot means your business is always there for your customers, day and night.

This smart chatbot works like a real person, quickly figuring out what customers need and responding immediately. You’d be surprised that a chatbot can handle about 80% of customer questions smoothly without anyone’s help.

Even more remarkable, it can offer custom suggestions, guide customers to the perfect product, and even finish the sale independently!

You can use Wati’s no-code chatbot builder to build WhatsApp chatbots in a jiffy.

Watch the video below to learn how to create a WhatsApp chatbot using Wati.

https://www.wati.io/wati-for-marketing/https://app.wati.io/register?language=en Tracking Performance and Measuring ROI Once your campaigns are live, it’s important to know what’s working and what’s not. Analytics play a crucial role in successful WhatsApp marketing. You can capture key customer data like contact info, lead sources, and engagement history. Plus, you can track the performance of broadcasts, click-through rates, replies, and even ad-to-chat conversions.  With the right tools, you get a clear view of your ROI and can continuously optimize your campaigns. Platforms like Wati offer built-in dashboards to monitor all this in one place, making it easier to turn conversations into conversions. Sign up for a free trial now!

WhatsApp Marketing Examples That We Love

Now, let’s look at some brands that are doing WhatsApp marketing really well.

1. Venezianico

Venezianico, an emerging watch brand, faced challenges in competing with established companies like Tissot and Balenciaga. To differentiate itself, Venezianico focused on building a strong community by integrating WhatsApp Business into its customer engagement strategy.

Venezianico manages WhatsApp conversations by categorizing messages for marketing and utility purposes, ensuring customer opt-in and effective engagement through timely and relevant communication.

This approach of WhatsApp for marketing allowed them to provide personalized communication, share exclusive content, and offer prompt customer support, fostering a loyal customer base. ​

Results:

• Improved customer satisfaction through direct and personalized interactions.​
• Enhanced brand loyalty and community building.

2. Blacklyf

Blacklyf is Uganda’s first direct-to-consumer audio and wearable electronics brand. Operating in a market dominated by either expensive international brands or unreliable street knockoffs, Blacklyf provides high-quality, durable products with a one-year replacement warranty at accessible price points.

With its commitment to winning customer trust through warranty policies and responsive service, Blacklyf has made WhatsApp its primary channel for customer acquisition and support, aligning with local preferences for communication and trust-building.

Blacklyf replaced their website-first approach with Wati’s Click-to-WhatsApp solution, creating an immediate connection with interested customers. This allowed them to engage potential buyers directly in their preferred messaging platform rather than directing them to an unfamiliar website.

Results:

• 3X Higher conversion rate. From 1.5% via website to 4.8% via WhatsApp.
• 21% Increase in lead volume. More customers are entering the sales funnel.
• 60% Reduction in acquisition cost. More efficient customer acquisition.

3. Habuild

Habuild, short for “habit building”, is a prominent online wellness platform serving users in over 172 countries. With a primary focus on Yoga, Habuild is focused on a demographic that isn’t very tech-savvy but widely uses WhatsApp, making it their primary channel to stay connected with their customers 24*7.

With Wati, Habuild adopted communication strategies that deeply resonated with their users, resulting in a stronger community connection. Wati’s advanced features, such as inter-connected chatbots and tailored communication flows, were game-changers for Habuild and played a key role in helping them establish personalized connection with their millions of customers & community members across the globe.

Results:

• Scaled to 3.1 Lakh customer base with Wati’s chatbots & automations
• Grew from a customer base of 400 to 3.8 lakh users in just 4 years.

Ready to Revamp Your WhatsApp Marketing Strategy?

You should be. Because it doesn’t matter whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, incorporating WhatsApp into your marketing strategy can help you boost engagement, drive sales, and grow your brand.

So why not give it a try and see the results for yourself? Sign up for a free trial now. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I send promotional materials to anyone on WhatsApp?

No, WhatsApp has strict guidelines to prevent spam. You can only send promotional content to users who have provided explicit consent to receive messages from your business. Violating this policy could result in your account being banned.

How can I use WhatsApp Business API for marketing purposes? 

The WhatsApp Business API allows for integrating WhatsApp messaging with your existing business systems. You can automate messages, send notifications like delivery information or appointment reminders, provide customer support, and engage in large-scale two-way conversations.

Is it possible to segment my audience on WhatsApp? 

While WhatsApp doesn’t offer built-in audience segmentation features, you can manage this by organizing contacts into lists based on criteria like interests, purchase history, location, etc. Customizing your communication for each group can make your marketing efforts more targeted and effective.

Can I track my WhatsApp marketing campaign results? 

WhatsApp doesn’t provide comprehensive analytics for your marketing campaigns. However, using UTM parameters with URLs, integrating third-party tools, or leveraging the capabilities of the WhatsApp Business API indirectly can help you track campaign performance, customer engagement, and other valuable metrics.