New WhatsApp Business features have been making headlines recently. Over the last couple of years, Meta (WhatsApp’s parent company) has begun to invest more heavily in changing the way we look at WhatsApp. The tech giant seems determined to prove WhatsApp isn’t just for customers.
A major reason for this is WhatsApp’s business audience is growing. The company announced in June this year that it had over 200 million monthly active users on its business app. That’s a significant increase from only 50 million users in 2020.
Clearly, as workplaces continue to change, and hybrid and remote working practices evolve, employees are spending more time on their favorite messaging tools. Fortunately, Meta’s latest updates to the WhatsApp ecosystem is quickly making the app a more viable option for companies.
Here are the most important WhatsApp business features you should know in 2023.
Introducing WhatsApp Business
First, a quick refresh. WhatsApp Business is a dedicated version of the WhatsApp solution specifically for companies. Notably, WhatsApp Business includes all of the core features of the standard app, plus some bonus extras.
Alongside a more advanced interface designed for managing large numbers of customer conversations, WhatsApp Business offers features to boost productivity and workplace efficiency. There are also some handy collaboration tools included for teams.
While the solution might not be as advanced as a full UCaaS or CCaaS platform, it’s highly appealing to smaller companies. You can even manage up to 1,000 conversations on the platform monthly without paying anything.
Plus, leveraging WhatsApp Business in the professional world means companies can worry less about shadow IT by allowing teams to use the tools they already enjoy.
The Top WhatsApp Business Features in 2023
Quickly establishing itself as a genuine competitor in the UCaaS and CCaaS space, WhatsApp has introduced many updates in recent years. Here are some new and existing WhatsApp business features worth checking out this year.
1. Business Profiles
One of the first features introduced with the WhatsApp Business app, “business profiles,” are designed to help companies build a professional brand image. They’re like digital business cards or mini portfolios, complete with contact details, business hours, and bio information.
Profiles are great for showcasing the legitimacy of your company and providing customers with helpful information, like when they can contact you. Plus, they’re straightforward to create. As soon as you download the WhatsApp business app, you’ll be taken on a tour through your profile setup.
You can also change your profile later with the “Business Settings” on the app.
2. WhatsApp Screen Sharing
Screen sharing is one of the most requested WhatsApp business features Meta introduced last year. Ideal for internal collaboration and customer service, the screen-sharing feature allows other people to view your screen in real time during a video call.
Since this feature is already available on channels like Microsoft Teams and Google Meet, it was an essential introduction for the WhatsApp brand. Although the screen-sharing functionality is a little more simplistic with WhatsApp, it’s still a fantastic tool.
The only downside is that screen sharing is currently only supported on the Android version of the app, so iPhone users might need to wait a little longer.
3. Call Scheduling
Another central WhatsApp feature ideal for collaboration and customer communication, “call scheduling,” was introduced in August 2023. The scheduling solution allows WhatsApp group users to plan calls and automatically notify other participants.
This is ideal for team members who want to arrange meetings with colleagues or set up crucial calls with a client. Although the functionality is rolling out slowly, it’s likely to become one of the most essential WhatsApp business features for companies in the years to come.
We might even see future integrations with calendar apps and other tools to help build on this new capability.
4. WhatsApp Business Catalogs
Perhaps more appealing to sales and marketing teams than most, WhatsApp Business Catalogs is a tool designed primarily for SMBs. They attempt to reduce the need to send multiple photos and messages back and forth between businesses and consumers.
Catalogs are essentially mobile directories where organizations can put their products on display. With them, customers can search through an entire selection of products instantly. Business owners can even add prices, descriptions, and product information.
5. Automated Personalized Messaging
In June 2023, WhatsApp announced new updates designed to help small businesses run their entire organization through the platform. The new WhatsApp features included a new option to automatically create and send personalized customer messages.
With this feature, companies can send customized messages to specific customer lists, such as birthday greetings and sales updates. Merchants can send distinct messages to different segments, including the customer’s name and customizable CTA buttons.
6. Instant video messages
While many of the top WhatsApp business features are connected to messaging, the company is embracing the power of video, too. Companies can rapidly send voice messages through the app for quick communication. However, they can also create instant video messages.
Sending a video message is as simple as sending a voice message. You just swipe to video mode on the app and hold down the button to record. Video messages are also encrypted with end-to-end protections to help keep business conversations secure.
7. WhatsApp Channels
Back in June this year, WhatsApp quietly introduced a Slack-style channels feature to its app for both customers and companies alike. Channels appear in a new “updates” tab on the WhatsApp application, allowing users to send text, photos, and videos to groups of people at once.
