WhatsApp Business and Telegram

Marta Peral Ribeiro – Communications Consultant – Marketing on messaging apps When you think about getting closer to your customers, does it occur to you to use the same tools you already use with your friends and family? If it hasn't crossed your mind yet, WhatsApp and Telegram have already thought of it.

Marta Peral Ribeiro – Communications Consultant – Marketing on messaging apps When you think about getting closer to your customers, does it occur to you to use the same tools you already use with your friends and family? If it hasn't crossed your mind yet, WhatsApp and Telegram have already thought of it. JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJmYi1jb21tZW50cyUyMiUyMGRhdGEtaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGd3d3LmplbGx5Y29kZS5wdCUyRnRlY25vbG9naWElMkZhLXZvei1uby1jb21hbmRvLWRvLWZ1dHVyby1kYS10ZWNub2xvZ2lhJTJGJTIyJTIwZGF0YS13aWR0aCUzRCUyMjEwMCUyNSUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbnVtcG9zdHMlM0QlMjIxMCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRQ== How we got to marketing on WhatsApp and Telegram Brands are where their audience is

WhatsApp and Telegram are part of daily life for many of us. We talk to family and friends through these messaging apps every day.

An omnichannel digital presence

In 2021, communication between brands and consumers can't be limited to the website and social platforms. There's a real advantage in being on several channels at once.

From social media to chat

If social media brought brands and consumers closer together, adding an app we all use constantly to communicate was the logical next step.

The algorithm doesn't wait

Alongside the changes in how we talk to consumers, you also have to keep up with the algorithm, which is constantly changing too. That calls for creativity and innovation from marketers. Some figures worth knowing WhatsApp The 2nd most installed app in the world in 2020 Over 2 billion users in more than 180 countries Supports groups of up to 256 members at a time Allows file sharing of up to 100 MB In some countries you can already make payments and send money through the app Telegram In 2020 it was among the 10 most downloaded apps in the world Over 500 million monthly active users Allows groups of up to 200,000 people Allows sharing of photos, videos and files of up to 2GB each Thanks to cloud storage, it needs less than 100 MB of space on your device Why bring these apps into your marketing strategy? A focus on customer experience

A 2020 report by Global Web Index and Zeitgeist shows that poor service is the single biggest influence on consumers' purchase decisions (60%).

WhatsApp or Telegram chats can be used as a channel for outstanding customer service.

To do that, the team handling communication on these platforms needs to be aligned on objectives and tone of voice, so that the interaction stays consistent and the customer stays at the centre of everything. Source: Global Web Index A closer relationship with your audience

Instant messaging allows a more familiar kind of interaction with a brand's audience, strengthening the connection. It's also an opportunity to develop content marketing.

Building a community

Because they let you create groups with multiple people, you can build a community around the brand — which also helps set it apart. Using chatbots

When you break down the comments, frequently asked questions (FAQs) start to emerge. In that case, it's worth creating a chatbot that gives automatic answers to the many users asking about the same thing.

More personalised offers

Analysing chat interactions and reading user comments carefully helps you get to know them better and gives you clues about their needs and doubts. That makes it much clearer what kind of offer to put in front of them.

Mapping your persona

Interactive questionnaires (anonymous or not) or a more or less specific chatbot help identify the business's persona, which in turn lets you sharpen the marketing strategy.

A point of difference

The truth is that, in Portugal, not many companies have brought these apps into their communication yet, which makes it an innovative move and helps a brand stand out in the market. Free apps

Both WhatsApp Business and Telegram are free applications, which is a huge advantage for a marketing tool. You can try out campaigns that, if they end up doing less well than expected, won't cost you the way other, paid channels would.

Mobile and web access

Both the company and consumers can access the apps from any mobile device or from a computer. You can even use both versions at the same time.

Android and iOS

Both applications are available for Android and iOS (Apple), which means you can reach every customer. WhatsApp Business features Business profile

As on social media, you can set up a professional profile with a business description, contact details and other key information. On top of that, depending on the brand's reputation, WhatsApp may approve the green badge that confirms it's an official profile. Source: mobigyaan Pre-set messages and automatic replies

When there are frequently asked questions (FAQs), you can set up an answer in advance.

It also offers automatic replies for when you're away or when a new interaction comes in (welcoming a new customer who gets in touch, for example). You can also keep a product catalogue ready to send whenever the moment is right. Source: Showmetech Corporate Organising by topic

Labels let you sort messages and other information exchanged on WhatsApp. That makes it easy to find a message by subject.

Message tracking

This feature, available in the settings menu, lets you analyse how your messages are performing and get a sense of user interaction — how many messages were sent and read, for instance. Source: WhatsApp Telegram features Cloud storage

Because information is stored in the cloud, the app takes up very little space on your smartphone or whatever device it's installed on. And, of course, it gives you synchronised access to your information from different devices.

Security

Telegram claims to be more secure and more private than other apps, thanks to the MTProto protocol and the encryption used between user and server and between users.

Pinned messages

Important messages can be pinned to the top of the screen so that every member (including newcomers) can see them.

Group video calls

You can make voice or video calls with 1,000 users at once, which makes it possible to demo products to a large group or run conferences, for example. Source: TechTudo Groups and channels

Another interesting Telegram feature is channels and groups.

Channel – Lets you send messages to an unlimited number of users and see how many views they get, including forwards. What's more, messages go out in the channel's name (not the user's, as happens on WhatsApp).

Groups – these can be public or private; you can keep the history visible to new members and highlight an important message by pinning it to the top of the chat.

Video messages

And what if, instead of introducing yourself (or a product) with a message, you sent a high-resolution instant video? Video messages let you communicate quickly and dynamically without clogging up your gallery. Source: Telegram Example

Kia Portugal turned to WhatsApp Business to boost car sales and raise the brand's profile.

Through the app, anyone has a “Digital Genius” at their disposal — a sales manager who can show them the products and services available (including by video call), answer questions and handle the sale of a car.

Kia also plans to run campaigns with digital influencers aimed at promoting Kia Vibe — the e-commerce platform where customers can buy a car. Yes, entirely online.

Conclusion

Using WhatsApp and Telegram, two apps that are part of our everyday lives, for commercial purposes brings brands a whole range of benefits, as we've seen.

They allow you to get closer to the customer, sharpen your marketing plan and build a relationship that is far more cost-effective than other communication channels.

As for the strategy, it can be split into two broad areas: campaigns and customer support. Each has different objectives, whether that's brand awareness or personalised support for the consumer.

Finally, there's nothing like exploring every feature on offer in both WhatsApp Business and Telegram — they're two resources well worth considering if your organisation's structure allows for it.