WhatsApp is the most used mobile messenger app globally, with over two billion active monthly users worldwide. More than 596 million messages are sent each day on WhatsApp. And, while WhatsApp is primarily popular as a peer-to-peer messaging app, a growing proportion of those millions of messages originate from businesses.
The WhatsApp Business app configures this powerful messaging channel so businesses can easily engage with customers. The WhatsApp Business platform offers tools like automated messaging, analytics, and advanced customer segmentation to manage communications at scale. While many of these tools aim to serve larger enterprises, entrepreneurs and small business owners can also make use of the WhatsApp Business platform.
In this guide, we’ll help you understand the difference between the consumer-focused WhatsApp experience and the platform’s WhatsApp Business version. By the end of this post, you should be able to make a more informed decision about which version of WhatsApp best meets your business needs.
WhatsApp vs. WhatsApp Business
WhatsApp offers various iterations, from WhatsApp for Individuals to the WhatsApp Business app to the WhatsApp Business Platform. Let’s do a quick rundown of the differences between these tools.
How to choose the right WhatsApp solution for your business
Most businesses need more than what an individual WhatsApp account can offer. That means selecting between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform. Consider three primary factors when weighing your options:
- Your business size
- Your communication needs
- Your customer engagement goals
If you’re a small business managing a handful of interactions daily, the WhatsApp Business app’s essential features, like quick replies and product catalogs, may be enough.
However, if your business is scaling and you’re receiving hundreds of inquiries, the WhatsApp Business Platform’s advanced tools such as chatbots, message templates, and analytics. This version makes managing communications more efficient and improving response times easier.
Evaluate your team's capacity as well. Invest in the WhatsApp Business Platform only if you have a dedicated customer support team to streamline operations and enhance productivity. For businesses focusing on personalized interactions, the WhatsApp Business app’s simple interface is more beneficial.
Note: If you decide to use the WhatsApp Business Platform, consider partnering with a WhatsApp Business Solution Provider to integrate your existing systems seamlessly.
WhatsApp Business App toolkit
To further bifurcate between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform, let’s look deeper at the features offered in the WhatsApp Business app toolkit.
Messaging automation
WhatsApp Business app helps you automate messages to save you ample time and ensure timely responses to user queries.
These are the features offered:
- WhatsApp away message: Away messages inform customers when you're unavailable, ensuring they know their message is valued and will be addressed when you return. You can create a message template to inform them when you'll get back with a response.
- WhatsApp greeting message: Greeting messages automatically welcome customers when they first message you, setting a friendly tone and inviting inquiries. Customize these to reflect your brand's voice. Here are a few examples of Whatsapp greetings to consider.
- WhatsApp quick replies: Quick replies offer pre-saved responses to answer frequent questions or common inquiries instantly. Set these up to save time and maintain consistent communication.
Together, these features let businesses maintain open communication, improve response times, and enhance customer satisfaction.
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Labels
Once you start engaging in regular conversations with customers, it’s easy to lose track of where each customer stands.
For instance, one customer may be close to purchasing while another might be still learning about your brand. Labels help you organize chats and categorize customers based on their stage in the sales funnel.
By default, the WhatsApp Business app offers five labels:
- Order complete
- Payment pending
- New order
- New customer
- Paid
The Senior SEO Manager, Felix Milshtein at VCITA shares their experience with this feature: “We use labels to segment clients into categories like 'New Leads,' 'In Progress,' or 'VIP Clients.' This makes follow-ups and prioritizing conversations much easier, especially when managing numerous inquiries.”
WhatsApp Business allows you to add up to 20 labels and assign a color to each, enhancing your ability to quickly identify and manage different customer categories.
Product catalogs
An updated product catalog on WhatsApp acts as a digital storefront for your business. Customers can easily discover everything your company offers and share individual products or services directly in the chat through shareable links.
It lets you add the following details for each product:
- Product title
- Photos
- Description
- Price
- Product code
You can upload a maximum of 500 products to your catalog. However, it’s vital to ensure that the image of the service/product meets the WhatsApp Business Messaging policy.
Message statistics
WhatsApp Business statistics give you an insight into how successful your communication is with your customers.
It gives you insights into:
- Messages sent
- Messages delivered
- Messages read
- Messages received
Use these statistics to benchmark your communication performance against the set standard or to set tangible goals for improvement. Run A/B tests on different messaging styles, times, or content by experimenting with different approaches to see how your consumers respond. Check if either of the communication strategies brings a change in these statistics.
Short links
The short link feature stands out in WhatsApp Business vs. WhatsApp. It’s a powerful tool that simplifies customer connections. The URL can be distributed across various platforms or transformed into a QR code so that it’s accessible wherever your audience is.
You can even add it to your email signature and social media profiles to easily connect with your customers.
These links help you drive traffic to a specific service or promotion.
For instance, Aman Chopra, a Marketing Manager at Stallion Express shares, “I’ve used them in email campaigns, on our website, and even on social media to give users an easy way to directly start a conversation with us without having to go through multiple steps. It's also great for tracking engagement because you can tailor each link to a specific audience or campaign.”
Sharing a direct link to WhatsApp guides clients straight to your inbox, eliminating the usual back-and-forth associated with contact forms.
While the WhatsApp Business app features suffice for small business owners, larger enterprises can benefit from the expanded tools in the WhatsApp Business Platform.
WhatsApp Business app vs. WhatsApp Business Platform: Understanding use cases
The key features of the WhatsApp Business Platform also include rich media support, message analytics, automated replies, interactive elements, end-to-end encryption, business profiles, and message templates. Plus, expanded tools are configured to help large enterprises manage a higher volume of traffic.
Both WhatsApp Business solutions provide various benefits across several use cases. Transactional messages keep customers informed of important updates. Booking appointments becomes seamless while engaging surveys gather valuable insights.
Businesses can easily collect customer feedback to enhance their services. Order status updates foster transparency, and sending OTPs ensures secure transactions. Finally, promotional messages help drive engagement and sales with tailored offers.
Here are two real-life examples to illustrate the differences between the WhatsApp Business app and the WhatsApp Business Platform.
1. PolicyBazaar achieves a 5X increase in insurance premium collections
Company goal:
To shift from impersonal communication to a customer-friendly approach and improve engagement, increase sales, and streamline the claims process.
Problem statement:
PolicyBazaar, an India-based insurance marketplace, faced challenges with conventional CRM channels like email and SMS. Although effective, these methods lacked the personal touch needed to engage potential customers meaningfully. With millions of customers relying on the company’s services, the team recognized the need for real-time, custom conversations to improve customer interactions.
The solution:
PolicyBazaar revolutionized its communication strategy with the WhatsApp Business Platform integration. They launched personalized campaigns, allowing customers to receive targeted product recommendations directly in WhatsApp, resulting in a 5X increase in insurance premiums collected. The platform also simplified claims through automated notifications and allowed customers to upload documents easily.
With over 30 million messages delivered monthly and a reported 5X increase in sales, WhatsApp became a vital channel for PolicyBazaar.
“WhatsApp has helped us make CRM customer-friendly,” says Nishant Malsisaria, Head of Growth.
2. Buddy4Study witnesses a 25% improvement in student interactions with the WhatsApp Business app
Company goal:
To bridge the gap between deserving students and available scholarships by leveraging technology to increase accessibility, awareness, and efficiency in the scholarship application process.
Problem statement:
Many students face financial barriers that prevent them from pursuing higher education, and a significant amount of scholarship funds remain unused due to a lack of awareness and transparency in the application process.
The solution:
To enhance communication with their primarily young audience (ages 14-35), Buddy4Study adopted the WhatsApp Business app, facilitating seamless onboarding and engagement. This strategic move resulted in a 25% improvement in student interaction and a 20% increase in student acquisition.
By collaborating with corporations, NGOs, and educational institutions, Buddy4Study continues to optimize scholarship programs and ensure that no student has to abandon their dreams due to financial constraints.
Scale your marketing efforts with Plivo’s WhatsApp Business API solution
Keeping your customers engaged as your business scales gets challenging.
While adding WhatsApp marketing to your sales strategy is a powerful way to engage customers, to maximize its benefits, you'll need to follow messaging guidelines and use approved templates to ensure your messages are well-received and effective.
This is where Plivo comes in. As a Meta-registered Business Service Provider (BSP), Plivo simplifies the integration of the WhatsApp Business Platform into your existing system. Its comprehensive APIs and user-friendly documentation let you connect and automate your messaging workflows without extensive technical overhead.
Its no-code, WhatsApp AI chatbot automates your customer service. Set up the chatbot to handle customer inquiries about order status, returns, and product details without needing human agents. While its marketing automation feature helps you create and manage personalized WhatsApp campaigns based on your customers’ purchasing history and preferences.
Plivo enhances messaging efficiency with features such as WhatsApp template statuses and clear reasons for message blocks. These tools simplify communication and help tackle compliance challenges.
Adhering to Meta’s guidelines and regulations promotes a smoother communication experience for both businesses and customers. This approach not only streamlines interactions but also builds trust in messaging services.
With our WhatsApp Business API Guide, getting started with the WhatsApp Business Platform is a breeze. From creating your WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) to simplifying the complexities of billing with Meta, you can easily navigate the setup process from the get-go.
Plivo charges a flat fee of Rs.0.066 (about $0.00080) per conversation on top of Meta’s fees, with volume discounts available to reduce costs based on usage. Moreover, we combine all charges into a single invoice so that you don’t have to manage multiple bills.
Think Plivo might be the right fit? Contact us to discover why thousands of businesses trust us to meet their communication needs.
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