WhatsApp Blast: Everything You Need To Know

In recent years, WhatsApp has emerged as a powerful communication tool, particularly for businesses seeking to engage with customers effectively. One of the innovative strategies that has gained traction is known as “WhatsApp Blast.” This method involves sending bulk messages to a large number of contacts simultaneously, allowing businesses to disseminate information quickly and efficiently. This article explores the concept of WhatsApp Blast, its functionalities, benefits, and implications for businesses, particularly in the context of digital marketing and customer engagement.

WhatsApp Blast is also known as blasting away your WhatsApp messages in bulk within a short period of time. For example, in 24 hours. Some people might refer to WhatsApp Blast as WhatsApp Bulk, WhatsApp Marketing Software, WhatsApp Blaster and etc. Ultimately, they are all referring to the same thing and definition.  Let’s start with something general so that everyone is aligned with the message we are trying to deliver here.

WhatsApp is obviously famous across the globe with these characteristics:

• It has more than 2 billion active users worldwide
• It ranked one of the most used mobile messengers in the world
• More than 100 billion messages are sent on a daily basis
• On average, people spend 38 minutes on WhatsApp daily
• India has the highest number of WhatsApp users among other countries
• Based on GlobalWebIndex data, the WhatsApp worldwide user base consists of 46.1% female users & 53.9% male users

These facts should give you a good reason why you should advertise on WhatsApp via WhatsApp Blast. Not convince?

Understanding WhatsApp Blast

WhatsApp Blast refers to the practice of sending bulk messages through the WhatsApp platform. This can be particularly useful for businesses that wish to communicate promotions, updates, or important information to a large audience without the need for individual messaging. The functionality of WhatsApp Blast is often facilitated through WhatsApp Business, which offers features tailored for business communication, such as automated replies, labels, and business profiles (UNISI, 2022; Jannah, 2023).

WhatsApp’s popularity as a messaging platform cannot be overstated. It has become one of the most widely used applications globally, with billions of users engaging in both personal and business communications (Sumarni & Vandayani, 2022). The application has evolved from a simple messaging service to a comprehensive tool for customer engagement, making it an essential component of many businesses’ marketing strategies.

The Role of WhatsApp Business

WhatsApp Business is specifically designed to cater to the needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It provides various features that enhance communication with customers, such as the ability to create a business profile, manage customer interactions, and utilize messaging tools for promotions (UNISI, 2022; Jannah, 2023). The application allows businesses to send bulk messages, which is a core component of WhatsApp Blast. This feature enables companies to reach a wider audience quickly, making it an effective tool for marketing campaigns.

The effectiveness of WhatsApp Blast can be attributed to its high open rates compared to traditional email marketing. Studies have shown that messages sent via WhatsApp have significantly higher engagement rates, with many users reading messages shortly after they are received (Asiedu et al., 2019; Bellaaj, 2021). This immediacy makes WhatsApp an attractive option for businesses looking to connect with customers in real-time.

Applications of WhatsApp Blast

WhatsApp Blast has found applications across various sectors, enhancing communication and operational efficiency. Some notable applications include:

1. Marketing and Promotions: Businesses utilize WhatsApp Blast to promote new products, special offers, and events. The direct nature of the communication fosters a personal connection with customers, increasing the likelihood of engagement (Ryanto, 2022).
2. Customer Support: Companies can use WhatsApp Blast to provide updates on service disruptions, order statuses, or responses to frequently asked questions. This proactive approach to customer service can significantly enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
3. Event Management: Organizers can send out invitations, reminders, and updates regarding events through WhatsApp Blast. This method ensures that all participants receive timely information, which is crucial for successful event execution.
4. Educational Institutions: Schools and universities can leverage WhatsApp Blast to communicate important announcements, schedule changes, and educational resources to students and parents. This has become particularly relevant in the context of remote learning, where timely communication is essential (MutwiriKaritu & Kamau, 2021).
5. Government and Non-Profit Organizations: WhatsApp Blast can be employed for public service announcements, health advisories, and community engagement initiatives. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, various organizations utilized WhatsApp Blast to disseminate critical information regarding health guidelines and vaccination drives (Ryanto, 2022).

Let’s get into how it benefits you.

Benefits of using WhatsApp Blast

• You, the advertiser, don’t have to worry about your personal phone number getting banned by WhatsApp due to over-spam.
• You can enjoy your WhatsApp campaign to be completed in 24 hours.
• You can advertise to your targeted & preferred audience directly by sending out your intended WhatsApp message.
• You don’t need to buy sim cards to send out your WhatsApp messages.
• You can enjoy a higher conversion rate or click-through rate (CTR) if you use the correct sender number based on your country. For example, if your targeted audiences are in Malaysia, you can send it via Malaysia sim cards. By doing this, your targeted audiences will less likely to consider your WhatsApp messages as spam messages.
• You can send any type of content you want. There are no restrictions to it.
• WhatsApp Blast usually supports any type of message format such as text, image, PDF & video
• Cost-Effectiveness: WhatsApp Blast is a cost-effective marketing strategy, especially for small businesses. Unlike traditional advertising methods, which can be expensive, sending messages via WhatsApp requires only an internet connection and a smartphone (Jannah, 2023; Intan & Dedu, 2024). This accessibility allows businesses to reach their target audience without incurring significant costs.

• Instant Communication: The real-time nature of WhatsApp enables businesses to communicate instantly with their customers. This is particularly beneficial for time-sensitive promotions or updates, where immediate action may be required (UNISI, 2022; Jannah, 2023).

• Enhanced Customer Support: WhatsApp Blast can also be used to provide customer support. Businesses can send out messages with FAQs, troubleshooting tips, or links to support resources, ensuring that customers have access to the information they need (Jannah, 2023; Wulandari & Damayanti, 2021).

• Personalization: WhatsApp allows businesses to personalize their messages, which can enhance customer relationships. By addressing customers by name and tailoring content to their preferences, businesses can create a more engaging experience (Jannah, 2023). This level of personalization is often lacking in other forms of mass communication.

• High Engagement Rates: As mentioned earlier, WhatsApp messages typically enjoy higher open and response rates compared to emails or SMS. This is largely due to the personal nature of the platform, where users are more likely to engage with messages from businesses they trust (Sumarni & Vandayani, 2022; Asiedu et al., 2019).

Sound good? Of course, nothing is perfect in this world. Let’s go through the limitation of using this method as a form of advertising.

How WhatsApp Blast Works

The operational framework of WhatsApp Blast involves several key components. Firstly, businesses must set up a WhatsApp Business account, which provides access to the API. Once the account is established, businesses can integrate the API with their customer relationship management (CRM) systems or other marketing tools. This integration allows for the collection and management of contact lists, ensuring that messages are sent to the right audience (Ryanto, 2022).

To execute a WhatsApp Blast, businesses typically follow these steps:

1. Contact List Preparation: Businesses must compile a list of contacts who have opted to receive messages. This is crucial as unsolicited messages can lead to user complaints and potential bans from the platform.
2. Message Creation: The next step involves crafting the message. It is essential to ensure that the content is engaging and relevant to the audience. The message can include text, images, videos, or links, depending on the objective of the communication.
3. Sending the Blast: Using the WhatsApp Business API, the prepared message is sent to the entire contact list simultaneously. This process can be automated to ensure timely delivery, especially for time-sensitive information (MutwiriKaritu & Kamau, 2021).
4. Monitoring and Analytics: After the message is sent, businesses can track engagement metrics such as delivery rates, read receipts, and responses. This data is invaluable for assessing the effectiveness of the communication strategy and making necessary adjustments for future blasts.

Challenges and Considerations

While WhatsApp Blast offers numerous advantages, there are also challenges that businesses must navigate. One significant concern is the potential for spam. If businesses send unsolicited messages or excessive promotions, they risk alienating their audience and damaging their brand reputation (Hasal et al., 2021; Rossini et al., 2020). Therefore, it is crucial for businesses to obtain consent from customers before sending bulk messages and to provide value in their communications.

Additionally, businesses must be aware of WhatsApp’s policies regarding bulk messaging. Violating these policies can result in account suspension or banning, which can severely impact a business’s ability to communicate with its customers (Hasal et al., 2021; Rossini et al., 2020). Therefore, it is essential for businesses to familiarize themselves with the platform’s guidelines and best practices.

Limitation of using WhatsApp Blast:

• Not all messages are successfully received by your intended audiences.
• The link which you have inserted into your WhatsApp message is not clickable.
• The profile picture which I have uploaded keeps changing to another profile picture which is not my brand profile picture.
• Your targeted audiences receive the message from unknown & unsaved numbers because WhatsApp Blast usually uses thousand of sim cards to send out your messages to different numbers. Hence, the number displays and receives is usually random.

• Unable to reply to any of your audiences when they reply back to the sim card which is used to blast out your messages. This is because the sim cards are usually installed and configured into a server. It is extremely time-consuming and difficult to take out the sim card and insert it into a mobile phone in order to reply especially you have millions of messages which need to be sent out in the given deadline.

• WhatsApp has improved its speed in detecting and blocking prohibited content. You can check out the list of prohibited contents that are not allowed by WhatsApp.
• The generated report by WhatsApp Blast is not tally with the number of audiences receiving the message.
• You cannot see who actually opens and read your promotional message.

It is kind of demotivating, isn’t it? Don’t worry. There are solutions to some of the above problems, at least for Yaeris.

Solution for WhatsApp Blast:

• Not all messages are successfully received by your intended audiences.
  • You can send out the same message multiple times. By doing this, it can increase your delivery rate.
• The link which you have inserted into your message is not clickable.
  • No one can change this policy except for the company itself. This problem is created by WhatsApp to prevent any spam messages.
• The profile picture which I have uploaded keeps changing to another profile picture which is not my brand profile picture.
  • You can buy your own sim cards and server in order to enjoy this exclusivity of dedicated brand profile pictures.
• Your targeted audiences receive the message from unknown & unsaved numbers because WhatsApp Blast usually uses thousand of sim cards to send out your messages to different numbers. Hence, the number displays and receives is usually random.
  • There is no solution to this method. This method helps your personal/official business number from being blocked by WhatsApp.
• Unable to reply to any of your audiences when they reply back to the sim card which is used to blast out your messages. This is because the sim cards are usually installed and configured into a server. It is extremely time-consuming and difficult to take out the sim card and insert it into a mobile phone in order to reply especially you have millions of messages which need to be sent out within the given deadline.
  • You can insert a link or a call-to-action (CTA) in your WhatsApp message which you have crafted. This way your audiences will know how to contact you.
• WhatsApp has improved its speed in detecting and blocking prohibited content. You can check out the list of prohibited contents that are not allowed by WhatsApp.
  • No one can change this policy except for the company itself. This problem is created by WhatsApp to prevent any spam messages.
• The generated report by WhatsApp Blast is not tally with the number of audiences receiving the message.
  • Since WhatsApp Blast is not using any kind of API integration to the WhatsApp database, there is no way WhatsApp Blast can get this data and display it to you.
• You cannot see who actually opens and read your promotional message.
  • Since WhatsApp Blast is not using any kind of API integration to the WhatsApp database, there is no way WhatsApp Blast can get this data and display it to you.

Facebook Ads and Google Adwords are some of the common advertising methods. Both of them are using a bidding system in order to display your content to the targeted audience. Hence, the increase in advertising dollars is getting more and more expensive every year.

However, does it stop you from using these 2 common advertising platforms?

I don’t think so.

The same fact also applies to WhatsApp Blast. The smarter WhatsApp detects the spam messages, the more sim cards get blocked which prevents your message gets delivered to your targeted audience, the more costs incur as you need to blast a few times in order for your targeted audiences to receive your message.

Best Practices for Implementing WhatsApp Blast

To maximize the effectiveness of WhatsApp Blast, businesses should consider the following best practices:

1. Obtain Consent: Always seek permission from customers before adding them to your contact list for WhatsApp communications. This not only complies with privacy regulations but also fosters trust (Hasal et al., 2021; Rossini et al., 2020).

2. Segment Your Audience: Tailor your messages to specific segments of your audience. This ensures that the content is relevant and engaging, increasing the likelihood of a positive response (Jannah, 2023).

3. Provide Value: Ensure that your messages offer value to the recipients. Whether it’s a special promotion, useful information, or updates, the content should be beneficial to the customer (Jannah, 2023; Wulandari & Damayanti, 2021).

4. Monitor Engagement: Track the performance of your WhatsApp Blast campaigns. Analyze metrics such as open rates, response rates, and customer feedback to refine your approach and improve future communications (Bellaaj, 2021; Jannah, 2023).

5. Respect Privacy: Be transparent about how customer data will be used and ensure compliance with data protection regulations. This builds trust and encourages customers to engage with your messages (Hasal et al., 2021; Rossini et al., 2020).

Conclusion

With all being said, we shouldn’t disqualify WhatsApp Blast as another form of advertising method. After all, the nature of advertisement is an investment for your brand identity.

WhatsApp Blast represents a powerful tool for businesses looking to enhance their communication strategies and engage with customers effectively. By leveraging the capabilities of WhatsApp Business, companies can send bulk messages that are cost-effective, personalized, and timely. However, it is essential to navigate the challenges associated with this method, including compliance with platform policies and maintaining customer trust. By adhering to best practices, businesses can harness the full potential of WhatsApp Blast, ultimately driving customer engagement and satisfaction.

References

• Asiedu, E., Shortland, S., Nawar, Y., Jackson, P., & Baker, L. (2019). Supporting ghanaian micro-entrepreneurships: the role of mobile technology. Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, 11(3), 306-327. https://doi.org/10.1108/jeee-05-2018-0046
• Bellaaj, M. (2021). Why and how do individual entrepreneurs use digital channels in an emerging market? determinants of use and channel coordination. International Journal of Emerging Markets, 18(9), 2735-2764. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijoem-08-2020-0882
• Hasal, M., Nowaková, J., Saghair, K., Abdulla, H., Snåšel, V., & Ogiela, L. (2021). Chatbots: security, privacy, data protection, and social aspects. Concurrency and Computation Practice and Experience, 33(19). https://doi.org/10.1002/cpe.6426
• Intan, N. and Dedu, M. (2024). Optimizing sales of candied mangoes through digital martketing on the whatsapp business platform. Indonesian Journal of Business Analytics, 4(2), 371-380. https://doi.org/10.55927/ijba.v4i2.8883
• Jannah, R. (2023). Utilization of whatsapp business in marketing strategy to increase the number of sales through direct interaction with customers. Syntax Idea, 5(4), 488-495. https://doi.org/10.46799/syntax-idea.v5i4.2192
• MutwiriKaritu, P. and Kamau, J. (2021). Influence of online apps in fostering agri-enterprise development along the agricultural value chain in kenya. JAHR, 1(1), 33-37. https://doi.org/10.55124/jahr.v1i1.118
• Rossini, P., Stromer‐Galley, J., Baptista, É., & Oliveira, V. (2020). Dysfunctional information sharing on whatsapp and facebook: the role of political talk, cross-cutting exposure and social corrections. New Media & Society, 23(8), 2430-2451. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444820928059
• Ryanto, A. (2022). Penagihan daring untuk pencairan tunggakan pajak: studi kasus di kpp pratama batam utara. Scientax, 3(2), 312-319. https://doi.org/10.52869/st.v3i2.149
• Sumarni, T. and Vandayani, P. (2022). Utilization of e-wom strategy and whatsapp group texting in building trust and shopper intention to conventional business sectors during the coronavirus pandemic. Linguistics and Culture Review, 6, 731-745. https://doi.org/10.21744/lingcure.v6ns1.2149
• UNISI, F. (2022). Mengoptimalisasikan c-commerce whatsapp business pada pengusaha kopra putih (gudang kelapa do’a ibu) tembilahan kab. indragiri hilir riau.. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/usv9a
• Wulandari, T. and Damayanti, F. (2021). Marketing communication strategy of al quran publisher in the covid-19 pandemic crisis. Proceeding of International Conference on Business Economics Social Sciences and Humanities, 2, 710-728. https://doi.org/10.34010/icobest.v2i.337