WhatsApp Business now has over 200 million users, launches new paid features

Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp Business application is now catering to more than 200 million users on its platform, a four-fold jump from about three years ago, chief Mark Zuckerberg said on Tuesday. The increase in user base comes as Meta shifts focus to the development of business messaging, as an uncertain economy slows down its core advertising business.

Meta said it would shortly begin testing features that will help small businesses run ads that click to the messaging platform without the need for a Facebook account. This means that no Facebook account will be required, and businesses all need to get started is an email address and form of payment.

Small and medium businesses would be able to send personalised messages such as appointment reminders and updates on a holiday sale to their customers for a fee. Business owners will be able to send messages with the customer’s name and customisable call-to-action buttons to specific customer lists, such as those with a select label (like ‘VIP customers’ or ‘new customers’), and schedule the day and time the messages are sent.

“When people click on an ad, it opens a chat on WhatsApp so they can ask questions, browse products and make a purchase,” the company said. “These ads are one of the most powerful ways to drive potential customers to message them on WhatsApp and this will open new opportunities for WhatsApp-only small businesses that need a simpler way to get started with advertising,” it added.

Meta has been working to monetise its messaging apps, WhatsApp and Messenger, as CEO Zuckerberg sees business messaging as the company’s next pillar.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp has begun rolling out a new short video message recorder to Android users, allowing them to record and send videos without going through the elaborate process that has been available so far. Tapping the microphone button changes the button to a video camera, which users can tap and hold to instantly begin recording videos. These video messages can be up to 1-minute long and play inside a circle in chats.

— Written with inputs from agencies