Written by Josef Grabner, VP of Commercial Operation for LINK Mobility DACH

WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, Signal, WeChat, Line and the list goes on. The options for mobile messaging apps are wide and constantly growing. But which is the most preferred in the world and does one even exist? In this blog, Josef Grabner, VP of Commercial Operation for LINK Mobility DACH, gives us a closer look at the market.

According to a study by Statista in October 2021, WhatsApp is the number 1 mobile messaging app with 2 billion monthly active users; followed by Facebook Messenger (1.3 billion), WeChat (1,251 billion) and QQ (591 million). However, just as product offerings differ throughout countries, the availability and preference of mobile messengers also varies from country to country. This leads us to wonder if the most popular messenger depends mainly on where you live?

More than two-thirds of the world’s population (67.1%) use a mobile phone today. That’s 95 million new mobile phone users since the Global Overview Report last year (2021). And the tendency is increasing with digital adaptation on the rise. This is also proven by the global user figures for the Internet at 62.5% and social media at 58.4%. The former registers an increase of + 192 million and the latter of + 424 million new users compared to the previous year. So much for the basics, let’s now look at the connections and concrete effects on the messaging business.

Of course, one wonders what the 67.1% of the world’s population actually use their smartphone for? The report also provides answers for this, thanks to data from App Annie.

A typical mobile phone user spends an average of 4 hours and 48 minutes a day on their cell phone. An incredible 92.5% of that time is spent on mobile apps and only about 7.5% on internet browser usage.

But that’s not all. All of that time translates to valuable revenue. In 2021, smartphone users worldwide spent a total of $170 billion on mobile apps and in-app purchases, which equates to an average of more than $27 per device. This is excellent news, especially for B2C eCommerce, because 60.1% of consumer goods purchases can be traced back to mobile phone transactions.

This leads us to the next question: Which apps are actually most likely to be used within the usage time of more than 4 hours a day? According to data from App Annie, Tik Tok is the most downloaded app in the world. This is followed by Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram, Snapchat and Facebook Messenger. Note: four of the top seven are messenger apps. In terms of monthly active users, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger trail behind, coming in second and third globally.

However, if you look at the downloads and active users in individual markets, you can see clear differences here. While WhatsApp is predominantly used in Europe (Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Turkey), Facebook Messenger is the more common app in the USA, Canada and Australia. WhatsApp is also the preferred choice in Great Britain, India and Indonesia, as well as in more southern countries such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru. In Asia, on the other hand, two other providers are in the lead. In China, WeChat is clearly the most popular messenger app, while LINE is used more in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand.

In addition, there were a few exciting facts about internet and social media use in the Global Overview Report. The following is therefore an insight into the worldwide use of the Internet on mobile phones. These insights are definitely interesting if you, as a marketer, ask yourself where it is best to run mobile campaigns on the Internet or rather not.

The list of the top apps and websites that are used or visited is probably even more exciting for all entrepreneurs in the telecommunications sector. Notice that chats and messaging apps are at the top.

Lastly, we can delve into an overview of time spent on social media apps. Here, too, messenger apps such as WhatsApp and LINE are at the forefront.

As is so often the case, the question about what is the most preferred messenger can be answered with, “It depends.” In the messenger universe, it is highly dependent on the target market. Undoubtedly, the respective target group and generation also plays a significant role that cannot be overlooked. In this respect, future generations will probably become more agile and flexible in adapting to messenger trends.

All of this said, one thing is for certain: the world is becoming more digitalized and is increasingly taking place on our smartphones. The future is online!

Are you wondering which messenger is best suited for your business? 

Contact your local LINK Mobility team today

*This blog was previously published by LINK Mobility Dach (German). To read the original article 

 Messenger Apps in 2022

WhatsApp has quickly become one of the most popular chat platforms in the world, with over 2 billion active users across 180 countries. Around 100B messages are sent across WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram Direct daily. Naturally, businesses have caught onto this trend and recognize this message platform as a hotspot for business opportunities.
In this blog post we will share five reasons why your business should also use WhatsApp to communicate.

WhatsApp has quickly become one of the most popular chat platforms in the world, with over 2 billion active users across 180 countries. Around 100B messages are sent across WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram Direct daily. Naturally, businesses have caught onto this trend and recognize this message platform as a hotspot for business opportunities.

In this blog post we will share five reasons why your business should also use WhatsApp to communicate.

WhatsApp outperforms other well-known chat apps in popularity, yet many companies still focus their communications and presence on other channels. However, companies that genuinely want to reach their customers in the right place at the right time have included WhatsApp in their channel selections. In fact, 61% of people would choose messaging a business over picking up the phone and 59% of people would choose messaging a business over sending an email. ***

Customer engagement is critical and there are huge rewards for businesses if they invest in creating smoother customer journeys through messaging. In a WhatsApp global survey, they found the following trends:

WhatsApp powers communication between businesses and customers globally. There are three different versions of WhatsApp: the consumer-friendly WhatsApp app, the WhatsApp Business app for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and the WhatsApp Business Platform or midsize and large businesses.

With the advanced features of the service, the implementation of versatile communication is effortless at every stage of the customer path. Sending automated messages, chatting, or 24-hour customer service is handled naturally and at your fingertips at WhatsApp. In addition, the ability to use rich content in messages such as images, locations, QR codes, or share documents creates added value for your customers and business.

Every WhatsApp message is sent securely with end-to-end encryption, and in addition, companies that use the service can create a verified and branded company profile for themselves, so consumers know they are chatting with the right company. End-to-end encryption ensures only you and the person you are communicating with can read or listen to what is sent, and nobody in between, not even WhatsApp.

4. Talking to your customers using the apps they prefer

Companies can create pre-approved responses, automated messages, and notifications for WhatsApp, allowing the app to act as an automated customer service bot around the clock. Communications between customers and companies do not require keeping the browser window open, which helps make communications feel more natural. Customer service staff and experts can answer questions on WhatsApp, and one expert can handle multiple customers simultaneously.

With QR codes, directing consumers to customer service or an expert is becoming easier and faster, inevitably improving the customer experience. A car service customer who is frustrated by a long queue can immediately book a service time on WhatsApp by reading the QR code on their phone, or a consumer with an insurance claim can receive instructions for providing the information and images required for their claim. WhatsApp offers businesses the ability to create added value at various online and offline touch points.

Companies can ensure that the recipient wants to receive messages and notifications from them on WhatsApp, as sending messages requires prior consent (opt-in) from the recipient. This is a desirable channel of communication, especially as 81%** of consumers want to be able to contact businesses using mobile communications. Collecting opt-in at the time which is best for your customers is key and some examples of collecting opt-in consent include:

Communicating in a familiar application such as WhatsApp increases the engagement with your consumers. In addition, thanks to WhatsApp, consumers no longer must call toll-free customer service numbers to queue their turn but get help immediately and at no extra cost.

Want to learn more about how to leverage the power of WhatsApp? 

https://intigress.com/blog/digital-advertising/responsive-search-ads

https://ddiy.co/sms-marketing-statistics/

 5 Reasons to Use WhatsApp

Why communicating through OTT channels is good for your company and great for your customers

The advantages of communicating through OTT channels are many. OTT channels allows you to reach a larger target group and develop personal contact with a richer and more reliable interaction in channels they use daily. OTT means “over the top” which means different medias are transmitted to different users through internet connection. We usually refer to OTT communication when we talk about WhatsApp Business Solution, Facebook Messenger, RCS and WeChat. While examples of OTT services are HBO, Netflix and Spotify where users can stream video and music.

Statistics shows that the younger generations prefer to receive communication through OTT channels because the channels provide a comprehensive solution where they can do everything in one place. Users are given the opportunity to:

In addition, there is a clear advantage of OTT channels as they can be accessed through different types of devices and the only thing needed is an internet connection.

In several countries today the SMS cost for private individuals can be high, and through operator subscriptions with internet surf, more and more OTT communication is chosen over ordinary SMS. By adding OTT channels to your communication strategy, you increase the chance of getting in touch with your target group, while at the same time offering added value and a richer customer dialogue.

Multichannel is extremely important for companies today and it is important to have a presence in the right channels. By identifying where your target group is, and by ensuring that your brand is active there, the chances of satisfied customers increase.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is an example of how OTT channels can streamline a company’s communication. Already in 2016 KLM began sending booking confirmations, boarding passes, check-in notices and updates via Facebook Messenger. The goal was to make it easier for customers to receive the right information on time, and to increase customer satisfaction through simple and transparent communication. Over the years, they have further developed the communication to include live chat with employees for support issues, which has reduced the number of support calls for KLM.

By weaving together several different communication channels, you provide a professional and unified front to your end customer, and it is important that you as a company offer several different channels so that the customer can choose where the communication takes place. For instance, OTT channels work great for booking confirmations, promotions, notices and reminders. By offering communication in these channels you get direct contact with the customer via mobile or any other device.

has 2 billion users globally, and Facebook Messenger 1.3 billion. By using OTT, you are not only being present and available in several communication channels, but you are also leaving it up to the customer to decide on where they want to be reached. With OTTs you can gather all features and functions into one channel. With WhatsApp you can send documents like contracts, videos with instructions or audio recordings of conversations. You can show locations like pick up points, give instant customer feedback and use notifications for delivery, services and other inquiries. This two-way interaction creates an enriched customer dialogue in the preferred channel of the consumer.

 Why communicating through OTT channels is good for your company and great for your customers

Strengthen your communications with WhatsApp Business API

Expand and develop your customer relationships based on dialogue by communicating with your customers through one of the most widely used apps. Access the WhatsApp Business API easily through our API and communicate seamlessly with your customers.

WhatsApp is one of the world’s most used OTT channels. 

allows you to provide customers with simple, secure, and reliable messaging. The app has more than 2 billion users in over 180 countries worldwide. Compared to other messaging channels, it drives higher delivery in addition to increased open and conversion rates.

Through our WhatsApp Business API, you can connect to the WhatsApp Business API where you will be able to use it in two different ways:

Send notifications as business initiated, templated messages that can be sent at any time if the customer has opted in to receive them. With notifications you can:

With customer care, you can support two-way conversations with customers. This means that end users can initiate WhatsApp conversations with businesses. You can also ask your customers to rate your customer support straight after the contact, and in the same text conversation you can:

Besides providing customers with a channel that is simple, reliable, and secure, you can also enhance their customer experience with features like:

WhatsApp Business API gives you the opportunity to reach, engage and develop your customer interaction. The solution allows you to create trust from your customers with branded profiles. WhatsApp treats privacy and security with the utmost priority, and we have adopted a steadfast, multi-pronged commitment to user safety:

WhatsApp is built to be data- and battery-light, so that it can work reliably on the lowest cost handsets and with the worst connections. When other forms of communication are down or drop in quality, WhatsApp still works.

You can add images directly in the messages. These could be boarding passes, theater tickets, instructions, or manuals. The customer is then able to continue with follow-up questions in the same chat instead of having some information sent by email, some by mail and some through a customer care channel.

This is perfect for logistics and food delivery. Users can see the location and chat with the business and:

You can add videos straight in the message. This could be:

You can send documents straight in the message, referring to previous calls, following up with a manual, or resending invoices. You can also send:

You can send audio straight in the message. In this way you are able to create a more personal contact with the customer. You can:

You can easily add URLs to the message and also preview the message. You can use it for T&C agreements, invoices, order confirmations, applications, and payments.

With WhatsApp Business API you are able to share a contact with your customers straight from your customer support. You can use the multiple contacts feature to:

Notifications are business initiated, templated messages that can be sent any time. They enable you to:

The WhatsApp experience was designed to connect people in a simple way – maintaining a user interface free of unnecessary distractions and UI clutter, and offering the option of voice messages in addition to text. This amounts to a straightforward experience – No matter a person’s location, device, connection quality, or level of literacy.

You can increase customer satisfaction by keeping customers updated. With WhatsApp you can have a two-way communication regarding delivery scheduling and real-time location sharing. You can decide to give notifications such as:

Banking and insurance companies can use WhatsApp for several purposes. It can be used both for customer care and notifications such as:

Telcom companies can experience a lot of customer questions. Using WhatsApp, you can easily respond real-time to the issues or questions customers have. Whether it is account balance, upgrades, order changes or shipping delays. You can also use the channel for:

Within retail and e-commerce, you can easily resolve order changes or shipping delays by using WhatsApp. You can add the receipt as an attachment and give confirmations. You can also handle:

For the travel sector you would be able to gather all information in one channel. You can give confirmations and inform about changes to travel. You can also follow up during the travel and provide extra services. In addition, you can:

Businesses using customer care on the WhatsApp Business API have seen an increase in customer satisfaction and/or net promoter score in addition to an increase in customer service operational efficiency.

 Strengthen your communications with WhatsApp Business API

How to: Collect opt-ins for WhatsApp Business API

WhatsApp is becoming one of the most popular channels for messaging, especially between businesses and their customers. The key to business messaging is getting an opt-in from your customers, then staying in touch throughout the customer journey.

Read on to learn how to get this opt-in for WhatsApp Business API.

 supports all types of messages, including two–way conversations, but in order to initiate a WhatsApp message to a person, you must first receive opt-in permission. This means confirming that the recipient wishes to receive future messages from you on WhatsApp. The opt-in must:

It’s important to note that opt-in is required only for template messages – meaning the messages that you initiate and send to the end user. These WhatsApp-approved templates ensure that your messages won’t seem like spam to customers.

While we are here to support you and your business, we don’t provide opt-in handling or storage, so it is your responsibility to make sure the necessary opt-in is in place and used correctly.

How to Connect Customers to WhatsApp and Collect Opt-Ins

There are different ways you can show your customers that they can reach you on WhatsApp. First of all, you need to know where your customers are and which channel they use. Then you can implement the opt-in collection method most relevant for your target audience. You want to make sure the opt-in process is simple and convenient.

You can collect the WhatsApp opt-in either in WhatsApp (customer-initiated chat), or off WhatsApp (e.g., through a third-party channel). 

Here are some different methods for collecting opt-ins for those end users you want to get in touch with:

There are several ways to inform customers that you’re on WhatsApp and to get their opt-ins:

Use the WhatsApp number, website URL, or QR-code in your email signature to remind customers that they can reach you on WhatsApp in addition to phone and email. After they reach out to you, you can ask them to opt-in to receive future WhatsApp messages from you.

Encourage employees and/or customer service agents to use wa.me links in email signature lines. wa.me links are short URLs that can instantly open a WhatsApp conversation with your business from emails, SMS texts, apps and more.

 followed by your full business phone number in international format (i.e. If your international phone number is +1 555 123 4567, then your link will look like: wa.me/15551234567). Omit any extra zeros, parentheses, spaces, dashes, or the plus sign when adding the phone number in international format

Create ads that link to WhatsApp from websites like Facebook or Instagram. You can also add it to your Google AdWords campaign. When a person interacts with your ad on Facebook or Instagram, a conversation with your business will immediately open in WhatsApp, enabling you to request their opt-in for future communications. Ads that link to WhatsApp give your business a fast and convenient way to answers questions, drive transactions, and offer support.

Place QR-codes, phone numbers, and relevant information on product packages, boarding passes, delivery boxes, or other advertising material to inform customers that you are available for customer support on WhatsApp. These unique touchpoints will catch the attention of customers, making them more inclined to opt-in.

WhatsApp is a great way to send notifications to your customers or help them with their customer service needs. Make sure your end users understand the value of WhatsApp as well! It’s important to remember that when starting a conversation with an end user, you will need to use a predefined and approved template message, as well as get opt-in permission from that end-user.

or support you if you’re already a user. 

 How to: Collect opt-ins for WhatsApp Business API

Over 100 billion WhatsApp messages are sent every day, but what types of messages can you send and receive on WhatsApp Business API? And what guidelines, policies, and restrictions do you need to know?

In this article, we’ll cover message types, template guidelines, types of templates, and WhatsApp’s commerce policy for WhatsApp Business API.

There are two types of WhatsApp messages:

Both types only allow for one-to-one messaging, not bulk sendings.

Session messages are customer-initiated conversations. They are often related to customer service in which customers have questions or need to resolve issues using a one-to-one private conversation. A message from the end user will trigger the customer service window to be opened and will stay open for 24 hours if the customer responds to the template message. Messages outside of the 24-hour customer service window and are not in a template message will not be delivered to the end-user.

Template messages are business-initiated messages and can be sent any time to deliver important notifications during your customers’ journeys. You can also reopen a customer care window within 24 hours with a template message. It’s important to remember that in order to send template messages, you must get an opt-in from each customer.

A template message is connected to a predefined and approved template in the WhatsApp Business Manager. Template messages can be related to customer care or notifications but are not allowed to be marketing or promotional in nature. Read more in 

WhatsApp Business API supports many message features, including two-way conversations:

As previously stated, template messages are required to be created from preapproved templates from the WhatsApp Business Manager. You can choose from 11 message templates across the customer journey. The template can contain:

A predefined template will specify what type of media and injectable parameters that must exist. The template can then be customized when sending the message by adding custom links to the media and custom input to the injectable parameters.

A template message is connected to a predefined and approved template in the WhatsApp Business Manager. Template messages can be related to customer care or notifications but are not allowed to be marketing or promotional in nature. Read more in WhatsApp’s Business Policy.

Media template – A media template message

Audio – A message containing an audio file

Video – A message containing a video file

Document – A message containing a document file

Location – A message containing a location

Contacts – A message containing one or more contacts

Interactive Messages – A message containing buttons (call-to-action or quickly replies)

Interactive buttons, like a call-to-action (e.g. call this phone number) or quick-reply options (e.g. yes/no to consent)

There are 11 types of templates that you can use when reaching out to a customer:

WhatsApp has specific rules about what can and cannot be sent. Advertising, marketing, and promotional messages are not allowed. When responding to a person who contacts you directly as a result of an advertisement you have placed outside of a WhatsApp chat (a session message), it is permissible to discuss the ad as long as that advertisement does not conflict with the Commerce Policy.

Furthermore, offers to sell and sales of the following are prohibited:

is a communication channel that you don’t want to miss out on with more and more people using it every day. To get started or if you have any questions,

https://techcrunch.com/2020/10/29/whatsapp-is-now-delivering-roughly-100-billion-messages-a-day/https://www.oberlo.com/blog/whatsapp-statistics

 WhatsApp Messaging Types and Guidelines

How to: Get started with WhatsApp Business API

Messaging apps are becoming one of the best ways to get in touch with customers and end users. One in particular has grown very quickly to be the leader: WhatsApp. Here we explain how you can get started with WhatsApp Business API.

is a global messaging app that many people already have – in fact over 2 billion people.* By getting started and using WhatsApp, you connect with customers where they already are. Furthermore, WhatsApp allows you to have two-way conversations privately and securely with their end-to-end encryption.

More and more businesses want to be a part of this new communication channel. But where do you begin with WhatsApp Business API? We’ve put together a step-by-step guide on how to get started.

Let’s break it down. The WhatsApp ecosystem is comprised of three parts:

Who can get access to WhatsApp Business API?

WhatsApp recommends that the best way to access the Business API is to work with one of their “Business Solution Providers” (BSPs). Today there are approximately 60 BSPs, and LINK Mobility is one of them. If you’re a small business, consider running your customer dialogue through an app on your phone using 

When it comes to industries, WhatsApp has specific policies for which ones they will approve. According to their Commerce Policy, the following industries are not supported:

Meanwhile, other industries are welcomed and will be more successful in getting approved for the API integration through a BSP.

Follow these four steps to apply for the WhatsApp Business API integration.

1. Sign up with a Business Solution Provider (BSP)

WhatsApp encourages businesses to use a Business Solution Provider. This means less work for your business and shorter time to market. They have developers to set up and maintain the API and a virtual server to host the communications.

In the second step, you will submit general information about your business and how you intend to use WhatsApp Business API. This includes:

The application process takes about 2-3 weeks, after which you will be notified of your approval status.

Next, you need to set up a phone number, provide your number to your BSP, and answer some additional questions:

Upon activation, messages will be hosted on a virtual server instead of your phone. Now your number can be used with the WhatsApp Business API.

It’s possible to use more than one phone number, but for each number you’ll need an additional virtual server. Reach out to your BSP to add more numbers.

You can create your own highly structured messages (HSM) 

that will need to be approved by WhatsApp before use. These messages can be sent to the end user after 24 hours from your last contact, only if they’ve been pre-approved and you have the opt-in from the customer. If the customer reaches out to your company first, you are not limited to the templates and you don’t need the opt-in within the 24-hour window.

There are strict standards for the templates:

Once you’ve completed these steps, you have the possibility to get the green check mark next to your company name to show that you’re an official verified business on WhatsApp. This applies if you’re a well-known international brand and send over 500 messages a day. The green tick is a great feature – customers know they can trust you!

is a key channel when connecting with customers and getting started doesn’t have to be difficult. Use our guide or 

We’ve put together a video explaining everything you need to know about WhatsApp Business API.

You don’t want to miss out on communicating with the app that everyone’s using! WhatsApp is the perfect tool to stay in touch with customers. It’s easy to have conversations, and this solution offers a wide variety of features, like business profiles, automated messages, and end-to-end encryption for more privacy. Curious to learn more about WhatsApp Business API? This short video covers the basics. Topics include:

 WhatsApp Business API in 2 minutes

New possibilities for governments on WhatsApp

You know WhatsApp as a popular way for friends and family to get in touch with one another. You also know it’s a growing channel for businesses to communicate with customers. But did you know that WhatsApp can now be used for nonprofits and governments to stay connected with citizens and the community?

Governments across the world have started using messaging apps, like WhatsApp, to send messages. This is especially useful during the pandemic when accurate and timely information is critical. From Brazil to UK to India, governments are taking advantage of innovative channels like WhatsApp to help their countries and people.

offers quick answers on WhatsApp. Their phone lines and email had been overloaded, so they implemented a simple and direct solution: automated responses to common questions and requests via a WhatsApp chatbot.

Here are some recommendations on how governments and nonprofit organizations can reach out to their communities and embrace this newly available channel.

Are your typical communication channels overwhelmed? Long waiting times become frustrating for people, but WhatsApp is a simple, yet advanced solution for this problem. Use 

for messages that you frequently send – great for commonly asked questions. You might also set up WhatsApp’s chatbot to answer questions for you.

Not only can you create automated responses, but you can also let people know if it’s a busy time and set expectations for how long it might take to respond. You can schedule an automatic 

to reply when you’re unable to respond or you’re closed for the day.

Send important information that affects everyone in your local community or inhabitants of a specific city or region. WhatsApp allows you to include pictures, videos, text, and GIFs in 

. Don’t wait until people have questions – be proactive and inform them of updates. Notify them when there is news or educate them about relevant information.

Build a profile to explain who you are and what you do. This includes things like:

Inform the community about what services are available to them and how they can be used. Descriptions of services can be included in a 

, which is accessed through your profile. You can even set up automated greeting messages for when people first message you.

As we’ve seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, clear, accurate, and timely information is extremely important to counteract the spread of misinformation and to ensure the health and safety of citizens. Having an additional channel means it’s easier and quicker to reach citizens and communities with the updates and news they need. In addition to physical health, WhatsApp can be used as a channel to reach out to improve mental health as well by lessening feelings of isolation and uncertainty. Offer mental health services by allowing people to 

WhatsApp has recently updated their business policy. Now, pharmaceutical, medical device, and body enhancement clinics are allowed to sell services (like appointments and procedures), though not items (like drugs or medical devices). Additionally, the government API program will expand to:

In order to begin using WhatsApp, you must connect with a Business Solution Provider, like us. 

 we explain the basics of getting started with WhatsApp Business API.

Want to learn more about WhatsApp? Check out this 

It’s exciting to watch as WhatsApp evolves with current events and grows to include even more relevant use cases. Don’t wait with getting started – take advantage of WhatsApp Business API today! 

Conversational messaging at its core is the communications between a customer and a business. Here we explain further what it is, how to use it, and why it matters to your company.

Conversational messaging used to be known for things like emails and SMS, but these have their limitations. For instance, email has a lower read rate and SMS only allows so many characters. Now, conversational messaging has grown to encompass the next era of channels and apps, with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating this change. These include:

While new channels are growing, it doesn’t mean get rid of SMS. Incorporate SMS as part of your omnichannel mobile strategy to ensure you get the most out of conversational messaging and still have 100% reach. According to MobileSquared, over 36% of all people are only available on SMS.* With our proprietary product LINK Conversations, you can even leverage conversational features within the SMS channel that work seamlessly with the other channels to ensure the best customer experience.

Communicating with businesses and brands should be as easy as communicating with friends and family, and part of good business is knowing your customers. How do they like to communicate? Where do they want to receive messages? When is best to reach them? Conversational messaging is a great place to start.

Conversational messaging means a seamless exchange of information and messages between your business and consumers. Other advantages include:

Reach – get access to an enormous audience. Grow sales, drive revenue, gain loyalty, and increase engagement and satisfaction.

Rich communications – communicate colorfully with rich media that engages your audience like never before. Furthermore, different apps come with different features. Get the best of all worlds – and avoid any limitations – with diverse channels.

fallback as an option for messages sent over apps. It’s a win-win!

Whether you use one app or many, the uses of conversational messaging are extensive, no matter what industry you’re in.

Create sales opportunities and relevant touchpoints during the customer journey. Communicate with members in a loyalty club, alert customers about new services, educate them about how to use products, or offer discounts.

Customer care says a lot about a company. Give your customers the best experience possible to create lasting loyalty. Different channels offer different advantages. For example, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger have suggested replies for quick questions. You can also gather both positive and negative feedback to learn what you should keep doing and amend problematic situations.

Not only can you send messages within your organization, but you can also send notifications to update your customers on things that have changed or the status of their order.

All industries should take advantage of conversational messaging. Whether your company is in finance, retail, healthcare, logistics, travel, or IT, you don’t want to miss out on these multichannel mobile advancements.

Each of the channels offers something different, and customers want the convenience that they find in their day-to-day life transferred to their relationships with businesses. Offering one or two channels is a great start but offering several is a way to stand out from your competition. When using many channels, you get the benefits of an omnichannel experience, meaning you can move from different apps with ease.

This is the basic tool in the messaging world. It’s reliable and easy, with a 98% read rate. Yet, it has a 160-character limit, and more people are looking for companies to expand to other channels.

Viber offers both Viber Business Messages and Viber Chatbot, for business-initiated and customer-initiated messages, respectively. Like WhatsApp, it’s fully encrypted, guaranteeing security and increasing trust. Furthermore, it allows business branding and rich features.

More and more businesses offer Facebook messenger as a way to connect with consumers. Suggested replies means quick customer service, while a branded profile increases the trust of those contacting you.

As the most widely used messaging app, there’s no doubt WhatsApp is where you want to be. But there are key things to keep in mind when using this channel, such as opt-ins, messaging guidelines, and more.

Check out this short video on WhatsApp Business API to learn everything you need to know.

Rich communication services has been on everyone’s minds for the last few years and is now coming to fruition as a well-known communication channel with rich media. It’s engaging and interactive, and its improved features like video, audio, and images means it will ultimately compete with SMS.

By taking advantage of today’s opportunity in conversational messaging, your business will be ready to face tomorrow’s challenges. And we’re here to help you. We’re experts in all the relevant channels and can help you get started today.

https://mobilesquared.co.uk/business-messaging-tracker/

Conversational messaging is coming up

E-commerce effects on environment and economy

E-commerce grew 11% between 2018 and 2019, and 31% between 2019 and 2020. As the pandemic continues and consumer behaviors and preferences evolve, e-commerce is set to continue to take more sales from traditional retail stores. What does this mean for the environment and the economy?

In Oliver Wyman’s report “Is e-commerce good for Europe?”, the development of e-commerce is evaluated, particularly in relation to the impacts on the environment and economy. Research was done across eight European countries (France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom).

Findings showed that overall retail and related industries are gaining jobs, and e-commerce is contributing to that through logistics, warehouses, delivery, customer support, and more. Analysis also revealed impacts to store performance and commercial footprint. In terms of the environment, the report says that online shopping has 1.5-2.9 times fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to in-person shopping. This is primarily related to the land use (physical retail stores, storage, parking lots), as well as consumer car traffic to go shopping. Overall, it has a lower end-to-end CO2 equivalent.

One way e-commerce and retail can become more environmentally-friendly is by eliminating paper waste through mobile messaging: send out coupons, new product information, shipping updates, and more using mobile channels. Read more about how retail can benefit from multichannel mobile communications.

Furthermore, the report describes the effects of COVID-19 and how the pandemic has accelerated the transformation of traditional retail shopping to online shopping. The authors also share their outlook on the future of this evolution.

The world is on a journey to become more digitalized. Curious how you can digitize your business? Learn how in three simple steps, according to Gartner.

Interested in becoming part of the digital e-commerce revolution? We can help with every step with our mobile messaging services on the communication channels your customers use, like 

 and our messaging gateway. Whether you want to market your products through 

 provide customer support, offer discounts, or send tracking notifications, we have the tools you need. 

Oliver Wyman, “Is e-commerce good for Europe? Economic and environmental impact study,” 2021.

https://www.oliverwyman.com/content/dam/oliver-wyman/v2/publications/2021/apr/is-ecommerce-good-for-europe.pdf

https://www.oliverwyman.com/content/dam/oliver-wyman/v2/publications/2021/apr/is-ecommerce-good-for-europe-english.pdf

Driving Valuable Conversations through WhatsApp Business API with proactive notifications customers opt-in to receive

With more than 2 billion people using WhatsApp every single day, the communications channel is seeing high penetration rates in multiple countries. It’s fast becoming the channel of choice for many businesses. As the channel grows and we see more use-cases and demands on the channel, WhatsApp is rolling out changes to enhance the conversations that businesses can have with their customers.

Customers want to interact on their channel of choice. In many countries, the penetration of 

is so high that if businesses are not engaging on this channel, then quite simply they are missing a huge proportion of their potential customer base or not engaging where their customers want to communicate.

As such, WhatsApp has recently expanded the ways in which customers can hear from their favorite business in more ways across the customer journey. This means that there are additional types of proactive notifications for people that opt-in to receive them.

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