Facebook has added a new call-to-action button option on boosted organic posts, allowing advertisers to start conversations with their customers on WhatsApp.
It’s obvious that Facebook wants to monetise WhatsApp – verified profiles for businesses on the platform where just the first step. Now, over a year after Facebook introduced click-to-Messenger ads on its platform – and then to Instagram later on – it’s bringing the ability for businesses to start conversations with their customers on WhatsApp as well.
A new option appears to advertisers who boost organic posts, allowing them to add a CTA that sends people to WhatsApp. The click-to-WhatsApp CTA is only available to Pages that are boosting their organic posts for the time-being and is not available through either the Ads Manager or Facebook’s Marketing API.
In a statement to TechCrunch, Facebook product marketing manager Pancham Gajjar explained,
[quote]Many people already use WhatsApp to communicate with small businesses. It’s a fast, convenient way to stay in touch. By adding a click-to-WhatsApp button to Facebook ads, businesses can now make it even easier for people to learn about their products, set up an appointment or use their service[/quote]
The ads that have the specific CTA will only be seen by people who actually have the WhatsApp app on their devices. They will look the same as normal News Feed ads but will have WhatsApp’s logo instead of Messenger’s. Also, when tapped, WhatsApp will open with a message that users can change before sending to the business. The message received by the business, will contain the person’s custom message and an image of the Facebook ad so that the source of the message can be identified more easily.
The option is available globally, except for Europe at the moment.
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