How to Broadcast Messages on WhatsApp: A Complete Guide

The application of message broadcasting through WhatsApp has been a very important tool for organizations wanting to connect multiple customers at once.

WhatsApp messaging broadcasting can involve functions that include the sharing of product launches by an organization to the promotions as well as the maintenance of relationships between the organization and its customers.

Currently, in the digital age, consumer requirements influence the behavior of organizations, and among the channels that consumers would like their organizations to use is WhatsApp.

WhatsApp has transformed from just a messenger application, with over 2 billion active users, yet the potential it holds for broadcasting messages is not maximized by various organizations.

This guide provides a comprehensive review of WhatsApp Broadcasting, and you will see how the ideas and observations set forth here can be implemented for the successful growth of your business.

What Is a Broadcast in WhatsApp?

The WhatsApp Broadcast Message feature allows a message to be sent to multiple recipients without creating a group message.

However, that is different for group chats, in which all members can see each other and communicate with all the others.

Conversely, broadcasts disseminate the information, which is presented as a personal message to each individual.

It enables a more personalized and professional form of communication.

When the message is sent, the intended party will receive it as though the message is direct, or one to one.

Accordingly, the recipient can react privately, with the responses inaccessible to other broadcast recipients.

This broadcasting capability is significant in that:

• Product announcements: Notifying customers of new products/services

• Promotional activities: The communication of special promotions, discounts, and seasonal sales.

• Event invitations: Customers invited to events such as webinars, store openings, etc.

• Content distribution: Sharing newsletters, blog posts, or educational content

Understanding WhatsApp Broadcast Lists

A WhatsApp broadcast list is essentially a compilation of stored contacts that facilitates group messaging without necessarily selecting which contact to message with each messaging or communication session.

It can be treated as a distribution list that is intended to facilitate communication.

After the broadcast list has been generated, the list automatically appears in the chat list as a regular conversation to make the sending process of the updates simpler.

The principle is simple: you make the list, you save your contacts, and you send messages to everyone on the list just by clicking once.

Despite this, however, the WhatsApp Broadcasting Service has several significant constraints that businesses must be aware of before using it as their primary channel of communication.

Limitations of Standard WhatsApp Broadcasts

The native WhatsApp broadcast list has several limitations that might hamper effective business communications:

Contact-saving requirement

To receive broadcasting messages, customers need to save the business number in their contacts.

This is the most restrictive criterion, as only customers who save the business number can be reached out to.

The customer will not receive the broadcast message if he or she has not saved the number.

There is no indication that the message did not reach its destination.

Maximum recipients allowed per broadcast list

The broadcast list supports a maximum number of 256 contacts.

Although this may appear adequate for small businesses, it soon proves to be a limitation when the number of customers increases.

The necessity of forming various lists of broadcasts with the same message may develop, which may prove quite tiresome.

Lack of sophisticated functionality

The common broadcasting feature does not have a schedule and analysis functionality, unlike advanced broadcasting software.

It does not have the functionality of tracking who opened the messages or viewed the content.

Manual Management of Lists

The addition and removal of contact information in broadcast lists is manual.

It is difficult to manage multiple lists with hundreds of contacts as the business expands.

Limited media and formatting

While text messages, image messages, video messaging, and document sharing are possible, there are restrictions in terms of rich media buttons and messaging that would provide further interaction.

Lack of personalization

A single message will be sent to all the recipients.

Personalized messages based on customer preference or prior purchasing or demographic information are not feasible.

Sender limitations

The message is sent using the sending user’s phone number, which should be connected to the internet and have adequate power to enable the message to be delivered while broadcasting.

Such constraints make the standard broadcasting function appropriate only for small scale communications, and it cannot serve the purpose in case of organizations dealing with larger client bases.

How to Create a Broadcast List on WhatsApp (Standard Method)

In case you are working with a limited number of contacts and want to take the basic broadcasting feature for a spin, the following detailed, step-by-step guide explains exactly how to create a WhatsApp broadcast list.

On Android Devices

• Open WhatsApp: First, open the WhatsApp application on your Android mobile phone.

• Menu access: Press the three vertical dots in the top right corner of your screen.

• Select New broadcast: In the Actions drop-down box, click on "New broadcast."

• Choose contacts: All your contacts will appear. You can select contacts you want to add to your broadcast list. All the contacts you chose will feature a tick mark alongside.

• Make a list: Choose all the contacts that you want, remembering that you cannot select more than 256 contacts. Tap the green checkmark icon located at the bottom right corner.

• Give a name to your broadcast (optional): You can click on the name of your broadcast at the top in order to give a name that suits it.

• Send message: Compose a message in the text box at the bottom of the app. Add images or other files if you like. Tap the send button.

On iPhone (iOS)

• Open the WhatsApp app on your iPhone.

• Go to Chats: Tap the "Chats" tab on the bottom of the screen.

• Access Broadcast Lists: Click the top-left corner link labeled "Broadcast Lists."

• Start a new list: Tap the "New List" button at the bottom of the screen.

• Select recipients: Click on the names to select the contacts to send to. Blue ticks show the selected contacts.

• Complete the creation process by clicking the "Create" button in the top right corner of the page once you've selected the contacts.

• Send your broadcast: A list for sending broadcast messages will appear in your chats. You can open it and send your message.

Managing Your Broadcast Lists:

Once created, your broadcast list will be visible on your chat list as a normal conversation.

You can:

• Add new messages. Open the list of broadcasts. Type in your message.

• Recipients to change: Press the name of the broadcast list displayed at the top and select the choice of ‘Broadcast list info.’

• Rename Lists: View the list info and tap on its name to rename.

• Delete Lists: iOS - Swipe left to delete, Android - Long press to delete list of broadcasts.

It is worth mentioning here that in order for them to receive your broadcast messages, they will have to store your number in their mobile contact list.

It is an area that many companies overlook, resulting in confusion for their clients on why the messages are not reaching the whole list on their side.

How to Send Broadcast Messages on WhatsApp Using Dexatel

For businesses looking to overcome the challenges associated with conventional WhatsApp broadcasting, a better alternative is presented through the WhatsApp Business solution by Dexatel. 

This enterprise-class platform will help in sending broadcast messages while remaining compliant and offering valuable insights into marketing, along with superior customer experience.

Why Choose Dexatel for WhatsApp Broadcasting

Dexatel upgrades WhatsApp broadcasting from a simple functionality to a full-featured communication solution for businesses, offering functionalities well beyond what would be possible through regular WhatsApp communication:

Without contact saving required, you can get in touch with customers even if they haven’t saved your number. 

This single aspect increases your reach exponentially and guarantees that your messages will reach your customer database, not just customers who have saved your contact information.

Scalability

Broadcast to thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions of recipients. 

There is no hard limit on the number of individuals you're trying to communicate with. 

This means your communication strategy can scale with your business.

Enhanced Segmentation

The system enables targeting of specific customer segments with messages that are relevant based on demographics, behavior, purchase history, level of engagement, geo-location, or any additional attributes that a business chooses to include.

Rich Media Support

Rich Media support can be incorporated through the inclusion of images, videos, documents, geospatial data, and buttons.

This helps in the creation of interesting and appealing messages, which may result in improved response rates.

Detailed Analytics

Track the delivery rates, reads, clicks, conversions, and engagement rates in real time.

These aspects allow for the accurate measurement of broadcast performance, enabling optimal decision-making for enhancing future communications.

API integration

Integrate the WhatsApp Broadcasting Service with your existing customer relationship management system, e-commerce, customer service system, or any other business solution with the powerful API offered by Dexatel.

It will enable API integration to ensure a smooth flow of information.

Multi-user access

Use role-based functions to promote collaboration.

Enable your marketing teams to create campaigns, your customer service teams to answer queries, and your managers to see analytics, all in one place.

Management of templates

It allows users to craft, save, and manage messaging templates.

For businesses on the WhatsApp platform, their message templates are required to be approved before sending particular notifications.

Compliance built-in

The policies for WhatsApp Business accounts are fully covered along with other regulations like GDPR.

Dexatel offers in-built solutions in the areas of Opt-In/Opt-Out and consent functions to protect your business from probable infringement.

24/7 Support

Access professional help when needed.

This is unlike the traditional WhatsApp broadcasting service, which provides self-help functions.

Dexatel helps you get the most out of your WhatsApp broadcasting.

Getting Started with Dexatel for WhatsApp Broadcasting

The process for WhatsApp Broadcasting using Dexatel is quite simple.

Step 1: Open an account at Dexatel

Go to the Dexatel website to sign up for an account.

Fill in necessary business details.

Step 2: Connect WhatsApp Business API

Leverage the official Business API by connecting your business to the API via the platform of Dexatel.

Please note that this is not the Business app by WhatsApp.

Provides additional functionalities that are beneficial to organizations of medium to large size.

Dexatel will be responsible for all technical aspects of Business API integration.

Step 3: Verify Your Business

Finish the business verification process required by Meta’s policies on WhatsApp.

It entails providing documents for your business, checking the validity of your entity on WhatsApp, validating your entity’s identity on WhatsApp, and agreeing to the WhatsApp terms of service.

It is an Measure that prevents spams on WhatsApp and only allows valid businesses to broadcast their messages through the WhatsApp API.

Step 4: Assemble Your Contact Lists

Import Customer Contacts to the Dexatel System.

The contacts can be imported through CSV, linked to the customer's CRM, or connected through an API.

Segment or classify the contacts for business use: by region, consumption patterns, or other variables of significance.

Step 5: Create message templates. 

Make use of the template builder provided by Dexatel.

WhatsApp-listed entities are mandated to preapprove message templates for authorized broadcasts.

Templates in messaging assist in creating high-quality messages and preventing unsolicited messaging.

Creation of message templates is done within the Dexatel platform, which takes between 24 to 48 hours for the final approval.

Step 6: Launch Your Campaigns

Once you have your approved template, you're ready to send the first broadcast.

Make use of the campaign builder of Dexatel in specifying the audience, template selection, personalizing messages through dynamic fields, and dispatching the messages.

Results are monitored through the Dexatel analytical dashboard.

How to Create a Broadcast in WhatsApp with Dexatel

Dexatel allows creating sophisticated audience segments which act as an advanced broadcasting group, thus allowing users to take advantage of both what a broadcast list and a conventional WhatsApp group have to offer.

The process includes five steps:

Step 1 Segment your audience

Take advantage of Dexatel’s comprehensive segmentation capabilities to divide contacts by any criterion.

Segments can include:

• Frequent buyers who are high value customers

• New customers acquired in the past 30 days

• Inactive customers who haven't interacted with the business recently

• Specific geographic region customers

• Customers interested in specific types of products

• Abandoned shopping cart customers

• VIP customers deserving special attention

Various criteria can be used together to create a very specific segment. 

For example: “customers in California who purchased in the last 60 days and have opened at least three previous messages.”

Step 2: Personalize your messages

Use dynamic fields effectively and personalize messages for each receiving party. 

Use personalized components instead of generic messages through:

• Transmitter’s first name

• Details of the most recent purchase

• Account balance or loyalty points

• Related to Browsing History

• Recommendations based on

• Location-specific information

• Messages for anniversaries or birthdays

Personalization was found to have a highly positive outcome in terms of engagement, as the customers felt the communication was personalized and addressed specifically to them, although it was being sent to thousands of customers at the same time.

Step 3: Schedule Strategically

The time broadcasts are intended for maximum interaction based on the target audience’s time zone, habit, and preference.

Dexatel helps you with:

• Sending messages based on predetermined dates and times
• Automate message deliveries within local time zones of the recipients
• Schedule broadcasts to prevent overload on the infrastructure.
• Try varied times for sending the messages and see when the response is best

Step 4: Test and Optimize

Leverage the power of A/B Testing to fine-tune the messaging approach.

Compare the following:

• Message Copy and Call to Actions
• Media types (image v/s video)
• Send times
• Offers and incentives
• Message length
• Emoji Usage and Formatting

The analytics produced by Dexatel make it possible to find more effective versions and thereby improve results method based not on assumptions but on facts.

Best Practices for WhatsApp Broadcasting

Irrespective of the method used for WhatsApp Broadcasting, the following are the best practices that will optimize results and build a good relationship with the customers:

Respect Your Audience

Obtain explicit consent

Use the broadcasts only for those contact numbers that have given you permission to send them messages on behalf of your business.

It is a good precautionary step and might be mandatory based on GDPR and/or TCPA requirements.

Honor Opt-outs Immediately

If someone decides to stop receiving messages, remove them immediately from the distribution list.

Opting out should be easy, and your organization needs to honor those choices.

Provide opt-out choices within your programming.

Optimize frequency

Do not overwhelm the audience with a tremendous number of messages.

Although the standard may vary from one audience or market to another, it can be said you should not send more than one message daily.

Provide Value

Customer benefit focus

Every broadcast needs to add value for the customer.

Before sending, think of this question, "What does this offer them?"

The answer could be in several forms:

• Special discounts or pre-sale access to sales
• Tips and Educational Materials
• Information about orders and appointments that is up-to-date
• Personalized recommendations of products based on the customer's interests
• Time-sensitive information that the customer needs to be made aware of

Do not send strictly promotional messages

While the promotional content is required, mixing in news or tips from within the industry, as opposed to only sending promotional content, helps avoid message fatigue.

Remain relevant

You should segment your broadcast and ensure that it gets to the person interested in and benefiting from it.

Broadcasting to everyone could trigger disengagement and opt-outs.

Keep It Concise

Respect mobile limitations

WhatsApp has a mobile-centric nature, and users favor messages that are short and easily readable.

Given the fact that most people use WhatsApp from time to time throughout the day, the messages in a WhatsApp broadcast should not be lengthy.

Front-load significant information

They should be given all the important details upfront in case they cannot read the rest of this email.

The key subject should be apparent from the very first sentence of message.

Format carefully

The text should be formatted into readable lines.

Use the bold feature effectively, not too frequently.

Emojis can optionally be used for engagement, but they should be used in moderation.

Include Clear Calls-to-Action

Direct the audience to the necessary next-step actions

Every communication must have a clear purpose, together with its accompanying Call-to-Action (CTA).

The objective should include visiting a website, placing an order, answering inquiries, attending an event, or reviewing further information if this is part of the objective.

Make the action easier

In case the objective action is visiting a website, a link should be provided.

In case the objective action is to make a purchase, one should be guided to the purchase page.

Any obstacle that might hinder the accomplishment of the objective action should be removed.

Create appropriate levels of urgency

Limited-time offers or availability can increase response rates.

Time Your Messages Appropriately

Do not broadcast at inconvenient times

Do not send messages late into the evening or very early in the morning.

Broadcasts should, however, take place between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., according to the time zone of the receiving station.

Explain daily patterns

It is vital to take into consideration the best time of the day when your targets will most likely respond to your interactions.

For example, in relation to business-related communications, the early mornings of weekdays can be the most optimal.

On the other hand, for a retail concern that has direct dealings with customers, reaching out to them in the evening and on the weekends might produce the best outcomes.

Test and Learn

Analyze your data to determine the best times to send messages to your demographic.

What works well with one business may not necessarily work with another.

Monitor and Respond

Broadcasting is a two-way mode of communication; it is one to many, yet it often generates one to one communication.

Be ready to respond swiftly to the responses that emerge.

Set up scalable systems

When sharing information, one should expect the possibility of receiving feedback.

You need to be ready to manage the feedback, which can be done by setting up mechanisms to respond to the feedback automatically.

Monitor Engagement

Determine the type of broadcasts that acquire more responses, clicks, and conversions.

Use this information to improve future campaigns.

Test Before Scaling

Start on a small scale

When assessing a new message type, offer, and engagement strategy over messaging channels, it is recommended that you begin testing with a few individuals before launching it for all.

Insights from Feedback

You need to analyze both the quantitative data that is available, such as the response rates and click-through rates, and the feedback that comes directly from the customers.

Engage in continuous iteration

The notion of WhatsApp broadcasting should not be considered "set it and forget it."

There must be continuous learning and optimization.

Advanced WhatsApp Broadcasting Strategies

After mastering basic skills on WhatsApp broadcasting, you can implement these expert strategies to make your WhatsApp broadcasting most effective:

Drip Campaigns

Create a set of automated messages to lead the customer through a defined process.

For instance, you can start by sending an automated set of messages to new customers to get them to know your brand, introduce them to your featured products, provide them with valuable information, and finally, give them an introductory discount.

Re-engagement Campaign

Engage inactive customers through broadcasting.

Messages could be dispatched to individuals for whom no sales and engagement data for a considerable period are recorded, and they are given exclusive incentives for what they are missing.

Cross-Sell and Upsell 

After the acquisition, broadcast messages are sent that include recommendations of related or upgraded products based on the previous purchase of the consumer.

The seasonal strategy should include the scheduling of the broadcast communications around holidays or other things of special importance to the business.

Content needs to be planned and scripted.

Interactive Broadcasts 

Make use of the button functionality that is available on the WhatsApp platform either through Business API or other applications such as Dexatel to create broadcast messages that will allow customers to make choices without typing.

Making the Right Choice for Your Business

The ability to execute campaigns on WhatsApp is only the first step.

The key point, however, is what kind of broadcasting model is appropriate based on the needs of your company.

The WhatsApp Broadcast feature is good for a small business with a small number of customers to contact (as it supports up to 256 numbers) since the customers already have the contact numbers stored in their devices.

This service is free and needs no technical installation.

Nonetheless, when it comes to customer communication within a large organization, this strategy tends to be limiting.

When it comes to organizations that are determined to engage and grow, the broadcasting feature available on WhatsApp through Dexatel is scalable, functional, and analytical to facilitate professional communication.

The service allows businesses to utilize the functionality of WhatsApp beyond being a communication tool, making it a complete platform with which businesses can achieve specific outcomes such as boosting their revenues and customer satisfaction.

With a professional broadcasting solution like Dexatel, you are able to:

• Target a wider audience without imposing random limitations.

• Provide more personalized experiences for the targeted recipients.

• Access analytics data that is imperative for improving your WhatsApp marketing campaign.

• Automate repetitive tasks to free up your team for more important tasks.

• Ensure the integration of your WhatsApp service with your business systems for smooth functionality.

• Implement communications proportional to the growth of the business without changing the communication channels.

The reasons that would justify an investment in a relevant broadcasting solution are based upon increased customer interaction, better conversion rates, better teamwork, and the ability to capitalize upon a huge base of WhatsApp users.

Are you ready to advance your broadcasting functionality in WhatsApp?

See how the Dexatel WhatsApp Solution can help you reach customers in large numbers and build an even more personal, business relationship using the most widely used communications platform in the world.