What if you could tap into an audience of over 2 billion people and directly influence their purchasing decisions - would you take advantage of that opportunity? Conversational commerce is booming in Europe (44%*) and in the UK ([30%](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/united-kingdom-conversational-commerce-market-report-2023-a-225-billion-market-by-2028---european-video-e-commerce-platforms-are-launching-services-in-the-uk-to-take-advantage-301850636.html)). This is - at least partially - a result of the growth of GenAI, which enables human-like conversations with customers at a fraction of the costs of human agents only solutions. But how exactly will businesses engage with customers? Which platform should they use?
In this essay, we reveal why WhatsApp is the top choice for businesses in Europe's conversational commerce. We delve into the size of the opportunity WhatsApp opens, its exceptional engagement rates outperforming other channels, and how its latest API releases are perfect for creating cutting-edge AI-driven customer interactions. As more consumers turn to messaging apps for brand engagement, businesses harnessing WhatsApp's unique strengths stand to gain significantly.
It's the biggest messaging platform in the world
With over 2 billion users globally, WhatsApp has become the world's most ubiquitously used messaging platform. This massive adoption is projected to continue rising, as more individuals and businesses integrate WhatsApp into their daily communications. Such an enormous audience represents a unique opportunity for companies to directly engage demographics who already spend immense amounts of time on WhatsApp every day. Studies show the average person checks WhatsApp over 23 times daily, priming it as an unparalleled touchpoint for consistent customer interaction. Consider regional dominance as well - in Italy, 90% of the population actively utilizes WhatsApp, while 75% injunction the UK has adopted it. In Brazil, not only do most people use WhatsApp for messaging, but roughly 65% of WhatsApp users have directly purchased products through the chat app. The platform grants brands invaluable exposure to convert and support current and future customers at scale.
The implication is clear: businesses that leverage WhatsApp's massive user base will position themselves at the forefront of customer engagement. As this trend accelerates, WhatsApp will evolve into an essential component of digital commerce strategies.
Seamless User Identification: The Gateway to Personalization
WhatsApp links directly to a person's existing phone number. There is no need to create separate logins, accounts, or profiles to start chatting. This seamless linkage grants brands unrivaled continuity to match new conversations to previous discussions, increasing familiarity over every interaction. Having quick access to each user's name via their mobile ID then simplifies cross-referencing against current customer data to surface even more personalized details, interests and preferences. This not only streamlines the shopping experience but also opens the door to personalized marketing.
The key takeaway: leveraging WhatsApp offers a gateway to unprecedented personalization and deeper customer connections.
Unparalleled Engagement Rates
WhatsApp consistently sees over 98% message open rates - they're unprecedented in the digital marketing world.. Users spend 19.4 hours per month reading, responding and interacting with messages received there. Compare this to email, where only 5% of commercial emails sent ever get opened. The app's personal, convenient environment keeps people opening, reading and responding at record levels month after month. This engagement directly translates into high click-through and conversion rates for businesses as well. Industry research shows WhatsApp driving between 45-60% post-click conversion, dwarfing email and SMS which convert users 2-5% of the time. There exists no better catalyst to spark and convert interest at such high volumes.
As more businesses realise the potential of WhatsApp, we will see a significant shift in how marketing strategies are designed. The focus will be on creating content that leverages this platform's unique ability to captivate and engage audiences.
Innovative UIs and Large Language Models
While chatbots and new large language models like ChatGPT continue to amaze users, lengthy text conversations already risk wearing people out. WhatsApp opens new doors to apply novel, more visual interfaces that could lead to improved experiences and engagement. The app's existing catalogue, button and link features have demonstrated huge conversions, hinting at its advantage for commerce-focused AI interactions. WhatsApp's latest API releases also allow businesses to build interactive conversation flows, seamlessly guiding users through personalized missions. Streamlined menus, graphics and calls-to-action can make AI-infused chat even more intuitive within the familiar messaging environment. WhatsApp is primed to drive the next generation of AI chat given its global ubiquity and flexible developing options.
Conclusion
The consumer industry dynamics have fundamentally shifted. Customers have become increasingly discerning and difficult to persuade, yet remain more approachable than ever thanks to digital channels. By leveraging WhatsApp's unparalleled user base and engagement, innovative interfaces, and personalization capabilities, brands are poised to establish meaningful relationships with this new generation of consumers.
The future of commerce is conversational, personalized, and deeply integrated into the platforms where consumers feel most at home. WhatsApp commerce promises to rewrite traditional marketing rules by meeting people where they already live. The future of digital commerce is conversational.
Thinking about launching on WhatsApp? Reach out to the Merx team today and discover how we can fast-track your growth and sales on the channel. Reach out to the @merx team today for any questions or to schedule a demo of our platform.