In today’s digital environment, a brand is no longer only a product or service. It’s a community that also helps to create a sense of belonging. And with that feeling of belonging, brand advocates can be loyal to your company and many more. While there are a ton of platforms on the market that try to leverage this sense of belonging for your business, one of the best, most overlooked ways of boosting this connectivities is using what’s known as WhatsApp Web.
Why WhatsApp Web is the Perfect Community Hub
Unlike your social media feed, a WhatsApp group is an exclusive, focused, and highly engaged environment that will filter the noise of algorithms (which helps your messages get seen) and allow community managers to get through the day more quickly. The bonus of WhatsApp Web is that it lets community managers quickly handle conversations from a bigger screen. So you’ll be able to copy/paste links, manage files, and type longer, meaningful responses. And since it’s virtually seamless transition from mobile to desktop, you have one person (or more) managing the community throughout the day.
Laying the Foundation: Strategy First
Before adding members to a group, you need to have a plan. Define the function of your community. Is it for customer support, insider news, user-generated content, or to offer them exclusive offers? A value proposition will ensure members know what to expect and why they’re joining. Promote the group. Send email newsletters, create social media posts or include a QR code on packaging. You want to build memberships organically. Start with your most passionate customers, who will be excited about the new community, and get them to promote it.
Fostering Engagement and Value
A company that doesn’t talk to its users is dead. The first and primary role of a brand is to start and foster conversation among members. You can do this by offering insider tips and tricks, polling members about new products, inviting founders to ask “Ask Me Anything” in the group and then showing them how others can contribute. The power of WhatsApp Web comes into play here because managers can quickly share excellent pictures, documents, or videos from their PC to help enrich the chat. Recognizing and celebrating members’ contributions also builds trust and ownership among members.
Streamlining Management with WhatsApp Web
I know it can be a daunting task to maintain a large community, but with the features of WhatsApp Web that’s easily handled. And by using the desktop version of the service, you can pin important announcement messages to the top of a chat so they don’t get lost in a busy discussion. Administrators can also use the search feature with WhatsApp Web to find specific messages, links, or documents mentioned weeks ago. This makes customer support with the group incredibly efficient. It also makes navigation through the group far more straightforward and responsive.
Establishing Rules and Maintaining a Positive Culture
There should not be any type of negotiation when it comes to rules. Set the parameters of appropriate behavior, off-topic texts and post frequency. Pin them to the group info section of the app so that everyone knows what’s expected at the start of the group. Moderation is crucial in the community the desktop view on WhatsApp Web helps you see what’s going on in a clearer way so you can spot spammy or negative behavior and address it accordingly in order to keep the group safe and positive.
The Unbeatable Intimacy of Direct Connection
The ultimate advantage of using a WhatsApp group is that you are the one with access to them. You have the relationship. You can join the conversation on the spot: Your members get the opportunity to speak directly with the brand, and your brands get feedback in real-time, direct from the brand itself. And this, through a simple, secure Web interface on which you can operate, builds up tremendous trust and loyalty with members who know and have heard from you, not just as another customer but as a true participant, in the journey of the brand.
From Group Chat to Global Community
It’s easy and quick: start by adding a simple chat for your customers. Within just a few weeks, your WhatsApp Web brand community will grow significantly. You’ll build loyal customers, have good, honest feedback, and generate the best word-of-mouth for your business. You’ll gain the advantage of a
