WhatsApp Marketing over SMS: A Comparison

As businesses continue to look for new ways to reach their customers, many are turning to messaging apps like WhatsApp and SMS. While SMS has long been a popular method for businesses to communicate with customers, WhatsApp offers several advantages that make it a better choice for marketing purposes.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at the benefits of using WhatsApp over SMS in marketing, and why businesses should consider making the switch.

Why Use WhatsApp over SMS in Marketing?

Although SMS Marketing is a widely used strategy for businesses to reach out to their target audience, it's important to note that there's an even better option available for businesses looking to maximize their reach and engagement: using WhatsApp as a marketing tool.

Increased Engagement

One of the biggest advantages of using WhatsApp over SMS is the increased engagement it offers. With WhatsApp, businesses can create a more interactive and engaging experience for their customers, using features like multimedia messaging, voice and video calls, and group chats.

For example, a business might use WhatsApp to send product videos or images, offer exclusive promotions to a group of loyal customers, or hold a virtual event or webinar. These kinds of interactions can help to build stronger relationships with customers and increase brand loyalty.

Improved Personalization

Another advantage of using WhatsApp over SMS is the ability to personalize messages and interactions with customers. With WhatsApp, businesses can use customer data to create personalized messages that are tailored to the specific interests and preferences of each customer.

For example, a business might use WhatsApp to send targeted promotions to customers who have previously shown an interest in a particular product or service. This kind of personalization can help to increase customer satisfaction and drive sales.

Greater Reach

While SMS is still a popular method for businesses to reach their customers, it has some limitations when it comes to reach. For example, SMS messages can only be sent to customers who have opted-in to receive them, and there are limits to the number of messages that can be sent each month.

With WhatsApp, businesses can reach a much larger audience, since WhatsApp has over 2 billion active users worldwide. Additionally, WhatsApp messages are not subject to the same limitations as SMS, so businesses can send as many messages as they like, without worrying about exceeding monthly limits.

Cost-Effective

Using WhatsApp for marketing can also be a cost-effective option for businesses. While SMS messages can be expensive, especially for businesses that need to send a large number of messages, WhatsApp messages are typically free, as long as the business has an internet connection.

Additionally, since WhatsApp messages can be sent to a large audience at once, businesses can save time and resources compared to sending individual SMS messages.

Improved Analytics

Finally, using WhatsApp for marketing can provide businesses with improved analytics and insights into customer behavior. With WhatsApp, businesses can track things like message open rates, click-through rates, and response rates, which can help them to refine their marketing strategies and improve their overall performance.

By contrast, SMS messages provide very limited analytics, making it difficult for businesses to track the effectiveness of their marketing campaigns.

Maximizing WhatsApp for Marketing

Rocketsend.io Chrome Extension offers a convenient solution for businesses seeking to enhance their marketing operations on WhatsApp. By installing this lightweight and user-friendly extension, businesses can gain access to a range of additional features that go beyond the out-of-the-box features provided by WhatsApp.

With Rocketsend.io, businesses can customize their messaging to create personalized and engaging content that resonates with their target audience. This can be particularly useful for businesses that rely heavily on WhatsApp to connect with customers and promote their products or services. The extension also provides visual marketing tools that can help businesses to create eye-catching and impactful marketing campaigns that stand out in a crowded marketplace.

By adding these features, Rocketsend.io Chrome Extension can help businesses to streamline their marketing operations, saving them valuable time and resources. With this extension, businesses can easily create and send marketing messages that are tailored to their specific audience, without the need for any additional software or tools.

Rocketsend.io Chrome Extension is an effective solution for businesses seeking to improve their marketing operations on WhatsApp. By providing additional messaging customization and visual marketing tools, this extension can help businesses to create engaging and effective marketing campaigns that drive results.

Step #1: To maximize WhatsApp for marketing by using this lightweight and powerful extension, just go to rocketsend.io and add the extension to your Chrome browser

The screenshot shows the page from which you can install the WARocket extension.

Once you have added the extension to your Chrome browser, navigate to WhatsApp Web. In the top-right corner of the page, you will see the rocketsend.io panel.

The screenshot shows the popup from WARocket.

Step #2: Get ready with the list of contact numbers and corresponding information for sending the marketing message. Just create a spreadsheet using Excel Sheets. Set up columns for the contact numbers and names of the recipients. Fill in the necessary details on the sheet, and remember to include the country code for each number you plan to send the message to.

The screenshot shows the excel sheet fromwhich you can send the message.

Once finished, save the file as CSV format.

The screenshot shows how to save the file.

Step #3: Go back to web.whatsapp.com and on rocketsend.io pane, click the Upload CSV button, and choose the file you created.

The scrrenshot show how to import the file to RocketSend.io tool.

Step #4: Map the phone number to the field on the file you’ve created.

The screenshot shows selecting the phone number column.

Additionally, you can utilize the columns as variables for personalized messages tailored to each customer. To do this, click the 'Insert Variable' dropdown menu and select the desired column to insert. The inserted column will be displayed within curly brackets, such as {{column_name}}.

The screenshot shows how you can customize the names here.

Step #5: Once done, click the Send WhatsApp

The screenshot shows how you can click 'Send WhatsApp' to send the messages.

Great job! You have successfully dispatched your marketing messages using WhatsApp via rocketsend.io. This sending functionality enables you to effortlessly share marketing content, visuals, and links with your target audience, eliminating the need for manual and tedious work.

What is SMS Marketing

SMS marketing is a marketing strategy that involves sending promotional messages to customers or potential customers via text messages. The messages can be sent to an individual or a group of people and typically include information about a product, service, or promotion.

SMS marketing can be used to achieve various marketing goals, such as increasing brand awareness, driving traffic to a website or store, promoting new products or services, or generating leads or sales.

To implement SMS marketing, businesses need to have permission from their customers to send them promotional messages. This can be obtained through opt-in programs or by obtaining permission during the sales or sign-up process.

SMS marketing can be a cost-effective way to reach customers since it typically requires minimal investment and has a high open rate. However, it's important to follow best practices for SMS marketing to avoid irritating or spamming customers and to ensure that the messages are effective.

Pros and Cons of SMS Marketing

SMS marketing refers to the practice of using text messages to promote products, services, or brands to consumers. Like any marketing strategy, SMS marketing has its advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the pros and cons of SMS marketing:

Benefits

High Open Rate: SMS messages have an extremely high open rate of around 98%, making it a highly effective marketing channel.

Immediate Delivery: SMS messages are delivered instantly and can be read immediately by the recipient.

Cost-Effective: SMS marketing is relatively inexpensive compared to other marketing channels such as email marketing, TV, or radio ads.

Personalization: SMS messages can be personalized for individual recipients, making the message more relevant and engaging.

High Conversion Rate: Due to the immediate delivery and high open rates, SMS marketing often results in a higher conversion rate than other marketing channels.

Downside

Limited Space: SMS messages have a limit of 160 characters, which can make it difficult to convey a complete message or include all necessary details.

Permission-Based: SMS marketing requires the recipient's permission to send them promotional messages, which can limit the size of the target audience.

Opt-Out: Recipients must be given the option to opt-out of receiving further messages, which can reduce the overall effectiveness of the campaign.

Timing: Timing is crucial with SMS marketing. Sending messages at the wrong time can result in a negative impact on the campaign.

Deliverability: Deliverability can be an issue with SMS marketing, as messages may not be delivered due to technical issues or network problems.

SMS marketing has the potential to be a highly effective marketing channel, but it is not without its challenges. Marketers should carefully consider the pros and cons before implementing an SMS marketing campaign to ensure that it is the right fit for their business and target audience.

Conclusion

While SMS has long been a popular method for businesses to communicate with customers, there are several reasons why WhatsApp is a better choice for marketing purposes. From increased engagement and personalization to greater reach and improved analytics, WhatsApp offers several advantages that can help businesses to build stronger relationships with their customers and drive sales.

If you're looking for a new way to reach your customers and improve your marketing performance, consider making the switch to WhatsApp today, with the power of rocketsend.io Chrome extension.

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