Communication has become integral to e-commerce interactions with customers. You can use the WhatsApp button to provide customers with a seamless experience across your social media channels and website.
This article is a walkthrough of setting up a WhatsApp chat button on Facebook, Instagram, and your website, with use cases to make the most of the button for your store.
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Why you need to add a WhatsApp button to your website and social media accounts
Stay in contact with customers even after they leave: adding a WhatsApp button to your social media accounts and website is an efficient way to stay connected with customers, even after they leave your website or social media page. Adding this button enables customers to reach you quickly and allows you to collect their contact information.
Better response time: the WhatsApp button allows you to interact with your customers in real-time and quickly, mainly because the app is constantly used and messages are read within seconds of receipt, unlike emails. Also, with multiple agents at the backend of your WhatsApp API account, massive incoming inquiries are easily managed.
Take advantage of the 72 hours window of free conversation: for WhatsApp API users, starting March 1, 2023, WhatsApp's messaging window for businesses increased from 24 to 72 hours when customers use the WhatsApp button on your social media accounts. Messages exchanged during this period will not be charged, regardless of the template type used. You can use marketing, service, utility, and authentication template messages without opening a new conversation.
To take advantage of the benefits of a WhatsApp button for your online store, you must first meet a few requirements. Here’s what you need:
A WhatsApp Business account: you cannot set up a WhatsApp button on your social media accounts using WhatsApp Messenger. You must have a business account. However, you can use WhatsApp Messenger for the website button.
Social media pages: you need social media pages for your business. You cannot use personal profiles.
You must link your WhatsApp account to your social media pages.
Note that you can use the WhatsApp button regardless of whether you use a WhatsApp business account or a WhatsApp API account.
How to add a WhatsApp button to your Facebook page
You can add a button to your business Facebook page easily and entice visitors to click to chat. But before doing that, you must ensure your WhatsApp account is linked.
You can link your accounts from the WhatsApp business app and then move to add the button. But as this article is valid for both the WhatsApp Business app and WahtsApp API, we will list the steps that can be applied to both accounts.
1. Navigate to your Facebook Page.
2. Click Settings.
3. Click Linked accounts
In the left side column, 4. click WhatsApp. If you can’t see it, go to Page info, edit categories to ad WhatsApp, and refresh the page. 5. Choose your country code and Enter your WhatsApp Business phone number. And Click Send WhatsApp code.
6. Submit the confirmation code that you received and Click Confirm.
You will be prompted to add the WhatsApp button. 7. Click Add Button.
How to add a WhatsApp button to your Instagram account
The WhatsApp button on Instagram is relatively new and unavailable on the desktop or browser view.
Follow these steps to add WhatsApp to your Instagram account:
Sign in to your Instagram page, and 1. click on Edit profile.
2. Click on Contact options.
3. Click on WhatsApp
4. Add your WhatsApp number and click send code.
5. Enter the code you received on your WhatsApp account, and 6. Submit.
Now you should be able to observe the new WhatsApp button on your account, allowing all users who visit your Instagram profile to get in touch with your store in just one click.
Add a WhatsApp button to your ads and posts
WhatsApp call to action button on posts
Providing your customers and visitors the option to contact you on WhatsApp ensures they can quickly access you and receive answers to their queries immediately and efficiently.
To add a WhatsApp call to action button to your organic posts on Facebook, you can click on the three dots on the add to your post panel and choose Get WhatsApp messages.
To add a WhatsApp call to action to your Instagram page, start Creating a new post and then click on Add message button from the options available. Finally, choose WhatsApp.
Ads that click to WhatsApp
Ads that click to WhatsApp are a great option to optimize your ROI. Meta supports these ads to get more visibility. They are usually less expensive than usual ads. These click-to-chat ads are available on Facebook and Instagram.
To create an ad with a WhatsApp call to action button on Facebook, follow these steps:
1. Go to Ads Manager, and 2. click Create.
3. Choose your objective and click continue.
4. Click manual control and continue.
5. Fill in the necessary details and click Next.
Under the conversion section, 6. Select messaging apps. 7. Choose Click to chat under Ad type.
In the Messaging Apps section, 8. Select WhatsApp, and 9. choose the relevant number.
10. Choose your Budget and schedule. 11. Choose your Audience, and click Next.
12. Select your ad format and complete your ad setup.
13. Fill in your ad creative. 14. Click Publish to publish your ad.
For more information on creating ads with different objectives, check out this article on the Meta help center.
To drive leads from Instagram to your WhatsApp account and facilitate sales operations through the WhatsApp catalog, you can boost your posts and set a goal to receive messages.
Follow these steps:
1. Go to your profile. 2. Tap the post you’d like to boost and click Boost.
3. Under Goal, select More Messages. 4. Click Edit to choose your WhatsApp number, and 5. click Next.
6. Define your audience. 6. Tap Next.
7. Choose your budget and duration, and 8. click Next.
9. Preview your ad, and 10. Click Boost post.
Meta for business help center has a detailed article about these ads on Instagram. Check it out here.
How to add a WhatsApp button to your website
Your website’s traffic is a huge source of potential customers. Adding a WhatsApp button to your website lets you contact all leads and qualify them with conversations and marketing campaigns.
Here’s how to add a button to your website without coding:
Create a CTA button on your website
Get your link ready. Make sure you use this format: https://wa.me/1XXXXXXXXXX
Define the link as the URL that should open when someone clicks the CTA
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