Understanding the Limitations
A community member asked about the limitations of Whatsapp-First Business Messaging in Marketing Cloud, highlighting several key concerns.
Firstly, the engagement reporting is limited, with only two options: viewing reports through the UI in the Whatsapp JB Activity or running a Data Extract using the ChatMessagingDetailExtract extract type.
Secondly, conversational messaging flows are not supported, which is a primary use case for Whatsapp, and user-initiated messaging support is also not available.
Lastly, the deliverability of Whatsapp messages is uncertain, as it is not a ubiquitous messaging service like SMS, and the costs are significantly higher, with SuperMessages multipliers for Whatsapp being substantially more expensive than those for SMS.
Addressing the Concerns
While these limitations are significant, it is essential to understand the potential of Whatsapp-First Business Messaging and how to overcome these challenges.
Teams running Journey Builder can leverage the Whatsapp channel to send targeted messages to their subscribers, but they need to be aware of the limitations and plan their messaging strategies accordingly.
The root cause of these limitations is the current implementation of Whatsapp-First Business Messaging in Marketing Cloud, which is still in its early stages and has not yet reached its full potential.
To overcome these limitations, teams can use Data Extracts to gather more insights into their Whatsapp messaging campaigns and use this data to optimize their messaging strategies.
Additionally, teams can use other channels, such as SMS, to complement their Whatsapp messaging campaigns and ensure that their messages are delivered to their subscribers.
Best Practices for Whatsapp-First Business Messaging
To get the most out of Whatsapp-First Business Messaging, teams should follow best practices, such as:
Checklist for Whatsapp-First Business Messaging
- Use Data Extracts to gather insights into your Whatsapp messaging campaigns
- Optimize your messaging strategies based on the data gathered
- Use other channels, such as SMS, to complement your Whatsapp messaging campaigns
- Be aware of the limitations of Whatsapp-First Business Messaging and plan accordingly
- Monitor the deliverability of your Whatsapp messages and adjust your strategies as needed
- Keep an eye on the costs of Whatsapp-First Business Messaging and ensure that it is aligned with your budget
- Test and experiment with different messaging strategies to find what works best for your team
By following these best practices, teams can unlock the potential of Whatsapp-First Business Messaging and achieve their marketing goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the limitations of Whatsapp-First Business Messaging in Marketing Cloud?
The limitations include limited reporting, lack of conversational messaging flows, no user-initiated messaging support, deliverability concerns, and high costs.
How can teams overcome the limitations of Whatsapp-First Business Messaging?
Teams can use Data Extracts to gather more insights into their Whatsapp messaging campaigns, use other channels to complement their Whatsapp messaging campaigns, and be aware of the limitations and plan accordingly.
What are the best practices for Whatsapp-First Business Messaging?
The best practices include using Data Extracts to gather insights, optimizing messaging strategies, using other channels to complement Whatsapp messaging campaigns, being aware of the limitations, monitoring deliverability, keeping an eye on costs, and testing and experimenting with different messaging strategies.
How can teams ensure that their Whatsapp messages are delivered to their subscribers?
Teams can use other channels, such as SMS, to complement their Whatsapp messaging campaigns and ensure that their messages are delivered to their subscribers.
What are the costs associated with Whatsapp-First Business Messaging?
The costs associated with Whatsapp-First Business Messaging are significantly higher than those for SMS, with SuperMessages multipliers for Whatsapp being substantially more expensive.
