In the dynamic world of digital marketing, staying ahead of the curve is essential for businesses looking to connect with their target audience effectively. As consumer behavior continues to shift towards instant messaging platforms, advertisers have seized the opportunity by incorporating Click-to-WhatsApp ads into their marketing strategies. These ads not only facilitate seamless communication but also play a pivotal role in acquisition and re-marketing efforts.

In this blog, we’ll delve into how Click-to-WhatsApp ads are specifically geared towards acquisition and re-marketing, giving way to a high ROI channel for digital marketers focussed on delivering value.

Understanding Click-to-WhatsApp Ads

Click-to-WhatsApp Ads (CTWA) are poised to radically transform digital advertising. It dramatically improves conversion rate and lowers acquisition cost and is poised to gain a much larger share of the digital advertising spend. 

Since the birth of the web, users that click on digital ads typically arrive at the brand’s landing web page where conversion happens. Typical conversion rates range between 1% to 5%. The remaining 95-99% of the visitors drop off, likely never to be seen again. Yes, there are cookie-based re-marketing tools that may help reach those users elsewhere on the web, but they all offer generally low levels of re-conversion. 

CTWA changes all that. When a user clicks on an ad, they arrive at the brand’s “landing chatbot” in WhatApp. Right at hello, the brand captures the user’s phone number, which can be stored for later re-marketing. The initial chatbot journey can be used to qualify the user’s interest, provide information and drive conversion. For users that don’t convert immediately, the brand has the ability to re-market directly (unlike the web) to that user in-context within the same chat thread (not on some other brand’s property like on the web). This ability to take multiple shots at converting a user has the potential to dramatically reduce the cost of acquisition.

The ads that click-to-WhatsApp can be integrated across Instagram and Facebook Ads, allowing users to initiate a conversation with a business on WhatsApp with just a single click. This real-time and direct interaction creates an engaging and personalized experience, fostering a stronger connection between the brand and its audience.

Acquisition Through Click-to-WhatsApp Ads

1. Instant Engagement: Click-to-WhatsApp ads eliminate the friction associated with redirecting users to a website or landing page. With a single click, users are directed to a WhatsApp conversation, where businesses can provide immediate responses to inquiries, product details, or even personalized offers. This instant engagement can significantly increase the likelihood of converting leads into customers.
2. Personalized Communication: By initiating conversations on WhatsApp, businesses can tailor their messages based on the user’s preferences and needs. This personalized approach enhances the user experience and increases the chances of conversion. Moreover, it opens the door for businesses to gather valuable insights about the user’s preferences, which can inform future marketing efforts.
3. Lead Generation: Click-to-WhatsApp ads can serve as a powerful tool for lead generation. Businesses can use these ads to encourage users to ask questions, express interest, or request more information. Once a user initiates a conversation, they become a potential lead that can be nurtured through the sales funnel.

Re-marketing and Re-conversion Through Click-to-WhatsApp Ads

1. Re-engaging Abandoned Carts: One of the challenges businesses face is dealing with abandoned shopping carts. Click-to-WhatsApp ads offer a unique opportunity to re-engage users who have left items in their carts. By sending personalized messages with reminders or incentives, businesses can entice users to complete their purchases.
2. Re-marketing with tailored messaging: Re-marketing involves targeting users who have previously interacted with a brand. Click-to-WhatsApp ads enable businesses to send tailored offers, exclusive discounts, or limited-time promotions to users who have shown interest in their products or services. All of this, at $0 re-marketing costs when sent within 72 hours. This approach increases the chances of conversion, as users are more likely to respond to personalized offers.
3. Customer Retention: Re-marketing isn’t just about acquiring new customers; it’s also about retaining existing ones. Click-to-WhatsApp ads can be used to maintain a consistent and meaningful connection with customers. Brands can send order updates, post-purchase support, and gather feedback through WhatsApp conversations, fostering loyalty and repeat business.

Strategic Insight: Re-conversion Delivers Return on Ad Spend

Let’s take an example using average market rates, just for illustrative purposes. As shown in the figure below, let’s assume a traditional click-to-web ad campaign that redirects to a landing page. Assuming $1 CPC and 10% conversion rate, the brand achieves $10 CPA. The 90% of visitors that drop-off are lost for good. 

By comparison, with a CTWA campaign, while the initial conversions and acquisition cost remains the same, the drop-offs can be retained and harvested. The user contact info is saved to build a 1st party database. Re-marketing campaigns to these users provide the opportunity to attempt reconverting users. Assuming average re-marketing cost of $0.01 per message, and a reconversion rate (1%) 1/10th the initial conversion rate (10%) still gives $1 cost of acquisition, which is 1/10th of the initial CAC. This Re-conversion opportunity is what makes Click-to-WhatsApp Ads substantially superior to traditional click-to-web ads.

Click-to-WhatsApp ads have emerged as a game-changer in the world of digital marketing, offering brand marketers a direct line of communication with their target audience. These ads are uniquely positioned to drive acquisition and re-marketing efforts due to their ability to facilitate instant engagement, personalized communication, and streamlined interactions. By incorporating Click-to-WhatsApp ads into your digital marketing strategies, you can not only acquire new customers but also strengthen the relationship with existing customers.