Introduction
Imagine having a social media platform right in your WhatsApp account. Isn’t that a cool idea? WhatsApp Channel is a feature that lets you broadcast your message to a large audience in a single click. It’s your stage to speak your mind, all within WhatsApp’s friendly and acceptable interface.
In this blog, we will explore this intriguing feature of WhatsApp. We will also dig deeper to uncover how it can benefit your business, how to create your own WhatsApp channel, and how its limitations mold your usage. Learn how this feature can help you strengthen your communication and grow your business. So, let’s get started.
What is a WhatsApp channel?
Most of us know billboards, which advertise to a large audience in top cities. Now! WhatsApp channel is similar to a billboard. It is technically a one-way broadcasting channel, which users can follow as per their preferences. Businesses can share text, images, videos, audio, polls, and links to update their followers, while followers can show their reactions with emojis.
The good news about WhatsApp channels is that there are no limitations on the number of recipients who can follow your channel, as it can have an unlimited audience.
WhatsApp channel is not meant for generic conversations, and as per WhatsApp guidelines, users should avoid sending low-quality content. Instead, share highly relevant content that suits the channel description and informs the audience.
Why should you use a WhatsApp channel?
WhatsApp channel is a great way to connect with your audience and keep them informed about niche content from your industry. It is an extended arm of your WhatsApp broadcast feature as an open-ended platform for users to follow. Here are a few reasons to add WhatsApp channel to your user engagement journey;
How to create a WhatsApp channel?
A WhatsApp channel can be created with a personal account or a WhatsApp business account. Here are a few simple steps to get started with your WhatsApp channel;
1. Open your WhatsApp account on the WhatsApp web and navigate to the “Channels” tab from the left side menu.
2. In the channels tab, you will notice a “+” sign on the top; click on it to get the “Create channel” option.
3. Click on “Continue” to start creating your channel.
4. Add a name and a description to your channel.
5. You can add a channel icon to stand out to your audience.
6. Then click on “Create channel”. Now your channel is live.
You’re all set to share updates with your audience, but before that, ensure you share your channel link so people can discover your channel. To do that, find your channel link from the channel info page. As mentioned, you can promote your channel on various digital platforms such as your website, social profiles, and posts.
Limitations of WhatsApp channels
As with any feature, along with advantages, it may have certain limitations. So, here are some of the limitations of WhatsApp channels to know before starting your channel.
• One-way communication: WhatsApp channel is a one-way communication unlike WhatsApp broadcast, which allows the sender and the recipient to interact in a separate chat window. A WhatsApp channel is an open-to-all kind of platform that only lets the channel admin broadcast content to its followers.
• Limited option for personalization: Since it’s an open platform for the channel admin to share content with its followers, there is no chance for personalization of content for individual followers.
• Not available on API: The WhatsApp channel is presently unavailable with WhatsApp Business API. Hence, you can only use it through your personal WhatsApp and business account on mobile and desktop devices.
• Channel content availability: WhatsApp’s channel content is visible to the followers for 30 days. After 30 days, all broadcast content is automatically deleted from the channel history.
Wrapping up
WhatsApp channel is a great way to engage your audience and keep them informed with relevant industry content. It adds a layer of advantage to growing your audience as it doesn’t restrict the number of followers who can join a channel.
With various metrics, as mentioned earlier, you can understand the engagement of your broadcast and discover content that resonates with your audience by measuring the metrics. Accordingly, it helps you create content for all your other digital channels and boost your user engagement rate.
Businesses can strategically plan to add a WhatsApp broadcast to their WhatsApp marketing plan and engage their audience in multiple ways.
Frequently Asked Questions
One of the major differences between a WhatsApp Group and a WhatsApp Channel is the way of communication. WhatsApp Channel is a one-way communication, which means that only channel admins can send broadcast content, and followers can only react by sharing emojis, unlike WhatsApp Group, where all the group members can see and interact with each other.
WhatsApp channel restricts only admins from sharing content on the platform, and other followers of the channel can only share their reactions through emojis.
Unlike WhatsApp Broadcast or WhatsApp Group features, there is no limit on WhatsApp channel followers. Hence, it is a great medium for growing your audience by sharing relevant and useful content.
Nisha Sneha
Nisha Sneha is a passionate content writer with 5 years of experience creating impactful content for SAAS products, new-age technologies, and software applications. Currently, she is contributing to Kenyt.AI by crafting engaging content for its readers. Creating captivating content that provides accurate information about the latest advancements in science and technology has been at the core of her creativity.
In addition to writing, she enjoys gardening, reading, and swimming as hobbies.
