In an exciting announcement, Meta revealed Thursday that it is introducing the Meta Verified program for WhatsApp Business users in Brazil, India, Indonesia, and Colombia. The company plans to expand this program to more countries in the future, with subscription plans starting at just $14 a month.
Not only that, but Meta is also introducing new features for their messaging service, allowing businesses to use APIs to service customers through in-app calls. This marks a significant development since the company launched its verification program for creators in March 2023, and extended it to businesses in September 2023. Previously, the program was limited to Facebook and Instagram.
According to the company, merchants who subscribe to the plan will receive a badge and protection against impersonation after sharing their business’s information with Meta. Additionally, they will gain access to a verified WhatsApp channel for marketing purposes.
But that’s not all. The plan also allows businesses to use their WhatsApp Business account on multiple devices, as well as create a customized web page with their business details to share with customers and vendors.
While some of these features are already offered with WhatsApp Premium, testing began in a few regions in 2022 but was never expanded to other markets.
Meta has also announced the launch of a new feature that allows users to make calls to large businesses using WhatsApp through APIs, such as banks or airlines. This function functions similarly to a customer support number, but all through the app. Before this, WhatsApp Business users had to use their personal phone numbers to manage customer calls.
While the company has stated that there will be a charge for this service, they have not yet disclosed any pricing details.
Meta is making a strong push towards catering to businesses, evidenced by their upcoming personalized messaging service that will allow businesses to send customized messages such as coupon codes, information on new launches, or even birthday wishes to their customers.
With over 200 million monthly users on WhatsApp Business, Meta is determined to provide a comprehensive suite of solutions for businesses to better communicate and connect with their customers. In addition to this, Meta announced that they are launching new AI-powered tools for automated customer support and ad creation, further strengthening their focus on businesses.
Meta’s focus on businesses has already proved successful. Click-to-WhatsApp ads, launched in 2023, have hit a $10 billion annual run rate and are continually growing. Praful Poddar, Chief Product Officer at Shiprocket, told TechCrunch, “The introduction of click-to-WhatsApp ads is providing sellers with a more effective marketing channel, yielding a strong return on ad spend (ROAS) of 3-4x, further driving transactions and engagement on the platform.”
During their Q1 2024 earnings call, Meta reported that the family of apps generated $380 million in revenue, largely driven by business messaging on WhatsApp. This highlights the importance of messaging and customer support related features for Meta’s revenue.
In a recent study conducted by Meta and Bain & Co, it was revealed that there is a significant opportunity for conversation commerce in India. With 650 million users actively using social media and messaging platforms, only 200 million people shop online. This leaves a large market untapped, to which Meta sees WhatsApp as a solution, given its 400 million users in India. The company believes this presents a massive opportunity to onboard more merchants and facilitate shopping for the remaining user base.
