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How to Do WhatsApp Marketing in Indonesia?

Whatsapp

WhatsApp Marketing in Indonesia was introduced in 2018, an application that was created after recognizing WhatsApp’s potential as an online business platform. Long before WhatsApp Business was introduced, people all over the world, not only Indonesians, started using WhatsApp as their business communications and marketing channel.

Local businesses contribute to the Indonesian economy in their own way, advertising their products and services through WhatsApp status, groups, and messages within and outside of the country, showcasing the ability and willpower of people to make use of every avenue available. Read more to find out how WhatsApp marketing can be one of the most significant tools in taking forward Indonesian business.

The Future of WhatsApp Marketing in Indonesia

WhatsApp currently boasts 5 billion active users in 180 countries, 500 million daily users, and a staggering open rate of 98%. Over 40% of the Indonesian population use WhatsApp for communication with their loved ones, business, marketing, advertising, and so many other uses. Given the messaging application’s terrific open rate, the future of WhatsApp marketing is very promising.

WhatsApp’s parent organization, Meta, initially named Facebook, has great plans for the future of business using the application. While you can already market your business via status updates on WhatsApp with links that direct users to your site, you can also send newsletters instead of email campaigns, which is more personalized and effective in reaching and engaging consumers. Read below to find out more about how this simple messaging application can be used to reach your target market, integrate with services that can enhance your WhatsApp marketing, and what laws and regulations you need to keep in mind.

What Target Group Can You Reach with Messengers? 

WhatsApp can be used to address your target audience’s needs and wants at different phases of their buying journey. Tools like surveys and quizzes can help you understand what your customers need from you. Using this data, you can then customize messages that focus on your target audience’s specific needs, thereby obtaining leads through WhatsApp marketing.

Facebook Ads Manager integration

Integrating WhatsApp advertisements with Facebook advertisements allows businesses to contact Facebook users directly from WhatsApp. This creates an efficient way to engage with consumers, create personal connections, and guarantee good open rates. 

Legislation and Regulations

There are no specific restrictions controlling the commercial usage of messaging systems by the government. On the other hand, companies that send advertising messages require the recipient’s approval. Therefore, marketing using WhatsApp uses the double-opt-in approach. That implies that if you sign up for a WhatsApp newsletter, you will be required to expressly confirm your membership, which ensures that your marketing is received with the user’s permission.

What Can You Do With WhatsApp Business?

WhatsApp Business is an application dedicated to helping small businesses, but not confined to them, that allows you to market your products and services, send messages to consumers and dealers, share ads, and so much more. With this application, all Indonesians can establish a customer support outlet, research feedback, and their audience, gain reviews, and ratings that commend your business set reminders, and use the status feature to share their ads and other company-related information. 

What Can You Do With WhatsApp Business?

Customer Support

While a small company cannot create a dedicated website to answer all customer queries, WhatsApp Business is an excellent platform to be immediately available to your customers. You can set automated messages for when you are not available, and even create a business catalog that answers questions about your services that most customers inquire about. It also supports all forms of media, from texts and images to voice calls. 

Feedback and Consumer Research

What’s more, WhatsApp Business can also help your company explore an inexpensive research method by asking your customers what their expectations are of your company. You can also get immediate feedback once they receive your service or product, which helps consumers know you care about their feedback. Imagine you sell Indonesian food. You can ask customers what range of new items they would like to see your business provide. Understanding your consumers and considering their feedback to improve your products will boost sales and guarantee a return on investment.

Ratings and Reviews

You may ask your customers to leave a review of your product or service. Provide them with links or opportunities to participate in a survey. WhatsApp, being a popular messaging application, may actually encourage your clients to provide more accurate feedback to your firm. Give them creative methods to provide feedback, and they will engage with your company.

Reminder

Reminders are important in this heavily information-driven world where people are constantly exposed to content. Your company can use WhatsApp Business to remind customers of important details. For example, a reminder for their flight to India for the tickets they booked with your company, or a reminder of a free product they can secure if they make use of an ongoing offer.

WhatsApp Status Function

The status feature is a great advertising tool that allows you to post your ads with little to no cost. This is an excellent opportunity for you to be creative with your company’s ads and deliver content that is tailor-made for your client. Here are some tactful ways to optimize this feature.

WhatsApp Status Function

Make Special Offers

Using WhatsApp Business, you can advertise offers or coupons intended to expire in 24 hours, as soon as the story ceases being “live.” This can be directed to a browser (mobile version) which can share further information about the offer and how to use it. Your contacts will tend to show a higher interest in offers that end soon, as a result of their fear of missing out, which is a common phenomenon expressed by consumers.

Display Your Creative Process

Showing the behind-the-scenes of how your company operates, giving consumers a sneak peek at upcoming products, and introducing your team and their skills are all tools that help to increase the personal connection of your brand to consumers. Consumers love this sense of trust you have in them, which helps the growth of your company’s loyal customers.

Provide an Informal Look Inside Your Company

While being professional is key to your business, it does not mean your establishment has no emotion. Showing that your business has a “raw” side that is human leaves a lasting impression on consumers and increases attachment to your brand.

Carry out an internal account takeover

Sometimes the owner is in charge of the account, while some companies hire a dedicated employee for this. However, alternating the handling of the account between other employees will showcase the diversity of your business, give employees a look into the customers and also engage customers more.

Connecting with Indonesian Customers via WhatsApp

Approximately 143 million people in Indonesia use WhatsApp. This guarantees high open rates for companies looking to use the application to connect with their Indonesian customers. Indonesia is a diverse country, and using WhatsApp can help companies from every industry connect directly to this diverse range of consumers, understand their needs, and respond to them quickly from wherever they are in the world. Another great feature is that it is extremely cost-effective and not constrained by which part of the country or world your business is located in. 

Connecting with Indonesian Customers via WhatsApp

A survey conducted by Snapcart in September 2020 yielded results that said 90% of Indonesians are interested in receiving promotions from a store they have experience with via the messaging application. 79% of them were interested in receiving information about promotions, and 48% were interested in learning about new products and services. These high engagement rates make the application extremely attractive to both established and growing companies looking to engage with their consumers in Indonesia. 

How Indonesian Businesses Are Using WhatsApp to Increase Sales and Branding?

In 2015, a college student in Indonesia, Jankar Bawono, initiated his start-up of making leather shoes for his friends using local craftsmen. In October of the same year, his company, PortBlue, grew to be recognized in Southeast Asia. What fueled this growth? It was simple. Although the designs of the shoes were great, their most favorable strategy was to use WhatsApp as the channel that connected them to their consumers. This increases the personal connection between consumers and organizations that appeal to the Indonesian community.

How Indonesian Businesses Are Using WhatsApp to Increase Sales and Branding?

Conclusion

The popularity of WhatsApp marketing correlates to its open rates in Indonesia, which helps organizations connect to their consumers easily using the various types of features the application provides. Using the status feature, automated replies, integration with Facebook, using reviews and feedback to change and improve brands according to the needs of the target audience, and engaging directly increases the human-ness of the brand in comparison to the robotic replies from a website. This appeals to Indonesian consumers and is a great marketing technique.