WhatsApp, a private messaging app used by more than two billion people worldwide, rolled out a new feature this week that some industry experts are viewing as the brand’s innovative twist on social media. Channels, a one-way broadcasting tool, will allow organizations, companies, sports teams and more to deliver updates, post polls and send photos, texts and videos to a wide audience.
Users can select channels to follow through the app’s searchable directory and also find new ones to follow through invite links posted in chats, email and online. Unlike traditional social media, WhatsApp Channels will keep the phone numbers of admins and users private and invisible to each other, and followers won’t be able to see the information of other followers. While the broadcast messages are not currently encrypted end-to-end, the company said it is exploring this as a future option.
For companies, particularly those with an international presence where WhatsApp has an even stronger market share, this new Channels feature is an opportunity to reach untapped audiences and connect with customers in a fresh way. Additionally, WhatsApp is intentionally designing Channels for businesses and entrepreneurs, saying: “We also believe there is an opportunity to support admins with a way for them to build a business around their channel using our expanding payment services as well as the ability to promote certain channels in the directory to help increase awareness.”
Channels is currently available for select organizations in Colombia and Singapore, while the company tests the functionality and user experience of the new feature. As it expands to additional markets in the coming months, WhatsApp Channels could be a powerful resource for direct sellers to consider as they seek to expand product awareness, grow their organizations and strengthen customer relationships.
