Sohini Mitter says, “WhatsApp might be working on a business feature for small enterprises that will soon pilot in India, its biggest market, according to reports.WhatsApp for Business, a version of the app, will help enterprises with 10 employees or less to manage their clients better. This is also the instant messaging giant’s first attempt at monetization after eight years of ad-free, subscription-free existence.It comes soon after WhatsApp hired its first COO, Matt Idema, who was reportedly brought in to monetize the platform, three years since Facebook’s $22-billion acquisition.The... [...]

Nikki Gilliland says, “I recently wrote about how Instagram’s copycat tactics could be damaging Snapchat.Well, Facebook’s been at it again.It’s just announced the introduction of disappearing photos and videos into its messaging app, WhatsApp. Which, yes, is a feature that is pretty much identical to Snapchat Stories.So, what will this mean for users of both? And what about brands? Here’s a bit more on the story.What is the ‘Status’ feature?WhatsApp has always provided users with the option of having a ‘status’. It’s the little phrase beside a person’s name that... [...]

Nikki Gilliland says, “With 1bn users worldwide, WhatsApp presents a massive opportunity for marketers, enabling instant customer service and highly targeted marketing. Finding a balance between engaging and intrusive is not always easy, but since the platform updated its privacy policy last August, more businesses have been getting involved.Here’s a look at a few examples.ClarksShoe retailer Clarks was one of the first brands to use WhatsApp for marketing purposes.In 2015, it rolled out an interactive storytelling campaign to promote its popular Desert Boot, using WhatsApp to connect... [...]