Looking to generate more leads? Consider WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads, one of the most effective lead generation ads. This blog post explains what are WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads and why use them for lead generation. Plus, we’ll walk you through the process of setting up a Click to WhatsApp Ad and taking your WhatsApp Ads to the next level using respond.io. This includes sending automated surveys to WhatsApp leads, messaging leads with multiple users and sending messages to leads anytime you like.

WhatsApp Ads: An Introduction

• What Are WhatsApp Click to Chat Links
• What Are WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads
• Why Use WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads

WhatsApp Ads: How to Set Up WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads

Taking WhatsApp Ads to the Next Level With Respond.io

• Send Automated Surveys to WhatsApp Leads
• Qualify WhatsApp Leads Faster With Multi-User Functionality
• Message Leads Anytime With Message Templates

WhatsApp Ads: An Introduction

To prevent spam, WhatsApp doesn’t allow businesses to start a chat with customers. WhatsApp users have to send the first message to your business to start conversations.

Fortunately, WhatsApp has features that encourage your existing and prospective customers to send you the first message. This includes WhatsApp Click to Chat Links and Click to Chat ads.

What Are WhatsApp Click to Chat Links

WhatsApp Click to Chat Links are wa.me links that take users to WhatsApp conversations. You can add them on your website or inside newsletters to direct people to chat with you.

WhatsApp Click to Chat links are great for connecting with your existing customers who frequent your website or have subscribed to your newsletter. However, if you are looking to generate leads, consider WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads instead.

What Are WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads

Like Click to Chat links, WhatsApp Click to Chat ads send people to a conversation with your business on WhatsApp. They can be shown in various places on Facebook and Instagram.

When potential buyers click on the ad on their phone, they will be taken to a new conversation with you on WhatsApp.

The experience is slightly different for desktop users- the ad will take them to a WhatsApp webpage with a Continue to Chat button. Once clicked, they will be taken to a new chat with you on WhatsApp desktop app. Those without the app will be prompted to download the app, or log in to WhatsApp Web.

Conversations opened through a WhatsApp ad come with a pre-filled message I saw this on Facebook and a link to the ad, both of which are editable & removable. Leads may also choose to send you a custom message. For privacy reasons, conversations are only visible to businesses after leads have opted in by sending a message.

Once leads have opted in, you can message them back with qualifying questions. You need someone there to answer messages unless you connect to a third-party CRM that allows automatic lead qualification. More on that later.

Despite the need to have agents on standby, WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads has a number of advantages over conventional lead generation campaigns. Read on to find out why you should use WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads for lead generation.

Why Use WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads

WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads help you start a conversation with more leads and allow faster interactions with leads, helping you to move them down the funnel faster.

We'll look at how typical B2B businesses advertise to understand how WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads bring more leads. First, you show ads to target buyers. When clicked, the ad will take leads to a contact form. Once you get their email or phone number, you can start connecting with them.

However, the drop-off rate is high in conventional advertising. Many are unmotivated to fill in a long contact form or have privacy concerns. Plus, leads may inadvertently provide the wrong contact details, in which case you can’t get back to them.

WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads eliminate the need to fill in a contact form, thereby lowering the drop-off rate. Moreover, you don't have to worry about getting the wrong contact details.

WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads also push leads down the funnel faster because the interactions on WhatsApp are faster. You'll get an instant reply from leads most of the time. By contrast, it usually takes days to get an email reply in a conventional ad campaign.

Want to get started with WhatsApp Ads? We’ll guide you through the process in the following section.

WhatsApp Ads: How to Set Up WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads

Before setting up WhatsApp Click to Chat Ads, connect your WhatsApp account to your Facebook page and make sure you have admin access to the Facebook Page. To start, go to Facebook Ads Manager.

1. Click on the green Create button.

2. Create a campaign with the Messages objective.

3. Edit the Campaign Name and Campaign Details.

Where appropriate, declare your WhatsApp Ad as a Special Ad. You may also set up an A/B test to understand which ad strategies give you the best result. Click Next to continue.

4. Select Click to Message as the Ad Type and WhatsApp as the Messaging App.

5. Choose the Facebook Page and WhatsApp number you want to create the ad for.

Edit Budget, Schedule, Audience, Placements, Optimization and Delivery on the same page. Then, click Next.

6. Choose your ad format under Ad Setup. You can opt for a single image or video. Alternatively, create a carousel ad with 2 or more scrollable images.

7. Add media from Ad Creative. Images will be automatically cropped but you can manually edit them.

8. Write the Primary Text and add an optional description. The headline will be Chat on WhatsApp by default, but you may edit it.

9. Click the Create button under Message Template.

10. Create a Template. Write a Greeting Message and Frequently Asked Questions. Please note, the Template will only be visible for certain ad placements. Click Save and Finish when you’re done.

Finally, click Publish to launch the WhatsApp Click to Chat Ad. And that's how you create a WhatsApp Click to Chat Ad. The ad creation process is the same whether you’re running WhatsApp Ads with a WhatsApp Business App or WhatsApp API account.

Want to qualify leads faster? You should run WhatsApp Ads with a WhatsApp API account. Once connected to respond.io, you’ll be able to send automated surveys to your leads. Sign up for a WhatsApp API account today to get started.

Taking WhatsApp Ads to the Next Level With Respond.io

Respond.io helps you qualify WhatsApp leads faster through automated surveys. Plus, we make it possible to answer messages with multiple users and connect with your leads anytime you want.

Send Automated Surveys to WhatsApp Leads

Most companies don’t have the resources to qualify a large number of leads from WhatsApp Click to Chat ads. This is where automated surveys come in. You can qualify leads automatically by creating surveys and automation rules on respond.io.

Keep in mind, you can only send automated surveys with WhatsApp API connected to respond.io. If you’re using WhatsApp Business App, apply WhatsApp API now and connect it to respond.io. Or, migrate a phone number that’s already registered in WhatsApp Business App to an API account.

Already have a WhatsApp API account connected to respond.io? We recommend adding a new number to your WhatsApp account & connect it to a new Space. This way, the automated survey will only be sent to new leads, not customers looking for support.

To set up a survey on respond.io, navigate to the Surveys module.

1. Press Add Survey.

2. Fill in the survey name, description and qualifying questions. You may also create survey success and failure messages.

Once the survey is ready, it's time to create an automation rule.

3. Go to the Automation module and click Add Rule.

4. Add a rule name and an optional description. Then, select Conversation Opened as the Set Up Trigger.

Then, set up your Action. For a smooth qualification process, we recommend using an automation rule with multiple Actions. For instance, an automation rule that sends an explainer message and Survey, and adds a Tag to qualified leads.

Keep in mind, the automated survey will only be sent if leads message you first. After qualifying, it’s time to message your leads to turn them into customers. To answer messages with a team of agents, you’ll need WhatsApp API connected with respond.io.

Answer Messages With Multiple Users

Responding to leads promptly increases your chance of converting them into sales, but it’s easier said than done when Business App only allows one agent on one device. To respond to leads faster, run ads with WhatsApp API which supports multiple users.

Unlike WhatsApp Business App, the API doesn’t have an interface. You’ll need to connect to a WhatsApp Inbox like respond.io to use it. Once WhatsApp API is connected to respond.io, you’ll be able to have multiple agents answering messages at the same time.

Message Leads Anytime With Message Templates

To prevent companies from spamming users, WhatsApp has implemented a 24-hour Messaging Window. After 24 hours, the only way to message leads is to send a Message Template from respond.io.

Before using a Message Template, you need to submit it to your WhatsApp Partner for approval. Once your Message Template gets approved, connect to respond.io and add the approved Message Templates to start sending them.

WhatsApp may reject Message Templates that don’t comply with their content and formatting rules. Check out our practical guide to learn the dos and don’ts of Message Templates.

Further Reading

If you're interested in using WhatsApp for Business, check out these articles:

• Everything You Need to Know About WhatsApp API Pricing
• Using WhatsApp Business for Multiple Users
• How to Use Respond.io with a WhatsApp Integration: WhatsApp CRM