24 August 2021

WhatsApp Chat Button: What Is It and How To Use It

Chat buttons are common — You see the tiny little button at the corner of almost every website you visit. But have you come across a WhatsApp chat button?

Faye Chong

Content Marketing Lead

Reading time: 4 minutes

Chat buttons are commonly used by businesses to provide real-time support and assistance. Also known as a chat widget or click-to-chat, chat buttons have been the ultimate solution to boosting customer satisfaction and engagement.

But, why not take it a step further and chat with customers on their preferred messaging platform — such as WhatsApp?

After all, WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app to date. And if you didn’t already know, it isn’t just used for personal communication anymore. Businesses are now using WhatsApp to connect more personally and directly with their customers.

But did you know that you can also integrate WhatsApp on your website as a chat button?

Let’s take a closer look at what a WhatsApp chat button is and how you can effectively use it! 👇

What is a WhatsApp chat button?

A chat button is an icon strategically placed on your website that allows customers to click-to-chat. This means that they can communicate with your reps in real-time. These chat widgets can easily be embedded into your website by pasting a javascript code.

So, applying this concept of a chat widget to WhatsApp, a WhatsApp chat button allows customers to click a button to directly start a chat with your business via WhatsApp.

Website visitors will be able to start a new chat on WhatsApp without having to leave your site. All messages will be reflected on your WhatsApp Business account (or regular WhatsApp if you’re not using a business account).

Benefits of a WhatsApp chat button

Lower costs

If you didn’t already know, WhatsApp is completely free. This includes WhatsApp Business, which offers advanced business features like template messaging, semi-automation, and business catalog.

So why not make full use of it? This saves you the additional cost of having to use live chat tools which can accumulate in costs, especially if you’re a small business or entrepreneur.

And more often than not, integrating a WhatsApp chat button into your site is free! All you have to do is find a suitable chat button builder, input your details such as a company logo and chat message, generate the code and paste it into your website.

Reduce lead response time

Using a chat button allows you to reduce lead response times because customers can get their questions answered almost immediately.

With a chat button, customers have a way to reach you at the exact moment they require assistance or face problems they can’t solve. Compared to sending an email, chat buttons are just like sending a quick text message for help.

And because of the immediacy of getting help, this is probably why customer satisfaction ratings for live chat support are relatively high.

More personalized communication

When communicating with a customer via chat messaging, it’s easier to keep things more personalized and informal as opposed to over emails.

Remember, WhatsApp has been mainly used for personal communication for years. Hence, there is already a stigma and certain expectation of using WhatsApp as an informal way to communicate.

By inserting your business into such an environment, you automatically create a more personal setting to chat with your customers.

How to effectively use a WhatsApp chat button

Use semi-automation

WhatsApp Business’ semi-automation feature allows you to schedule and automate messages. Here are types of semi-automation messages you can configure:

Greeting message: You can set up this generic message to auto-respond to new incoming chats or to conversations that have no activity after 14 days.

Away message: This second automatic reply message can be set according to a schedule, such as your working hours. It is helpful to inform your leads or customers outside of working hours that you have received their message and will respond to them as soon as possible.

Quick reply templates: You can customize several message templates that can be inserted into your chat box by using the assigned keyword after ‘/’.

An example of WhatsApp Business quick replies feature. Source: WhatsApp

While you’re not providing 24/7 real-time support, semi-automation is a great way to tell your customers that you’ve received their message and will get back to them within working hours.

Use message templates

WhatsApp Business users will be familiar with message templates. That’s because WhatsApp Business’ broadcast messaging feature can only broadcast templated messages.

For those who are unfamiliar, a WhatsApp message template is a pre-designed message format that businesses can use repeatedly to send notification-type messages to customers. Some message examples might include delivery updates, appointment reminders, and automatic replies.

But don’t just limit yourself to using these templates for broadcast messages!

Message templates save you the hassle of having to reinvent the wheel every time a customer sends in a query. Save time by simply copying and pasting these templates into the chat and hitting send!