How Does Influencer Marketing Work on WhatsApp?

Key takeaways

• In 2009, Jan Koum revolutionized the way we communicate and share information with friends, family and colleagues today with the idea of a mobile messaging app.
• WhatsApp, like no other platform, enables more personal and direct communication between influencers and their followers.
• Influencer marketing offers advantages (higher engagement rates) and disadvantages, such as the lack of integrated analytics tools.

With his idea of enabling fast, direct and free exchange, Jan Koum, who is not known as Mark Zuckerberg or Jeff Bezos, revolutionized the way we communicate. In 2023, WhatsApp will have more than two billion users, making it the most popular messaging platform in the world.

Today's billionaire with Ukrainian roots lives the promise of the digital world: he was born near Kyiv in 1979. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the just 16-year-old emigrated with his mother to the U.S., where he had to mop supermarket floors, among other things, to help finance the family's daily needs. 38 years later, his fortune is estimated at €8.8bn. 

Influencer Marketing and WhatsApp - How Do They Fit Together?

In recent years, WhatsApp has become an increasingly popular platform for influencer marketing. One of the main reasons why WhatsApp can become an effective platform for influencer marketing is that it allows for more personal and direct communication between influencers and their followers. Unlike other social media platforms, where messages can get lost in the vastness of DMs, WhatsApp allows for more personal communication, which can lead to higher engagement rates and more effective marketing campaigns.

Another reason that explains the popularity of WhatsApp is that influencers can also create exclusive groups with their followers that can be used to share exclusive content, promote products and engage with their audience in a more meaningful way. This can lead to greater loyalty and stronger relationships between both parties. The Dutch blogger and influencer Rianne Meijer recently called for the same idea, her purpose being to share tips and experiences in a WhatsApp group. It is ultimately unclear who can join this group.

Overall, WhatsApp is a powerful tool for future influencer marketing strategies and will likely become even more important in the coming years as the app continues to grow in popularity and influence.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Influencer Marketing on WhatsApp. 

As user numbers grow, WhatsApp offers several advantages that make the messaging service a new and attractive option for marketers looking to connect with their target audiences. The main benefits of using WhatsApp for influencer marketing include:

- Direct and personal communication: WhatsApp allows influencers to communicate directly with their followers in a more personal way than any other social network. Instead of one-to-many communication, WhatsApp offers the option of many-to-many communication, generating a real exchange of interests. This type of communication can help build stronger relationships between influencers and their audience, leading to more engagement and loyalty. 

- High engagement rates: WhatsApp allows influencers to send messages directly to their fans, increasing the likelihood of seeing and engaging with the content. This can lead to higher engagement rates through more intimate communication, resulting in more effective marketing campaigns. Also, because WhatsApp groups are limited in size, influencers can create more targeted groups to ensure their messages reach the right people. Engagement rate is generally a buzzword in influencer marketing, so read more about it on the Kolsquare influencer marketing blog.

- Reaching niche target groups: WhatsApp enables influencers to create groups and get in touch with their followers in a more targeted way. This makes it easier to reach niche target groups. If we assume that influencer marketing starts in the product placement of cinema and has become popular through social media, messaging apps like WhatsApp will be the new logical consequence of optimizing your strategies.

However, using WhatsApp for influencer marketing also comes with risks, these include the following drawbacks:

- Privacy concerns: WhatsApp is a private messaging app, so users* may be wary of receiving messages from brands or influencers they don't know or haven't asked for. In addition, WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption can make it more difficult for marketers to track user behavior or collect data about their audience.

- More - or less authentic: Because WhatsApp allows for more direct communication between influencers and their followers but does not insist on mutual friendship or trust, thus, brands run the risk of their content appearing less authentic or more promoted. Despite a theoretical increase in engagement, this can also lead to a decrease in trust and interaction from followers.

- Beware of spam: WhatsApp users, as mentioned, use the app for private exchanges with friends, family or colleagues and are therefore, not used to seeing advertising there. The messaging app has always been "free". However, if only marketing messages are sent via direct message, users can quickly feel flooded or inundated with marketing messages.

Also, note that WhatsApp groups are still limited to 256 members. Accordingly, micro and especially macro influencers need to create multiple groups to reach their large fan base. Just like the example with Rianne Meijer mentioned above, it can also be frustrating for followers not to be part of the exclusive group on Whatsapp, which generally drives them to disengage from influencers. Furthermore, WhatsApp does not offer built-in analytics tools, which can make it more difficult for influencers to track the effectiveness of their campaigns.

In summary, while WhatsApp offers several benefits for influencer marketing, it is important for marketers to carefully weigh the risks and ensure that their messages are authentic, targeted and respect users' privacy. In 2023, you have the chance to actively shape this space and be among the first brands to design successful influencer marketing strategies on WhatsApp. Share your experiences with us and feel free to follow Kolsquare on LinkedIn and tag us in your posts to get noticed.