In the past few years, WhatsApp Business has grown to over 200 million monthly users. It means there are a ton of businesses sending messages to users – and some of these messages may be considered spam. The only option for customers was to either allow them to send messages and offers, or block the account altogether. Finally, WhatsApp is changing that.
WhatsApp is now testing new ways for users to control the messages they receive from businesses. This includes buttons like “interested/not interested” and “stop/resume” for certain categories of messages.
For example, if you get tired of receiving offers and announcements from a business, you’ll be able to indicate that you’re not interested. You can also choose to stop receiving that type of message completely. In the future, you’ll even be able to resume those messages if you want to see the business’s offers again, like during a holiday season.
Businesses can send messages through WhatsApp’s API under four categories: marketing, utility, authentication, and service. Previously, you couldn’t selectively block one type of message while still receiving others you found useful, like order updates or account information.
This is a big deal, especially in places like India and Brazil, where WhatsApp is the primary communication channel, unlike email where you can unsubscribe from promotional messages. The new controls will help reduce the spam that users have been facing on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp is trying to find the right balance between making money from businesses and keeping its core users happy. By giving people more control, it can prevent users from being bombarded with unwanted marketing messages.
