How to Choose The Best web design agency

How to choose the best Web Design Agency – 4 Steps

If you are planning to build a new website or redesigning an old site to look and feel more modern, a good web design agency or web development company will give you the perfect online presence to your brand.

But how do you find a good web design agency?

Choosing a web design agency will be complicated process for you based on your criteria, But you can make it easier by following these simple steps.

1. Find Web Design Agency Online

If you want to find one best web design agency for your brand then you have to find alot of different website development companies.

Best option is check websites that rank and make list of different web design agencies and take a look at what they list. These are the best websites for you to choose the perfect web design agency.

They work with team of experts who evaluate the skills, prowess, reliability, and pricing of a web design agency. They are not always right or 100% accurate but they give you idea about the industry. You can start to see which ones you like.

2. Check every Web Design Agency

This is one of the important steps in choosing best web design agency. in this section we will discus what to look for in a web design website.

If a web design agency website was not looking good, old out dated, or otherwise bad that means this web design agency is not right for you. The good web design company should be able to build an excellent website for themselves, at doesn’t mean their site needs to be exactly what you’re looking for in your own site — every company has different needs, and their websites have different functionalities.

But Finding information quickly is essential to creating a good website. Websites that require users to click more than a few times to find what they want will drive users away. And when you’re making a website, that’s the last thing you want to do.

In addition to navigation, you also want to check the agency’s site for load times, high-resolution images, engaging graphics, and even videos. These elements aren’t necessarily essential for an agency’s website, but it shows that they understand how and why they’re important.

These visuals create a more engaging experience for users, which you may have noticed yourself as you browse agency websites. Still, even with all of these elements, an agency’s website shouldn’t look cluttered.

The color scheme should make sense, and it shouldn’t overload your senses. Likewise, every element should have its own “space” with enough room to breathe. Just like a lack of navigation, cluttered websites will turn your users away and wind up losing business for you.

Last, each agency should also have testimonials from previous clients, including the client’s name and URL. That information will let you check on the current state of their clients’ sites, which gives you further insight into their capabilities.

And now that you’ve looked at each agency’s website, it’s time to do some more research to help with choosing a web design agency.

3. Check Reviews about web design agency

It’s important to see what a web design agency can offer in terms of its own site and client history. But an even more important step in how to choose a web design agency is looking at what review websites say about an agency.

Review sites like Yelp, Google, and even Facebook can give you lots of insight into the behavior, professionalism, and overall reliability of a web design agency.

Agencies that receive low ratings should make you skeptical about their abilities to follow through for their customers. Agencies with high ratings indicate a common sense of satisfaction among their clients, meaning you have a safer chance of getting your money’s worth for your investment.

To find reviews, you can start by searching for each agency on Yelp. Most of the time, an agency will at least have a listing on Yelp with a few helpful reviews.

You can also find reviews by going to Google and searching for the agency’s name. A small box should appear to the right of your search results (on desktop) or at the top of your screen (on mobile) with the word “Reviews” inside. Just click the link below to see Google reviews.

Last, you can find reviews on Facebook by searching for the company and finding their business page. Then, click on their page and look to the left of the agency’s news feed. There will be a small, blue, box with a star rating inside, indicating how good the agency is. You can then click it to read their reviews.

With those three review outlets, you should have everything you need to narrow your list down to a handful of excellent web design agencies.

4. Contact to each Web Design Agency

Now that you have a few agencies on your list, you should contact them directly with questions about how your businesses would work together.

The best agencies will talk about creating your website from the ground up. In most cases, they’ll want to build your company a custom-made website. Regardless, an agency should ask you almost as many questions as you ask them.

Those questions should be about what you expect, what you want, what your goals are, and more. A good web design agency aims to fully understand each of its clients so that they can deliver the best results possible.

A good web design agency will also reply to your questions politely, professionally, and intelligently. They’ll give straightforward explanations and explain any unfamiliar terms that come up, so you’re constantly in the loop.

If you talk to a web design agency that talks around you in circles with vague, jargon-heavy terms, consider using another agency. Once you’ve vetted your agencies by talking directly to them, you’re ready to make a choice.

Lotsofcode is an experienced web design agency

Now that you know how to choose a web design agency, we’d like to introduce you to lotsofcode.in

At Lotsofcode, we know what it takes to be a good web design company because we have one of the best web design teams.

We’ve earned trust & Support for our hard work with clients, and that work has paid off by earning more traffic, customers, and revenue for them.

We make sure all of our clients get the web design solution that works for their business and fits their budget.

Do you want a custom website that gets results for your company?

Get a free quote orcontact us today to get started with your custom web design strategy!

How To Build An eCommerce Website (2024 Detailed Guide)

How To Build An eCommerce Website (2024 Detailed Guide)

How To Build An eCommerce Website (2024 Detailed Guide)

The e-commerce market is expected to grow over the years as more and more consumers discover the convenience and ease of shopping online. This proves that having an e-commerce site is a lucrative option for businesses.

Business owners know they have to adjust accordingly and adopt an e-commerce business model to give their customers access to products online.

If you’re ready to join other online retailers, you need a website that reflects your company’s goals and caters to your customers’ preferences.

An e-commerce website can boost an organization by offering customers the convenience and flexibility to shop from anywhere, anytime. These online stores can use automatic product recommendations to give customers a personalized shopping experience and improve an organization’s ability to upsell.

Additionally, e-commerce sites can generate a high ROI because they require a small investment compared to physical stores, which demand location rental, utility fees and in-store staff.

This guide is designed for all business owners whether you are taking the first step in online business world or a big business owner seeking to launch a new brand online.  

With step-by-step instructions, this guide not only helps you gain e-commerce business knowledge but also guides you on how you can take your business online successfully in 2024.

What is an eCommerce website?

How To Build An eCommerce Website

An e-commerce website allows people to buy and sell physical goods, services, and digital products over the Internet rather than physically visiting a store for shopping. Through an e-commerce website, a business can process orders, accept payments, manage shipping and logistics, and provide customer service.

Types of eCommerce Websites

E-commerce websites can be classified into different types based on there nature of transactions and the people involved. Understanding the types of e-commerce websites is necessary before building your e-commerce website.

B2B E-Commerce Website

A B2B (Business-to-Business) eCommerce website is a platform where businesses sell products or services to other businesses. These types of websites are usually made for wholesalers, manufacturers, or distributors. to sell their products to retail business owners or similar other business owner.

These types of E-Commerce Websites provide features like bulk ordering and integration with business systems.

Some Examples of B2B E-Commerce Websites in India:

IndiaMART

TradeIndia

Udaan

Tata nexarc

B2C E-Commerce Website

B2C (Business-to-Consumer) e-commerce websites are the most common type of online store, where businesses sell products directly to individual consumers. These websites are designed for ease of use, offering features like product catalogs, shopping carts, and secure payment options. 

Some Examples of B2C E-Commerce Websites in India:

Amazon

Flipkart

Meesho

Myntra

Ajio

C2C E-Commerce Website

A C2C (Consumer-to-Consumer) eCommerce website facilitates transactions between individuals. These platforms allow consumers to sell products or services to other consumers, often through an auction or marketplace format. Popular C2C websites include eBay and Craigslist, where users can list their items and buyers can purchase them directly.

Some Examples of C2C E-Commerce Websites in India:

OLX

Quikr

Clickindia

Key Features Every eCommerce Website Should Have

How To Build An eCommerce Website

An effective eCommerce website must incorporate several key features to ensure a smooth and satisfying user experience. These include:

A user-friendly interface

Secure payment processing

Mobile responsiveness

Robust search and filter options

Detailed product descriptions

High-quality images

Customer reviews

& reliable customer support.

Additionally, integrating features like wishlists, product recommendations, and easy checkout processes can significantly enhance the shopping experience and drive sales.

Choosing the Right Platform for E-Commerce Website

How To Build An eCommerce Website

Your website builder is the foundation of your online store. Options explicitly designed for e-commerce give you more options and room to grow than generic website builders with an e-commerce add-on. Here are a few to consider:

WooCommerce

WooCommerce is an open-source WordPress plug-in, so it’s free to install. It’s generally used by those with an existing WordPress site. WooCommerce is flexible, has limitless customization, and industry experts audit its secure code.

Shopify

Shopify is another SaaS solution that’s fully hosted and known for being quick and easy to set up. They have an extensive range of plug-ins, but if you need to use a lot, the price can quickly add up. Shopify can handle a high number of transactions per minute, so it can easily cope with traffic spikes. 

BigCommerce

BigCommerce is a SaaS solution that’s known for being scalable. It has 24/7 customer support, with priority support available for large accounts.  There are plenty of built-in features. Multi-layered security keeps data safe, and local payment methods bring in customers from around the world. BigCommerce supports headless, so brands can deliver API-driven experiences through a CMS, DXP, application, device, or custom front-end — with BigCommerce powering the commerce engine.

Magento

Magento is a self-hosted solution, so you have total creative freedom; however, you need someone with coding knowledge to take full advantage of the platform. There’s a wide choice of integrations, and it can handle instant purchases and product suggestions.

How To Build An eCommerce Website

Designing an eCommerce website requires careful planning and attention to detail to ensure it meets the needs of your business and your customers. The first step is to focus on creating a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate.

Your website should have a clean and responsive design that looks great on all devices, including smartphones and tablets. High-quality images, clear product descriptions, and intuitive navigation are essential to keeping customers engaged and helping them find what they need quickly.

Another crucial element is the integration of secure payment gateways to ensure that customer transactions are safe and seamless. Additionally, your website should include features like product search filters, customer reviews, and a streamlined checkout process to enhance the shopping experience.

However, building a successful eCommerce website goes beyond just good design. It involves understanding the technical aspects, such as site speed optimization, and SEO, and ensuring scalability to handle growth and increased traffic.

This is where a professional eCommerce website development company like Lotsofcode.in can make a significant difference. With their expertise in the latest technologies and best practices, they can help you create a robust and effective eCommerce website that not only meets but exceeds your business goals.

Partnering with a specialized eCommerce development company ensures that your website is built to the highest standards, providing a solid foundation for your online business.

Whether you are starting from scratch or looking to upgrade an existing site, Lotsofcode.in offers comprehensive solutions that can help you achieve success in the competitive world of online retail.

How We Build Successful E-Commerce Websites

Building a successful eCommerce website requires a blend of strategic planning, cutting-edge design, and technical expertise. At Lotsofcode.in, we specialize in providing end-to-end solutions that transform your vision into a fully functional online store. From the initial design to the final launch, we ensure that every aspect of your eCommerce website is optimized for success.

Designing Your eCommerce Website

Our team starts by understanding your brand and business objectives to create a custom design that resonates with your target audience. We focus on creating a user-friendly and visually appealing website that enhances the shopping experience and encourages conversions.

Adding Products

We help you seamlessly add products to your website, ensuring that each product is displayed with high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and relevant information. Our approach includes categorizing products effectively to make it easy for customers to find what they’re looking for.

Setting Up Payment and Shipping

Secure and reliable payment gateways are crucial for any eCommerce website. We integrate trusted payment solutions and configure shipping options tailored to your business needs, ensuring that your customers have a smooth and hassle-free checkout experience.

Optimizing for SEO

A successful eCommerce website must be easily discoverable by search engines. We implement SEO best practices to optimize your website, helping you rank higher in search results and attract more organic traffic.

Launching Your eCommerce Website

Before launching your website, we conduct thorough testing to ensure that everything functions perfectly. From site speed to mobile responsiveness, we leave no stone unturned to guarantee a smooth launch. After launch, we continue to support your business with maintenance and updates to keep your website running at its best.

With Lotsofcode.in by your side, you can be confident that your eCommerce website will be built to thrive in the competitive online marketplace.

Calculate Your E-Commerce Website Costs Now

To help you make the most informed decisions about your eCommerce website, we’ve created a detailed PDF guide that outlines the essential features and best practices for building a successful online store. This guide covers what every eCommerce website should include to thrive in the competitive digital landscape.

Download our comprehensive PDF to explore the key components of a successful eCommerce site, from must-have features to design considerations. Simply click the button below to get instant access to the guide and start planning your perfect eCommerce website today.

Planning a new E-commerce website can be a complex task, especially when it comes to budgeting. To simplify this process, we’ve developed an easy-to-use calculator that allows you to estimate the cost of building your new E-Commerce website based on your specific needs.

Our calculator provides detailed insights like:

Basic Design & Development Cost,

Products Migrations,

Number of pages, 

Free Addons like Payment Gateway, Shipping Plugins, Popups, Product filters etc.

Paid Addons like DLT registration, Logo Design, Coupons Automation etc.

Additional features and customization options—affect the overall cost. You can quickly see how various elements impact your budget and make decisions about your project. Once you’ve inputted your requirements, you can even download a PDF report with all the details for your reference.

This tool is designed to help you understand your website’s potential costs upfront, giving you a clearer picture of your investment and helping you plan effectively. Try it out today to get a precise estimate tailored to your unique needs.

Our Success Stories

Sportsgalaxy.in is an exemplary eCommerce website tailored for sports enthusiasts, showcasing our ability to develop a comprehensive and high-performing online platform. The project aimed to create a dynamic, user-friendly store that could handle a diverse range of sports products and provide an engaging shopping experience.

Key Features and Solutions

  • Modern Design: The website was designed with a interactive elements that reflect the excitement of the sports world. This design approach not only attracts users but also keeps them engaged with visually appealing graphics and dynamic features.

  • Easy Navigation: To enhance user experience, we implemented a clear and easy-to-navigate structure. This included well-organized product categories, a robust search function, and efficient filtering options, allowing users to quickly find and explore products.

  • Product Listings: Each product was presented with detailed descriptions, high-resolution images, and relevant information. This thorough approach helps customers make informed purchasing decisions and enhances overall satisfaction.

  • Seamless Checkout Process: We streamlined the checkout process to reduce friction and cart abandonment. The integration of secure payment gateways ensures that transactions are processed smoothly and securely, providing users with a hassle-free shopping experience.

  • Enhanced User Engagement: The website features personalized product recommendations, interactive promotions, and engaging content to boost user interaction and retention. These elements are designed to keep users coming back and encourage repeat purchases.

  • Product Migrations: One of the critical aspects of this project was migrating product data from OpenCart to WordPress WooCommerce. We managed this transition meticulously, ensuring that all existing product information was accurately transferred to the new platform. This process involved detailed data management and quality assurance to maintain consistency and accuracy across the site.

  • Advanced Functionality: Additional features, such as real-time inventory updates and automated notifications, were integrated to enhance the website’s functionality. These features contribute to a more efficient shopping experience and help keep users informed about product availability.

Sportsgalaxy.in has successfully met and exceeded the client’s expectations, resulting in increased user engagement and sales. The combination of modern design, intuitive navigation, and advanced features has created a robust platform that caters effectively to sports enthusiasts and supports the client’s business growth.

This case study highlights our expertise in developing tailored eCommerce solutions that address both user experience and technical requirements, delivering exceptional results for our clients.

Conclusion

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to enhance an existing site, having a clear understanding of these components will help you make informed decisions and set your business up for success. Remember, partnering with an experienced eCommerce development company, like Lotsofcode.in, can provide valuable expertise and support throughout the process, ensuring that your website meets your specific needs and achieves your business goals.

By following the best practices and leveraging the right tools and strategies, you can build an eCommerce platform that not only attracts and retains customers but also drives growth and profitability. If you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here to help you turn your vision into reality and build a thriving eCommerce website.

8 Ways to Improve Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) in 2024

8 Ways to Improve Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) in 2024

Hold on a minute… 

Are you relying on marketing strategies from some years ago? 

Given how rapidly trends and customer behavior have evolved in the past few years, that data is outdated and irrelevant today.

In fact, you can in no way base your optimization and experimentation efforts on such data.

Imagine you run a D2C brand, and for the past few years, you figured the average website conversion rate in your industry was 1%-2%. Content with this, you suddenly stumble upon some data and realize everyone else has leveled up — the new average is a whopping 3.5%. Now, you have to level up your game if you want to stay competitive.

This is why you need fresh, up-to-date data in your hands to stay ahead. In this blog, we share the latest conversion rate optimization statistics, keeping you in tune with what’s working today. With this data, you can ensure your strategies are relevant and capable of turning your website visitors into paying customers.

What Is Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)?

Conversion rate optimization is the art of converting more visitors on your website into your goals (e.g. sales or leads). By increasing your conversion rate, you’ll be able to boost your website revenue without actually needing more traffic.

What Are the Benefits of Doing CRO for Your Website?

The biggest benefit of conversion rate optimization is that it helps you generate much more revenue from your website. Here is how:

  • Generates more sales on your website, with your existing traffic, which means you don’t have to spend more money driving more sales.
  • Increases your average order value (AOV) so when your users purchase, they buy more products per order, or more expensive products.
  • Maximizes your return on investment (ROI) from your marketing spend, and reduces the cost per acquisition.
  • Improves your website so that it engages more visitors, and increases the chances of them returning and converting into paying customers in the future.

What Kind of Results Can I Expect From Doing CRO?

This depends on how much effort you put in and your level of expertise. With modest efforts you can increase your conversion rate by 5-10%.

This may not sound like much, but it often has a big impact on your revenue.

If you maximize your efforts with CRO you can get amazing results like these I got for my clients:

  • 44% increase in conversion rate for UnboundMerino.com, and $216K in annualized revenue.
  • 164% increase in conversion rate for ManlyBands.com, and $988K in annualized revenue.
  • 19% increase in conversion rate for JosephJoseph.com, and £260K in annualized revenue.
  • 66% increase in conversion rate for an online mattress retailer, and $2.6M in annualized revenue

What Are the Main Elements of CRO?

CRO is made up of four overlapping main elements – conversion research, user experience (UX), website persuasion, and A/B testing and personalization. Making strong use of these will increase your chances of gaining more conversions, and therefore boosting your sales.

CRO main elements
Image Source – rich-page.com
  • Conversion Research: Gather insights and improvement ideas from conversion research. This comes from web analytics, heat maps, visitor recordings, surveys, user testing and expert CRO reviews. This is the most essential piece of CRO, and cannot be done effectively without it.
  • Website Persuasion: Don’t just hope your website converts your visitors. To engage and convert many more of them, use copywriting best practices and influence techniques, including the usage of social proof, scarcity, urgency and reciprocity.
  • User Experience (UX): Improve your website user experience so visitors can browse and convert more easily, including using best practices for improving your website navigation, forms and user flow. Without it, it doesn’t matter how well your website ranks in the search engine results page (SERP) or how persuasive it is.
  • A/B Testing and Personalization: A/B tests and personalization techniques are used to discover and show the highest converting experience for your website. This is very useful, but not essential, particularly because so many websites don’t have enough traffic or conversions for this.

All of these elements overlap and feed into each other to gain better results from CRO, particularly conversion research. For example insights from conversion research feed into better ideas for A/B testing and personalization.

Why is Conversion Research So Important?

Don’t just guess at what to improve on your website, or only listen to what your boss wants to improve, as this often fails to get good results on your conversion rate and revenue.

Conversion research is essential for determining what needs improving and why from your users and customers.

There are 5 elements of conversion research that you need to use to gain the best results:

  1. Visitor recordings. Use these to watch exactly what visitors do on your website. They are great for discovering visitor issues, like page elements or form fields they find hard to use. Always gain insights from these recordings for pages you want to improve.
  2. Heat maps. These are a good compliment to visitor recordings. Don’t just presume you know what website visitors click on or how far they scroll – check these for your key pages. Great for revealing CTAs, images and content that should be clicked on more.
  3. Surveys. It is essential to find your visitors and customers issues, doubts, hesitations and needs with visitor surveys and customer surveys. Discovering this will help you create very high-impact website improvement ideas and boost your website optimization efforts.
  4. User testing. Gain feedback from your target audience while they try to complete tasks on your website and ask them questions. This is a great way to discov what your target audience think of your website, their issues with it, and what needs improving.
  5. Expert reviews. This is done by an experienced CRO expert (often called heuristic analysis), and is a fast effective way of getting CRO insights and recommendations. These are offered by CRO experts including myself, CXL and WiderFunnel.

Insights from these elements of conversion research then feeds into better ideas for the other elements of CRO, including A/B testing.

Avoid copying ideas from website competitors – just because they are doing something doesn’t mean it works well or will work on your website. Instead monitor what best converting websites are doing like Amazon.com and AO.com. Ideas from your HiPPO (highest paid person’s opinion) rarely work well either, unless they are an expert in CRO or web usability.

Conversion research is often neglected or not well understood, apart from web analytics, so you have huge potential to take advantage of this element of CRO in particular.

8 conversion rate best practices for 2024

1. Craft a clear value proposition

Developing website copy with a clear value proposition is a fundamental component in website optimization to convert visitors. It communicates the unique benefits of your product or service to potential customers, effectively demonstrating how your offering is the most effective solution to their needs.

To craft a compelling value proposition, you should follow these steps:

  1. Identify your target audience and understand their needs, pain points, and desires.
  2. Identify what sets your product or service apart from the competition.
  3. Clearly articulate the benefits your product or service provides.
  4. Use simple language without unnecessary jargon.
  5. Use a customer-centric approach.
  6. Be specific about what makes your product or service unique.
  7. Gather feedback and iterate based on it to ensure your value proposition resonates with your audience.

As part of your optimization efforts, don’t forget to regularly revisit your value proposition to ensure it remains relevant.

2. Write engaging, benefit-driven headlines and copy

Another vital component in optimizing your website for more conversions is writing engaging, benefit-driven headlines and copy on all your pages, including your homepage, category pages, and product pages.

When crafting your headlines, make sure that they:

  • Grab attention
  • Present a clear value proposition
  • Are specific
  • Evoke an emotional response
  • Are action oriented
  • Utilize numbers

Warby Parker’s homepage provides a great example of an engaging, benefit-driven headline. The headline “Try 5 frames at home, for free” is specific, action oriented, and presents a clear benefit.

3. Use testimonials and social proof

Incorporating testimonials and social proof is a powerful strategy for building trust and credibility with site visitors.

There are several types of social proof that can be used for conversion rate optimization, including:

  • Customer testimonials
  • User-generated content
  • Case studies
  • Reviews and ratings
  • Influencer endorsements
  • Social media followers

By showcasing the experiences and opinions of satisfied customers, you can instill confidence in your offerings.

It’s also important not to bury those awesome testimonials you have at the bottom of a product page. Instead, try adding a positive testimonial to the above-the-fold section like Vegetology did. This helps website visitors quickly gain a deeper understanding of the product and see that other people have had positive experiences with it. 

 

4. Simplify your forms and CTAs

Simplifying forms and CTAs (calls-to-action) is an effective approach to boost your conversion rate optimization efforts. Clear and concise CTAs help guide visitors toward the desired action.

When designing clear and effective CTAs, it’s important to:

  • Use language that encourages action
  • Ensure the CTA is in line with the context and content of the website or landing page
  • Optimize the design and placement of the CTA to make it stand out visually 

5. Make data-driven decisions instead of relying on gut feelings

Making decisions based on data should be a key part of every CRO strategy.

By relying on actual user behavior and preferences rather than intuition, you can make informed decisions that lead to higher conversion rates and increased revenue.

Utilizing tools such as Google Analytics and Hotjar can help you gather and analyze valuable data about visitor behavior and preferences.

You can also rely on user feedback to collect more information about the website experience and understand user behavior.

In the example below, you can see how Flip used a survey popup to collect information about why people aren’t ordering their service.

6. Shorten the checkout process

Shortening the checkout process is imperative if you want to increase the number of conversions. A lengthy or complicated checkout process can be a significant barrier for potential customers, leading to cart abandonment and lost sales. In fact, a too-long/complicated checkout process is the reason behind 17% of lost sales!

To optimize the checkout process, consider simplifying things, providing guest checkout, and offering multiple payment options.

7. Continuously run A/B tests

A critical aspect of refining your website’s performance and enhancing user engagement is the consistent implementation of A/B tests.

By pitting two versions of a web page or element against each other, you can gauge which variant elicits a higher conversion rate. This empirical approach empowers you to make informed choices regarding design and content elements that resonate best with your target audience.

Here’s how you can get started with A/B testing (also called split testing):

  1. Select an A/B testing tool
  2. Establish goals and hypotheses
  3. Focus on tests with a high potential impact
  4. Carry out tests regularly
  5. Iterate and optimize continually

Running constant A/B tests can eat up a lot of time, but recent advancements in AI have introduced automation to streamline the process.

OptiMonk’s Smart A/B Testing tool is at the forefront of this innovation, leveraging advanced technology to automate 99% of your tasks.

By conducting parallel tests on each element of your landing page, this tool ensures efficient and rapid experimentation, allowing you to stay ahead in the competitive online landscape.

8. Re-engage abandoning visitors with exit popups

Exit-intent popups are one of the best CRO tools out there as they’re a powerful way to re-engage visitors who are about to leave your website.

By presenting a compelling offer or message just before the visitor exits the page, you can capture their attention and encourage them to complete their purchase or sign up for an email list.

Wrapping up

Implementing the 12 conversion rate optimization (CRO) best practices discussed in this blog post can significantly improve your website’s conversion rate and boost online sales.

By focusing on crafting a clear value proposition, writing engaging headlines and copy, and continuously running A/B tests, you can make the most of your website traffic and target qualified leads.

Remember, optimizing your website for conversions is an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and refining. By staying up-to-date with the latest CRO trends and best practices, you can ensure your website remains engaging and optimized for your target audience, ultimately leading to increased conversions, sales, and success in the digital landscape.

Bulk SMS Marketing The Ultimate Strategy to Accelerate Your Business Growth

Bulk SMS Marketing: The Ultimate Strategy to Accelerate Your Business Growth

What is bulk SMS marketing?

Communication is the key to customer satisfaction. But with so many communication channels to choose from, it gets daunting for businesses to pick the most effective one.

There are various ways to connect with customers such as via email, social media, SMS, and traditional ways like billboards and banners. All these communication channels come with their lists of pros and cons.

However, when it comes to startups, mid-sized, or large enterprises, one method stands out above the rest – bulk SMS marketing. Wondering why?

Let us explain in detail what bulk SMS marketing is, its benefits, and how using bulk text message services can improve your business.

The bulk SMS marketing method enables you to reach all of your consenting customers at once via an online SMS platform.

The simplicity and efficiency of bulk SMSes make them useful for businesses and customers alike. You can send bulk text messages for alerts and reminders, confirmations, one-time passwords, or two-factor authentication.

The process of bulk SMS marketing requires users to pre-craft text messages. Sent to a database of mobile numbers, these SMS contain marketing material (often a promotional offer or a timely offer).

Need some inspiration to write the best SMS copy? Check out our elaborate SMS templates library.

Benefits of bulk SMS marketing for businesses

SMS marketing messages let you reach more people quickly, easily, and at a low cost. Here are some of the benefits of incorporating bulk SMS marketing in your business:

  • Highest open rates and click-through rates (CTR): SMS marketing dominates email marketing in terms of open rate. While the average open rate for email campaigns is only 20%, the average open rate for text message marketing campaigns is a massive 98%
  • Communicate instantly: Whether you want to send an alert about upcoming events or inform/update your customers, you can connect with your customers instantly through an SMS.  
  • Easy-to-use: SMS marketing makes your campaigns easier since you do not have to deal with ad agencies or edit/re-design banners and posters like you would with other marketing techniques. With SMS marketing, you just need to come up with a catchy message, choose receptions to deliver bulk SMS, and hit ‘send’.  
  • Personalised experience: You can easily personalise your message every time you connect with your customers via text messages. SMS marketing is a great way to grab your customers’ attention, reduce opt-out rates, and boost loyalty.
  • Cost-effective: Bulk SMS services often provide you with a pay-as-you-go pricing model where you just have to pay for what you use. This is unlike the traditional methods of marketing, such as outdoor marketing, TV ads, etc where you pay a hefty amount. 

How can Bulk SMS Service help improve a business?

Bulk SMS services help businesses reach their target audience via cloud-based SMS platforms. It is used by many companies to increase their lead generation and create a presence in the market. Moreover, it is a cost-effective way to increase marketing ROI.

A bulk SMS service helps your business in the following ways:

  • Send alerts/notifications to your customers: You can notify your customers about promotional offers as well as important information in real time.
  • Maximum audience reach: Bulk SMS services help you reach customers in greater numbers as receiving text messages doesn’t require an internet connection.
  • Monitoring campaigns: Bulk SMS service providers offer detailed analytics and real-time data of the campaign along with much more, which helps you understand your audience better.

If you plan and execute an SMS marketing campaign properly, you can engage with them more effectively. Bulk SMS service also helps you gain customer loyalty.

Types of Bulk SMS messages

Bulk SMS messages are part of our daily lives more than we realise. Here are the various use cases:

  • Service: When you sign up on a website and receive an OTP (One-time password), that is a service type of bulk SMS messaging. OTPs are used by a variety of enterprises to provide an extra layer of security for online users. They do this to verify that you are a real person and to provide an alternative if you forget your password. Birthday messages are also another type of service.
  • Promotional: A text message telling you about a product or service is promotional. Businesses and individuals use this to get more customers or buyers.
  • Transactional: This is the message you receive when you deposit or withdraw from your bank account. It is a transactional SMS preprogrammed by your bank to its customers. Banks and financial institutions use this.

These three uses mentioned above involve sending a large number of SMS messages to the mobile phones of a predetermined group of recipients. 

But how does it work?

How does bulk SMS messaging work?

Bulk SMS messaging is possible because of a series of factors:

A mobile phone application, a desktop software program, an SMS API, or a website.

You can send and receive bulk texts as long as you have any of these factors. These text message interfaces will first connect with an SMS service provider’s gateway. Then the SMS gateway will deliver the messages to mobile phone numbers anywhere in the world.

So you can say that the SMS gateway is the hub between the mobile network operators and the user/sender.

Please note that no matter how you send the bulk SMS messages, they have to go through an SMS provider’s gateway before getting to the recipients.

Who needs bulk SMS?

  • Businesses: They have a large base of users and clients that need to be reached at once with certain information. This may be information about future events, new products, or transactional information.
  • Enterprises: They send and receive bulk SMS to provide information to their customers. They also use bulk text messages to get feedback and notify their product users of transactions.
  • Schools: Schools can use bulk SMS to inform parents of upcoming events or activities in the school. It can also be used to remind parents of fees and give updates to the staff.
  • Individuals: Individuals use bulk text messaging for various things, like inviting guests to their events or marketing their products and services. 
  • Marketers: Marketers use text messages to spread the word about their client’s products and services. 

Bulk SMS messaging is also used by consumer brands, banks, media outlets, major airlines, travel agencies, healthcare providers, large consumer websites, retailers etc

This is not surprising because the benefits are endless. And anyone who has ever sent a bulk text message can testify to its effectiveness.

Ready to start your bulk SMS marketing campaign?

So there you have it – a brief idea of what bulk SMS marketing is, how it is beneficial for your business, and how bulk SMS services help improve business.

Now that you know about bulk SMS marketing, you might be interested in reading the top 10 bulk SMS service providers in the market.

We would like to recommend SMSCountry, which provides businesses with an effective and simple SMS communication system. SMSCountry’s API integration will allow you to build a communication system for your website or application. It also allows you to schedule and send bulk SMS without the need for programming.

Just contact us or sign up to create a free account.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I send bulk SMS with my phone?

You can send bulk SMS with your phone using a bulk SMS service provider’s mobile phone application. A good SMS provider’s mobile app is as good as their web and desktop platforms.

What is SMS called now?

SMS stands for Short Messaging Service, but people also refer to it as “texting’. 

What is the new type of SMS?

The new type of SMS is actually called Rich Communication Service (RCS). This new type of SMS ( or RCS) is capable of not just delivering texts but also high-resolution photos and files.

What are the four SMS?

The four most common types of bulk SMS are promotional, transactional, OTP and 2-way SMS. The most common type of SMS used is OTP, then the transactional and promotional SMS. 2-way SMS is mostly used by businesses for customer feedback.

How can I send cheap SMS in bulk?

You need a bulk SMS service or an SMS marketing platform to send cheap bulk SMS. Start by shortlisting the providers in your vicinity. Look for competitive pricing and reliable delivery. You can also have long-term contracts in place, which will give you a volume discount.

How many SMS can be sent at once?

There is no limit to the number of SMS you can send at once. However, consult local regulations before sending bulk promotional SMS. You may get blocked if you cross a threshold limit.

what is bulk SMS

What Is Bulk SMS? And Why You Need It?

Bulk SMS is a term used to describe text messages that are sent out in large quantities. That’s the simplest way of defining it.

But to understand how bulk SMS works, its benefits, and uses, you need to read this article to the end.

By the time you are done, you’ll have answers to all your questions about bulk SMS, even those you didn’t know you had. 

Plus, as a bonus, we’ve included a step-by-step guide to help you send your first bulk text message.

So let’s get started

Types of Bulk SMS messages

Bulk SMS messages are part of our daily lives more than we realise. Here are the various use cases:

  • Service: When you sign up on a website and receive an OTP (One-time password), that is a service type of bulk SMS messaging. OTPs are used by a variety of enterprises to provide an extra layer of security for online users. They do this to verify that you are a real person and to provide an alternative if you forget your password. Birthday messages are also another type of service.
  • Promotional: A text message telling you about a product or service is promotional. Businesses and individuals use this to get more customers or buyers.
  • Transactional: This is the message you receive when you deposit or withdraw from your bank account. It is a transactional SMS preprogrammed by your bank to its customers. Banks and financial institutions use this.

These three uses mentioned above involve sending a large number of SMS messages to the mobile phones of a predetermined group of recipients. 

But how does it work?

How does bulk SMS messaging work?

What Is Bulk SMS? And Why You Need It?

Bulk SMS messaging is possible because of a series of factors:

A mobile phone application, a desktop software program, an SMS API, or a website.

You can send and receive bulk texts as long as you have any of these factors. These text message interfaces will first connect with an SMS service provider’s gateway. Then the SMS gateway will deliver the messages to mobile phone numbers anywhere in the world.

So you can say that the SMS gateway is the hub between the mobile network operators and the user/sender.

Please note that no matter how you send the bulk SMS messages, they have to go through an SMS provider’s gateway before getting to the recipients.

How to send different types of bulk SMS

Benefits of Bulk SMS

Service and Transactional Bulk SMS messages are sent with an API – (Application Programming Interface). They programme the messages to send off once any customer takes an action on the app or website (or bank account). To get this running, you need a developer. You also need to own a website or an application where an SMS service provider can be added on.

In contrast, Promotional SMS messaging can be done from the website of an SMS service provider. You don’t need to own a website or application or be a developer.

To send bulk text messages on an SMS service website you need:

  1. Phone numbers of your recipients
  2. Bulk SMS service provider
  3. SMS units

Once you have these three, you are almost ready to send your first bulk SMS campaign. But why do businesses still use text messages today? After all, there are more advanced ways of communicating with customers.

We will answer this question in the next section by looking at the benefits of bulk SMS messaging.

There are several benefits of using SMS for marketing and customer support. We have mentioned a few of them below.

A wider audience

According to a 2019 report, only 2.71 billion people use smartphones. Meanwhile, 5.11 billion people use mobile phones of any type. This makes it easier to reach more people since any type of cellphone can receive SMS while you need a smartphone to receive emails. So with SMS, you get about 100% more reach.

High Open Rate

Text messages get over 98% open rates, whereas a 30% open rate for emails is considered to be exceptional. Not everybody opens emails, but because of the nature and length of SMS they get opened immediately

More targeting options

With bulk SMS marketing, you can target all your contacts or narrow it down to a smaller group. This makes personalisation easier and boosts the success of your campaign. It also encourages your recipients to respond more favourably because your message appeals specifically to them.

Higher response rates

Bulk SMS gets over 200% more response rates than any other form of communication. The reason is simple, SMS is simpler to read and respond to than emails. And they require lesser technical know-how and minimal effort. That is why businesses that market with SMS experience growth.

Short and Direct

The short nature of SMS means you can pass a powerful message quickly with just 160 characters. As opposed to emails that may be longer than some essays.

Affordability

The cost of sending bulk SMS is low in comparison to other forms of marketing communication. And when you consider the ROI that it brings, then that’s a double dose of sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

Suffice us to say that the benefits of bulk texting are endless, which is why we will stop with the points already given. Now that you know what bulk text messaging is and you know its effectiveness, we know what your next question is.

Who needs bulk SMS?

  • Businesses: They have a large base of users and clients that need to be reached at once with certain information. This may be information about future events, new products, or transactional information.
  • Enterprises: They send and receive bulk SMS to provide information to their customers. They also use bulk text messages to get feedback and notify their product users of transactions.
  • Schools: Schools can use bulk SMS to inform parents of upcoming events or activities in the school. It can also be used to remind parents of fees and give updates to the staff.
  • Individuals: Individuals use bulk text messaging for various things, like inviting guests to their events or marketing their products and services. 
  • Marketers: Marketers use text messages to spread the word about their client’s products and services. 

Bulk SMS messaging is also used by consumer brands, banks, media outlets, major airlines, travel agencies, healthcare providers, large consumer websites, retailers etc

This is not surprising because the benefits are endless. And anyone who has ever sent a bulk text message can testify to its effectiveness.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I send bulk SMS with my phone?

You can send bulk SMS with your phone using a bulk SMS service provider’s mobile phone application. A good SMS provider’s mobile app is as good as their web and desktop platforms.

What is SMS called now?

SMS stands for Short Messaging Service, but people also refer to it as “texting’. 

What is the new type of SMS?

The new type of SMS is actually called Rich Communication Service (RCS). This new type of SMS ( or RCS) is capable of not just delivering texts but also high-resolution photos and files.

What are the four SMS?

The four most common types of bulk SMS are promotional, transactional, OTP and 2-way SMS. The most common type of SMS used is OTP, then the transactional and promotional SMS. 2-way SMS is mostly used by businesses for customer feedback.

How can I send cheap SMS in bulk?

You need a bulk SMS service or an SMS marketing platform to send cheap bulk SMS. Start by shortlisting the providers in your vicinity. Look for competitive pricing and reliable delivery. You can also have long-term contracts in place, which will give you a volume discount.

How many SMS can be sent at once?

There is no limit to the number of SMS you can send at once. However, consult local regulations before sending bulk promotional SMS. You may get blocked if you cross a threshold limit.

Why SMS is costly?

SMS may be costly based on where you live. Now you can purchase bulk SMS plans which cuts down per-SMS cost significantly. The costs pertaining to infrastructure maintenance and upgradation. But SMS is a highly reliable method to deliver time-sensitive bite-sized information almost instantly. This also contributes to the demand and cost.

What is better than SMS?

Messaging apps that use the internet, like WhatsApp and Signal, are comparable to SMS.

What is OTP on a website?

OTP stands for “One-Time Password.” A unique temporary code is sent to your registered mobile number or email address for authentication purposes on websites. You enter the OTP to confirm your identity and gain access to your accounts.

How do I get OTP online?

To get your OTP:

  • Sign-up for a service that requires OTP authentication. Provide your mobile number or email address.
  • Wait for the OTP to arrive at the provided contact information.
  • Check your SMS or email inbox for the OTP.
  • Enter the received OTP on the website to complete the verification. 

How can I create my OTP?

Here is what you need to do:

  • Choose a secure but random algorithm to generate the OTP.
  • Decide the length of the OTP. Choose between 4 and 6 digits.
  • Use a combination of letters, numbers, or special characters to enhance security.
  • Ensure the OTP is unique for each session.
  • Implement the OTP generation algorithm in your website’s code.

If you are not a tech person, you can use authenticator apps to generate the OTPs for your applications.

How is OTP verified?

Here is how your OTP is verified:

  • You enter the OTP you received via SMS onto your website.
  • The website compares the OTP with the one it generated for that session.
  • If they match, verification is successful, and your OTP is verified. 

Can hackers intercept OTP?

Hackers can intercept SMS messages. If the messages contain OTPs, they are compromised in such an attempt. 

How to Apply for WhatsApp Green Tick Verification

How to Apply for WhatsApp Green Tick Verification?

How to Apply for WhatsApp Green Tick Verification?

As WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging apps, businesses of all sizes can benefit from using it for marketing purposes. The green tick next to your WhatsApp display name symbolises trust and authenticity for your brand.

In this article, you will discover how to obtain a green tick badge next to your WhatsApp display name and understand the advantages it can bring to your business. 

First, let’s understand what a WhatsApp green tick badge is and figure out whether you need it.

What is a WhatsApp Green Tick Badge?

The green tick badge on WhatsApp allows users to identify official brand accounts on the platform quickly. It signifies that it’s a WhatsApp-verified account and belongs to the company it claims to be.

With this badge, users can be confident that they’re communicating with a genuine brand, not a fake one. This feature not only increases the authenticity of your account but also contributes to building trust and reputation for the brand. 

WhatsApp takes verification and validation of business accounts seriously to safeguard its users from spam and fake accounts.

Now that you know about the WhatsApp green tick badge, let’s look at how to get started with the verification process.

Difference Between a Regular Business Account and an Official Business Account

Regular WhatsApp Business Account

For Small and Medium-Sized Businesses: Regular WhatsApp Business accounts are designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and sole proprietors. They are suitable for businesses looking to have a presence on WhatsApp to communicate with customers.

Features: Regular WhatsApp Business accounts provide essential business communication features such as a business profile, messaging templates, quick replies, labels for organising chats, and automated messaging.

Verification: Regular WhatsApp Business accounts can apply for verification, but verification is not guaranteed and is subject to WhatsApp’s criteria. Verified accounts may receive a verification badge, adding credibility to their profile.

Limited Scale: Regular accounts are typically used for one-on-one customer interactions and are suitable for businesses with relatively low messaging volumes.

API Access: While regular accounts can use the WhatsApp Business app, they may need access to the WhatsApp Business API, which is often used for more advanced and automated messaging.

Official WhatsApp Business Account

For Large Enterprises and Brands: Official WhatsApp Business accounts are intended for larger enterprises, brands, and organisations with a significant customer base and high messaging volumes. These accounts are designed for businesses that need to scale their customer communication.

Features: Official WhatsApp Business accounts come with advanced features like the WhatsApp Business API, which allows for automation, integration with external systems, and the ability to send notifications and transactional messages.

Verification: Official WhatsApp Business accounts are typically verified by default, and they often have a green verification badge indicating their official status. This badge adds credibility and trust.

Scale: These accounts are suitable for businesses that need to handle a high volume of customer inquiries and transactions efficiently.

API Access: Official accounts have access to the WhatsApp Business API, making it possible to integrate WhatsApp with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, chatbots, and other tools for streamlined customer support and engagement.

Pros and Cons of a WhatsApp Green Tick Badge Application

Pros:

Credibility and Trust: A WhatsApp-verified badge adds credibility and trustworthiness to your business profile. Users are likelier to trust and engage with verified accounts, knowing they interact with an authentic and recognised business.

Increased Visibility: Verified businesses may appear more prominently in WhatsApp search results. Increased visibility can help attract more customers and potential clients to your business.

Direct Communication: Verified businesses have access to the WhatsApp Business API, which enables them to send automated messages, notifications, and other important information to their customers. This can improve customer service and engagement.

Customisation: You can set up a comprehensive business profile with important information such as your address, business hours, and a description. This allows customers to get a better understanding of your business.

Access to WhatsApp Business Tools: Verified businesses can access WhatsApp Business tools and features designed to streamline customer communication. These tools include messaging templates, quick replies, labels for organizing chats, and more.

Cons:

Application Process: The application process for a WhatsApp verified badge can be stringent, and there is no approval guarantee. If your application is rejected, it can be frustrating and time-consuming to reapply.

Compliance Requirements: To maintain your verified status, you must adhere to WhatsApp’s Business Policy and Commerce Policy. Failure to comply with these policies can result in the revocation of your verified badge.

Higher Expectations: Users may have higher expectations of verified businesses in terms of response times and the quality of customer service. Meeting these expectations can be challenging, especially for smaller businesses.

Costs: Some businesses may incur costs associated with using the WhatsApp Business API and other advanced features, often available to verified accounts. These costs can add up, depending on your usage.

Potential for Misuse: While the verification badge helps prevent impersonation, some users might assume that any verified account is trustworthy. This can make verified accounts a target for scammers, so businesses must be vigilant in maintaining security.

How to Apply for a WhatsApp Green Tick Badge?

Here are the procedures to follow before you even get started with the process of applying for a WhatsApp green tick badge.

Sign up for WhatsApp API Access

You must first register for the WhatsApp Business API and set up a business account through a Business Solution Provider (BSP) like Wati. This will allow you to begin utilising WhatsApp for your business needs.

However, it is essential to note that the green tick badge is not available on the free WhatsApp business app.

Once you’ve received your WhatsApp API access, before moving to the next step, send out WhatsApp Campaigns as soon as possible. 

To increase the chance of getting a WhatsApp green tick badge, reach a minimum of 1,000 people daily through business-initiated messages. Through these messages, you will demonstrate to WhatsApp that you are actively and seriously utilising the platform for your business efforts. We also recommended that you reach Tier 2 or higher messaging levels.

How to Reach Tier 2 or Higher Messaging Levels?

To reach tier 2 messaging levels and increase your chances of getting a WhatsApp-verified badge, you need to demonstrate to WhatsApp that your business is actively engaging with customers and providing a high level of service. Here are some steps to help you achieve this:

Regularly Respond to Customer Inquiries

Promptly respond to customer messages on WhatsApp. Consistently addressing customer inquiries and providing helpful responses is essential to achieving higher messaging levels.

Maintain High Response Rates

Maintain a high response rate by responding to customer messages within the specified time frame. Consistently reacting quickly to customer inquiries is critical in reaching tier 2.

Use Quick Replies

WhatsApp Business allows you to create and use quick replies, which are pre-written responses to common customer questions. This can help you respond faster and maintain a high response rate.

Organize and Label Chats

Use labels to categorise and organize your customer chats. This can help you manage your conversations more efficiently and ensure no inquiries are overlooked.

Avoid Blockages

Avoid being blocked by WhatsApp for spammy behaviour. Ensure that your messaging practices are compliant with WhatsApp’s policies and guidelines. Sending unsolicited messages or excessive promotional content can result in restrictions.

Encourage Customer Engagement

Encourage customers to engage with your business on WhatsApp by promoting it on your website, social media, and other marketing channels. Offer incentives or exclusive content to those who join your WhatsApp contact list.

Utilize WhatsApp Business Tools

Take advantage of WhatsApp Business tools such as messaging templates for standardised messages like order confirmations and shipping updates. These tools can help streamline communication.

Monitor Analytics

Use WhatsApp Business Insights to monitor your messaging performance. Analyse response times, message volume, and customer feedback to identify areas for improvement.

Train Your Team

If you have a team managing WhatsApp communications, ensure they are trained and equipped to provide excellent customer service. Consistency in service quality is important.

Collect Customer Feedback

Encourage customers to provide feedback on their WhatsApp interactions. Positive feedback can reflect well on your business, while constructive feedback can help you improve.

Stay Compliant

Continuously ensure that your messaging practices align with WhatsApp’s Business Policy and Commerce Policy. Compliance is crucial for maintaining a good standing with WhatsApp.

Set Realistic Expectations

Be transparent with customers about response times and the types of inquiries you can assist with on WhatsApp. Managing customer expectations can help maintain a high level of satisfaction.

Reaching tier 2 messaging levels on WhatsApp requires dedication, consistency, and a commitment to providing excellent customer service. Remember that it may take time to achieve these levels, so be patient and focus on continuous improvement in your messaging practices. Once you reach tier 2, consider applying for a WhatsApp-verified badge to enhance your business’s credibility on the platform.

Check your messaging limits in the WhatsApp Manager > Overview Dashboard > Insights tab. The panel below will only show your current limit if your messaging limit has increased from the default limit of 250.

Verify your Business on Meta Business Manager

If you aren’t aware, Facebook Business Manager is now Meta Business Manager. So, there’s no need to get confused when encountering a Facebook/META business manager. Both are the same thing. 

Verifying your Facebook Business Manager account through Meta Business Manager is to ensure that the account belongs to a reputable organisation. To be eligible for verification, your business must be legally registered with local authorities and have a valid phone number and physical address.

 

Build Brand Value

Only some businesses out there can get its WhatsApp green tick badge. This is because meta recognises a frequently searched-for company as a notable or prominent brand or entity.

Therefore, to increase the chance of being recognised as an official business account, having 3-5 media coverage links from reputable news outlets or magazines is beneficial. It’s important to note that Meta doesn’t consider paid or promotional content valid evaluation sources. Meta also gives green tick badges only for businesses and not for individuals or influencers.

Enable 2-step Verification

You must enable a 2-step verification process to provide additional security to your WhatsApp Business API account. This feature requires registration of your phone number on WhatsApp to be accompanied by a unique six-digit PIN that you create, adding an extra layer of protection. Here’s a detailed article by Facebook on this topic.

Ways to Apply for a WhatsApp Green Tick Badge

You can either apply for a WhatsApp green tick verification on your META Business Manager or with the help of a Business Service Provider (BSPs) like Wati.

 Meta Business Manager

  1. In your META Business Manager, go to Business Settings -> WhatsApp Accounts -> WhatsApp Manager.
  2. Under Account tools, select ‘phone number’.
  3. On the next page, you’ll find your WhatsApp account details. Click the ‘Settings’ icon to proceed.
  4. Click ‘Profile’, fill in all the details and click the ‘Submit Request’ button.
  5. Once the request is submitted, you can see that your request is in review status.

If you apply for a green tick independently, it usually takes 2-4 business days to know if your application was accepted.

Business Service Provider

Suppose you are currently utilising WhatsApp Business API or On-premises API. In that case, you can obtain assistance with the application process from a Business Solution Provider (BSP). However, it’s worth noting that BSPs typically charge businesses for this service. 

The procedure for WhatsApp Business verification may vary depending on the WhatsApp Partner. So, contact your BSP for information on the application process and any associated fees.

Based on your Business Solution Provider (BSP), they may either submit an application for an Official Business Account on your behalf or provide instructions on how to do it independently through their dashboards. If the BSP applies on your behalf, the process from application to approval can take up to three weeks.

It’s important to note that the decision to award the green badge to a business is made solely by META. 

The responsibility of the WhatsApp Business API provider/vendor is to submit the business’s green tick application to META. So, they are only responsible if your application gets accepted.

What if Your Application Gets Rejected?

You can reapply for green tick badge verification after 30 days if your application gets denied. However, META suggests that businesses take the time to establish their presence in news articles before reapplying.

Here’s What You Can Do

Review Rejection Reason

WhatsApp typically provides a reason for the rejection in their communication to you. Reviewing the rejection message carefully is essential to understand why your application was not approved. This information will be crucial in addressing the issue.

Correct Issues

Once you have identified the reason for rejection, take steps to correct any issues or discrepancies. This may involve updating your business information, ensuring compliance with WhatsApp’s policies and guidelines, or resolving technical or operational problems.

Increase Media Coverage

Expanding your brand’s media coverage through organic articles can help establish your business’s credibility. Positive coverage can also demonstrate to WhatsApp that your business is legitimate and noteworthy.

Initiate More WhatsApp Conversations

Engaging in more WhatsApp conversations and reaching a tier 2 or above messaging level can demonstrate to WhatsApp that your business is active and responsive on the platform. This can be a positive factor when reapplying for verification.

Add WhatsApp Widget

Enhance your online presence by adding a WhatsApp widget to your website. This makes it easy for website visitors to initiate conversations with your business directly through WhatsApp. Additionally, include WhatsApp links on your social media handles to encourage interaction with your audience.

Contact WhatsApp Support

If you believe your application was rejected in error or need further clarification on the rejection reason, consider contacting WhatsApp’s support team. They can provide additional guidance on how to proceed or offer assistance in resolving any issues.

Ensure Compliance

Ensure that your business and communication practices comply with WhatsApp’s Business Policy and Commerce Policy. WhatsApp has specific guidelines for businesses, and compliance is essential for verification.

Improve Your Business Profile

Enhance your business profile on WhatsApp with accurate and detailed information. This includes providing a complete business description, contact information, business hours, and a professional profile picture.

Wait and Reapply

Depending on the nature of the rejection, you may need to wait for a certain period before reapplying for verification. WhatsApp might specify a waiting period in their rejection message. During this time, focus on improving your business practices and profile.

Seek Professional Help

If you’re facing challenges in the verification process, consider seeking assistance from professionals or consultants specialising in WhatsApp Business verification and compliance. They can offer guidance and support in navigating the process.

Stay Informed

Keep yourself updated with WhatsApp’s policies and guidelines, as they may change over time. Ensure that your business practices and communications continue to align with WhatsApp’s requirements.

Businesses That Can’t Apply for Green Tick Verification

WhatsApp disallows specific business categories for WhatsApp API and, hence for WhatsApp Green Tick Verification. Businesses dealing in the following products/services cannot get approval for using WhatsApp Business APIs:

  • Drugs
  • Tobacco Items
  • Gambling Businesses
  • Alcohol Brands
  • Weapons & Ammunition Businesses
  • Live Animals
  • Adult Product/Services
  • Medical & Healthcare Products
  • Dating Services
  • Cryptocurrencies

You can refer to WhatsApp’s Commerce Policy for the complete list and updated details about the prohibited category of products and services.

Benefits of a WhatsApp Green Tick Badge:

A green tick badge indicates that your brand is genuine, one-of-a-kind, and trustworthy.

Credibility and Trustworthiness: A verification badge adds a layer of credibility to a WhatsApp Business account. It signals to users that the account is authentic and officially verified by WhatsApp. This can help users trust the information and communication from the business.

Enhanced Visibility: Verified business accounts may appear more prominently in search results when users look for businesses on WhatsApp. Increased visibility can help businesses attract more customers and potential clients.

Direct Communication: Verified business accounts can use WhatsApp Business API, which allows them to send automated messages, notifications, and other helpful information to their customers. This can improve customer service and engagement.

Customization: WhatsApp Business accounts with verification badges can set up a business profile with essential information such as address, business hours, and a description. This allows customers to get a better understanding of the business.

WhatsApp Business Tools: Verified businesses can access WhatsApp Business tools and features designed to streamline customer communication. These tools include messaging templates, quick replies, labels for organising chats, and more.

Official Presence: The verification badge distinguishes the business as an official WhatsApp presence. It helps prevent impersonation and fraud by clarifying which accounts are legitimate businesses.

WhatsApp Business API: With verification, businesses may have access to the WhatsApp Business API, which enables integration with external systems and services, making it easier to manage customer interactions at scale.

Copy of Cold Email Success RateTips To Improve It

Cold Emails Mastery: Effortlessly Send 500+ Daily and Achieve Remarkable Results!

Were you aware that a staggering 91.5% of cold email outreach goes unanswered? However, this doesn’t imply that sending cold emails will automatically land you in the spam folder. Quite the opposite, actually. It suggests that the majority of people mishandle cold email campaigns, whether it’s the content or the volume of emails sent.

Today, we aim to address one of the pivotal questions in email marketing: How many cold emails should you send per day? Let’s delve into it.

How many Cold Emails to send per day?

The ideal number of daily cold emails largely hinges on your prior experiences with cold emailing. For beginners, sending between 10 to 20 emails per day is advisable.

As you progress and incorporate automation into your cold email strategies, you can gradually escalate the volume of emails sent each day.

Your capacity to craft emails for a cold outreach campaign isn’t inherently restricted. Rather, limitations arise from factors like your email service provider and sender reputation. Allow us to elaborate.

Warming up an Email Address

Just as you wouldn’t floor the gas pedal and speed to 100 miles per hour immediately after starting your car, you should approach email inboxes with a gradual warming process to avoid damaging your email reputation. If you flood the system with 100 emails on your first day, email service providers may flag you for spam.

Email warmup involves slowly introducing emails over time to establish trust with email providers. This can be done manually or through an email warmup service, which sends a variety of emails to different addresses daily, jumpstarting your cold emailing campaigns.

While an email warming service may entail some expense, the investment is worthwhile as it ensures your email account is ready for use sooner rather than later.

Understanding the daily sending limit with different providers

The number of emails you can send per day is typically determined by your email service provider, regardless of whether you’re reaching out to previous contacts or conducting cold email campaigns.

A crucial tip for a successful cold email campaign is to avoid relying on free email providers. For instance, a free Gmail account allows you to send up to 500 emails per day, whereas a paid account increases the limit to 2,000 emails.

Here are the daily sending limits for some other email service providers:

– Yahoo!: 500 emails
Office 365: 10,000 emails
Outlook account: 300 emails
Mailgun: 300 emails
ProtonMail: 150 (free) and 10,000 (paid)

So, when determining how many cold emails to send per day, consider the limitations of your email service provider. If you’re initiating new cold email campaigns, select providers based on the daily volume you require.

While occasionally exceeding daily sending limits may not result in immediate consequences, it’s best to avoid doing so frequently. For example, Google Workspace will halt email sending if you surpass its daily limit, while other providers may delay delivery until the limit is reset. However, it’s advisable to refrain from consistently exceeding these limits to prevent potential issues.

Your sender reputation makes a major impact on your cold email campaigns

Your sender reputation functions akin to a credit score assigned by email service providers, reflecting your credibility as a sender. A favorable sender reputation increases the likelihood of your cold emails, as well as other types of emails, reaching recipients’ inboxes.

Several factors influence your sender reputation:

– The frequency of bounced emails
– The incidence of spam complaints received from your emails
– Avoiding hitting spam traps during cold email outreach
– Email engagement metrics, such as open and response rates for your cold email marketing campaigns
– The level of email segmentation and personalization, distinguishing between bulk emails and personalized cold emails
– The volume of cold emails dispatched within a specific timeframe

Maintaining a positive sender reputation requires vigilance across these factors. Given that many cold email campaigns involve mass-sending identical messages to recipients, it’s unsurprising that they often fail to uphold a favorable sender reputation.

How to get a better sender reputation

The factors that influence sender reputation are well-known, which makes it easy to watch out for dangers and stay out of spam folders. With a sold email sender reputation, you’ll have an easier time with your cold email efforts.

Here are some practical tips of keeping your sender reputation spotless:

  • Use email validation services and clean your email lists before sending out your next cold email campaign
  • Give your recipients an easy way to unsubscribe and include a link for it in your cold emails
  • Segment and personalize your cold emails
  • Use authentication protocols before sending out any cold emails

A good reputation won’t just affect how many cold emails you can send. It will affect the success of all of your email marketing campaigns, so it’s worth keeping an eye on it.

What to do if you have a brand new email account

If you’re utilizing a new email address or managing multiple email accounts for sending purposes, it’s crucial to proceed with caution to ensure success. Hastiness can result in triggering spam filters across various mail servers, ultimately causing more harm than benefit.

Begin by gently warming up your email account, gradually increasing the volume of emails sent each day. Alternatively, you can opt for an email warmup service to expedite the process.

When you’ve obtained an email list from a trustworthy scraper or email tool, refrain from simply launching a cold email campaign. It’s imperative to meticulously vet the email list to eliminate invalid addresses, outdated entries, typos, spam traps, and other potential issues.

Take heed of your daily sending limit and exercise restraint, especially in the early stages. If you’re unsure about the permissible number of cold emails you can send per day, conduct thorough research to avoid exceeding limits.

Finally, prioritize personalization in your cold emails tailored to individual recipients. Evade the spam folder by customizing your emails according to distinct audience segments rather than employing a one-size-fits-all approach for everyone on your list.

How Email Jinny helps with your cold email marketing efforts

Getting your message to your desired audience without setting off spam filters and without breaching your email service provider’s (ESP) daily sending limits can pose a challenge. At Email Jinny, we’ve developed a cold email platform designed to enhance your open and click-through rates. Here’s how our cold email tool can assist you.

Automated email verification

Prior to dispatching your cold emails, EmailJinny meticulously verifies each one. By eliminating invalid and outdated email accounts, your sender score remains unscathed. This process not only enhances response rates but also fosters a favorable sender reputation effortlessly.

Easy integration

Email Jinny seamlessly integrates with your chosen email provider to send emails directly from your account. Whether you manage one or multiple email addresses, Email Jinny automates your campaigns, allowing you to engage promptly when recipients respond. Let Email Jinny handle the heavy lifting while you focus on other tasks.

Tracking cold emailing performance in a detailed dashboard

Sending emails from a Gmail account can leave you guessing about their fate. With Email Jinny, you can track various metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, responses, and more. Our user-friendly dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of your campaign’s success, allowing you to stay informed effortlessly.

How to Use Email Jinny for Sending Mass Emails

Email Jinny is an Email Delivery Platform a tool that helps businesses and individuals send bulk cold emails. It lets you test, send, and manage emails in one convenient place.

Email Jinny scales your outreach campaigns with free unlimited email sending without worrying about Email subscribers anymore.

Email Jinny is the one-stop solution for every industry like agencies, digital marketers, and freelancers. Any business or individual wanting to send bulk or cold emails can Email Jinny FREE of cost forever without entering your credit card details and it doesn’t require any subscriber limitations.

Step 1: Go to EmailJinny's website

cold email

You can send thousands of bulk emails using our bulk email sending tool for that just go to our website by clicking on the link given below.

Step 2: sign up & create your account for free

cold email

on the home page of Email Jinny, you can click on the “Get Started” button in the top right corner or you can click on the “Start For Free” button that is placed in the center of the home page.

And here just below the “Start For Free” button, you can see two interesting things that are Free Forever and No Credit Card Required, yes that is absolutely true.

Step 3: Enter your details & sign up

If you already have an account then enter your Email Address and Password and if you are not a member of Email Jinny then click on the Signup button, enter your Email Address set your password, and create an account for sending FREE Bulk Emails every day.

When you sign up you can see a successful signup message now go to the log-in section and log into your account using your details.

Step 4: Fill all the Config details

Screenshot-18-1024x624

When you log in you directly redirected to the Config page of Email Jinny where you have to enter all the Config details like : Host, Port, Email, and Password etc. and click on update button.

Step 5 : Now it's time to send FREE bulk Emails

and it’s time for the magic just feel all the recepents emails manually one by one or add an Excel file of all the emails, then write your perfect subject line and your message. that’s the whole simple and free process hit the send email button and relax.

Conclusion

Many individuals struggle to effectively manage a large volume of cold emails. However, achieving excellent results from cold emails and steering clear of the spam folder is entirely possible if you adhere to the appropriate daily sending quotas. By prioritizing factors like sender reputation, email warmup, and targeted audience segmentation, you can significantly enhance your outcomes.

At Email Jinny, we’re here to assist you. Our cold email tool enables effortless outreach to numerous contacts while safeguarding your email deliverability and adhering to your ESP’s sending limits. With Email Jiiny, you can maintain a favorable sender reputation and keep your recipients engaged.

What is Bulk Voice Call

What is Bulk Voice Call Service?

Bulk voice call, often referred to as Voice call or Voice Broadcasting, is a powerful communication tool that allows businesses and organizations to send pre-recorded voice messages to a large number of recipients simultaneously. This service is an extension of traditional bulk SMS, but instead of sending text messages, it delivers voice calls in an automated manner.

What is Bulk Voice Call Service?

Bulk voice call service is a mass communication method where a recorded voice message is sent to a list of phone numbers. These messages can be personalized to some extent, addressing recipients by their names or including specific information relevant to each recipient.

How does Bulk Voice Call work?

Message Creation

The process begins with creating the voice message you want to convey. You can record a personalized voice message or use a pre-recorded one, depending on your campaign’s purpose.

Recipient List

You need a well-organized list of phone numbers for the recipients. This list should be formatted correctly and free of duplicates.

Uploading Recipient Data

Next, you upload the list of recipient phone numbers to the bulk voice call service provider‘s platform. Many service providers offer user-friendly interfaces for this purpose.

Personalization (Optional)

You may choose to personalize the voice message by including recipients’ names or other specific information. The system can dynamically insert this information into the message during delivery.

Scheduling

You can schedule the delivery of your voice message for a specific date and time, which is convenient for timing your messages effectively.

Message Delivery

When it’s time to send the messages, the bulk voice call service will initiate automated calls to the phone numbers on your list. When a call is answered, the pre-recorded message is played for the recipient. They will hear the recorded voice message you created.

Feedback and Analytics

Many service providers offer detailed reports on the delivery status of each message. You can track which calls were successful, which went to voicemail, and which were not answered. This feedback allows you to assess the campaign’s effectiveness.

Opt-Out and Response Options

Recipients may have the option to opt out of receiving further voice messages. Some services also offer features like allowing recipients to respond by pressing certain keys during the call to access more information or connect with a live agent.

Bulk voice call services use automated calling systems and robust infrastructure to handle large-scale message delivery efficiently. This method is widely used by businesses and organizations for various purposes, including announcements, promotional campaigns, alerts, and reminders. It offers a cost-effective and time-saving way to reach a wide audience with personalized voice messages.

Applications of Bulk Voice Call Service

  • Marketing and Promotions:

    • Businesses use bulk voice calls to promote new products, services, or events. Voice messages can be more engaging and persuasive compared to text-based promotions.
    • This method can also drive immediate actions, like visiting a website or availing a time-sensitive offer.
  • Customer Notifications and Updates:

    • Organizations use these services to send timely notifications such as order confirmations, delivery updates, appointment reminders, and service alerts.
    • Automated voice calls ensure that important information reaches customers promptly, enhancing customer satisfaction and reducing manual workload.
  • Emergency Alerts and Notifications:

    • Governments and public safety organizations use bulk voice calls to disseminate critical information during emergencies, such as natural disasters, health alerts, or evacuation notices.
    • This service can quickly reach a large number of people, providing vital information and instructions.
  • Surveys, Polls, and Feedback Collection:

    • Interactive voice calls are used to conduct surveys, polls, and collect feedback from customers or constituents. Recipients can respond using their phone keypad, making it easy to gather and analyze responses.
    • This approach is often more engaging and can result in higher response rates compared to other methods.
  • Political Campaigns:

    • Political candidates and parties use bulk voice calls to reach out to voters with campaign messages, policy information, and reminders to vote.
    • It’s an efficient way to connect with large voter bases, especially in areas with limited internet access.
  • Internal Communications:

    • Large organizations use bulk voice calls to quickly disseminate information to employees across various locations. This can include announcements, policy updates, and emergency notifications.
    • Ensuring all employees receive the same message at the same time maintains consistency in communication.

Benefits of Bulk SMS Voice Calls:

  1. Wide Reach: This method allows you to reach a large audience simultaneously, making it ideal for announcements, promotions, or emergency alerts.
  2. Personalization: While it’s not as personalized as one-on-one calls, you can still include recipients’ names or relevant information in the messages, which can enhance engagement.
  3. Cost-Effective: Compared to manual phone calls, bulk voice call is cost-effective and can save businesses a significant amount of time and money.
  4. Time-Saving: Since the system automates the calling process, you don’t need to spend time individually dialing numbers, making it a time-saving option for businesses.
  5. Feedback and Analytics: Many bulk voice call services provide detailed reports on the delivery status and recipient responses, allowing you to gauge the effectiveness of your campaign.

Considerations for Using Bulk Voice Call Service

  • Regulatory Compliance:

    • It is crucial to comply with regulations regarding telemarketing and communication, such as Do Not Call (DNC) lists and obtaining explicit consent from recipients.
    • Violating these regulations can result in significant fines and damage to an organization’s reputation.
  • Quality of Service:

    • Ensuring high-quality audio is essential for the message to be clearly understood. Poor audio quality can lead to miscommunication and frustration among recipients.
    • Regular testing and validation of messages can help maintain a high standard of communication.
  • Targeting and Relevance:

    • Sending relevant messages to the right audience is critical to avoid being perceived as spam. Segmentation and targeting capabilities are important features to consider.
    • Overuse of bulk voice calls can lead to recipient fatigue, so it’s important to use this tool judiciously.
  • Interactive Capabilities:

    • For campaigns that require recipient interaction, choosing a service that supports interactive voice response (IVR) systems is beneficial.
    • This allows recipients to engage with the message, such as by pressing keys to respond to a survey or connect to a live agent.
  • Data Security and Privacy:

    • Protecting the contact information and data of recipients is paramount. Ensure that the service provider adheres to stringent data security and privacy standards.
    • Understanding how data is stored, processed, and protected will help in choosing a reliable provider.

Choosing a Bulk Voice Call Service Provider

When selecting a provider for bulk voice call services, consider the following factors:

  1. Reputation and Reliability:

    • Look for providers with a proven track record and positive reviews from other users. Reliability in delivering messages without downtime is crucial.
    • Reputable providers often have robust infrastructure to handle large-scale campaigns without service interruptions.
  2. Features and Flexibility:

    • Assess the range of features offered, such as scheduling, personalization, interactive options, and reporting capabilities.
    • Flexibility in integrating with other systems (like CRM or marketing platforms) can enhance the service’s effectiveness.
  3. Cost and Pricing Models:

    • Understand the pricing structure, whether it’s based on the number of calls, duration, or subscription plans. Compare costs to find the most economical option for your needs.
    • Some providers may offer pay-as-you-go plans, which can benefit sporadic or seasonal campaigns.
  4. Support and Customer Service:

    • Good customer support is vital, especially if you encounter issues during your campaigns. Ensure the provider offers timely and effective support.
    • Look for providers that offer training and resources to help you make the most of their services.

Conclusion

Bulk Voice Call Service is a powerful tool for reaching large audiences quickly and effectively. Whether for marketing, notifications, emergency alerts, or internal communications, this service offers a scalable and efficient solution for delivering pre-recorded voice messages. By understanding the features, benefits, and considerations involved, organizations can leverage bulk voice calls to enhance their communication strategies and achieve their objectives.

Bulk Voice Call Service - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is Bulk Voice Call Service?

Bulk Voice Call Service allows you to send pre-recorded voice messages to a large number of recipients simultaneously. This automated system helps deliver consistent messages for purposes such as marketing, customer notifications, emergency alerts, and surveys.

How does Bulk Voice Call Service work?

The service involves recording a voice message, uploading a list of recipient phone numbers, and setting parameters like scheduling and retry attempts. The system then automatically dials the numbers and delivers the message. Reports and analytics are provided to track the success of the campaign.

Who can use Bulk Voice Call Service?

Any organization or individual who needs to communicate with a large audience can use this service. This includes businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, healthcare providers, and political campaigns.

What are the typical applications of Bulk Voice Call Service?

  • Marketing and promotions
  • Customer notifications and updates
  • Emergency alerts and notifications
  • Surveys and feedback collection
  • Political campaigns
  • Internal communications within large organizations
@lotsofcode.in

How to Get Green Tick on WhatsApp in 2024

As WhatsApp is one of the most widely used messaging apps, businesses of all sizes can benefit from using it for marketing purposes. The green tick next to your WhatsApp display name symbolises trust and authenticity for your brand.

In this post, you will discover how to obtain a green tick badge next to your WhatsApp display name and understand the advantages it can bring to your business. 

First, let’s understand what a WhatsApp green tick badge is and figure out whether you need it.

What is a WhatsApp Green Tick Badge?

c

The famous green tick is a verification badge that appears next to a business name in WhatsApp. It’s the sign of an official WhatsApp account that has gone through an additional verification process by WhatsApp.

Seeing this badge, users can be sure they’re interacting with a real account owned by the brand and not an imposter. It adds credibility to your account and is great for brand image and trust.

WhatsApp is very strict about business verification and authentication in an effort to protect its end users from spam and fake accounts. As such, the application process takes some steps and is not always guaranteed.

To apply for the WhatsApp green tick, you need to be a user of the WhatsApp Business Platform (formerly known as WhatsApp Business API). There’s no way to do it on the free business app. Check this guide for more on the difference between WhatsApp Business app and API.

Difference Between a Regular Business Account and an Official Business Account

Regular WhatsApp Business Account

For Small and Medium-Sized Businesses: Regular WhatsApp Business accounts are designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and sole proprietors. They are suitable for businesses looking to have a presence on WhatsApp to communicate with customers.

Features: Regular WhatsApp Business accounts provide essential business communication features such as a business profile, messaging templates, quick replies, labels for organising chats, and automated messaging.

Verification: Regular WhatsApp Business accounts can apply for verification, but verification is not guaranteed and is subject to WhatsApp’s criteria. Verified accounts may receive a verification badge, adding credibility to their profile.

Limited Scale: Regular accounts are typically used for one-on-one customer interactions and are suitable for businesses with relatively low messaging volumes.

API Access: While regular accounts can use the WhatsApp Business app, they may need access to the WhatsApp Business API, which is often used for more advanced and automated messaging.

Official WhatsApp Business Account

For Large Enterprises and Brands: Official WhatsApp Business accounts are intended for larger enterprises, brands, and organisations with a significant customer base and high messaging volumes. These accounts are designed for businesses that need to scale their customer communication.

Features: Official WhatsApp Business accounts come with advanced features like the WhatsApp Business API, which allows for automation, integration with external systems, and the ability to send notifications and transactional messages.

Verification: Official WhatsApp Business accounts are typically verified by default, and they often have a green verification badge indicating their official status. This badge adds credibility and trust.

Scale: These accounts are suitable for businesses that need to handle a high volume of customer inquiries and transactions efficiently.

API Access: Official accounts have access to the WhatsApp Business API, making it possible to integrate WhatsApp with customer relationship management (CRM) systems, chatbots, and other tools for streamlined customer support and engagement.

Why is getting the WhatsApp green badge so important?

With a 98% open rate, WhatsApp is reshaping the digital marketing landscape. A case study conducted by the Carrefour group in 2022 showed that they had a 35% higher engagement rate with WhatsApp audiences than with email audiences.

Verification translates into trust – it’s that simple. As a messaging platform with 2.4 billion users, every way in which a business can stand out in the eyes of users matters. For WhatsApp users, the green tick is a sign that marks an Official Business Account (OBA). It gives the business a stamp of approval in terms of authenticity and reputation, and that makes it easier for customers to engage and convert.

Showcase a notable brand image  getting the WhatsApp Green Tick Verification is not an achievement that a lot of businesses can claim. Only brands that are well-established, reputable, and popular can claim the green badge.

Pros and Cons of a WhatsApp Green Tick Badge Application

Pros Cons
Shows users the account is authentic and perfectly safe to interact with so you get more engagement and less negative reactions like blocksYou have to be on the WhatsApp API to apply
Your brand name will be displayed instead of your phone numberHard to obtain
It’s freeDoesn’t provide any additional features

Pros:

Credibility and Trust: A WhatsApp-verified badge adds credibility and trustworthiness to your business profile. Users are likelier to trust and engage with verified accounts, knowing they interact with an authentic and recognised business.

Increased Visibility: Verified businesses may appear more prominently in WhatsApp search results. Increased visibility can help attract more customers and potential clients to your business.

Direct Communication: Verified businesses have access to the WhatsApp Business API, which enables them to send automated messages, notifications, and other important information to their customers. This can improve customer service and engagement.

Customisation: You can set up a comprehensive business profile with important information such as your address, business hours, and a description. This allows customers to get a better understanding of your business.

Access to WhatsApp Business Tools: Verified businesses can access WhatsApp Business tools and features designed to streamline customer communication. These tools include messaging templates, quick replies, labels for organizing chats, and more.

Cons:

Application Process: The application process for a WhatsApp verified badge can be stringent, and there is no approval guarantee. If your application is rejected, it can be frustrating and time-consuming to reapply.

Compliance Requirements: To maintain your verified status, you must adhere to WhatsApp’s Business Policy and Commerce Policy. Failure to comply with these policies can result in the revocation of your verified badge.

Higher Expectations: Users may have higher expectations of verified businesses in terms of response times and the quality of customer service. Meeting these expectations can be challenging, especially for smaller businesses.

Costs: Some businesses may incur costs associated with using the WhatsApp Business API and other advanced features, often available to verified accounts. These costs can add up, depending on your usage.

Potential for Misuse: While the verification badge helps prevent impersonation, some users might assume that any verified account is trustworthy. This can make verified accounts a target for scammers, so businesses must be vigilant in maintaining security.

How to prepare for the WhatsApp Green Tick application process

If it sounds like something your business could benefit from, here’s the step-by-step application process for getting the green tick verification.

1. Get WhatsApp API access

Unfortunately, you can’t get the badge on the free business app. You need WhatsApp marketing software for that.

Sign up for the API and create your WhatsApp business account with a business solution provider (BSP) and you’ll be up and running on WhatsApp today.

2. Start sending WhatsApp campaigns 

Reaching over 1,000 people daily with business-initiated messages increases your chances of being granted the green badge. This shows that you’re active and serious about your WhatsApp efforts.

3. Enable two-factor authentication 

In your Meta Business settings, turn on two-factor authentication. You must complete this step.

4. Verify your Meta Business account

In order to qualify for an official WhatsApp green tick, you’ll need your Meta Business account verified too. This is done in the same place as 2FA.

Meta will then prompt you for the information needed.

5. Apply for the green tick through Meta

In your Meta Business Manager go to “Business Settings”, then “WhatsApp Accounts” and choose the one you’re applying for a green tick for. Click on “Settings” -> “Contact Support” -> “Ask a question” -> “WABiz: Request official business account status”. You’ll be asked to submit documents and information in support of your application. Make sure you have two-factor authentication enabled. 

6. Wait for approval

How long does WhatsApp take to make a decision about your green tick application? A few days. You’ll know it worked if the green badge appears automatically in your account. 

Businesses That Can’t Apply for Green Tick Verification

WhatsApp disallows specific business categories for WhatsApp API and, hence for WhatsApp Green Tick Verification. Businesses dealing in the following products/services cannot get approval for using WhatsApp Business APIs:

  • Drugs
  • Tobacco Items
  • Gambling Businesses
  • Alcohol Brands
  • Weapons & Ammunition Businesses
  • Live Animals
  • Adult Product/Services
  • Medical & Healthcare Products
  • Dating Services
  • Cryptocurrencies

You can refer to WhatsApp’s Commerce Policy for the complete list and updated details about the prohibited category of products and services.

4 tips that will boost your chances of getting a WhatsApp Green Tick Verification

Based on the experience of 360dialog’s customer support team, if you want to boost your chances and take the best possible approach to get an Official Business Account on WhatsApp, make sure to check these points off your list:

Create an official website and email address

Nobody wants to deal with a business that doesn’t even take the time to create official contact information. Having an email address and a website is one of the standards for professionalism today. 

Run Click-to-WhatsApp ad campaigns

WhatsApp marketing campaigns show both audiences and Meta that you are an advanced platform user. The wider the range of your WhatsApp marketing activities, the more reasons there are for your business to get a WhatsApp green badge.

Maintain a high-quality rating for your WhatsApp phone number

Scaling your WhatsApp API account gives you a bigger claim when appealing for an OBA. So, if you want the best shot at getting verified on WhatsApp, you need to make sure that your messaging volume and quality rating are impressive.

Raise your brand awareness

According to Meta, notability is one of the crucial factors for a business to get verified on WhatsApp. To become a notable entity, your business needs to establish a strong online presence. That means getting a lot of good publicity through PR campaigns on sites with high traffic.

Negotiate publishing press releases about your business on niche-relevant websites and popular news sites. During the application process, you will be able to reference up to five publications. Make sure that each of them counts.

Use WhatsApp links and QR codes to invite customers to follow your business on Facebook/Instagram and leave positive reviews about your business.

Benefits of a WhatsApp Green Tick Badge:

A green tick badge indicates that your brand is genuine, one-of-a-kind, and trustworthy.

Credibility and Trustworthiness: A verification badge adds a layer of credibility to a WhatsApp Business account. It signals to users that the account is authentic and officially verified by WhatsApp. This can help users trust the information and communication from the business.

Enhanced Visibility: Verified business accounts may appear more prominently in search results when users look for businesses on WhatsApp. Increased visibility can help businesses attract more customers and potential clients.

Direct Communication: Verified business accounts can use WhatsApp Business API, which allows them to send automated messages, notifications, and other helpful information to their customers. This can improve customer service and engagement.

Customization: WhatsApp Business accounts with verification badges can set up a business profile with essential information such as address, business hours, and a description. This allows customers to get a better understanding of the business.

WhatsApp Business Tools: Verified businesses can access WhatsApp Business tools and features designed to streamline customer communication. These tools include messaging templates, quick replies, labels for organising chats, and more.

Official Presence: The verification badge distinguishes the business as an official WhatsApp presence. It helps prevent impersonation and fraud by clarifying which accounts are legitimate businesses.

WhatsApp Business API: With verification, businesses may have access to the WhatsApp Business API, which enables integration with external systems and services, making it easier to manage customer interactions at scale.

Bulk SMS Explained How It Operates and Its Benefits for Your Business

Bulk SMS Explained: How It Operates and Its Benefits for Your Business

Bulk SMS means sending lots of text messages to many people at once.

To learn more about how bulk SMS works, its benefits, and how you can use it, keep reading this article. By the end, you’ll know everything you need about bulk SMS, even things you didn’t realize you wanted to know.

Plus, we’ve added easy steps to help you send your first bulk text message.

Let’s dive in!

What is Bulk SMS Service?

A Bulk SMS service is a tool that enables businesses and organizations to send large volumes of text messages to a wide audience simultaneously. This service is incredibly useful for reaching out to customers, clients, or members quickly and effectively.

Whether it’s for marketing campaigns, notifications, or customer support, Bulk SMS provides a fast and direct communication channel. Unlike individual text messaging, which can be time-consuming and costly when done at scale, Bulk SMS services offer a streamlined way to manage and send messages in bulk.

This is achieved through SMS gateways that act as intermediaries between the sender and the mobile networks. These gateways ensure that the messages are delivered to the intended recipients swiftly, regardless of their location.

Bulk SMS services come with several key features that enhance their functionality. They support mass messaging, allowing you to send thousands or even millions of SMS messages at once.

Automation tools are often included, enabling you to schedule messages or send them in response to specific triggers, such as a customer login or a special event. Personalization is also a significant advantage; even though you’re sending messages in bulk, you can tailor each one to include details like the recipient’s name or other personalized content.

Additionally, most services provide detailed analytics and reporting tools, helping you track delivery rates, open rates, and responses. This data is invaluable for assessing the effectiveness of your campaigns and making informed decisions.

The cost-efficiency of Bulk SMS is another notable benefit, as sending messages in bulk is generally cheaper than sending individual texts, offering substantial savings, especially when purchasing larger packages.

Types of Bulk SMS messages

Bulk SMS messages are more common in our daily lives than we might think. Here’s how they are used:

  1. Service Messages: These include OTPs (One-time Passwords) that you get when signing up on a website. They add extra security and verify that you’re a real person. Birthday messages also fall into this category.
  2. Promotional Messages: These texts promote products or services. Businesses use them to attract more customers.
  3. Transactional Messages: These are the texts you get from your bank when you make a deposit or withdrawal. Banks use them to keep you informed about your account activity.

All these types of messages involve sending many SMS texts to a specific group of people.

But how does it all work?

How does bulk SMS messaging work?

Bulk SMS messaging works because of a few key tools:

  • A mobile app
  • A desktop software program
  • An SMS API
  • A website

With any of these tools, you can send and receive bulk text messages. Here’s how it works:

  1. These tools connect to an SMS service provider’s gateway.
  2. The gateway then sends the messages to mobile phone numbers worldwide.

Think of the SMS gateway as a central hub connecting mobile networks and you, the sender.

No matter how you send bulk SMS messages, they must pass through an SMS provider’s gateway to reach their recipients.

Use Cases & Industries of Bulk SMS Service

Bulk SMS services are versatile tools that can be applied across various industries for numerous purposes. Whether it’s keeping customers informed, boosting sales, or streamlining internal communication, Bulk SMS provides a quick and reliable way to reach large audiences. Here are some common use cases:

  • Marketing Campaigns: Promote products, services, or events to a wide audience with targeted SMS campaigns.
  • Customer Support: Send notifications, alerts, and support messages to keep customers updated and engaged.
  • Appointment Reminders: Remind clients or patients about upcoming appointments, reducing no-show rates.
  • Internal Communications: Facilitate quick and effective communication among employees in large organizations.
  • Surveys and Feedback: Collect customer feedback or conduct surveys to gain insights into customer satisfaction.

Many industries benefit from the robust capabilities of Bulk SMS services. These include:

  • Retail: Engage customers with promotional offers, sale alerts, and new product announcements.
  • Healthcare: Remind patients of appointments, send health tips, and manage patient follow-ups.
  • Finance: Notify customers about transactions, fraud alerts, and account updates.
  • Education: Communicate with students and parents about important announcements, schedule changes, and events.
  • Logistics: Provide delivery updates, tracking information, and notifications to enhance customer service.
  • Each industry leverages Bulk SMS to improve communication, streamline operations, and enhance customer engagement, demonstrating its wide-ranging applications and effectiveness.

Key Features & Functionality

Bulk SMS services are packed with powerful features designed to make mass communication simple and effective. These key functionalities allow businesses to efficiently manage and send large volumes of messages, ensuring that their communication is timely, targeted, and engaging. Here’s a look at some of the standout features:

  • Mass Messaging: The core function of Bulk SMS services is the ability to send thousands or even millions of text messages simultaneously. This capability is crucial for reaching a broad audience quickly and efficiently, whether for marketing, notifications, or urgent alerts.

  • Automation and Scheduling: Save time and effort with automation tools that let you schedule messages in advance or send them automatically based on specific triggers. For instance, send out a welcome SMS when a customer signs up or an alert when an account transaction occurs.

  • Personalization: Despite sending messages in bulk, you can customize each one to include personal details like the recipient’s name or tailored content relevant to their interests or behaviors. This enhances the impact of your messages and makes your communication feel more personal and engaging.

  • Analytics and Reporting: Track the performance of your SMS campaigns with detailed analytics and reporting tools. You can monitor delivery rates, open rates, click-through rates, and responses, providing valuable insights to optimize your communication strategies.

  • Easy Integration: Most Bulk SMS services offer easy integration with your existing systems, such as CRM, websites, or apps, through APIs (Application Programming Interfaces). This ensures seamless message delivery directly from your platform.

  • Two-Way Messaging: Engage in interactive communication by enabling recipients to reply to your messages. This is particularly useful for customer support, surveys, and feedback collection.

  • Opt-Out Management: Maintain compliance and respect user preferences by providing easy options for recipients to opt-out of receiving future messages. This feature is essential for managing customer relationships and ensuring that your communications are welcome.

These features collectively make Bulk SMS a robust solution for businesses looking to enhance their communication strategies. From streamlined message delivery to insightful analytics, Bulk SMS services provide the tools needed to connect with audiences effectively and efficiently.

How to send different types of bulk SMS

Service and Transactional Bulk SMS messages are usually sent using an API (Application Programming Interface). These messages are triggered automatically whenever a customer interacts with an app, website, or bank account. To set this up, you need a developer and a platform (like a website or app) to integrate with an SMS service provider.

On the other hand, Promotional SMS messages are easier to send. You can do this directly from an SMS service provider’s website without needing your own website, app, or a developer.

To send promotional bulk SMS messages, you need:

  • A list of your recipients’ phone numbers
  • A bulk SMS service provider
  • SMS credits (units)

With these three things, you’re almost ready to start your first bulk SMS campaign. But why do businesses still rely on text messages when there are so many modern ways to communicate with customers?

Benefits of Bulk SMS

Using SMS for marketing and customer support has many benefits. Here are a few key advantages:

1. Reaches a Wider Audience

While only 2.71 billion people use smartphones, 5.11 billion people have mobile phones. Since any mobile phone can receive SMS, you can reach nearly everyone, doubling your potential audience compared to email, which requires a smartphone.

2. High Open Rate

Text messages have an impressive open rate of over 98%, while a 30% open rate for emails is considered excellent. People tend to open and read SMS messages quickly due to their short and straightforward nature.

3. Better Targeting Options

With bulk SMS, you can either reach all your contacts or target specific groups. This flexibility makes it easier to personalize your messages, increasing the chances of a successful campaign. Targeted messages are more appealing and often get better responses.

4. Higher Response Rates

SMS gets over 200% more responses compared to other communication methods. This is because SMS is easier to read and reply to than emails, requiring less effort and technical skill. This simplicity helps businesses grow by engaging more customers effectively.

5. Short and Direct

SMS messages are brief and to the point, usually limited to 160 characters. This allows you to convey powerful messages quickly, unlike emails which can be long and detailed.

6. Cost-Effective

Sending bulk SMS is cheaper than many other marketing methods. Considering its high return on investment (ROI), it’s both sustainable and cost-effective.

In summary, the advantages of bulk SMS are numerous. Now that you understand what bulk text messaging is and why it’s effective, you might be wondering what your next step should be.

How to choose right Bulk SMS Service Provider

Choosing the right Bulk SMS service provider is essential for ensuring that your messaging campaigns are effective, reliable, and scalable. With numerous providers in the market, it can be challenging to find the best fit for your needs. Here are some key factors to consider when making your choice:

  1. Reliability and Delivery Rates
    Look for a provider with a proven track record of high delivery rates and reliable service. You want to ensure that your messages reach your recipients promptly and consistently. Check customer reviews and case studies to gauge their reliability.

  2. Ease of Use and Integration
    The provider’s platform should be user-friendly and easy to navigate. If you need to integrate the service with your existing systems (like CRM, websites, or apps), verify that the provider offers robust APIs and straightforward integration processes.

  3. Scalability and Flexibility
    Choose a provider that can scale with your business. Whether you’re sending hundreds or millions of messages, the service should accommodate your growing needs without compromising performance. Also, check if they offer flexible pricing plans that match your budget and usage requirements.

  4. Support and Customer Service
    Reliable customer support is crucial, especially when issues arise. Look for a provider that offers 24/7 support with multiple channels of communication, such as live chat, phone, and email. Good customer service can make a significant difference in managing your campaigns smoothly.

  5. Compliance and Security
    Ensure that the provider complies with relevant regulations and industry standards, such as GDPR or TCPA. They should also offer features like opt-out management and data encryption to protect your recipients’ privacy and your business data.

  6. Pricing and Cost-Effectiveness
    Compare pricing models and ensure that there are no hidden fees. Some providers charge based on the number of messages sent, while others offer bulk packages or monthly subscriptions. Choose a provider that offers transparent and competitive pricing aligned with your budget.

  7. Advanced Features
    Evaluate the additional features offered by the provider, such as message scheduling, personalization options, analytics and reporting, and two-way messaging capabilities. These can add significant value to your campaigns and improve engagement with your audience.

  8. User Reviews and Recommendations
    Research user reviews and seek recommendations from other businesses or industry professionals. Real-world feedback can provide insights into the provider’s strengths and weaknesses, helping you make an informed decision.

By carefully considering these factors, you can select a Bulk SMS service provider that best meets your business requirements and ensures successful and efficient communication with your audience.