Interactive WhatsApp Messages: What Are They & How to Use Them in 2024

Things can get chaotic if your business is growing and you have many customer inquiries. You want to attend to your customers’ questions and requests quickly to accelerate sales. At the same time, you don’t have enough time to interact with every customer separately. What should you do? Well, you can try using interactive WhatsApp messages. They apply to many types of businesses, can increase your sales, save you a lot of time, and give your customers a great experience.

What Are Interactive WhatsApp Messages? #

Interactive WhatsApp messages are messages with buttons that customers can interact with. Depending on what type of buttons they have, customers can answer a question by clicking one of the quick reply buttons, visit a website, or call a phone number by clicking a Call-to-Action button, provide information by filling out a form-based WhatsApp flow, and more.

There are 2 types of WhatsApp Interactive Messages:

1. Interactive Messages
2. Interactive Message Templates

Let’s discuss both types of messages in detail:

Interactive WhatsApp Messages: Service Conversations #

WhatsApp interactive messages in service conversations are messages that include elements like buttons or lists, allowing users to interact directly within the chat. These messages improve the customer experience by making it easier for users to perform actions such as selecting options, responding to queries, or navigating through menus. Interactive messages can be used in scenarios such as:

• Product Information:
  • Single-product messages for key features.
  • Multi-product messages for showcasing product ranges.
• Customer Support:
  • List messages for common issues (e.g., order status, technical support).
  • Reply button messages for quick FAQ responses.
• Order Updates:
  • List messages for tracking orders and requesting support.
  • Single/multi-product messages are used to confirm product details and upsell.
• Appointment Reminders:
  • Reply button messages to confirm, reschedule, or cancel appointments.
• Feedback & Surveys:
  • List messages for multiple-choice questions.
  • Reply button messages for quick response options.
• Account Management:
  • List messages for updating information, changing passwords, or accessing settings.

Types of Interactive Messages for Service Conversations #

There are six types of WhatsApp interactive messages for service conversations. These include:

1. Reply button messages #

These messages feature up to 3 options, each represented by a button. This format allows users to quickly make selections from a menu, offering the same user experience as interactive templates with buttons.

2. List messages #

These messages include a menu with up to 10 options, providing a straightforward and consistent way for users to make selections when interacting with a business.

3. Single-product messages #

These messages showcase a single product from the business’s inventory. They make it easy for businesses to highlight key features and benefits of a specific item, providing customers with detailed information and a clear call to action. Single-product messages can include images, descriptions, prices, and a direct link to purchase or learn more about the product.

4. Multi-product messages #

These messages can display up to 30 items from the business’s inventory. They are designed to provide customers with a broader selection of products in a single message, making it convenient for them to browse multiple options without leaving the chat.

Multi-product messages can include images, descriptions, and prices for each item, along with interactive elements like buttons or links to view more details or make a purchase.

5. Location request messages #

These messages ask users to share their location. They are particularly useful for businesses that need precise location information to provide services, such as delivery companies, ride-sharing services, or businesses with physical locations offering in-person services.

6. Flows messages #

These messages are used for structured interactions. They guide users through a predefined sequence of steps or questions, making it easier to collect information, complete tasks, or navigate complex processes.

Interactive WhatsApp Template Messages: Business Conversation Starters #

When you as a business want to start a conversation with customers out of the 24-hour customer service window, you must use WhatsApp message templates. If you need your customers to reply to a question or take a certain action, text-based and media-based messages may not be enough. In such situations, interactive message templates might be a better option.‍

WhatsApp interactive template messages are pre-approved messages that businesses use to start conversations with their customers. These templates can include elements like quick reply buttons or Call-to-Action buttons that customers can interact with directly within the chat.

Like WhatsApp message templates, interactive templates can contain placeholders and variables that allow you to personalize them. Here’s an example of a message template that a business sends to a customer named Mohamed:

“Hello {{1}}, Your order {{2}} is expected to arrive on {{3}}.”

And here’s how Mohamed sees the same message:

“Mohamed, Your order #2301 is expected to arrive on June 5th.”

If you send this template to a hundred customers from your contact list, all of them will see their name, their personal order number, and the specific date on which their product will arrive at their address.

Here are some most common use cases for Interactive WhatsApp message templates:

• Notifications
  • Order confirmations
  • Shipping alerts
  • Delivery notifications
• Reminders
  • Appointments
  • Reservations
  • Scheduled events.
• Promotional campaigns
  • New products
  • Discounts
  • Special offers
• Surveys and Feedback
  • Collect customer input
• Account Updates
  • Password changes
  • Security alerts.
• Service Alerts
  • Service interruptions
  • Maintenance schedules

Types of Interactive Message Templates #

WhatsApp offers two types of interactive message templates. Each template type serves a specific purpose, making it easier to communicate and interact with users. Here are the key types of interactive message templates and their uses:

1. Call-to-action message templates #

These buttons let your customers call a number or visit a website. Call-to-action (CTA) message templates are designed to prompt users to take immediate action, making it simple for them to connect with your business directly.

2. Quick reply message templates #

These templates, similar to interactive messages with reply buttons allow customers to reply to your message by clicking one of the offered answers. The difference is that quick reply message templates can be personalized by adding variables and placeholders to the message.

Why Use WhatsApp Interactive Messages #

Interactive messages benefit businesses and customers in various ways. Let’s discuss the three key benefits of using WhatsApp interactive messages:

1. Higher customer response rate #

With interactive message templates, you make it easy for your customers to reply to a question or take a certain action. Rather than typing, all they need to do is to click on their desired answer. This ease gives them more incentive to respond.

2. Better customer experience #

Interactive messages simplify how customers interact with your business. They can easily find what they are looking for, whether it is a product or a service, a payment method, or an answer to their question from an FAQ menu. They give the recipients a smoother experience than text-based messages. In fact, WhatsApp reported that compared to text-based lists, people had higher comprehension levels while interacting with interactive list messages.

3. Higher conversion rate #

With WhatsApp’s interactive messages, like single and multi-product messages, you bring your products and services to the tip of your customers’ fingers. In other words, it becomes easier for them to view your products, ask you questions in the chat and buy. As a result, customers have a higher incentive to make a purchase. In a study, WhatsApp found that:

“During testing, chatbots using interactive messaging features achieved significantly higher response rates and conversions compared to those that are text-based.”

How to set up WhatsApp Interactive Message Templates on Rasayel #

Creating and submitting WhatsApp interactive message templates on Rasayel is a straightforward process. With just a few clicks, you can draft your message, add interactive elements like buttons, and customize the content to suit your needs.

Rasayel’s intuitive interface makes it easy to navigate and set up templates without any hassle. Additionally, Rasayel uses AI to speed up the process further by automatically checking for spelling errors, ensuring compliance with WhatsApp guidelines, and categorizing your template appropriately.

Once you review the AI-suggested refinements, you can submit your template for approval, making the entire experience seamless and user-friendly.

Conclusion #

Interactive WhatsApp messages simplify communication, making it easy for users to interact with your business. Using WhatsApp messages with buttons can lead to higher conversion rates as they make it easier for customers to explore and purchase your products.

If you want to integrate WhatsApp interactive messages into your current system, Rasayel offers an easy setup process. With AI-assisted refinements and a user-friendly interface, creating and submitting templates is straightforward.

About the author

Esraa Osama

Esraa has four years of experience in digital marketing. She loves to tell stories about people and products, and making customer experiences better through her stories.

@Esraa Osama on LinkedIn