WhatsApp held its second annual Business Summit on Tuesday, September 16, where it showcased a host of tools and advanced features aimed at building deeper connections with customers and boosting performance for businesses of all sizes by leveraging WhatsApp Business.
Payments on WhatsApp Business App
A major highlight of the summit was the launch of in-app payments for small businesses using the WhatsApp Business app. According to the messaging app, small businesses can now share QR codes with one tap for faster and efficient sales, allowing customers to pay directly through WhatsApp using their preferred payment method.
In-app Calling + Business AI for scaled customer support
WhatsApp has also introduced a single-tap calling feature for larger businesses. This calling capability is particularly beneficial for times when people have a complex inquiry and need to speak to a customer support executive, the company said in a release.
Add Zee Business as a Preferred Source
This feature is available to all businesses on the WhatsApp Business Platform in India, and starting soon, WhatsApp will also make it possible to send and receive voice messages for additional support or make a video call, it added.
Centralized Campaigns in Ads Manager
Meta announced the integration of WhatsApp into its Ads Manager, allowing businesses to manage marketing campaigns across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp from one dashboard. This will allow businesses to use the same creative, setup flows, and budgets in one central place. Once onboarded, businesses can upload their subscriber list and either manually select marketing messages as an additional placement or use Advantage+, and Meta’s AI systems will then optimize budgets across placements to maximize performance.
WhatsApp also showcased how Maruti Suzuki is using ads in Status to drive discoverability of the brand and its products. Bhuvan Dheer, Executive Director, Marketing, MSIL said “We have been using WhatsApp extensively for driving business growth. Ads on WhatsApp Status will further help us drive discovery and sales of our products and services.”
In a bid to improve business discoverability, WhatsApp is expanding promotional tools through the Status and Updates tabs. Major brands such as Maruti Suzuki, Flipkart, and Air India are already using these features to engage audiences. Air India’s CMO, Sunil Suresh, said the integration aligns with their digital-first approach, enabling real-time customer interaction.
“WhatsApp’s new Ads in status offering aligns with Air India’s vision of digital-first transformation, where advertising is not just about visibility, but about fostering real-time connections and elevating customer journeys through intuitive, technology-led touchpoints. It has the potential to create seamless pathways for immediate customer engagement, bookings, and support. Allowing us to deliver tailored travel experiences directly within customers’ daily interactions,” said, Sunil Suresh, Chief Marketing Officer, Air India Limited.
Notably, small businesses can now use both the Business App and the API-based Business Platform simultaneously with the same number, offering greater flexibility.
