WhatsApp Search

WhatsApp releases search for businesses feature

WhatsApp Search

WhatsApp releases search for businesses feature

CEO of Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, has revealed a new update headed for messaging platform WhatsApp, which will allow for better visibility of businesses.

Engaging with businesses via instant messaging has seen a rise in recent years, with many websites now having live chat functionality, and businesses making use of paid ads that take users to a messaging platform – commonly Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, both owned by Meta.

Now, businesses are set to become even more visible on WhatsApp. This was revealed last week at the inaugural WhatsApp Business Summit, which took place in Brazil. At the summit, Zuckerberg announced that users will be able to directly search for companies, either by their name or category, within WhatsApp itself.

WhatsApp Mock up
WhatsApp search function mock-up

As revealed in the above mock-up, people will be able to conduct these searches via a dedicated section accessed from the regular WhatsApp search box. The new section will feature a map that reveals businesses located nearby, along with filters for different business categories, and a list of verified businesses.

WhatsApp has explained in a statement that this new search capability has been built with privacy in mind, with any searches not linked back to an individual’s account.

What’s more, the UK is one of the initial countries set to experience this new update, alongside Mexico, Brazil and Indonesia. This is quite interesting, as the UK is rarely one of the first to experience an update from Meta, but in this instance, it could be due to the sheer popularity of the app on our shores.

This update shows that people are increasingly turning to apps to make searches, with TikTok being another such platform where people are beginning to use it as more of a search engine. This highlights the importance of having a presence online and ensuring your business is present on platforms your target audience is using.

If you need help with establishing your business presence on the web, we’d be happy to help here at Engage Web. Get in touch with us today to learn more.

Emily Jones

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