As of now, what functionality is missing to make WhatsApp a dynamic and attractive application? Emoji reactions? Nice look! That could change in a few months…
the first test is deployed
Not being able to quickly post a response to a message on WhatsApp means sending an emoji as a separate reply or writing an often pointless reply. And it’s not very practical or attractive…
Present on Facebook Messenger, Twitter or Viber, this feature may be minimal, but it can greatly affect engagement rates. Remember that using WhatsApp in your marketing strategy is very relevant.
But that may change in a few months as the app tests functionality in some users.
This first test has been deployed 7 months after its announcement. In August 2021, she actually announced that she was working on emoji that you can put on a message to express emotion.
Initially, WhatsApp was working on a message when the user is using an older version of the app, which does not support receiving feedback. In this case, the user cannot see the response, but is presented with a different message, asking to update the app to see the response:
Now WhatsApp is rolling out the feature to some beta testers on the beta version WhatsApp 2.22.8.3 for Android!
By long-pressing the received message, the feature allows users to respond with one of six emoji: thumbs up, heart, crying, laughing, startled face, or folded hands (usually “thank you”).
On Facebook, these 6 emoji help to better understand what users feel and why they feel it.
We constantly use emoji to express ourselves and translate our feelings into digital format. Reactions are how Facebook and other social networks help facilitate this emotional conversation online.
According to research by the Facebook team, emotional experiences account for half of customers’ loyalty to a brand, while psychological loyalty accounts for nearly a third.
The power of emoji reactions in digital marketing
With the right strategy, you can use them to increase the power of your content marketing campaign. Taking advantage of emoji reactions can actually have several benefits:
- greater visibility;
- a high commitment;
- Real-time measurement of your target’s response;
- Incredible business impact in understanding customer sentiment.
With these goals in mind, consider implementing specific strategies to incorporate responses into your content marketing campaign.
For example on Facebook:
- Try to Get a Specific Facebook Response Instead of “Like”
- Use a contest or survey to encourage the use of feedback.
- Take advantage of feedback in the form of objective feedback.
Soon on iOS and Desktop?
With its presence on Android, there are indications that emoji reactions are also being rolled out for WhatsApp’s iOS and desktop apps. Since early January, WhatsApp’s beta app on iOS has settings to control “reaction notifications”. Additionally, a similar setting appeared in the desktop app beta earlier this month.
It seems that only a small group of users benefit from this option at the moment. However, everyone should be able to see the reactions soon.
In the end, it’s in your best interest to adapt to the new feature as quickly and creatively as possible.
If you can’t respond to messages, don’t worry: future updates will definitely help you get the feature!
Source: Wabeta Info