So we can expect more business-oriented functions in the near future. In June, the company integrated its shop function into WhatsApp. The chat app, unlike Facebook and Instagram, has no ads, so business interactions and transactions are one of the greatest ways for Facebook to make some moolah out of it. In Sao Paulo, Brazil, WhatsApp is testing a service to highlight i business contacts useful to users, in style Yellow Pages. So it makes sense to offer discovery services to local businesses so that you can shop in person and pay through the platform. WhatsApp already offers payment services in Brazil. While the WhatsApp Business app already existed, the app couldn’t really help you search for companies unless you had previously interacted with them. For those not in São Paulo to try it out, it looks like this: /cMu9DwlUYwįor years, Facebook and Instagram have been trying to connect you with companies and design your shop through their platforms.

We start in São Paulo, where millions of small businesses live. The Yellow Pages app is any phone book of businesses, organized by class instead of alphabetically by business name, and within which advertising is sold. If you live in Sao Paulo you can use WhatsApp Business to search for local businesses from the Nearby Businesses menu in the new chat option. ”He claims the company doesn’t log your location or the companies you’re looking for. The instant messaging application is currently testing a Yellow Pages business directory available only in one city, So Paulo, the economic capital of Brazil. A feature that allows users to find and contact local businesses. Additional image: HeikoAL / Pixabay.)įollow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart announced this feature, saying: we built this privately. WhatsApp launched, Wednesday, September 15, a new feature in the vein of the Yellow Pages. (Source: Will Cathcart / Twitter, Reuters. That may not bode well for some users out there, so let’s see what will transpire once the time comes. The Saba News business Directory is a free, online service of Saba News to the community. Meanwhile, Idema has also told Reuters that there is a possibility that WhatsApp could introduce in-app ads in the future, as ads are Facebook’s core business model. It even threatened to penalise those who didn’t accept the new policy although the company eventually decided not to proceed with the move and allows users to continue using WhatsApp even if they refused to agree to the policy. Earlier this year, the Facebook-owned company introduced a privacy policy change that would share user data with businesses. However, WhatsApp’s moves regarding how it courts businesses have been controversial as of late. Just last year, the platform added a shopping button and Carts, features that allowed users to browse and purchase items from a shop directly on the messaging app. This channel helps brands reach an enormous audience, build strong relationships with customers, and increase sales. WhatsApp started its push into business integration back in 2018 when it launched a standalone app for businesses. WhatsApp marketing is a type of messenger marketing, which implies promoting a brand through WhatsApp. Idema also hinted that the company could be looking at India and Indonesia as the next market to receive the feature. Matt Idema, Facebook’s Vice President of Business Messaging, said that the test would include thousands of local São Paulo businesses in categories including food, retail, and local services. For those concerned about privacy, Cathcart stresses that the feature does not log users’ locations or searches in the directory.

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