The Meta-owned messaging app, WhatsApp, has been on a roll lately. The steady introduction of new updates and upgrades is turning the app into something users can only wait to see.
Weeks after introducing new privacy, control, and protection measures, Whatsapp introduced another update: WhatsApp Communities. But that is not the only new thing the platform is engaging in these days.
Introducing Communities on WhatsApp
Communities on WhatsApp offer users the ability to bring related groups together under one umbrella. One advantage of Communities on WhatsApp is that the community admins can reach members with essential updates through announcements. Another is that community members stay connected in groups they are interested in, and form smaller discussion groups to discuss what matters to them.
A community can have up to 10 groups under it. Communities also give group admins more power; they can remove messages they deem ‘errant or problematic’. This will be seen as a huge win for many admins on the messaging app.
This update, which, according to the announcement, is presently available in limited countries, allows only community admins to broadcast information and other relevant messages to all community members in the announcement group.
The announcement group can have up to 5000 participants, but not all members of a community must be part of the announcement group. Users can leave the announcement group and still be a member of the community.
While many think updates like these will clog the app, others think it will be amazing for organizations, with a user saying, “This will really help my work.” WhatsApp is definitely becoming more than just a private messaging app, and users keep finding ways to make the most of each update.
The recent announcement by the CEO of Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, shows that the app is still evolving.
Partnering with JioMart in India
In a Facebook post, Mark shared the platform’s excitement about the launch of their partnership with JioMart in India. Revealing this update to be the first end-to-end shopping experience on WhatsApp, he said “people can now buy groceries from JioMart right in a chat.”
Zuckerberg also opined that “chat-based experiences like this will be the go-to way people and businesses communicate in the years to come.” This observation serves true for many businesses in Nigeria that communicate with their customers via WhatsApp.
Business messaging is one area the 2009-released messaging app is benefitting users. This is especially true in a country like Nigeria where the economic situation forces many people to get a side hustle. WhatsApp serves as a cheaper and quicker option to kick off and sustain young businesses.
To complement Communities on WhatsApp, there will also be the rolling out of features like larger voice calls and admin controls in group chats.
