Meta, on Thursday, announced several new features and initiatives for small business owners using WhatsApp Business app. Available for a fee, the new features will allow these small businesses to send personalised messages with call-to-action buttons and schedule when these messages are sent.
Ravi Garg, country head for WhatsApp Business, says that the Meta-powered platform is targeting small businesses in India’s smaller towns and is committed to educating non-tech-savvy entrepreneurs. To achieve this, WhatsApp will soon launch the ‘WhatsApp Bharat Yatra’, an initiative aimed at visiting tier-II and tier-III cities across India to provide hands-on, in-person training to small business owners.
“One of our key investments is in training and skill development. We have multiple initiatives planned, even for larger businesses,” said Garg on the sidelines of the WhatsApp Business Summit held in Mumbai.
Meta’s biggest challenge with the ‘Bharat Yatra’ will be encouraging small businesses to adopt advanced tools such as catalogues and API integrations. “More than just onboarding them, small businesses need to grasp the basics of digital marketing—everything from running ads to tracking performance. Without continuous support, a one-time training session won’t be enough,” said Ambika Sharma, founder and MD of Pulp Strategy.
Another potential hurdle is cybersecurity and data storage, especially in light of India’s first-ever dedicated data protection legislation, the Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) of 2023.
Yasin Hamidani, director of Media Care Brand Solutions, stated that the scale of this initiative will require substantial resources for both execution and monitoring. “While Meta’s vast infrastructure and experience in managing large-scale digital initiatives make this feasible, careful planning and execution will be needed to address local nuances and ensure thorough coverage,” Hamidani added.
