In addition to SMS and email, you can reach fans through WhatsApp Messaging in supported markets. Please note that WhatsApp marketing messages are not supported in the United States.
How Does WhatsApp Messaging Work?
The WhatsApp fan experience is similar to SMS, with one key difference: all interactions take place exclusively within the WhatsApp app.
Once WhatsApp is activated in Cobrand, you can add it as a sign-up option to any new or existing Drop pages. WhatsApp can be used alongside email and/or SMS, or as a standalone messaging channel.
What Are the Benefits Compared to SMS?
Key benefits of WhatsApp messaging include:
Messages are not subject to regional telecom regulations
Faster delivery, making it ideal for high-volume, time-sensitive events such as ticket pre-sales
Support for up to 1,000 characters per message, compared to 160 characters for SMS
As a result, even if WhatsApp messages cost more on a per-message basis in some countries, they can be more cost-effective over the course of a campaign
Ability to include image and video files at no additional charge
In many markets, WhatsApp is the preferred messaging platform for fans
What Are the Drawbacks?
Consider the following limitations when using WhatsApp:
WhatsApp marketing messages cannot be sent to users in the United States, and adoption varies by market
Longer set-up timeframe than SMS, as Meta must complete a verification process
Approval can be same-day or take up to two weeks
New WhatsApp accounts are subject to sending limits
These limits increase automatically over time, but you cannot send very large volumes (e.g., 100,000 messages) immediately
To learn more about managing these limits, see our best practices for scaling in WhatsApp Warm-Up Period.
Should I Use WhatsApp or SMS for My Campaigns?
We recommend offering WhatsApp in South America and EU/UK regions, where it is often the more popular messaging platform. In these markets, we typically see higher open rates, stronger engagement, and faster delivery at high volumes. Combined with embedded video and media, WhatsApp often provides a better overall fan experience.
Ultimately, the most important factor is reaching fans on the platform they prefer. If you are primarily targeting Canada, Australia, and the United States, we recommend skipping WhatsApp. If you are are running a global campaign, you can make both available, with email as a backup channel.