Notifications are an essential part of any ecommerce business. They allow you to keep your customers informed about important updates regarding their orders, products, or account. With notifications, you can increase customer engagement, provide better support, and boost sales. WooCommerce is one of the most popular ecommerce platforms. It powers over 30% of all online stores. WooCommerce offers several options to set up notifications including via email and the WordPress admin. However, SMS and WhatsApp notifications take customer communication to the next level with some unique advantages. In this comprehensive guide, we will look at what are SMS and WhatsApp notifications, why you should use them, the top plugins to add these notifications to your WooCommerce store, and some best practices to implement them effectively.
What are SMS & WhatsApp Notifications?
SMS stands for Short Message Service. It allows sending short text messages to mobile phones. WhatsApp is an instant messaging app that uses the internet to send messages, images, videos and files.
Here are the main differences between SMS and WhatsApp:
| SMS | |
|---|---|
| Uses cellular network to send messages | Uses internet data to send messages |
| Limited to 160 characters per message | Supports longer messages up to 4096 characters |
| Only text messages supported | Allows sending media like images, audio, videos |
| Lower delivery rate | Higher delivery rate as uses internet |
| Higher cost per message | Lower cost as uses data plan |
For ecommerce stores, SMS and WhatsApp notifications typically involve sending order updates, shipping alerts, payment confirmations, account verification codes, promotional offers, and more.
Compared to email, SMS and WhatsApp provide a more real-time channel to reach customers. The open and response rates are significantly higher for messaging over email.
Why Use SMS & WhatsApp Notifications for WooCommerce Stores?
Here are some of the top reasons to use SMS and WhatsApp notifications for your WooCommerce store:
Higher Open Rates
Email open rates in ecommerce hover around 20-25% on average. However, 98% of SMS and WhatsApp messages are opened within 3 minutes of delivery. So you can be assured that important order and account notifications reach your customers in real-time.
Improved Delivery Rates
Emails often end up in spam or promotions folders resulting in low inbox placement and delivery failures. With SMS and WhatsApp, delivery rates are 90%+ as they use direct mobile channels.
Quick Response Times
SMS and WhatsApp messages get much faster responses compared to emails. As per statistics, 95% of SMS are read within 3 minutes and 90% are responded to within 90 seconds! For time-sensitive notifications, messaging is the way to go.
Works Offline Also
Messaging works even when customers do not have an active internet connection. So important order alerts can reach your customers even if they are offline. Emails fail to deliver in such cases.
Better Support & Engagement
With messaging apps like WhatsApp, customers can easily get in touch with your support team for quick resolutions. It provides a more personal channel than emails for better engagement.
LSuitable for All Ages
While older people may prefer emails more, millennials and younger generations actively use SMS and messaging apps. So you can reach all your customers effectively.
Stand Out from Competitors
If you adopt messaging channels for notifications before your competitors, it can give your store an edge. Customers often prefer brands that provide timely updates over different channels.
Boost Sales
SMS and WhatsApp notifications also help boost sales by retargeting abandoned carts, promoting offers, facilitating easy reordering, and more. Order messages provide visibility that improves trust and brand perception.
Top Plugins to Add SMS & WhatsApp Notifications in WooCommerce
Now that you know the importance of SMS and WhatsApp notifications, let’s look at the top plugins to add them to your WooCommerce store.
1. YO!Kart WhatsApp & SMS Notification
YO!Kart integration is one of the most popular ways to add SMS and WhatsApp messaging to your WooCommerce store. Some major benefits include:
- Send order, shipping, and payment notifications via SMS and WhatsApp.
- Contact customers directly from your store dashboard.
- Create customer groups for targeted promotions.
- Track notifications and customer messages.
- Supports follow-up messages based on customer actions.
- Fully compliant with WhatsApp Business API.
YO!Kart makes it easy to sync your store data and start sending notifications with minimal setup. It also provides excellent scalability for high-volume stores.
2. Wishtack SMS & WhatsApp Integration
Wishtack is another popular plugin that integrates SMS and WhatsApp messaging into WooCommerce. Key features include:
- Send order status, shipping, and other notifications.
- Contact customers directly via 2-way messaging.
- Create customer groups and build marketing lists.
- Schedule promotional messages.
- Follow up with abandoned carts via SMS and WhatsApp.
- Track notifications and messages within WordPress.
Wishtack also provides other marketing tools like surveys, web push notifications and email marketing along with SMS and WhatsApp.
3. Twilio SMS Notifications for WooCommerce
Twilio provides a programmable messaging platform to add SMS capabilities to your applications. With the Twilio SMS notifications plugin, you can:
- Send WooCommerce order status updates via SMS.
- Customize SMS templates from the plugin settings.
- Configure phone numbers to enable 2-way messaging.
- Seamlessly integrate using Twilio API credentials.
- Track all incoming and outgoing messages.
While Twilio specializes in SMS messaging, WhatsApp integration is also available. Overall, it provides a robust messaging platform tailored to developers.
4. MagePeople SMS Notifications
MagePeople SMS notifications plugin allows sending transactional and promotional texts to your customers. Here are some key highlights:
- Send automatic SMS for new orders, shipments, changes, etc.
- Create promotional campaigns and mass text customers.
- Schedule SMS blasts for upcoming sales and offers.
- Customize sender name and message templates.
- Supports merging customer data like name, order info, etc.
- Easy configuration for SMS gateways.
MagePeople integrates SMS into your daily workflows for order management and marketing engagement.
5. SMS Alert Order Notifications for WooCommerce
This SMS notifications plugin from WebCoolTools has the following features:
- Send SMS alerts for new orders, order status changes, etc.
- Receive order updates over SMS on your personal mobile.
- Fully customizable Sender ID and message templates.
- Compatible with 100+ regional and global SMS gateways.
- Supports sending to multiple customer phone numbers.
- Easy to install and configure plugin.
It provides a quick way to setup SMS notifications for all essential order updates and events.
Best Practices for SMS & WhatsApp Notifications
Here are some top tips to implement SMS and WhatsApp messaging effectively:
Get Customer Consent
Always get opt-in consent from customers before sending promotional SMS and WhatsApp messages. Make it a checkbox at checkout or on the account page.
Send Relevant Alerts
Only send notifications that provide value to customers. Order confirmations, shipping notices, and delivery updates are most useful.
Personalize the Messages
Use merge tags to include customer name, order details, store info, etc. Personalized messages get higher engagement.
Keep it Short & Precise
SMS has size limits. WhatsApp also supports shorter messages better. Keep notifications crisp and to the point.
Provide Options to Opt Out
Have clear opt-out instructions in the message footer so customers can unsubscribe if they want.
Check Delivery Reports
Use delivery receipts or webhook data to confirm each notification reaches your customer’s phone.
Follow Legal Regulations
Adhere to telecom regulations in your country regarding promotional SMS and WhatsApp usage. Stay TCPA compliant.
Integrate with Marketing Automation
Combine notifications with your email marketing workflows for powerful omnichannel campaigns.
Conclusion
SMS and WhatsApp notifications are a must-have for any ecommerce business today. They provide additional channels to communicate order updates, run promotions, provide support, and drive engagement with customers. Plugins like YO!Kart, Wishtack, Twilio, MagePeople, and SMS Alert Order Notifications make it easy to integrate messaging with your WooCommerce store. Sending timely alerts with personalization, keeping it legal, and tracking performance are some best practices to follow. With the open rates nearing 100% for SMS and WhatsApp, these notifications can drastically boost your sales and customer satisfaction metrics.