In today’s digital-first world, WhatsApp Marketing has emerged as a powerhouse channel for brands looking to reach customers where they already are. With open rates reported as high as 98 % for WhatsApp messages, the case for leveraging WhatsApp is compelling.
But not every campaign succeeds. In this article, we’ll dive into five industry-specific campaign experiments, spanning e-commerce, financial services, automotive, travel/hospitality, and education, and analyse what worked, what didn’t, and why. We’ll also show how the right WhatsApp automation platform (like Interakt) can make all the difference.
1. E-commerce (Retail/D2C)
Campaign experiment
In the e-commerce world, brands have used WhatsApp broadcast campaigns, abandoned-cart reminders, one-click shopping links and rich-media product catalogues. For example, Paushtikk Switch’s case study shows remarkable ROI for personalised WhatsApp notifications.
What worked
- High personalisation: segmented lists, dynamic fields (e.g., “Hi {firstname}”) and product recommendations drive relevance.
- Utilising rich media (images, short videos, carousels) makes the experience more immersive, which boosts engagement.
- Integrating WhatsApp with checkout (conversational commerce) means you meet customers right at the BOFU stage. As one trend piece notes, WhatsApp integrated with shopping is on the rise.
- Using a marketing-automation system (such as Interakt) to trigger flows: e.g., abandoned-cart → WhatsApp message → live agent chat if needed.
What didn’t
- Over-messaging: WhatsApp campaigns should always be low-frequency but high-relevance; sending too many promos can annoy users.
- Poor segmentation: sending generic offers to all instead of segmented, tailored messages diluted the impact.
- Failing to integrate with CRM/checkout prevented smooth user journeys — creating friction at MOFU/BOFU.
Why
WhatsApp is inherently personal: a user expects meaningful messages, not spam. The brands that treat this channel like a one-to-one conversation rather than another broadcast saw stronger results. Also, funnel-aware design matters: the top (TOFU) might be “discover our brand via WhatsApp”, MOFU “browse products via WhatsApp catalogue”, and BOFU “checkout via WhatsApp link”.
2. Financial Services / Banking
Campaign experiment
Banks and fintechs have used WhatsApp Business API for customer onboarding, sending personalised notices, reminders for renewals, and for engagement campaigns. Reports show some banks achieved conversion uplifts of more than 30 %.
What worked
- Secure, direct messaging: customers trust WhatsApp for important notifications (e.g., “Your loan rate has dropped”). This leverages the trust element.
- Conversational flows with buttons: e.g., “Yes, show me the new rate” → quick lead form → advisor chat.
- Multi-stage campaigns: e.g., TOFU “Did you know you can get a personalised rate via WhatsApp?”, MOFU “Let’s pre-qualify you”, BOFU “Submit your application here”.
What didn’t
- Using generic broadcast messages (e.g., “We have a new product”) without segmenting by product-fit resulted in low engagement.
- Not accounting for compliance / templating rules: WhatsApp’s template messaging rules vary by region and message type. Ignoring these can cause rejection.
- No integration with back-end: if chat leads aren’t linked to CRM, you risk losing momentum.
Why
Financial services require trust and relevance. WhatsApp’s strength lies in being both direct and intimate; when used well, this creates high impact. But misuse (too generic, non-integrated) breaks the experience.
3. Automotive / Mobility
Campaign experiment
In the automotive sector, companies used WhatsApp for lead generation (e.g., booking test drives), real-time chat with sales consultants, reminders for servicing and personalised follow-ups. For example, one brand achieved ~63 % lead-to-conversion rate via WhatsApp talk-to agent flows.
What worked
- Using “Click to WhatsApp” ads (on social media) that push users into a WhatsApp chat with a sales rep — moving swiftly from TOFU to MOFU.
- Real-time responses: a potential buyer who chats instantly is more likely to convert.
- Linking product demos/videos within WhatsApp chat: using rich media to engage.
- Post-purchase service reminders (BOFU retention): reminding users of maintenance, accessories offers, and loyalty programs.
What didn’t
- Failing to track chat leads: if chat happens but no follow-up, you lose warm leads.
- Not clarifying next steps — users may chat, but if the salesperson doesn’t follow up quickly, the opportunity cools.
Why
Automotive purchases are high-consideration; the chat channel helps personalise and accelerate the journey. WhatsApp bridges the anonymity of digital ads with the immediacy of a sales rep.
4. Travel / Hospitality
Campaign experiment
Travel/hospitality brands have used WhatsApp to send booking confirmations, personalised trip suggestions, dynamic chat-bots for concierge, and re-engagement offers (“We miss you, come back”). Some campaigns in this sector delivered noticeable growth in bookings via WhatsApp flows.
What worked
- Rich storytelling: sharing destination videos and photo carousels via chat makes the experience immersive.
- Automated chatbots pre-trip (MOFU) to upsell excursions/add-ons; during stay (BOFU) to answer queries; post-trip (retention) to solicit reviews/offers.
- Seamless integration with the bookings system: chat flows trigger only after booking, and link to loyalty programs.
What didn’t
- Over-send generic “Special offer to book now” messages without context or past-traveller segmentation.
- Not optimised for mobile chat UX: long PDF attachments or links that lead out of WhatsApp caused drop-off.
Why
Travel brands operate with higher emotion stakes, and WhatsApp allows more personalised, immediate communication, enhancing the experience. But the channel only works if it feels tailored and timely, not a generic push.
5. Education / EdTech
Campaign experiment
In the education space (e.g., online courses, coaching institutes), WhatsApp campaigns have been used for lead nurturing (webinar invites, course info), MOFU demo sessions, and BOFU enrollment follow-ups. Example case study – Gyanberry, shows 50% Improvement in Engagement when WhatsApp flows were used instead of email alone.
What worked
- TOFU: “Join our free WhatsApp masterclass” invite – low commitment, broad appeal.
- MOFU: Personalized follow-up chat after sign-up, answering queries in real-time, sharing sample lectures/links.
- BOFU: Limited-seat reminders, WhatsApp-only discounts, or priority chat with an admissions advisor.
- Retention: After enrollment, WhatsApp is used for ongoing support, community chat groups, and updates (increasing lifetime value).
What didn’t
- Treating WhatsApp as just another broadcast list (instead of interactive chat) — users expect two-way communication.
- Ignoring local time zones or preferred languages, messages arriving at odd hours lowered engagement.
Why
Education buyers often hesitate; the chat channel reduces friction by giving immediate responses, which accelerates decisions. Plus, using WhatsApp post-enrollment increases engagement and improves retention.
Cross-industry key takeaways
Here are some universal lessons:
- Segment and personalise: Across industries, one size doesn’t fit all. Tailored messages deliver more.
- Respect the channel: WhatsApp is more intimate than email – frequency should be moderate, content must feel conversational.
- Integrate across the funnel: From TOFU to BOFU, each stage must be designed. E.g., TOFU awareness, MOFU consideration, BOFU conversion.
- Rich media + conversational UI: Using images, short videos, chat buttons, catalogs — not just text — improves engagement.
- Use automation + analytics: Employ tools like Interakt to trigger flows, capture leads, integrate with CRM/checkout and measure performance.
- Compliance & opt-in matter: Especially in regulated sectors (e.g., finance), follow local rules and WhatsApp template guidelines.
- Measure ROI: WhatsApp often has high open/click rates, but you still need to tie chat leads to actual conversions to evaluate success.
Why choose Interakt for your WhatsApp campaign strategy
At Interakt, our mission is to empower brands with a unified WhatsApp Marketing platform — from message automation and broadcast flows, to CRM integration, analytics and rich media campaigns. Whether you’re planning awareness-driving TOFU campaigns, MOFU nurture flows, or BOFU sales acceleration, Interakt supports each stage. With pre-built templates, integration with checkout/payment gateways, multi-agent chat support and campaign tracking, you can scale your WhatsApp business messaging with confidence. In short: the right tool makes the difference between a good WhatsApp campaign and a great one.
WhatsApp marketing is no longer a “nice to have” — across industries, it’s now a key channel for engagement, conversion, and retention. But only those brands that treat it as a strategic, funnel-aware, integrated channel succeed. From e-commerce to education, the brands that went beyond one-off broadcasts to build conversational, rich-media, automated flows saw the most impact.
If you’re ready to harness WhatsApp for your business, explore how Interakt can help you design, execute, and optimize your WhatsApp campaigns — start your free trial today.
