WhatsApp Official Chat Thread
Problem:
Historically, WhatsApp has had a “show don’t tell” philosophy for in-app communication. Because of this, users lean on third-party sources to learn about WhatsApp. Research shows that users want real-time communication in-app and for WhatsApp to be its own source of truth.
Goal:
Users: Guide their experience with WhatsApp, helping them understand important features
and updates.
Whatsapp: Increase app preference by educating users about existing and new features, and providing updates about the experience.
Whatsapp: Increase app preference by educating users about existing and new features, and providing updates about the experience.
A new communication channel from WhatsApp
Solution:
Develop meaningful in-product communication, with distinctive voice and content, that increases user sentiment and preference for WhatsApp over competitors.
Develop meaningful in-product communication, with distinctive voice and content, that increases user sentiment and preference for WhatsApp over competitors.
Designing for WhatsApp required working across multiple platforms; iOS, Android, and web (not pictured)
Working with the marketing and brand teams, a campaign calendar was established to communicate product updates and critical information to users. Campaigns run periodically to inform users to new features, updates, and changes to the app.
A prototype of the new user experience
Design Challenges:
Establishing trust during a user’s first interaction with WA Official Chat was critical to the channel's success. This was a significant challenge in markets with high levels of fraudulent/scam activity (ex. India). Users had rightfully developed a distrust of new chats with anyone outside of their contact list. Our biggest risk was that users would immediately block this new chat due to scam/fraud concerns.
A variety trust signals were designed into the experience to validate channel legitimacy and credibility (ex. verified badge, system message, use of native patterns, content design, and use of brand voice/tone in campaigns). These design elements went through multiple rounds of test and iteration.
Establishing trust during a user’s first interaction with WA Official Chat was critical to the channel's success. This was a significant challenge in markets with high levels of fraudulent/scam activity (ex. India). Users had rightfully developed a distrust of new chats with anyone outside of their contact list. Our biggest risk was that users would immediately block this new chat due to scam/fraud concerns.
A variety trust signals were designed into the experience to validate channel legitimacy and credibility (ex. verified badge, system message, use of native patterns, content design, and use of brand voice/tone in campaigns). These design elements went through multiple rounds of test and iteration.
WhatsApp-specific patterns, branding elements, and other trust signals were featured in the UI to ensure that the channel felt legitimate. This was an important detail for markets with high fraudulent/scam activity.
Predictability was another design principle that anchored the team throughout the project. When possible, it was important for this chat thread to maintain consistency with the existing chat functionality so that the experience felt familiar and matched user's existing expectations of a chat thread. One example of this was to mimic existing WA Chat functionality by following the user’s default chat settings — ex. disappearing message settings or automatic downloading of rich media.
We wanted the user to feel in control of the experience, therefore the feature respects the user's attention and boundaries. Users are able to block or mute the chat and new messages from WA Chat do not trigger a badge count or a notification. These were trade-offs the team made to ensure long-term success at the cost of short-term reach.
We wanted the user to feel in control of the experience, therefore the feature respects the user's attention and boundaries. Users are able to block or mute the chat and new messages from WA Chat do not trigger a badge count or a notification. These were trade-offs the team made to ensure long-term success at the cost of short-term reach.
Maintaining existing functionality to meet user expectations and respect for user's decision to engage with chat. Users can mute or block the chat. This was a tradeoff for long-term success over short-term reach.
Results:
This is currently rolling out world-wide. Initial open rate and engagement is higher than other official WhatsApp channels, ex. status. Counter metrics such as block and mute rate remain at an expected low rate which is consistent with other WhatsApp official channels.
Launch announcement:
https://twitter.com/WABetaInfo/status/1638705011776430080?s=20
https://www.androidpolice.com/whatsapp-finally-whatsapp/
This is currently rolling out world-wide. Initial open rate and engagement is higher than other official WhatsApp channels, ex. status. Counter metrics such as block and mute rate remain at an expected low rate which is consistent with other WhatsApp official channels.
Launch announcement:
https://twitter.com/WABetaInfo/status/1638705011776430080?s=20
https://www.androidpolice.com/whatsapp-finally-whatsapp/
To learn more about this project and see the details of my design process, please contact me here.
Web version of WA Chat
