Table of Contents
These new tools include in-stream polls, voice notes, and a new ability to share public Channel posts as a personal Status update.
WhatsApp new Polls
First, let’s talk about polling. Now, Channel admins will be able to send out polls to their audience, providing another option to encourage group discussion, and assess mood on certain topics.
As illustrated in this sample (provided by Android Central), polls will be displayed in-stream, with full vote tallies displayed to the right of the screen.
Polls are a simple, low-effort engagement option that typically generates more responses and can serve to strengthen community connection. As a result, the addition of polls to WhatsApp Channels makes a lot of sense, and you can expect to see them in your chats very soon.
Meanwhile, Voice Notes will give administrators another unique way to engage their groups.
Voice-notes
Voice posting options appear to fluctuate in popularity, but they could be a useful tool for celebrities, particularly Bad Bunny, to deliver unique, engaging updates with their WhatsApp channel following.
In either case, it’s another creative consideration with a variety of potential outcomes.
Channel Status
Finally, WhatsApp will now allow Channel members to forward a channel update as a Status update, provided that the Channel is not private.
Long pressing on a chat or image within a Channel now gives you the option to send it to your personal Status update, which could be a nice way to promote public Channels and encourage more people to sign up.
On another front, WhatsApp is boosting the number of admins that a Channel can have from one to up to 16, giving it more flexibility to maximize the option.
These are some useful enhancements that will undoubtedly assist to increase interaction in Channels within the app. And, with WhatsApp’s rising usage, particularly in North America, it might be a valuable channel for connecting with your audience and keeping them up to date on pertinent brand news.
It’s a growing concern, and these new tools may pique even more attention.
Stay updated on all of the latest news by subscribing to the ITP Live newsletter below and by clicking the push notifications.