WhatsApp has become one of the leading digital marketing channels for relationships and sales. Widely used in Brazil, the message application is still limited in many ways, if we compare it with its direct competitor, Telegram. The good news is that there is news out there and in this article I will tell the main and most awaited ones!
First of all, it is good to explain that there is a beta version of WhatsApp, available for iPhone (iOS) and Android phones and that offers exclusive functions. If you are lucky to be accepted as “beta tester” (currently the Android limit has been reached), you can experience the unique functions that will soon be released to the general public.
WhatsApp is the most widely used messaging application in Brazil. According to Datareportal's research, there are over 165 million accounts in the country. The messenger receives constant updates to continue at the top of the users' preference, fulfilling some usability desires that we didn't even know we had.
Tip: WhatsApp does not discard other channels for those who work with sales, such as email and phone, but complements.
And I can tell you that new and interesting features are being tested, to expand and improve the user experience. Check out some changes in development or available to the app tester audience:
Contents
Toggle- Enquiries
- Link to calls
- Screen capture lock
- Clickable Links in WhatsApp Status
- Avatars
- Hide “online”
- WhatsApp Communities
- Can not open message
- Conclusion
Enquiries
This is not an exclusive or original feature. It is already widely used on all social networks and should now also reach WhatsApp. The WABETAInfo portal recently revealed the possibility of sending polls into groups.
With this function, it will be possible to create questionnaires with up to 12 alternatives to be chosen. Chat participants can vote for as many answers as they want. In addition, any member can generate a poll, even if he is not a group administrator.
In the questionnaire there is a button called “See votes”, which allows you to analyze the results to find out, for example, who voted on what alternative. The option will appear within the share panel, where you can now upload photos, documents, location etc.
In other words: no waiting for the end of the calculation.
The function Enquiries can bring more interaction to the group participants, helping create insights on the most varied topics that have a common interest or even make decisions more democratic, through the vote.
Link to calls
The new feature called “Link to Calls” was announced by Meta, owner of WhatsApp and was tested. The function allows users to create a unique link to voice or video links, and share with their contacts, such as what already happens with Zoom and Google Meet.
Anyone who receives the invitation can participate in the conversation just by tapping the received link. Steps to create call links in WhatsApp:
- Update your WhatsApp app by browsing the Apple Store or Google Play Store.
- Go to the “Called” tab in your WhatsApp app after you open it.
- The “Create Call Link” option will only be available if you have access to this feature.
- By selecting “Create Call Link”, WhatsApp will generate a call link for you to share with other users.
- You must copy the link and put it in the chat window of the desired contacts.
Important to say that functionality is only accessible to those who have WhatsApp account. If someone who is not a platform user tries to log into the link, the link will not be opened. During the call, the telephone number of the participants is visible, but the end-to-end encryption is maintained. For some unknown reason, the function was disabled for all a few days ago and a return forecast has not yet been released.
Screen capture lock
Another feature that is being tested and already exists on other social networks such as Instagram and Snapchat is the blocking of screenshots on single-view images and videos, which was released in August this year.
With the update, when someone tries to capture a media sent in this format, only a black screen image is displayed. The function prevents the image or video from being stored by a screen recorder. But it doesn't stop there: other actions remain unable to do this type of unique view file, such as sharing or saving in the gallery.
It is worth remembering that for temporary conversations, print can still be done normally, being a function that brings security to the privacy of users.
Clickable Links in WhatsApp Status
If you've got Bio on Instagram in your mind, you can be sure the idea is the same. WhatsApp status updates, the popular story feature version we find on most platforms today, are getting a small but useful change, which will allow you to add hyperlink URLs to the legend in status updates.
This should give a lot of priority to companies, which may include links from their websites and pages, along with other interesting pages that can be planned, simply clicking on the links to be directed.
Avatars
Following the line that nothing is created and everything is copied, WhatsApp tmábém will receive customization with avatars. The app will offer a specific area for creating and customizing the dolls, and each user can recreate himself, such as what happens to the Bitmoji app.
Customization will be extended with this function: when setting up the avatar, a custom sticker package will be automatically generated to be sent in individual conversations and also in groups.
Avatars can be used as a profile photo and, in the far future, even replace the person's face in a video call. This last feature is still in very early development, but the options of figurines can become available in the near future. And that's one more
functionality without expected launch date.
Hide “online”
Of all the new functions mentioned so far, this is the one that is leaving the tests and reaching the common users. WhatsApp gradually started releasing the feature that allows you to hide the profile online on Android and iPhone (iOS).
This change gives you the option to choose who you can see when you are in the application (see how to use). You can show the warning to anyone who has your number, only to your contacts, a group of contacts or to anyone else.
On social networks, the release was celebrated and received with relief by some users, who hope to have more privacy to navigate the app. But for most, however, the resource has not yet been made available.
WhatsApp Communities
Perhaps one of the most anticipated news, WhatsApp officially signed the Communities in April. This function allows bringing together groups that deal with a common subject and ensures several options to facilitate the management of collective conversations. Not yet available to Brazilians, the Communities resource can only be accessed here, after the elections.
WhatsApp promises to offer an option to control people's entry into groups via link. With this feature, the Communities administrators will be able to better control their collective conversations, creating an additional barrier to approve (or not) the entry of people, as already happens in the closed Facebook groups.
According to the network itself, the Communities will allow people to bring together groups under the same structure that works for them. In this way, participants will be able to receive warnings sent to the whole Community and organize smaller groups to discuss matters that are of their interest easily. Communities will also have new advanced tools for admins, such as sending notices to all participants and controlling which groups can be added.
Can not open message
To close the news list, another update that is being developed by WhatsApp is the possibility of saving temporary messages. With this feature, a new option within the conversation will be available to the user, who can select specific messages to access even after the predetermined deletion time.
However, it is worth noting here: the person who chose to time the conversation may choose to have the message saved expire at any time. The feature will be available in a new tab of the app called “Messages Saved”. In groups or Communities, only administrators can save conversations or not.
Conclusion
With the high competition (Telegram and Signal that say so), the WhatsApp developers team has also been working on a solution to avoid nuisances when leaving a group. This novelty, still without official release forecast, like the others still under test, the application will limit the exit alert to administrators. Thus, if a user decides to leave the group, members will not be notified in the chat.
Another highly anticipated function is to be able to save backups of conversations elsewhere. This way, you can store it in more locations than Google Drive. The description of the feature in the tests, informs that all conversations and media (photos, videos and files) will be included.”
