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2021 was a year filled with challenges yet opportunities as businesses were putting in their best foot forward to survive and thrive in the market. Now that we have stepped into the New Year, businesses across industries are aiming for unprecedented growth. They are keen to undergo digital disruptions and adopt innovations so as to effectively cater to their customers' expectations and demands as well as enjoy a competitive edge in the market in the year 2022.

In this digital-driven world and the era of instant messaging, WhatsApp has successfully engulfed not only personal communication but business conversations as well. With the emergence of the WhatsApp Business in the year 2018, the integration of the instant messaging app with chatbots has helped organizations operate seamlessly and communicate with their customers effectively.

WhatsApp Business API: The Pivot For Businesses
In the present times, WhatsApp Business API has gained prominence significantly and has emerged to be an essential element for B2C communication. Until now, the popular instant messaging app's pricing model has been notification-based. WhatsApp Business API has been charging businesses for the templated notifications/session messages they send to their customers. Even the customer-initiated conversations have been free of cost for the first 24 hours. However, it is now planning to modify its business model and come up with new fea-tures as well. This innovation in WhatsApp Business API is expected to impact businesses significantly!

Whatsapp`S Transition To The Conversation-Based Pricing Model
From 1st February 2022 onwards, WhatsApp will be transitioning to a conversation-based pricing model. This implies that businesses will now be charged per conversation as opposed to the notification-based approach where every message sent to the customers is charged. Adding to it, WhatsApp Business costs for user-initiated and business-initiated conversations will come with variable pricing models.

A conversation as per WhatsApp is defined as a fixed 24-hour session that comprises all the messages that were delivered to the customer. What is beneficial is that now during the 24-hour conversation, businesses can send unlimited messages to their customers. With the new model, the first 1000 conversations per registered WhatsApp Business account will be free of charge each month. If any conversation is initiated by a customer via ads that click to Facebook or Instagram and is continued on WhatsApp, then this particular conversation will also be waived off from the charges.

Whatsapp To Introduce New Features
Apart from the modification in the pricing model, WhatsApp will soon be rolling out new features as well. Group admin control wherein admins will possess complete control over texts shared by other participants is one of the features that will help in ensuring inappropriate communication does not happen and the admins can take timely action. In the times to come, users will be able to keep their `last seen' hidden from specific contacts as well.

Adding to it, in the year 2022, WhatsApp will soon be accessible across multiple devices without relying upon the Smartphone connection. What's intriguing is that the app will soon offer Instagram reels integration wherein users will be able to view the Instagram reels directly through WhatsApp. The `Read the chats later' feature is expected to be a noteworthy one which shall also include a `Vacation mode' and `edit' button for the users to customize as well as personalize the app settings as per their preference and convenience.

Whatsapp business API has become the key for businesses that helps them connect instantly, easily, and seamlessly with their customers

The Impact Of Whatsapp Business API On Industries
WhatsApp Business API has been helping organizations converse with their customers at scale and connect with them via a simple, secure, and reliable path. This modification in pricing policy will give them the opportunity to expand the existing use cases. They will now be able to focus on offering seamless customer experiences with-out worrying about the number of messages it would require to resolve a specific request of a customer. Furthermore, businesses that send multiple notifications to their customers will benefit from this change since an unlimited number of messages can be sent within the 24-hour session.

The new pricing model is indeed a well-crafted monetization strategy that will help them facilitate meaningful conversations! On the whole, the change in the pricing model will help businesses stay connected with their customers throughout their journey and offer them the requisite support. It will empower them to offer their customer base engaging deals and ensure that they stick around for long.

These high-end customer experiences will eventually pave the way for greater conversions. Furthermore, the new features that will be implemented soon will make the instant messaging plat-form business-friendly. The transition from a notification-based pricing model to a conversation-based approach coupled with the introduction of innovative features is expected to significantly transform the experience of business conversations within the app!

Summing Up
WhatsApp Business API has become the key for businesses that helps them connect instantly, easily, and seamlessly with their customers. The new pricing model will follow an outcome-based approach where conversations will help add value to both businesses as well as their customers. The new features that will be introduced soon will play a vital role in making the app, all the more accessible, seamless, and the go-to destination for businesses and customer interactions. These innovations collaboratively will benefit businesses across industries significantly and will expectedly emerge as a game-changer for WhatsApp Business API!