Optimizing WhatsApp status for business marketing

The Problem

The current process of sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status is time-consuming and tedious, which can lead to users feeling reluctant to share the ads. This results in a lack of visibility and reach for the businesses being advertised.

The Goal

The goal of this project is to design a user-friendly and efficient process for sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status, in order to increase the rate at which users share these ads, resulting in increased visibility and reach for the businesses being advertised.

The Design Process

The first step in this project was to conduct user research in order to gain a better understanding of the current process of sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status, as well as any pain points or obstacles users experience when attempting to do so. This research was conducted through a series of interviews with 10 participants, in which they were asked about their experiences with sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status. The information gathered from these interviews provided valuable insights into the user experience and helped inform the design solutions developed in later phases of the project.

Participant Statements

• Okay, I feel like it's a stressful process, and it's tiring. I'm tired because very soon I'll feel disinclined to post what my friend sends to me about their business. First, I have to download the necessary info, then I have to post it from my gallery. That's too long, and I'd rather it's kept simple.
• I see a status I like about a business, then I want to share it. Instead of asking for the content or screenshotting which reduces image quality and is always not good for a business, I want a simple process to do it.
• My friend wants me to post something about their business on my WhatsApp status, I want to share it, I feel like I don't need to download it into my local storage for that to happen.... That's too much space-wasting.
• I'm a busy person and for my friends, I'm mostly inclined to do it for them but due to how busy I tend to be, I mostly forget and this is because I find it tedious to do at that point of the request.

Insights

• The current process of sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status is seen as time-consuming, tedious, and stressful by users.
• Users find it stressful and tiring to download the necessary information and post it from their gallery.
• They also find it to be a space-wasting process.
• They want a simple process to share the business ad.
• Due to busy schedules, they tend to forget about sharing the ad, which makes the process even more tedious for them.

These insights from the user research phase indicate that there is a need to design a more user-friendly and efficient process for sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status that addresses these pain points and obstacles, in order to increase the rate at which users share these ads.

UX Strategies

• Link Feature for Efficient Ad Sharing on WhatsApp
• Control Reposting Feature for Status Privacy
• Repost Button Feature for Easy Sharing

Design Solutions: High-Fidelity Designs for a Seamless Experience

Based on the insights gained from the user research phase, high-fidelity designs were created to address the problem of the current process of sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status being time-consuming, tedious, and stressful for users. These designs aimed to make the process more user-friendly and efficient by addressing the pain points and obstacles identified through the interviews. The high-fidelity designs included new features and functionality that made it easier for users to share business marketing ads on WhatsApp status and were tested with a small group of users to gather feedback and make any necessary adjustments.

Prototype Flow Video

Check the video below for the prototype flow of how the feature works.

Results

Through user testing, it was found that the design solution was able to effectively address the issues identified in the user research phase. The prototype was found to be user-friendly and efficient, making the process of sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status more seamless for users. As a result, it is expected that the implementation of this design solution will lead to an increase in the rate at which users share these ads, resulting in increased visibility and reach for the businesses being advertised. The design solution not only addresses the pain points and obstacles faced by users but also provides a more easy, efficient, and shareable process for business marketing on WhatsApp status, which will ultimately benefit businesses.

What I Learnt and Next Steps

Through working on this project, it became clear that privacy is an important consideration when designing a solution for sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status. Some participants in the user testing raised concerns about the potential privacy implications of the design solution, which highlights the need to take a more holistic approach to the design process, considering not only the user experience but also the potential privacy implications of the solution.

In light of this, the next possible steps to improve further on the design solution would be to conduct further research on privacy best practices and regulations related to WhatsApp and incorporate them into the design process. Additionally, incorporating user feedback and testing to validate the solution with regard to privacy concerns, would also be a step forward. By considering privacy in the design process, the solution can be improved to provide a more secure, compliant, and user-friendly experience for sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this project aimed to design a user-friendly and efficient process for sharing business marketing ads on WhatsApp status, in order to increase the rate at which users share these ads, resulting in increased visibility and reach for the businesses being advertised. Through user research and testing, it was found that the design solution was able to effectively address the issues identified in the user research phase and provide a more easy, efficient and shareable process for business marketing on WhatsApp status.

However, the importance of privacy in the design process was also highlighted, and the next steps would be to conduct further research on privacy best practices and regulations related to WhatsApp and incorporate them into the design process.

I would like to express my gratitude to all the participants who took part in the research, testing, and feedback process—without them this project would not have been possible. And to you my dear reader who has come this far, I say thank you too. 😊