WhatsApp set to introduce third party chat integration

WhatsApp will soon be interoperable with third party chat solutions such as Click4Assistance. Here’s what you need to know.

All consumers have a preferred way to interact with brands, but those favoured communication methods haven’t always been possible under the existing framework. That is all about to change thanks to a move from WhatsApp, which soon will allow third-party chat integration that facilitates instant message for business across a variety of platforms.

This is a significant move that will benefit organisations that incorporate instant message for business software, allowing them to effortlessly reach customers within the WhatsApp application. In this post, we’ll outline everything you need to know about this update, which may impact how businesses communicate with their customers forever.

WhatsApp’s EU-Driven Initiative

WhatsApp’s decision to allow third-party chat integration was made for them by European lawmakers. The EU designated Meta — the company that owns WhatsApp — as one of six “gatekeeping” companies under the Digital Markets Act. These companies, in the view of the EU, held too much of the market share and must make their platforms available to other applications in a bid to enhance market accessibility and competitiveness.

WhatsApp was given six months to open up its network, and with the deadline coming in March, more information has been revealed about how this will work.

What to Expect

So, what does this mean? In short, it’ll be possible for messages to be sent from one messaging application to another. For example, a personal user can send a message from Telegram and have it land in the messages section of a WhatsApp user. From a business perspective, it’ll allow companies that have a qualifying live chat integration website feature, such as the one available here at Click4Assistance, to send messages directly to the WhatsApp inbox of a customer.

The precise details of what WhatsApp’s third-party chat integration will look like in practice are still unknown, though early screenshots suggest chats sent using this feature will appear in a separate folder at the top of the ‘chats’ tab. Text, images, and videos will all be supported, though group chats and calls will miss out for now. While this is initially a European-zone feature, it’s anticipated that there’ll be a worldwide rollout in the coming months.

Convenient Yet Secure Messaging

Meta has taken steps to ensure that messages received from third-party chat apps comply with WhatsApp’s high security features. Any party wishing for interoperability with WhatsApp will be required to enter into an agreement; the details of this agreement have not been made available but will certainly involve ensuring end-to-end encryption. WhatsApp users will also have to opt-in to this feature, minimising the risk of spam and unwanted messages and calls.

Getting Ready for the Change

WhatsApp’s introduction of third-party chat integration is due to arrive in March, but even then, it may take a little time before everything is up and running. Brands can position themselves to be ready to take advantage of this initiative by signing up for an industry-leading third-party chat solution such as Click4Assistance, as we’re always investigating new ways to integrate with WhatsApp to make it as seamless as possible. Click here to start your free trial.