What actually differs
Email open rates keep falling
Promotional mail is filtered before a human sees it, and the sender rarely knows.
WhatsApp is not a newsletter channel
Long-form content belongs in email. Sending it on WhatsApp gets you muted, and mutes hurt your quality rating.
Cost per message is not the whole picture
Email is nearly free to send and expensive to get read. WhatsApp costs per conversation and is nearly always read.
How to choose
- 01
Use email for
Newsletters, long-form content, receipts and anything the customer may want to search for later.
- 02
Use WhatsApp for
Time-sensitive messages, order and booking updates, support, and anything that needs a reply.
- 03
Together
Announce in email, follow up on WhatsApp with the people who clicked — the follow-up is where the conversion happens.
- 04
Measure honestly
Compare replies and completed actions, not opens. Opens are the least reliable number in email.
What you get
- Broadcast campaigns
- Segments and audience targeting
- Click and conversion tracking
- Shared inbox for replies
- Consent management
Questions
Should I move my newsletter to WhatsApp?
No. Long-form content on WhatsApp gets muted, and mutes lower your quality rating. Keep the newsletter in email.
Which converts better?
For time-sensitive, transactional and conversational messages, WhatsApp — largely because it gets read and replied to. For considered purchases with long content, email still holds up.
Can I build a WhatsApp list from my email list?
Only with fresh consent. An email subscription is not consent to message on WhatsApp.