Scroll down to discover everything you need to know about WhatsApp’s broadcast list feature, including what it is, who can see your broadcasts and how they differ from group messages.
What is WhatsApp Broadcast?
Broadcast lists is a WhatsApp feature that makes it possible for users to send messages to multiple contacts at once without creating a group chat. Contacts receive broadcasts as regular messages in their chat with the sender, and can respond directly in that thread. There’s no word or icon on their end to indicate it is a broadcast message, either. The benefit of broadcast lists is that it allows users to share the same message with a large number of people without copying and pasting the words to each individual contact. It also removes the need to gather everyone together in one group chat, allowing recipients to remain anonymous to each other and respond directly to the sender rather than in one shared space. This can be particularly useful for people planning a big event or businesses that operate on WhatsApp and want to share updates with multiple customers at once. There’s no limit to the number of broadcast lists you can create, but WhatsApp does cap each individual broadcast at 256 contacts.
Who can see my WhatsApp Broadcast?
When you create a new broadcast list, you can choose which specific contacts you want to receive your messages. You can also revisit that broadcast list later to reach out to the same list of people again. Your recipients can’t see the other people on your broadcast list, making this feature comparable to entering their names into the BCC field when sending an email. It’s important to note that only people who have your number saved to their own address book will be able to see your broadcasted messages. If someone doesn’t appear to be getting your broadcasts, you might need to nudge them to add your number to their contacts.
What is the difference between WhatsApp Broadcast and group chats?
Group chats allow large numbers of people to hold discussions in one place, whereas broadcasted messages are received in private chats between the sender and the recipient. With broadcast lists, the recipients cannot see who else has received the message, making it a better option when reaching out to customers or people who might not know each other. Group chats, meanwhile, might be the better option if you’re making plans or reaching out to multiple friends and family members at once.
