Meta will let small businesses offer a payment option within the WhatsApp Business App. “Building on our existing capabilities, we are introducing the ability for small businesses to offer a secure and convenient payment option directly within the WhatsApp Business app. Available on the app, small businesses can now quickly share QR codes in one tap for fast and efficient sales closures, enabling customers to pay directly within WhatsApp using their preferred payment method. We have also introduced a new feature enabling users to call larger businesses directly from the app with a single tap, or receive calls from businesses they’ve requested to hear from. This calling capability is particularly beneficial for times when people have a complex inquiry and need to speak to a customer support executive. This feature is available to all businesses on the WhatsApp Business Platform in India, and starting soon, we will also make it possible to send and receive voice messages for additional support or make a video call, which can be helpful for things like a telehealth appointment. Businesses in India can now create and manage their marketing strategy across WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram – all in Ads Manager. This will allow businesses to use the same creative, setup flows, and budgets in one central place. Once onboarded, businesses can upload their subscriber list and either manually select marketing messages as an additional placement or use Advantage+, and Meta’s AI systems will then optimize budgets across placements to maximize performance. Small businesses can now use both the WhatsApp Business App and the WhatsApp Business Platform simultaneously without changing their phone number. This provides significant flexibility and scalability for businesses that are scaling and growing at a faster pace.”