Is WhatsApp marketing actually effective, or is it just spam to customers?

Done correctly, WhatsApp marketing has some of the highest engagement rates of any channel — open rates above 90% compared to roughly 20% for email. The key is using the official WhatsApp Business API with proper opt-in, sending genuinely useful messages (order updates, personalised offers, appointment reminders) rather than mass blasts, and respecting frequency. Businesses that treat WhatsApp as a relationship channel rather than a broadcast channel see strong repeat-purchase and retention numbers. The businesses that get marked as spam are the ones sending unsolicited bulk messages with no prior opt-in.