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WhatsApp: Powerful Tool for Building a
CommunityMorad Stern
Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HPE
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Part 1:Results of using WhatsApp as a community platform
Part 2:What is WhatsApp?
Part 3:Strategies for building WhatsApp community!
Let’s Talk About…
Photo Credit: WhatsApp
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Community is Power• Mashable• Wall Street Journal• CNN• Uber• Waze• LinkedIn • Flipboard• Bloomberg• Lenovo• Amazon • Forbes• The Next Web• Women Who Code• Warner Bros• Twitter• TechCrunch• eBay• Microsoft ventures • Google ventures• MarketWatch• Outbrain• Fortune • SlideShare• Government US & France
“Global Tech Leaders WhatsApp group” Is one group that I’ve build, using WhatsApp, brings together participants from around the world who are senior management in the following tech companies:
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Community is Power
“What’s Bill Gates phone number?” - A short article on Forbes (Israel) about my Global Tech Leaders WhatsApp group Photo Credit: Screenshot, Forbes
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February, 2016:
Photo Credit: WhatsApp
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WhatsApp Attributes
• IM network (ultra fast when comparing to social networks)
• Requires SIM card (minimum fake accounts)
• Private and Group chats• Geo, images, video and voice sharing• Links sharing
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WhatsApp Attributes
• No geo barriers• No way to find groups…• No way to share outside (except screen
capture)• Acquired by Facebook on February, 2014
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Latest Upgrades
• WhatsApp via Chrome (“WhatsApp web”)
• Voice chats• Option for backup using Google
Drive• Groups’ capacity extended to 256
participates (100)
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Research70% of Smartphone owners would never leave their WhatsApp app.More than Waze (57%)
Bezeq, 2014
Photo Credit: Screenshot, Calcalist
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Alternatives?
• Viber• Telegram• WeChat
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Creative: Media
Photo Credit: Screenshot, Mako
During the Israeli national elections one of the leading news site created and followed a dedicated groups for candidates on Viber and WhatsApp
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Creative: getting headlines (!)
I invited Israel’s Minister of Finance and the British ambassador to join my WhatsApp group - and it hit the main headlines (!) Photo Credit: Screenshot, TheMarker
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Creative: creating news
A conversation inside WhatsApp group - that become an article
Photo Credit: Screenshot, Mako
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Creative
… The same article is now back as a WhatsApp conversation…
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Creative
Interesting example of a newspaper that invite its readers to send pictures and updates from live news events Photo Credit: Screenshot, Extra
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Creative
(Physical) Photo shop in Israel that uses WhatsApp to receive photos from costumers and to update them when to come and pick their printed pictures Photo Credit: Vladimir Fedotov, Flickr CC
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Creative
Residents of the favelas in Brazil uses WhatsApp to update with live gun shooting
Photo Credit: Alex, Flickr CC
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Creative
Doctors in Africa use WhatsApp to examine patients from distant regions
Photo Credit: Screenshot, TechZim
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StrategyAsk yourself• What's your topic? -Be clear• Who are the participants? –
Variation will enrich your group’s discussion
• What’s the value of being a member in your group? (VIP, events tickets, fame)Notice
• It requires trust (phone number)• It takes time and hard work• It’s OK to silent your group… • There is a limit of 256 participant (which is
way too much)• No way to search for groups inside
WhatsApp• …You are using Smartphone - use it’s
different functions (camera, GPS, sound etc.)
Photo Credit: WhatsApp
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StrategyHere some great stuff you can do:• Invite VIP to your group: It has an
amazing affect! Don’t forget to print-screen and share on social networks!
• My son (10 years old) used to record himself every morning reading the whether forecast and sharing it in the family group. Nice
• Use the geo sharing option in conference – to locate other group members
• Meeting a group member face to face? Selfie yourself and share with the group!
Photo Credit: WhatsApp
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Before you go!• Think twice before
sharing information• Check for typo• Don’t hurt anyone• Check again if
you’re in the right group
• You cannot erase a message once it is shared
• Think twice before adding someone to your group
Photo Credit :Blondinrikard Fröberg , Flickr CC
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One more thing…• People are more sensitive on this
platform
• No limit for characters use but keep it short
• 3rd party statistics tools
• Try to expand your WhatsApp group’s connections with more social networks and platforms
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Morad Stern, @Morad
Thank you!
This lecture available also on You can read more about it on
Photo Credit: SoundCloud, LinkedIn