Meta announced on Thursday (Nov. 17) that it has launched a new business search feature for WhatsApp that will allow users to search for businesses by name or category.
The feature is live in Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the U.K. with the latest WhatsApp update. Any company that has a WhatsApp business account will be visible to searches.
Meta said that WhatsApp business search has been designed with privacy in mind so that searches cannot be linked back to individual WhatsApp accounts.
The Big Tech firm also noted that it continues to trial in-chat WhatsApp payments in Brazil following a successful launch in India.
WhatsApp began allowing users in India and Brazil to make payments through its app in 2020, but the feature was delayed in Brazil due to the concerns of the central bank. The communication platform is now trialing the payments system in Brazil.
“This seamless checkout experience will be a game-changer for people and businesses looking to buy and sell on WhatsApp without having to go to a website, open another app or pay in-person,” Meta said in Thursday’s release.
In July, Brazilian prosecutors asked Meta to delay the launch of WhatsApp Communities over concerns it could contribute to the spread of misinformation during the presidential election.
WhatsApp Communities allow users to expand their communications by reaching up to 2,560 people at once. Meta announced earlier this month that the update is now available in 15 countries.
Meta has been working hard to increase its value proposition to businesses lately, including via the launch of a new Salesforce integration in September. The integration allows businesses to manage WhatsApp communications directly from the Salesforce interface.
Meta also recently launched WhatsApp Business Premium for business customers worldwide. The new subscription service offers companies a suite of tools to help them connect to customers and manage sales.
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