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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