The Value Of WhatsApp Or Viber To Build A Loyal Audience

The Value Of WhatsApp Or Viber To Build A Loyal Audience: A Quick Business Guide for the Philippine Market

In a mobile-heavy country like the Philippines, platforms like WhatsApp and Viber have become essential for personal communication, and marketing.

If you're a small business owner, creating private groups or broadcast lists on WhatsApp or Viber can be one of the most effective (and cost-efficient) ways to nurture a loyal audience and drive repeat engagement.

Let’s break down how to smartly use these messaging apps to build a community around your brand.

Why WhatsApp and Viber Matter in the Philippines

According to the World Population Review’s 2025 report, the Philippines has 11.16% of Viber’s global population of users. 

WhatsApp, while slightly less dominant than Viber in the Philippines, has seen growing adoption, especially for international or cross-regional business communication. As of 2024, there are 88 million WhatsApp users in the Philippines.

In both cases, Filipinos use them either to communicate with their families abroad, work with the foreign clients they have, or just as an alternative to social media. 

Remember that the common Filipino values real-time, personal, and conversational experiences, making these platforms ideal for community-driven marketing.

1. Decide Your Group’s Purpose

Before you create a messaging group in Viber or WhatsApp, define what you want to achieve first. 

Examples:

• Some popular uses include:
• Exclusive Promos & First Dibs – Give loyal customers early access to discounts or restocks.
• Customer Support & After-Sales – Offer real-time help for products/services.
• Education & Tips – Share how-to content, recipes, skincare routines, or daily inspiration.
• Job Openings – Some small businesses can tap into the talent their customers have, expanding the network on both sides.
• Community Sharing – Let members share their experiences, testimonials, or even product hacks.

Having a clear purpose prevents your group from turning into a spam pit and helps keep members engaged.

2. Create a Group Identity

Don’t just name your group “Official Store Updates.” Get creative–and relatable!
Some examples:

• “Budol Finds PH – VIP Club”
• “Mompreneurs PH Daily”
• “Skincare Tambayan by [Your Brand]”
• “Viber Eksklusibo ni Aling Nena’s Kakanin”

Pair a fun, community style name with: 

• your brand logo as the picture, 
• a short description, and 
• group guidelines (no spam, respect members, etc.)

And you have yourself a messaging group that encourages people to stay and participate!

Best Practice:

• Use emojis smartly! Although WhatsApp and Viber cater to older customers (especially working, professional adults), Filipinos still prefer friendliness over formality. 
• To balance friendly with professional, keep it to one emoji per line.  

3. Start With a Core Group of Engaged Customers

• Avoid adding strangers or cold leads without permission. Instead, start with:
• Your most active customers
• Friends/family who’ve supported your business
• People who’ve bought multiple times
• Loyal followers from Facebook or Instagram

Best Practice:

Always ask first! Include an opt-in form, send a group invite link, or post that link on your social media with a clear, valuable proposition like:

• “Want early access to our next batch of ube cheese pandesal? Join our Viber group! 💜”
• “For early access to new artisana perfume samples, join our WhatsApp group here!” Then put a hyperlink to the group.

4. Post With Purpose. Don’t Just Sell

More people are likely going to leave group chats that only push to sell products. 
To keep your audience loyal, balance your content. Remember SSS: Serve, Socialize, Sell. 

SERVE

• Tips and tricks
• Behind-the-scenes stories
• “Did You Know?” posts
• User-generated content or testimonials

SOCIALIZE

• Polls or mini-games
• Celebrations (birthdays, holidays)
• Community shoutouts

SELL

• Flash sales
• Limited edition offers
• Product launches

Example:
A good service message for a skincare brand can be something like this: 

“Good morning, ka-tambayan! ☀️ Quick skincare tip: Always apply toner within 30 seconds after washing for best absorption. 💧 — Love, Team GlowKada”

5. Be Consistent—but Not Overwhelming

Posting everyday won’t work on Viber and WhatsApp the same way they would with Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

In fact, avoid bombarding your group with multiple messages a day. 
Instead, stick to a routine that you can realistically do:

• 2–3 times a week max
• Post during peak hours: 8 AM–9 AM or 5 PM–7 PM (commute hours)
• Use stickers and emojis to make posts more Filipino-friendly

Remember, quality and consistency go a long way into building trust with your customers.

6. Make Use of Broadcast Features 

Both WhatsApp and Viber have broadcast features where small businesses can send the same message to saved lists of contacts all at once. 

For WhatsApp, this is called a broadcast list. On Viber, this is a community broadcast. Both work best for announcements or promos.

Unlike online groups, broadcasting allows you to send multiple messages as if you text each of your contacts individually. Broadcasting lets you send a message to multiple people without creating a group. It keeps things personal and private—allowing businesses to make their customers feel like they are catered to. 

This is also great if your audience prefers a 1-on-1 style of communication.

7. Reward Engagement

For years, engaging with customers online has shown to build trust–and trust builds brand loyalty. But is it possible to give people a reason to stay and interact on WhatsApp and Viber? Yes! 

Examples:

Here are some examples of rewarding your customers in WhatsApp or Viber.

• Monthly raffle draws for group members
• Feature “Customer of the Month”
• Run mini-quizzes or trivia with prizes
• Offer “group-only” vouchers or freebies

8. Take Note and Stay Compliant With Privacy & Etiquette

The Philippines has data privacy laws (RA 10173) that can also be breached in WhatsApp and Viber. Because we’re dealing with people’s phone number (personal, private information), we should handle WhatsApp or Viber campaigns with care.

Remember to always:

• Ask permission before adding customers
• Avoid collecting sensitive info in-group
• Never spam or share members’ contact info

Community Building Done Right

Private messaging apps like WhatsApp and Viber offer something special: direct, uninterrupted access to your most loyal customers.

When you use them right, they can help you build real communities around your brand—no huge budget required.

So go ahead, start that tambayan group! 

As your audience grows, managing engagement across messaging platforms can become time-consuming. If you need help scaling your WhatsApp or Viber campaigns up, a PR and digital marketing agency has just the expertise that you need.

A PR and digital marketing agency can help by:

• Developing a group content plan and calendar
• Handling customer inquiries via messaging apps
• Integrating Viber/WhatsApp into broader marketing campaigns
• Using chat automation tools for scale

With a WhatsApp or Viber community, you can create powerful engagement and conversion channels that support your brand growth.