In the field of cross-border marketing, WhatsApp has become a crucial bridge for enterprises to connect with global users, thanks to its high reach and strong interactivity. Active WhatsApp numbers are the core variable determining marketing effectiveness—only by accurately assessing number activity and targeting active WhatsApp numbers can enterprises avoid invalid traffic in ad delivery and align content strategies with user needs, preventing resource waste caused by "wide-net" marketing. However, many enterprises still adhere to traditional models in WhatsApp marketing: they do not assess number activity and blindly send uniform ads and content to all numbers, resulting in ad click-through rates (CTR) of less than 5% and persistently low content interaction rates. Some enterprises, while recognizing the importance of active WhatsApp numbers, lack scientific assessment methods and cannot accurately distinguish between high-, medium-, and low-activity numbers, leaving marketing optimization only at a superficial level. To break this deadlock, enterprises need to establish a new marketing approach centered on "number activity assessment" and leverage tools like ITG Global Screening to achieve precise identification and stratification of active WhatsApp numbers, making ad delivery more efficient and content strategies more targeted, thereby truly unlocking the value of WhatsApp marketing.
I. Number Activity Assessment: Reconstructing the "Decision-Making Foundation" of WhatsApp Marketing
The pain point of traditional WhatsApp marketing essentially lies in the "lack of judgment on user activity"—treating inactive numbers and active WhatsApp numbers equally, which inevitably leads to ad delivery and content strategies failing to hit the target. Through number activity assessment, enterprises can clearly grasp the value of different numbers, provide data support for marketing decisions, and fundamentally improve marketing effectiveness.
1. Make Ad Delivery "Targeted" to Reduce Customer Acquisition Costs
Inactive WhatsApp numbers (such as long-unused or deactivated numbers) not only fail to drive conversions but also increase ad costs. A cross-border 3C enterprise once invested a budget of 100,000 yuan to run a new product ad campaign targeting 200,000 WhatsApp numbers. In the end, only 4,000 numbers generated clicks, resulting in a customer acquisition cost (CAC) as high as 250 yuan per customer. After assessment via ITG Global Screening, it was found that 120,000 of these numbers were inactive, leading to a total waste of ad expenses. When the enterprise locked in 80,000 active WhatsApp numbers through activity assessment and adjusted its budget to focus on targeted delivery, it achieved 8,000 clicks and 1,200 orders with only 60,000 yuan. The CAC dropped to 50 yuan per customer, representing an 80% cost reduction and a threefold increase in conversion rates. This shows that targeting active WhatsApp numbers through number activity assessment enables ad delivery to accurately reach high-value users, achieving higher returns with lower investment.
2. Align Content Strategies with "User Needs" to Enhance User Interaction
Behind active WhatsApp numbers are users with a willingness to interact and potential needs, and numbers with different activity levels have varying content preferences. Data shows that sending need-matched content to active WhatsApp numbers yields an interaction rate of over 40%, far higher than the 6% rate when sending to inactive numbers. For example, a cross-border beauty brand assessed number activity using ITG Global Screening and found that "high-activity numbers" were more interested in content like "new product reviews" and "limited-time offers," while "medium-activity numbers" showed greater interest in "skincare tips" and "ingredient analysis." After adjusting its content strategy accordingly, the content interaction rate for high-activity numbers increased from 25% to 52%, and for medium-activity numbers from 15% to 35%, significantly enhancing user stickiness. This demonstrates that content strategies based on number activity assessment can accurately meet the needs of different users, transforming marketing from "one-way push" to "two-way interaction."
II. Core Assessment Dimensions for WhatsApp Number Activity: Stratification from "Data" to "Value"
To scientifically assess number activity, it is impossible to rely on a single indicator. Instead, an assessment system must be built around three core dimensions—"interaction behavior," "login status," and "content response"—to comprehensively capture the characteristics of active WhatsApp numbers and achieve precise stratification.
1. Interaction Behavior Dimension: High-Frequency Interaction as a Core Sign of Activity
- Message Response Efficiency: Within 7 days, numbers that can reply to marketing messages within 12 hours can be identified as high-activity WhatsApp numbers; those that reply within 24-48 hours are medium-activity numbers; and those that do not reply for more than 72 hours are low-activity or inactive numbers.
- Frequency of Proactive Interaction: Numbers that proactively send inquiries, feedback, or share content to the enterprise at least 3 times a month are high-value active WhatsApp numbers. Such users have high brand recognition and strong conversion intentions.
- Diversity of Interaction Forms: Numbers that not only reply with text but also click on ad links, participate in content voting, and forward marketing campaigns have much higher activity than those that only give simple replies. They are key targets for ad delivery and content operations.
2. Login Status Dimension: Real-Time Data Reflecting Number Validity
- Recent Login Frequency: Numbers that log in at least 10 times in 30 days are continuously active WhatsApp numbers; those that log in 3-9 times are intermittently active numbers; and those that log in fewer than 3 times are low-activity numbers, requiring cautious delivery.
- Match with Online Time Slots: Numbers that are frequently online during the enterprise’s marketing peak hours (such as evening prime time in the target market) have an ad reach rate of over 85% and are priority active WhatsApp numbers for delivery.
- Account Health Status: Numbers with no abnormal logins (such as frequent device changes or cross-regional logins) and no WhatsApp function restrictions are more likely to be truly active users, posing lower marketing risks.
3. Content Response Dimension: Need Matching Determining Marketing Value
- Ad Click Conversion Rate: Numbers that complete registration, add-to-cart, or purchase actions after clicking on ad links are high-conversion-potential active WhatsApp numbers and require focused follow-up.
- Content Dwell Time: Numbers that spend at least 1 minute reading long-form graphic content or watching product videos have higher interest in the content and can be targeted with more in-depth marketing content.
- Depth of Campaign Participation: Numbers that not only participate in marketing campaigns but also invite friends to join are "active + fission-type" users. They can bring additional traffic to the enterprise and serve as "key nodes" in marketing.
III. Practical Tool: Leveraging ITG Global Screening for Automated Assessment and Stratification of Number Activity
Manual assessment of number activity is not only inefficient but also prone to subjective biases. The ITG Global Screening tool, however, can achieve automated assessment and precise stratification of active WhatsApp numbers through multi-source data integration and intelligent rule setting, providing efficient support for marketing optimization.
1. Multi-Source Data Integration: Comprehensively Capturing Activity Indicators
ITG Global Screening can connect to three core data sources to provide complete data support for activity assessment:
- WhatsApp Official API Data: Obtains basic data such as number login frequency, online duration, and account status to determine whether a number is active.
- Enterprise Marketing Data: Synchronizes data on ad clicks, content interactions, and message replies to analyze user responses to marketing actions.
- Third-Party Verification Data: Integrates operator data and device information from the number’s region to exclude invalid numbers that are suspended or deactivated, ensuring the authenticity and reliability of assessment results.
After a cross-border apparel enterprise integrated multi-source data using ITG Global Screening, the accuracy of number activity assessment increased from 60% (manual assessment) to 92%, laying a precise data foundation for subsequent marketing optimization.
2. Intelligent Rule Setting: Customizing Activity Stratification Standards
Enterprises can set differentiated rules in ITG Global Screening based on their marketing goals, stratifying numbers into "high-activity core layer," "medium-activity potential layer," and "low-activity reactivation layer":
- High-Activity Core Layer Rules: ≥15 logins in 30 days + 100% response rate within 12 hours + ad click conversion rate ≥20% + ≥4 proactive interactions.
- Medium-Activity Potential Layer Rules: 5-14 logins in 30 days + ≥70% response rate within 24 hours + ad click conversion rate 5%-19% + 1-3 proactive interactions.
- Low-Activity Reactivation Layer Rules: 1-4 logins in 30 days + ＜50% response rate within 48 hours + ad click conversion rate ＜5% + historical interaction records.
At the same time, ITG Global Screening supports real-time rule adjustments. For example, before large-scale promotions, the weight of "ad click conversion rate" can be increased to prioritize targeting high-conversion-potential active WhatsApp numbers.
3. Visual Report Generation: Intuitively Presenting Assessment Results
ITG Global Screening automatically generates number activity stratification reports based on assessment rules, clearly displaying the number of numbers in each layer, core characteristics, and marketing response data (such as ad CTR and content interaction rate). Enterprises can directly use these reports to understand the distribution of active WhatsApp numbers and quickly develop targeted marketing strategies. For instance, a cross-border home goods enterprise found through reports that high-activity core layer numbers accounted for only 15% of the total number of numbers but contributed 60% of ad conversions. Based on this, it adjusted its budget to allocate 70% of ad expenses to the high-activity core layer, increasing marketing ROI by 2.5 times.
IV. Marketing Optimization Based on Activity Assessment: Upgraded Paths for Ad Delivery and Content Strategies
After completing the assessment and stratification of number activity using ITG Global Screening, enterprises need to develop differentiated ad delivery and content strategies for active WhatsApp numbers in different layers to maximize marketing effectiveness.
1. High-Activity Core Layer: Targeted Ads + In-Depth Content to Drive Immediate Conversions
Active WhatsApp numbers in the high-activity core layer have high brand recognition and strong conversion intentions. They require "targeted ads + in-depth content" to drive immediate conversions:
- Ad Delivery Strategy: Push "personalized product ads" (such as recommending related products based on users’ historical purchase records) and "limited-time exclusive offer ads" (such as exclusive discount coupons for high-activity users), and set up a "one-click purchase" button to shorten the conversion path.
- Content Strategy: Push "in-depth product analyses" (such as product feature details and use-case scenarios) and "user testimonial content" (such as real buyer reviews and product usage videos) to enhance user trust and drive quick purchases. A cross-border maternal and child products enterprise pushed "exclusive 20% discount coupons + product test videos" to high-activity core layer numbers, achieving an ad conversion rate of 35%—far higher than the industry average.
2. Medium-Activity Potential Layer: Nurturing Ads + Value-Driven Content to Boost Conversion Intent
Active WhatsApp numbers in the medium-activity potential layer have a basic interaction foundation, but their conversion intentions need further nurturing. They require "nurturing ads + value-driven content" to gradually increase their needs:
- Ad Delivery Strategy: Push "category recommendation ads" (such as recommending product categories based on user interests) and "campaign preview ads" (such as previews of upcoming promotional campaigns). Instead of rushing for immediate conversions, focus on deepening users’ understanding of products.
- Content Strategy: Push "practical tips content" (such as maternal and child care skills and home organization guides) and "industry trend content" (such as 2025 color trend forecasts). While providing value, subtly convey brand advantages. A cross-border home goods enterprise pushed "organization tips graphics + new product preview ads" to the medium-activity potential layer, increasing the content interaction rate to 40%, and 30% of users completed conversions during subsequent large-scale promotions.
3. Low-Activity Reactivation Layer: Gentle Ads + Reactivation Content to Avoid User Churn
Numbers in the low-activity reactivation layer have low activity but have historical interaction records. They require "gentle ads + reactivation content" to be re-engaged, avoiding user churn due to over-harassment:
- Ad Delivery Strategy: Push "brand awareness ads" (such as introductions to brand philosophy and core advantages) and "low-threshold discount ads" (such as no-minimum-threshold small coupons) to lower the user acceptance barrier.
- Content Strategy: Push "nostalgic content" (such as updates on products users previously focused on and reviews of historical interactions) and "low-participation interactive content" (such as simple "which color do you like" votes) to gradually reawaken user interest. A cross-border apparel enterprise pushed "restock notifications for historically viewed products + 10-yuan no-threshold coupons" to the low-activity reactivation layer, achieving a reactivation rate of 25%, with 15% of these numbers upgrading to the medium-activity potential layer.
V. Conclusion
In the increasingly competitive landscape of WhatsApp marketing, the new idea of "centering on number activity assessment" has become the key for enterprises to break through marketing bottlenecks. By leveraging ITG Global Screening to achieve precise assessment and stratification of active WhatsApp numbers, enterprises can avoid invalid traffic in ad delivery and align content strategies with user needs, truly realizing "precision marketing." In the future, as cross-border marketing becomes more refined, number activity assessment will become a "standard" in WhatsApp marketing. Only by firmly mastering this core method can enterprises gain the initiative in WhatsApp marketing, achieve higher conversions with lower costs, and stand out in the global market.
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