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The emergence of the internet and the rise of instant messaging apps have brought people closer together than ever before. According to a April 2022 report by Statista, there are over 5 billion Active Network users around the world, and over 93% (4.65 billion) of these access the internet with a mobile device.
What is Instant Messaging?
Instant messaging is a type of software which allows users to send messages that can be instantly received via the internet, enabling users to communicate in real time. Depending on the functions each application supports, users can instantly send text, files, voice messages or communicate via video call with individual users or groups.
So does everyone around the world use the same instant messaging app? Of course not. Although Facebook Messenger is popular around the world, it isn’t the preferred app in every region. So if a business is planning to operate in a particular region, it’s a good idea to learn about which instant messaging app is the most popular there, so you can communicate effectively with customers.
Instant Messaging App 1: Facebook Messenger
Messenger is an instant messaging app that Facebook launched in 2011. Users with Facebook accounts can use Messenger.
Facebook Messenger Functions
Facebook Messenger has lots of functions which facilitate instant communication between individuals and groups. This includes voice and video calls, video and program sharing, personalized animations. Messenger also offers business communication functions: Messenger can be used to communicate with Facebook Shop owners, organize meetings, and receive support.
To learn more about Facebook Messenger functions, view our article Complete Overview of Facebook Messenger Functions.
FB Messenger Regions of Use and Configurations
FB Messenger is popular around the world and supports 38 languages, but cannot be used in Mainland China.
FB Messenger can be used on iOS, Android, and Windows phones, and on the Facebook website.
Messenger Pros
- Customers who find a company’s official Facebook page or shop can directly communicate with the merchant using Messenger
- Merchants can use Messenger to send customers coupons or other Facebook posts, building a better relationship with customers
- Payment sending and receipt functions make business transactions easier
- Built-in chat bot provides automated sales
- Allows multiple users to log in and access using different configurations
Messenger Cons
- Requires users to register a Facebook account
- Messenger has a 24 hour messaging limit for business users
- Messenger’s payment functions are currently only available in the United States
Instant Messaging App 2: WhatsApp
Since it launched in 2009, WhatsApp has accumulated over 2 billion users, making it one of the most widely used messaging apps in the world. While Facebook Messenger was already the main messaging tool for Facebook, the company still made the decision to acquire WhatsApp for $19 billion USD in 2014. WhatsApp is divided into three messaging apps: WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business, and WhatsApp Business API, which are designed for personal users, small businesses, and mid-to-large businesses, respectively.
WhatsApp Account Functions
There are three different versions of WhatsApp: WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business andWhatsApp Business API. The latter two are instant messaging apps designed specifically for business users. In addition to texts, voice messages, and video chat, WhatsApp also offers business functions like advertising messages, automated responses, quick replies, business verification, and data integration.
WhatsApp Regions of Use and Configurations
WhatsApp is available in 180 countries and regions (unavailable in Mainland China, Turkey, etc.), and supports 60 languages. There are only 25 countries where WhatsApp is not the largest messaging app on the market. Excluding Mainland China, 69% of network users communicate with others using WhatsApp.
WhatsApp is available on: iOS, Android, Windows phones, Blackberry, Nokia, Mac computers, Windows computers, and through the browser version.
WhatsApp Business Pros
- Set quick replies and automated replies
- Create Business Profiles
- Categorize groups
- View statistical data
WhatsApp Business API Pros
- Set quick replies and automated replies
- Create Business Profiles
- Green Tick business verification
- Merchants can proactively send advertising messages to contacts
- Configure Chatbots
- More message types, including: buttons, charts, etc.
- Backup chat history on the cloud
WhatsApp Business Cons
- Advertisement messages can only be sent to up to 256 people, and all of the recipients must have already added the merchant to their contacts
WhatsApp Business API Cons
- Before sending an advertisement message, you must create a sample message, which must then be officially approved by WhatsApp before it can be used
Instant Messaging App 3: WeChat
WeChat is an instant messaging app launched by Chinese company Tencent in 2011. It currently occupies a larger portion of the market than QQ, and has become the most popular chat app in Mainland China, as well as a social media tool with a wide range of functions.
WeChat Functions
WeChat offers social media, Internet, living, gaming, and business functions. It is a social media messaging tool. Using the WeChat app, individual WeChat users can send instant messages, make posts on Wechat Moments, follow WeChat public accounts to view and subscribe to a variety of information, or send payments and money gifts to other users. And merchants can use WeChat public accounts and mini programs to connect with customers, directly promoting products and communicating via WeChat.
WeChat Regions of Use and Configuration
WeChat is the international version of the Mainland Chinese app “Wei Xin”. It supports 20 languages and can be used both inside and outside of China. There are over 12.5 billion registered WeChat users around the globe, and 78% of internet users in China use WeChat, making it China’s most popular instant messaging app.
WeChat is available for: iOS, Android, Windows phones, Mac computers, Windows computers, browsers.
WeChat Pros
- Versatile functionality and features
- Supports electronic payment: cash gifts, money transfers, payment receipt, utilities payment, and other everyday transactions
- Arrange transportation, travel, entertainment, order food, and more
- Play games on WeChat
WeChat Cons
- Merchants based in Hong Kong who apply for public accounts can only apply for service accounts
- WeChat Pay does not have an automatic currency conversion function, so international WeChat users cannot pay for accommodation, transportation or other services in China
Instant Messaging App 4: LINE
LINE is an instant messaging app launched by Japanese company Z Holdings in 2011. It has also released a series of characters called LINE Friends. Users around the world can purchase related products at local LINE Stores or visit the online LINE Store and purchase stickers and emoji packs to send in messages.
LINE Functions
Like WeChat, LINE is a full-scale life platform that offers instant messaging, mobile payment, shop browsing, taxi booking, and information dissemination features. Business users can use a LINE official account to create more opportunities to connect with customers, and the LINE backstage offers a rich range of sales options for merchants to choose from, which can hopefully increase the number of shop visits and conversions.
LINE Regions of Use and Configurations
LINE has 182 million global users who are active each month, and supports 17 languages. It is the preferred instant messaging app in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand.
LINE is available for: iOS, Android, Windows phones, Mac computers, Windows computers, Chrome extension.
LINE Pros
- Versatile functionality and features
- LINE Pay electronic payment function: transfer money, make payments to entities/online partner stores, use iPass to ride public transport
- Categorize contacts into groups
- LINE Check Chick: A LINE chatbot used for accounting
- LINE Helper Elf: Create to-do lists
- Built-in translation function
LINE Cons
- LINE contacts are limited to 5,000
- LINE official accounts are charged based on message volumes, so business accounts with lots of followers will have to pay large sums of money to advertise
Instant Messaging App 5: Signal
Signal Foundation is a Non Profit Organization created by WhatsApp founder Brian Acton in 2018, and which launched the instant messaging app Signal. Acton wanted to carry forward the initial spirit of WhatsApp: provide users with a free, zero advertising, and dual-encrypted instant messaging service.
Signal Functions
Consistent with its founding mission, Signal only provides basic instant messaging services, enabling private or group chats that support voice messages, photos, videos, GIFs, stickers, files, location sharing, and contact information.
Signal Regions of Use and Configuration
Signal currently has 40 million active users.
Signal is available on: iOS, Android, Mac computers, Windows computers, and Linux computers.
Signal Pros
- Powerful privacy options: Signal never sells or rents user data in any way or profits from user data
- Automatic message deletion available
Signal Cons
- Limited Functions
Instant Messaging App 6：Telegram
Telegram is a tech instant messaging app released by the Durov brothers in 2013. Its powerful message security and privacy functions make it stand out from other instant messaging services, making it become one of the world’s most popular messaging apps along with WhatsApp, Messenger, WeChat, and QQ.
Telegram Functions
Telegram offers more advanced security and privacy functions than other instant messaging apps. Its “Normal chat” mode is equipped with end-to-end encryption, as does its “Encrypted chat” mode. Third parties including administrators are unable to obtain user messages. In this mode, users can also define whether texts are multimedia texts or self-destructing messages, and the message will delete itself within a given period, without being stored on a user’s device.
Another special Telegram function is that users can create a “Channel”, which is a one-way method of message transmission. Only channel administrators can read messages sent inside the channel. Former US President Donald Trump and Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen both set up official Telegram channels. When LINE official accounts announced a new payment method in 2020 that would collect fees from business accounts based on message volume, a number of merchants migrated to Telegram.
Telegram Regions of Use and Configuration
Telegram has 500 million users, and can be used in 155 countries, supporting 19 languages. Telegram is the most popular instant messaging app in Russia, Brazil, and Malaysia.
Telegram is available on: iOS, Android, Windows phones, Mac computers, Windows computers, browsers, Linux computers.
Telegram Pros
- High security and privacy: create encrypted chats, message content won’t be obtained by a third party
- Groups can contain 200,000 people at the same time
- Free stickers
- Retrieve chat history on the cloud
- Supports sending large files of up to 2GB, and pictures are not compressed
- Schedule message sending
Telegram Cons
- There is no electronic pay function
Instant Messaging App 7：KaKao Talk
Kakao Talk is an instant messaging app launched by Korea’s Kakao Group in 2010. Like WeChat and LINE, Kakao Talk does much more than just instant messaging. Users can manage their entire lives using just one app.
Similar to LINE, Kakao Talk has its own lineup of cartoon characters, Kakao Friends. If Kakao Talk fans travel to Korea, they can pay a visit to a brick and mortar Kakao Friends store. International fans can order merchandise and have it shipped to their location via the Kakao Friends website. Users can even buy Kakao Friends stickers and emoji packs to send in messages via the online store.
Kakao Talk Functions
Kakao Talk offers text, multimedia, voice, and video functions. Users can use Kakao Talk’s built-in app to schedule or access a variety of services like: Kakao Taxi, Kakao Pay, etc. Kakao Talk has public chat rooms. Every chat room focuses on a different topic. Kakao Talk users who are interested in a particular topic can enter a chat room and interact with other fans.
Kakao Talk also has official accounts. Lots of major organizations and companies like the National Institute of the Korean Language, cosmetics brand Olive Young, supermarket Home Plus, and clothing store SPAO have official Kakao Talk accounts, and will regularly post messages and special offers on their official channel.
Kakao Talk Regions of Use and Configuration
Kakao Talk has 52 million users around the world, 46.3 million of which are in Korea. It is the most popular instant messaging app in Korea. Kakao Talk can be used in 130 countries around the world, and supports 15 languages.
Kakao Talk is available for: iOS, Android, Windows phones, Blackberry, Nokia, Mac computers, and Windows computers.
Kakao Talk Pros
- Birthday reminders
- Versatile functionality and features
- Electronic payments
Kakao Talk Cons
- Kakao Talk’s built-in Taxi and Pay functions cannot be used outside of Korea
Instant Messaging App 8: Viber
Viber was officially released in 2010, and acquired by Japanese internet service group Rakuten in 2014 for $900 million USD. So, Viber is currently called “Rakuten Viber.
Viber Functions
Viber is both an instant messaging tool and a social media platform. In February 2020, Viber launched My Notes to simplify daily task management, and allowing users to plan their days without a separate task management app.
Viber also comes with a lot of unique business functions. Its newest function released in November 2020 uses a chatbot to complete procurement and payment. Viber also has a business verification function similar to WhatsApp’s Business API, which displays a Green V that lets users know that Viber has verified this brand, and the messages it sends are not spam or scam attempts.
Viber provides official accounts to merchants for login. Each official account is like an official Facebook page in that merchants can post messages and interact with fans.
Viber also offers advertisement solutions, and your ads will appear on Viber’s dialogue page, which means that the ads will be sent to customers’ inboxes.
Viber Regions of Use and Configuration
Viber has over 1.1 billion global users, and supports over 40 languages. Viber is available in over 190 countries, and is most popular in Europe. The country with the most Viber users is Ukraine.
Viber is available on: iOS, Android, Mac computers, Windows computers, Linux computers.
Viber Pros
- Hideable chatroom
- Like messages
- Enter public groups to meet people with shared interests around the world; there is no member limit
- If a recipient doesn’t have Viber, users can still send messages to any landline or cellphone in the world
- Uses end-to-end encryption, so only the person in a chat can receive and read a message
Viber Cons
- Cannot block incoming calls
- Groups can only contain up to 250 members
Instant Messaging Apps: Summary
Competition is fierce in the instant messaging market, and although some instant messaging apps are used around the world, every region has its own mainstream app. Some of the 8 instant messaging apps we covered in this blog are full-fledged social media messaging platforms that provide far more than messaging services, providing users with services in ways that impact almost every facet of their lives.
Once a business becomes familiar with the differences in these instant messaging apps, they may want to operate several instant messaging apps at the same time to increase opportunities for contact with various customer bases. One great option to simplify this is imBee. imBee integrates several different instant messaging apps into a single platform which simultaneously receives messages from multiple apps and combines them into a single folder, enabling businesses to manage all their messaging apps on a single platform. imBee allows multiple users to log in to imBee’s backstage and reply to customer messages at the same time. It also supports conversation channeling, chatbots, quick replies, and other functions to help you perfectly respond to customers’ needs.
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