Rich Evans is the founder and reluctant managing director at Get Better an agency focused on building personalised email marketing that helps their clients reach their full growth potential. Clients include Absolute Collagen, Myomaster, and Pott Candles.

Rich is back on the podcast to explore WhatsApp marketing for eCommerce, sharing the biggest mistakes brands must avoid and how to use the channel in a way customers actually welcome.

Dive in:

[05:34] "WhatsApp Marketing Mistakes Overview"

[06:40] "WhatsApp: Broadcast vs. Conversation"

[12:38] "Address Change via WhatsApp"

[15:58] Questionable SMS to WhatsApp Strategy

[19:06] "Training AI Agents Effectively"

[21:32] AI Trust and Data Concerns

[24:42] Meta, Ownership, and WhatsApp Consent

[27:39] Insider Tips from Rich!

Avoid These 8 WhatsApp Marketing Mistakes

WhatsApp is not just another messaging channel. It requires a different mindset and operating model. The episode outlines eight common mistakes that can quickly damage trust, performance, and even your Meta account. Avoiding these mistakes is the foundation of success on WhatsApp. Get these wrong and the channel will fail before it starts.

The 8 mistakes to avoid:

• Treating WhatsApp like a broadcast channel
• Forgetting it is a two-way, conversational platform
• Failing to align marketing and customer service
• Starting with sales messages instead of service messages
• Misunderstanding or stretching consent
• Using WhatsApp like email or SMS instead of giving it a clear role
• Launching without AI or automation to handle replies
• Ignoring that WhatsApp is owned and governed by Meta

WhatsApp Works Best as a Service-First Channel

WhatsApp performs best when it starts with service, not promotion. Customers see WhatsApp as personal and high trust. That means they expect help, fast answers, and real conversation. Transactional messages and support interactions build confidence first. Only after that trust is earned should marketing messages appear. For eCommerce brands, this turns WhatsApp into a powerful conversion and retention tool.

Scale WhatsApp with AI, but Keep Humans Close

WhatsApp conversations move fast and customers expect quick replies. Human-only teams cannot scale this efficiently. AI agents are essential for handling volume, common questions, and out-of-hours support. But AI must be trained carefully on products, tone of voice, and policies. There must always be a clear path to a human when needed. Brands that balance automation and human support will win on WhatsApp.

Takeaways:

• WhatsApp is more than a channel—it's a sacred space for personal connections. Brands must earn trust before entering. Never treat it like just another inbox for promos, but as a place for true conversations.
• Don't blast messages on WhatsApp. People crave dialogue, not broadcasts. Start with service, answer questions, and create space for real engagement. That’s how trust—and loyalty—are built.
• The future of customer care is blending service with marketing. WhatsApp lets brands offer instant support and build community. It’s where quick answers and genuine care drive the business forward.
• Respect consent when using WhatsApp for marketing. Not everyone wants messages—be cautious, clear, and customer-focused. Remember: building trust always wins over quick hacks.
• As we bring AI agents to WhatsApp, stay real. Train bots to talk like you, but plan for human backup. Great culture happens when tech is smart—but the heart stays human.

Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/290

Sponsored by: Kwik Engage by GoKwik find out more: https://keepopt.com/kwikengage

Luca Borreani is the CMO and Co-founder of ZipChat AI, who are helping eCommerce brands embrace Agentic Commerce.

In this episode, Luca shares how eCommerce brands are using WhatsApp and AI to recover lost revenue, turn abandoned carts into conversations, and scale customer engagement without adding pressure to support teams.

Dive in:

[07:07] "Optimizing Abandoned Cart Conversations"

[08:58] "Conversational Abandoned Cart Strategy"

[13:39] WhatsApp Newsletter Strategy Insights

[15:27] Personalized Customer Engagement Strategies

[19:10] "AI Success Requires Structured Content"

[21:59] Insider Tips from Luca!

Treat WhatsApp as a conversation, not a campaign

WhatsApp works because it feels personal. Customers use it to talk to people they trust. That means brands must stop treating it like email or SMS. The best results come from starting a conversation, not pushing a discount. Asking why someone abandoned a cart opens the door to engagement. This approach drives higher replies and stronger conversions.

Use AI to scale revenue recovery without adding workload

WhatsApp generates fast replies and high response rates. That quickly becomes impossible to manage manually. AI allows brands to handle hundreds of conversations at once without delays. It can answer questions, handle objections, and offer incentives safely. This makes revenue recovery scalable without overwhelming customer service teams.

Your website data determines how well WhatsApp AI performs

AI is only as good as the information it learns from. Clear product pages, pricing, and FAQs are essential. Well-structured content helps AI respond accurately and stay on brand. Poor content leads to weak conversations and missed sales. For eCommerce teams, fixing site content is a revenue lever, not just a UX task.

Takeaways:

• WhatsApp is more than just a messaging app—it's how modern brands build real, one-on-one customer relationships. Treat it as personal as you would a text from family and your conversions will soar.
• Don't treat WhatsApp like email. People expect authenticity and conversation, not cold marketing messages. A genuine "How can we help?" goes much further than "Here's 20% off".
• The secret to revenue recovery isn't discounts—it's listening. When you ask shoppers why they abandoned their cart, you get insight and loyalty, not just transactions.
• AI-powered conversations can feel natural and human, but only if you give the AI rich information. "Garbage in, garbage out." Your brand voice and data matter.
• Feedback is gold. The best brands use AI to analyze chat conversations, spot pain points, and adapt quickly—turning abandoned carts into loyal fans.

Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/289

Sponsored by: Kwik Engage by GoKwik find out more: https://keepopt.com/kwikengage

Lisa Wendland has spent the last 15 years getting DEEP into what works in digital marketing and operations both in eCommerce and beyond. In 2021 she joined omnichannel agency Blue Wheel to both improve ROI for clients and speed up internal production, managing over $2 billion in client ad spend across Amazon, Walmart, and D2C.

In this episode, Lisa breaks down the 4 essential steps to GEO success and explains how eCommerce brands can win visibility in an AI-powered search world. If you want ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overview to recommend your products in 2026, this is the episode you don’t want to skip.

Dive in:

[04:05] From Mortgages to eCommerce Insights

[10:09] "AI-Driven SEO and Trust"

[12:01] "Targeted, Authoritative Content Matters"

[16:44] "Optimizing Content for Chat GPT"

[19:57] Optimizing Site Speed & Crawlability

[22:48] "AI Prioritizes Brand Over Pages"

[24:33] Insider Tips from Lisa!

Fix Your Technical Foundation

Your site must be fast, clean, and easy for AI systems to read. This includes strong Core Web Vitals, quick load times, and a structure that helps bots crawl every page. Remove old, broken, or orphaned pages that confuse search engines. Make sure key details are in text, not hidden inside images. Without this technical base, AI tools will not trust or recommend your brand.

Build a Smart Content Strategy

Your content now needs to answer real customer questions in a clear and specific way. Add detailed product information and FAQs directly on product pages. Create supporting content like blogs and guides that link tightly back to your best sellers. Focus on the problems your customers want to solve, not generic SEO copy. This gives AI engines the context they need to recommend your products.

Strengthen Trust and Brand Visibility

AI tools use trust signals to decide which brands to recommend. This includes PR mentions, backlinks, expert endorsements, and consistent branding across your site. Reviews and user proof also help establish authority. Every signal works together to show AI that your brand is credible and safe to promote. The stronger your authority, the more often your products appear in AI-driven results.

Treat Generative AI as a New Channel

AI search is not a trend—it is a new distribution channel. Think of it like TikTok or Amazon search in their early days. Brands that move early will win visibility that compounds over time. Keep testing and learning as platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google evolve. The goal is to position your products where customers now ask for recommendations: inside AI conversations.

Takeaways:

• “AI doesn’t see your brand the old Google way—it looks for trust, clarity, and cohesion. Get your foundation right, tidy up your site, and show your expertise. The future is about being seen as credible and human.”
• “SEO isn’t just keywords now. AI engines want real authority, clear branding, and stories behind your products. Clean up your site, add FAQs on product pages, and connect all the dots for true visibility.”
• “Customer acquisition is evolving fast. Early adopters of GenAI as a channel are winning. Make your brand the obvious, trustworthy choice by optimising content and technical setup before it’s too late.”
• “Don’t chase every new tactic—really get to know your customer. AI and SEO success comes with patience and consistency. Build your strategy on foundation, optimize, then watch results compound.”
• “Competing in AI-powered search means treating it like you would any new channel. Maybe it’s not mysterious, just methodical. Get site speed, schema, and content locked down—then let your brand story shine.”

Take the Launch Growth Diagnostic >>> https://keepopt.com/launch

Find the notes here: https://keepopt.com/288