July 5, 2024
Interview with ImLink CEO Alexey Sergeev about advanced products for business and messaging market prospects
Alexey Sergeev, ImLink CEO, gave an interview to our Team. He told about new platform features for business, trends and prospects of the communication market.
ImLink specialist: The field of mobile marketing is rapidly developing, dozens of tools and solutions for messaging are available to companies. Which channel is the most popular today in your opinion?
Alexey Sergeev: The key players are SMS and WhatsApp, but I will right away note that SMS is in the past. The present and the future belong to messengers with their functionality, opportunities for brand development and communication with the audience.
Due to poor functions, SMS lack the possibility of advanced interaction, do not lead to the desired conversion and results. So companies spend time and budget for messaging unjustifiably.
ImLink specialist: With SMS messaging we are really limited — a small number of characters, lack of media files and buttons. Why do a lot of companies, including ImLink clients, choose SMS to communicate with their audience?
Alexey Sergeev: SMS is a simple tool, and it really is not without strengths. It is familiar to every user, available on any mobile device and does not require Internet access, but, unfortunately, that’s it.
For many companies WhatsApp is something in a new, complex language. And many hesitate to use the channel because of unreasonable fears.
First of all, it is the fear of product introduction. Most people think that this is an extremely difficult path, but in fact it involves a few stages, takes a few days or minutes with professionals.
The second fear is about possible investments. Brands believe that WhatsApp is significantly more expensive than SMS, but it is not the case, especially if you compare the product price with its value. In the messenger, the business receives thoughtful functionality, detailed analytics, performance metrics — everything you need for high conversion and ROI.*
ImLink specialist: But to work with WhatsApp, you need to create a business profile, approve messages templates — it’s really time and resources.
Alexey Sergeev: To deal with any official product, you need to allocate time and budget, it is normal. Moreover, it is important to thoroughly approach all stages — from creating content to analyzing results, as the effectiveness of communication and invested resources depends on it.
There are instructions, messaging services providers who will assist at all steps of dealing with the product. For example, we have 24/7 professional support and are happy to share our experience with new Partners.
ImLink specialist: So is it better to choose WhatsApp for business messaging and customise the platform with specialists?
Alexey Sergeev: Yes, this is a ready-made, thoughtful solution for business, and not the only one. Other Meta products — Facebook, Instagram — support a showcase of products, brand promotion functionality and two-way communication with users. The platform’s advertising tools are really thought out, as well as advanced analytics and new features.
In addition, messengers are popular, they have a multibillion audience of regular users who choose WhatsApp for communication every day. At the same time, there are regions where SMS is no longer used, and their number will increase.
ImLink specialist: From this follows that SMS as a messaging channel will go into the shadows?
Alexey Sergeev: Correct, as well as the companies that will use the tool. It should be understood that SMS aggregators around the world are rapidly losing their spot, as they can not adapt to new legislation and technologies. They are applying a business model that is going to zero.
For them, working with WhatsApp is difficult, intelligent — it’s not just a story about how to send messages. This is about how to cover business tasks with one solution — to inform, communicate with the audience and analyze the results of messaging campaigns.
ImLink specialist: And is WhatsApp such a universal solution for business, a tool of the market future?
Alexey Sergeev: Yes, it is a trend in mobile communications and the prospect of further development. And in general, the future of the industry lies with tools such as WhatsApp.
The market is changing, and products that offer just the possibility of messaging as it is, will leave the scene very quickly. Channels and companies that will be able to provide a comprehensive solution of business problems in one interface will come to the fore.
ImLink specialist: May we say that ImLink is a company that offers a complex solution for enterprises?
Alexey Sergeev: Yes, we support a functional platform for business and implement messaging via various channels — SMS, WhatsApp, Viber, OTP Call. In addition, we offer a unique tool — cascade forwarding.
In the cascade, you choose the tools and application order. Next, the system automatically forwards the message according to the specified algorithm until it is delivered — this is an opportunity to multiply the communication effectiveness and reduce marketing costs, as the most profitable channels are used first.
ImLink specialist: What other ImLink functionality is worthy of mentioning?
Alexey Sergeev: An equally useful and important business tool that is available on our platform is the formation of detailed analytics for every messaging. This is a great opportunity to evaluate the communication productivity and set up effective marketing campaigns.
It’s also worth saying that our Team is a collaboration of professionals. We are competent in what we do. ImLink specialists are perfectly acquainted with the features of each tool, are aware of all product updates and changes.
ImLink specialist: Is it possible to test ImLink platform before fully using it?
Alexey Sergeev: Of course, it is enough to register on the website and create a Partner account.
I will say more: all our products can be used completely free of charge — the company pays only for traffic, that is the number of messages sent.
Register and develop your business here and now! Take a step towards new effective tools — and start the path to new business heights with ImLink Team!
*ROI (Return on Investment) is a financial coefficient illustrating the level of profitability or loss of a business