The simple truth: these are 3 different marketing tools
Most people choose the wrong WhatsApp format because they pick based on what looks familiar. But broadcast lists, groups, and communities behave differently, and that changes your results.
This guide helps you choose the right one for marketing updates, promos, reminders, and customer engagement, without spamming or turning your audience off.
Quick definitions (in plain words)
1) Broadcast list
You send one message, many people receive it as a normal private chat. Recipients don’t see each other. Great for clean “updates”.
2) Group
Everyone can talk. Members see each other. Great for discussions, support, and community energy.
3) Community
A “container” that organizes multiple groups under one umbrella, plus an Announcements space where admins post updates to everyone. Best when you have several related groups and want structure.
What to use for marketing (real examples)
Here’s the “best fit” mapping. Not theoretical, this is what works in real life.
| Best WhatsApp format by marketing goal | Best format | Why it fits | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Weekly promo / offer
One-way update
|
Broadcast list
Feels like a personal message, stays clean
|
No group noise
People can reply privately
|
“This week only: 15% off. Reply if you want the link.”
|
|
Customer support + Q&A
Many-to-many
|
Group
People help each other, you answer once
|
Conversation is the feature
|
“Drop your questions here, we’ll answer daily.”
|
|
A course / cohort / membership
Structured community
|
Community
Organizes multiple groups + announcements
|
Scales better than 1 mega group
|
Announcements + separate groups for lessons, Q&A, wins
|
|
Appointment reminders
Private reminders
|
Broadcast (small) or 1:1 messages
Depends if it’s personal or batch
|
Private is better
Less pressure, better response
|
“Reminder: tomorrow at 5:00 PM. Reply confirm/reschedule.”
|
|
New product updates
Keep it simple
|
Broadcast list
Feels personal, low clutter
|
Great for short updates
|
“New menu item is live. Want today’s photo?”
|
The part people miss: limits and expectations
Broadcast lists feel perfect… until you grow. In the WhatsApp app, broadcasts are commonly limited (often around 256 contacts per list), and in many cases broadcasts only reach people who have saved your number. That means it is not a “growth hack”, it is a “keep-in-touch tool”.
Groups and communities don’t have the same “saved number” expectation, but they require more moderation and a clear purpose. If a group becomes a promo wall, people mute it or leave.
What you can schedule with TikTask (smart, not spammy)
The best way to use scheduling is to reduce busywork, not increase volume. Here are useful routines people actually appreciate:
- Weekly promo (1 message per week, consistent day and time).
- New arrivals or menu updates (short and visual).
- Appointment reminders (confirmation + reminder).
- Follow-ups (2 gentle touches, then stop).
- Customer care check-in (after purchase: “Everything ok?”).
A simple decision flow (choose in 20 seconds)
Common mistakes that kill results
- Turning a group into a promo wall (people mute fast).
- Posting too often (even good content becomes noise).
- No clear purpose (“Why am I here?”).
- No opt-in or no exit (“How do I stop this?”).
- One huge group instead of a community structure (too noisy).
The simple takeaway
Broadcast is for clean private updates. Groups are for conversation. Communities are for organizing multiple groups with announcements.
If you want to run marketing routines without constantly remembering to send things, schedule the routine once with TikTask and keep the frequency respectful.